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We have compiled the latest on impact bonds around the world from our Impact Bond Dataset. Here is a snapshot of the leading countries on impact bonds, the different policy areas impact bonds are present in, as well as the different kinds of impact bond contracts across the world.

Global impact bond landscape

Total
214
Impact bonds
USD
> 496m
Capital raised
USD
1,263,729
Median
  • There are no new projects in our Impact Bond Dataset this month.
  • Calculations are based on the variable "Total Investment Commitment - Exact Amount in USD". When projects have minimum and maximum values (instead of exact amount of investment commitment), we include minimum values in the overall sum.
  • The investment figure is based on available data from 185 projects.
Service users
> 850,150
Median
400
Service users
Average duration
50 months
(4.2 years)
  • The service user figure is based on available data from 184 projects. 29 projects have data on actual number of service users, 155 projects have data on target number of service users and 30 projects do not have data on service users.
  • The average duration of service delivery is based on available data from 208 projects.

Stage of development of impact bonds

Global impact bonds by policy area

Leading impact bond countries

(by number of impact bonds)

Impact bond landscape in the UK

UK total
88
Impact Bonds
GBP
> 72.5m
Capital raised
GBP
762,500
Median
  • When projects have minimum and maximum values (instead of exact amount of investment commitment), we include minimum values in the overall sum.
  • This figure is based on available data from 74 projects.

Stage of development of impact bonds in the UK

Service users
> 102, 330
Median
402
Service users
Average duration
52 months
(4.3 years)
  • 22 projects reported data on actual number of engaged service users, 58 projects reported data of target number of engaged service users and 8 projects did not report data on service users.
  • The average duration of service delivery is based on available data from 87 projects.

UK impact bonds by policy area

Notes

Please read our new Dictionary of Data Definitions and have a look at the open-source code on our GitHub site.

Service users

The number of service users is a combination of two values. Completed projects have data on the actual number of service users and ongoing projects have data on target number of service users. If we have data on actual numbers, we will use them. If the project only has data for targets, we will use target numbers. This calculation is based on the variables "Service and beneficiaries - Targeted number of unique service users or beneficiaries" and "Service and beneficiaries - Actual number of unique service users or beneficiaries". In future we propose to report on these figures separately.

Capital raised

The final figure of capital raised is based on the variables "Total Investment Commitment - Exact Amount in USD" (for the global landscape) and "Total Investment Commitment - Exact Amount in relevant currency" (for the UK landscape). This figure is calculated using only data that are publicly available.

Source: GO Lab INDIGO Impact Bond Dataset, August 9 2021

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