First, look at investment groups known as angel networks . These groups, made up of individual investors, find and screen potential venture-capital deals for their members. Usually these networks involve a socially responsible component, such as businesses that are environmentally friendly, employee-owned or are owned by women or minorities. To get funding from an angel network, your deal usually has to go through a screening process whereby the entrepreneur and the business plan are evaluated and given equal weight. The best-known angel network is the Investors' Circle, which holds venture fairs twice a year, in the fall and spring.
Family offices offer another avenue to socially responsible investors.
There is no publicly available directory of family offices, so finding one can take some luck. Half the battle is figuring out which banks to approach. As a starting point, ask your banker for recommendations either in your own bank or for referrals to others in the area. Also, do your homework in the newspaper. If a banker's name appears in a story about an innovative or socially responsible business, he or she is a good target for you.