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In addition to separately managed accounts, Align also provides portfolio management services to
pooled investment vehicles (“Fund Clients”). Fund Clients include Align Impact Fund, LP; Align
Impact Fund II, LP; Align Impact Fund III, LP; and Abacus Sustainable Fund, LP.
Impact Investing: Institutional Services
Align helps advisory firms (“Institutional Clients”) clarify their value proposition, mission statement,
and services related to impact investing. Align provides Institutional Clients access to, and ongoing
reporting on, its Aspire Platform (“Platform”) of best-in-class, third party managers and investment
products that have undergone due diligence by its investment research team and reviewed by its
investment committee.
The Platform is limited to a subset of the investment opportunities that the investment committee
approves for client use. The criteria for consideration for inclusion on the Platform are driven by the
demand for and appropriateness of investment opportunities for our Institutional Clients, including
size, asset class, and thematic exposure.
Align can work with Institutional Clients to provide custom white labeled due diligence services for
client-mandates. This service typically requires an initial engagement to clarify the criteria and is
usually designed around a pre-determined plan for sourcing and decision-making as well. Align
provides training and educational support through a regular cadence of calls with Institutional
Clients. Select examples of topics covered in the past include shareholder engagement, green bond
issuance, faith-based investing, ESG rating methodologies, navigating Opportunity Zone, and
investing in Pay for Success contracts.
Services Limited to Specific Types of Investments
Align specializes in impact investing and generally limits its investment advice to mutual funds, fixed
income securities, real estate funds (including REITs), equities, private equity funds, ETFs (including
ETFs in the gold and precious metal sectors), treasury inflation protected/inflation linked bonds,
commodities, non-U.S. securities, venture capital funds and private placements. Align may use other
securities as well to help diversify a portfolio when applicable.
As part of its portfolio management services, Align will create a customized portfolio for each Impact
Retainer Client based on their social values and preferences to divest from or invest more heavily in
particular stocks or industries. This will include multiple interview sessions to get to know the Impact
Retainer Client’s specific needs and requirements as well as a plan that will be executed by Align on
behalf of the client. Align may use model portfolios together with a specific set of recommendations
for each Impact Retainer Client based on their personal restrictions, needs, and targets. Impact
Retainer Clients may impose restrictions in investing in certain securities or types of securities in
accordance with their values or beliefs. However, if the restrictions prevent Align from properly
servicing the account, or if the restrictions would require Align to deviate from its standard suite of
services, Align reserves the right to end the relationship.
Align tailors its advisory services to the meet the investment strategy, risk tolerance, and goals set
forth in Fund Clients’ governing documents. Align does not tailor its advisory services to the
C. Client Tailored Services and Client Imposed Restrictions
individual needs to investors in Fund Clients and does not accept investor-imposed investment
restrictions.
Align tailors its Impact Strategy services to meet the individual needs of its Impact Strategy Clients,
who may impose restrictions on the type of securities and plans recommended.
A wrap fee program is an investment program where the investor pays one stated fee that includes
management fees, transaction costs, fund expenses, and other administrative fees. Align does not
participate in any wrap fee programs.
As of 12/31/2023, Align had $4,157,933,460 of assets under advisement, which includes
$728,383,306 of regulatory assets under management on a discretionary basis.
Impact Investing: Financial Planning
Impact Strategy Clients pay impact strategy fees. The amount and frequency of payment is outlined
in each Impact Strategy Client’s engagement agreement. Typically, 50% of fees are due in advance
upon engagement, but never more than six months in advance, 25% is due three months after the
effective engagement agreement date, and the remaining 25% of the financial planning fee is due
upon completion of the impact strategy. If the engagement is terminated prematurely, impact
strategy fees that are collected in advance will be refunded based on the prorated amount of work
completed at the point of termination. Fees are negotiated and generally range from $50,000 to
$200,000, depending on complexity and the amount of assets under consideration among other
factors. Fees are billed to the Impact Strategy Client and may be paid electronically or by check.
Impact Investing: Portfolio Management
Impact Retainer Clients are charged portfolio management fees (“Investing Fees”) on a quarterly
basis. Investing Fees are due in advance and are payable electronically or by check. The Firm allows
each Impact Retainer Client to select an asset-based fee structure, a flat fee structure, or a
combination of both. The selection will be encapsulated in the Impact Retainer Client’s written
engagement agreement. Investing Fees are negotiable. Flat fees typically range from $100,000-
$800,000. Impact Retainer Clients whose assets (whether a portion or in its entirety) are managed
by a sub-advisor will sign a written sub-advisory agreement with the sub-advisor. Align works to
negotiate favorable sub-advisory fees for Impact Retainer Clients but is not involved in collecting
them. Any fees owed to the sub-advisor are separate and distinct from the advisory fees owed to
Align.
E. Assets Under Management