The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (Goldman Sachs) is a leading global investment banking, securities, and investment management firm
that provides a wide range of financial services to corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals. Founded in 1869, the firm is headquartered in New York and has offices around the world.
Goldman Sachs recognizes the power that the private sector wields to drive changes in society and help create a more diverse and inclusive
economy. Through various initiatives, Goldman Sachs has sought to promote equity and drive economic prosperity for more people, including underserved communities. Goldman Sachs chose three of these initiatives, One Million Black Women, the
Fund for Racial Equity, and 10,000 Small Businesseseach of which focuses on external stakeholders and communitiesto be the subject of this third-party audit.
One Million Black Women. Launched in 2021, One Million Black Women is aimed at advancing racial equity and reducing
barriers to economic growth for Black women through targeted capital investment and philanthropic giving. Goldman Sachs committed to deploying $10 billion in commercial capital investments and $100 million in philanthropic capital over ten
years through One Million Black Women. As of July 31, 2022, Goldman Sachs had deployed $1.2 billion in commercial capital investments and $20 million in philanthropic grants. The philanthropic component of One Million Black
Women includes a pilot business education program for Black women sole proprietors, known as Black in Business, and a $10 million grant program for Black women-led nonprofit organizations,
known as Black Women Impact Grants.
Fund for Racial Equity. Launched in June 2020, the Fund for Racial Equity
(or the Fund) was a $10 million commitment to provide capital and support to organizations addressing racial injustice, structural inequity, and economic disparity. As of August 2022, all $10 million of the Fund
had been deployed to 20 organizations that work to advance racial equity. While Goldman Sachs has met its objective by completing its $10 million commitment, the Fund also built momentum for longer-term commitments Goldman Sachs has made
through One Million Black Women, which launched nine months after the Fund was announced.
10,000 Small
Businesses. Launched in 2009 with an initial $500 million commitment, 10,000 Small Businesses is focused on helping small businesses grow and create jobs by providing them with access to business education, capital, and business
support services. The initiative has two flagship components, both of which were within the scope of the audit: the Education Program, which provides tuition-free, practical business education to small business owners, referred to as
scholars, and the Access to Capital Program, which provides loans funded by Goldman Sachs to small businesses that may otherwise lack access to affordable capital or may not qualify for traditional sources of credit. In December 2020,
having met its initial goal of graduating 10,000 scholars from the Education Program, Goldman Sachs committed another $250 million to support an additional 10,000 scholars. As of December 31, 2022, over 13,600 small business owners
have graduated from the Education Program. And, through the Access to Capital Program, Goldman Sachs has deployed approximately $1.6 billion to date in total loan capital to over 37,000 small businesses, including $1.3 billion in Paycheck
Protection Program (PPP) loans.
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