Resources in this appendix address specific references in chapters where the reader was encouraged to look for more information. The resources are listed by topic.

Here are some resources for information on environmental issues and corporate responses:

This is not a comprehensive list, but each of these sites will lead you to other sites for any additional information you need.

Several regulatory agencies and commissions at the federal level have authority over socially responsible investing products or they regulate and investigate complaints against companies.

You can reach the SEC at:

Other agencies that investigate business practices are:

Community investing is a very popular part of socially responsible investing, although many do not necessarily connect the two. To find out more about community investing organizations, this government website offers a wide variety of resources: www.cdfifund.gov/ what_we_do/.

Stock and mutual fund screening tools can help you narrow down you search for possible investment candidates. These screens search on investing fundamentals.

Almost all of the major business and investing websites carry screens. If one of these does not work for you, look around as some of the other sites for another option.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is a way of classifying businesses using a numeric code. It replaced the old standard industrial classification system (SIC codes). The NAICS will help everyone involved in industry be more precise in talking about and comparing businesses. For more information visit: www.census.gov/epcd/www/drnaics.htm

Asset allocation is the process of logically distributing your investment dollars among stocks, bonds, and cash to reduce your overall risk. By investing in an appropriate assortment of large and small cap stocks; domestic and foreign stocks; growth and value stocks; along with short and intermediate bonds or bond funds, plus a cash reserve you can reduce your risk that all of your investments will do poorly at the same time. This is the simple explanation of asset allocation, but the concept is the same even when performed with greater precision by a financial professional using the latest software tools and market data.

The SEC offers a Beginners Guide to Asset Allocation on its website: www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/assetallocation.htm.

The traditional IRA has been a laggard when it comes to allowing people to invest more annually. The original amount of $2,000 per year was hardly enough for anyone to build a retirement on. The guidelines were revised to acknowledge that participants needed the opportunity to invest more, especially those approaching retirement. If you are married and filing jointly, you can contribute $4,000 ($5,000 if you are age 50 are older). There are income limitations, and Congress has been known to change the rules in the past. Your safest bet is to check with a financial professional to make sure you know what rules are in play for the tax year you want to make a contribution. The same advice applies for deductions, always check with a professional before making withdrawals that could cost you tax penalties and interest.

The SmartMoney.com website has a primer on IRA contribution rules: www.smartmoney.com/retirement/ira/index.cfm?story=supertable.

The Internet has a number of resources you can use to find information on mutual funds. For SRI funds, you might want to consider these sites:

If you would like more information on joining a Community Development Venture Capital or possibly starting a venture capital fund in your community, check out the Community Development Venture Capital Alliance. This network of community development venture capital funds is a good place to start whether you are looking for funding or looking to become involved as an investor (www.cdvca.org/about/index.php).

Not everyone is cut out to be this active type of SRI investor, but for those who are, there are many opportunities to plug into advocacy groups that fight for special issues. One such group is Co-Op America (www.coopamerica.org). This advocacy group is much more action oriented than most and encourages members to become involved in a variety of ways.

Here is a list of meaningful financial professional designations:

These are the most common professional designations for financial planners you will find in the market. But there are several other designations that you may find in dealing with investment companies.

For resources on finding financial advisers and advisers experienced in socially responsible investing, go to SocialFunds.com (www.socialfunds.com) and download a free brochure on working with an SRI financial professional. The site also has directories of SRI financial professionals by state.

For more information on different funds that are available and new funds as they are introduced, some sites that will help you stay informed about the industry are: