Convergence has published a new Member Spotlight featuring an interview with MDIF Chief Strategy Officer Patrice Schneider. The article explores MDIF’s 30 years of experience using blended finance to support independent media, highlighting how catalytic capital can bridge the gap between grants and commercial investment.
Patrice outlines MDIF’s “third way” approach to media financing — combining philanthropic, concessional and private capital to fund independent media as a public good. He also discusses the persistent gap in the blended finance market, where impact-first capital remains scarce for sectors like independent media that are vital to democratic resilience but often overlooked by commercial investors.
The interview highlights examples such as MDIF’s investment vehicles Plūrālis and MDIF Media Finance, and examines how growing the ethical finance sector can align public and private investment around shared social value, ensuring that reliable information continues to serve as essential public infrastructure.
Read the full interview on Convergence, a global network of organizations engaged in blended finance.