We are living in an age where people are more socially aware and conscious of reducing their carbon footprint. College students wanting to make a difference in the world are now choosing more socially responsible career paths.

One arena where this is growing is the field of finance. It may sound strange but there is a way to bring together your financial career and your social conscious. You are probably wondering what social finance is. Social finance can be defined by using financial means in order to advocate social goals. When talking about financial means, we are referring to the financial tools used to reach these objectives such as credit, savings, investments, and loans. In the past, social finance has been incorporated by government bodies and charity groups but it is now becoming more apparent across private organizations.

Wondering what careers are available? Consider work in the following positions:

Community Investor: The role of a community investor is to work with people to collect, supervise, and manage capital to community investment projects in local, state and overseas areas. The communities where these projects are taking place have generally been ignored or under served by the average financial server.

Micro-Financier: Community investors also have the opportunity to work as micro-fanciers. A micro-financier works to give needy individuals or communities a way to invest or borrow money for commercial or local development.

Nonprofit Sector: There are a range of organizations to work for in the non-profit sector. Generally, if you work for an organization in the non-profit sector you will inform and answer to the board of directors. People tend to volunteer to work for non-profit organizations but there is also a way to freelance and make money in this industry, such as becoming a grant writer or project coordinator.

Social Entrepreneur: Social entrepreneurs work in the same way as business entrepreneurs, except they don’t look to profit from generating original ideas to solve any social problems. Their focus is on impoverished communities and needy people, unlike business entrepreneurs who seek to hone in on new markets.