Brian Beckon
Brian Beckon specializes in the legal strategies of community capital, moving capital to where it can do the most good, and creating wealth-building opportunities that contribute to a more equitable world. This includes both exempt and registered capital raising strategies; as well as innovative fund strategies that can aggregate community capital and deploy it in a way that is both scalable and locally focused. In addition, Brian has expertise in entity structuring (including nonprofit/for-profit hybrid structures), corporate governance, and compliance for charities.
Brian serves on the governing board of the National Coalition for Community Capital (NC3), and more locally on the boards of the Neto Community Network and the Cowell Homeowners Association. He previously served for 10 years on the board of the Mt. Diablo Music Education Foundation.
Before joining the firm in 2014, Brian was General Counsel for Clean Power Finance and RSF Social Finance; Corporate Counsel for Sybase and Catellus Development Corp; and began his career as Associate with the North Bay law firm of Gaw Van Male. He earned his J.D. from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law.
Project Highlights:
- Designed and implemented a tandem offering by Black Farmer Fund, one of the first charities to combine charitable exempt offerings with a Rule 506(c) offering
- Developed the holding company strategy for CoPeace, paving the way for public capital raising strategies
- Set up structure and offering strategy for Revolutionary Economy for All Local People’s Fund, known as the REAL People’s Fund, a supporting organization to five local social justice nonprofits that provide financing to underserved communities
- Advised on legal strategies for LENDonate, a platform combining opportunities to lend and donate to charities
Publications and Media:
- Co-author: Community Investment Funds: A How-To Guide for Building Local Wealth, Equity, and Justice (with Amy Cortese, Janice Shade, and Michael Shuman), published by NC3 and the Solidago Foundation in 2020
- Author: Diversified Community Investment Fund: A Versatile Vehicle for Democratizing Capital (2023)
- Author: Reimagining the Pooled Income Fund: A Community-Scale Mutual Fund (2018)
- Author: Community Investment Funds: A Change is Gonna Come (2021)
- Author: Community Investment Funds: Four Models (2016)
Brian also loves gardening, brewing beer, and discovering obscure progressive metal bands.