First Affirmative Financial Network

The firm combines proprietary screening — including fossil-fuel-free and weapons-free filters — with third-party manager selection. It also engages in direct shareholder advocacy, historically filing or co-filing proxy resolutions at public companies on behalf of client accounts. This hybrid approach means advisors using the platform get both a curated fund menu and active ownership tools.

First Affirmative operates a managed-account platform rather than a traditional fund family. It constructs portfolios using a mix of direct security positions and external fund managers, all subject to its proprietary values screens. The firm has historically emphasized direct shareholder engagement — including proxy voting and resolution filing — as a core part of its toolkit.

First Affirmative predates the ESG fund industry by roughly 15 years, and its model is structural rather than product-centric. Instead of launching retail funds, the firm built a platform that lets independent advisors apply its screens within separately managed accounts. This means end-client portfolios are not commingled in a 40 Act fund but rather held as individually managed accounts with direct proxy-voting rights, a structure that offers more granular client control.