This study examines critically the potential for impact bonds to address the financing and quality service delivery issues around tackling some of the most challenging social problems facing governments. This study provides:
- Clear definitions of the concepts, key players, and development processes of impact bond transactions
- A comprehensive inventory of all active SIBs (contracted as of March 1, 2015) as well as some of the social and development impact bonds in the development stage
- An inventory of key policy actions and legislation to support the impact bond ecosystem
- An analysis of the stakeholder motivations, key facilitating factors, and biggest challenges faced in 38 impact bond transactions
- A critical examination of 10 positive claims made about impact bonds
- An analysis of the future potential of impact bonds and any potential derivatives with a particular focus on developing country contexts