Month: August 2016

Video: Georgetown Cupcake Founders At MCON 2016

Posted on by Case Foundation

This post was written by Calvin Millien, Case Foundation intern.

Each year, MCON, the Millennial Engagement Conference, through its array of dynamic speakers, has highlighted the many ways Millennials are making the world a better place. Whether they’re enlightening the audience on environmental conditions, discussing how to leverage arts for social good or inspiring others through their entrepreneurial endeavors, MCON speakers masterfully propel audiences to move from interest to action.

This year’s MCON was no exception thanks to speakers like “The Cupcake Sisters,” Katherine Kallinis Berman and Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne. These shining examples of entrepreneurship, have scaled Georgetown Cupcake into a nationwide success. To provide a bit more insight on this growth, DC’s most famous bakers shared how passion, connection and impact have made this possible. Check it out here:

And if you just can’t get enough of these incredible entrepreneurial sisters, check out our behind the scenes Facebook Live interview with them.

SXSW 2017 PanelPicker – Vote Today

Posted on by Case Foundation

Every year the Case Foundation and our partners submit innovative and compelling panel ideas for consideration to be included at South by Southwest Interactive (SXSW). Last year, we were excited to host or be a part of 12 amazing sessions at SXSW, ranging from inclusive entrepreneurship to online movement building through hashtags. All included incredible speakers, invaluable lessons and memorable quotes to walk away with.

This year, we’ve submitted 11 fantastic panel ideas for the SXSW PanelPicker process, and we need your help to vote to get them to SXSW 2017. Below are descriptions of each panel, along with the link that takes you directly to the page to vote for that session, and a tweet for you to share with your networks to help spread the word. Find your favorite panels below and be sure to vote by September 2, 2016!

Changing the Face of Entrepreneurship

Vote at: https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/67551

SXSWPanel_Ent4AllJeanHow can we level the playing field for all entrepreneurs—particularly women and people of color—in all places in order to create stronger communities, close the opportunity gap and scale creative solutions to persistent problems? Join tech pioneer and investor Jean Case as she challenges the traditional notions that entrepreneurs are wealthy, white men in this discussion on how women and entrepreneurs of color are fueling economic growth and creating scalable businesses. Talent is everywhere, opportunity is not. Explore the journeys of fearless entrepreneurs of color and women who are changing what it means to be a startup founder.

Speakers:

Tweet this: Talent is everywhere, opportunity is not. Vote for “Changing the Face of Entrepreneurship” in the #SXSWPanelPicker bit.ly/Ent4AllSXSWvote

 

Emerging Explorers Changing the World Through Tech

Vote at: https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/66014

SXSWPanel_ExplorersNational Geographic is one of the world’s largest scientific and education organizations working to turn interest into action—to inspire people to care about the planet and protect it through exploration. Through the Emerging Explorers program, they unite fearless young scientists, conservationists, storytellers, and innovators who are harnessing technology to expand the frontiers of exploration. Join Jean Case and Gary Knell of National Geographic as they highlight the next generation of explorers who are taking risks, being bold and failing forward to change the world through technology for good.

 

Speakers:

Tweet this: #SXSWPanelPicker Vote to hear how @NatGeoExplorers harness #tech to expand frontiers of exploration #BeFearless bit.ly/ExplorersTechSXSWvote

 

Using Data to Unlock Capital

Vote at: https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/66995

SXSWPanel_DataCapitalAcross the country, data scientists and developers are working alongside experts in the impact market to forge connections through data that can scale innovative social businesses. Sounds great! So what’s the problem? Data can be hard to come by and the path to connecting people to good data isn’t always clear. Luckily, a growing number of tools with innovative, data-powered interfaces are being developed right now that empower investors, consumers and entrepreneurs to make informed, socially responsible decisions with strong information. What’s ultimately decided around data transparency and reliability has the potential to change the future of how we invest in and grow transformative ideas.

Speakers:

Tweet this: How can data unlock capital for social impact? Vote to help this panel get to #SXSW #impinv bit.ly/UnlockCapitalSXSWvote

 

How to Fundraise Without Silicon Valley

Vote at: https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/67828

SXSWPanel_FundraiseSVWe are witnessing a new wave of investment and entrepreneurship in the United States. How can we level the playing field for women entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs of color to fund, grow and scale their thriving businesses? Learn both investor and entrepreneur perspectives on what it takes to build and back inspiring companies and bring the deal process to life for diverse founders.

 

 

Speakers:

Tweet this: How can we level the field for women & entrepreneurs of color to fund, grow & scale? Vote this panel to #SXSW bit.ly/FundraiseSXSWvote

 

Best of SXSW

Vote at: https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/68267

SXSWPanel_BLabBusinesses are the engine of economic growth, and B Lab believes that they are also an engine for good social and environmental outcomes. Best of SXSW invites business leaders at SXSW to measure, compare and improve their impact. Take the Quick Impact Assessment to see how your business stacks up, then learn how you can improve your score and your impact. Hear from the B Lab team and meet other local and global business leaders striving to improve the quality of life for their employees, customers and communities. B Lab is seeking to empower all businesses to be a force for good by measuring what matters, and now you can be a part of the movement.

Speakers:

Tweet this: Vote to hear @BCorporation & @CaseFoundation at #SXSW on how business can be a force for #good bit.ly/BestOfSXSWvote

 

Going Live With 2 Billion Of Your Closest Friends

Vote at: https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/66640

SXSWPanel_FBLiveTake a deep dive into Facebook Live with digital leaders from the Case Foundation, AJ+ and Facebook. Explore how brands are captivating audiences and using powerful, real-time storytelling through the largest social media platform in the world. From going live with refugees in the Mediterranean Sea, to bringing Broadway to the digital world, to activating the Millennial generation for good, learn from our panelists’ wealth of experience covering global events and high-profile influencers. This workshop will leave participants with tangible methods to experiment and expand their own Facebook Live activations. Leave with best practices on how to set up a quality broadcast on any budget.

Speakers:

Tweet this: Take a deep dive into #FacebookLive w/digital leaders @CaseFoundation @ajplus @Facebook. Vote for this #SXSW panel: bit.ly/FacebookLiveSXSWvote

 

Follow the Crowd—for Good

Vote at: https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/67780

SXSWPanel_GoodWorldCrowdfunding is changing the landscape for nonprofit fundraising online. Today there is a growing phenomenon, with dozens of platforms helping organizations using crowd-based tools to reach and exceed their fundraising goals. Join digital pioneers and fundraising champions from the Case Foundation, GoodWorld and more as we explore new and tested approaches to crowdfunding, the power of experimentation, how to tailor creative projects for your campaigns, and what’s new in rewards-based fundraising. Learn how to unlock the power of crowdfunding to drive new innovations, advance game-changing projects and ultimately harness energy and dollars to change the world.

Speakers:

Tweet this: Follow the Crowd — for Good! Vote on #SXSWPanelPicker to learn how crowdfunding is changing nonprofit fundraising: bit.ly/CrowdfundingSXSWvote

 

Virtual Reality—A New Lens for Social Change

Vote at: https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/66544

SXSWPanel_VR4GoodVirtual reality is taking the multimedia world by storm. Whether you’ve been transported to Pluto, melting glaciers, or the frontlines of the refugee crisis, immersive video experiences such as these are transforming how stories are being told and experiences are being shared. The ability to bring an issue to life such as hunger, poverty, climate change and countless other challenges is game changing for the social sector. Join us as we explore the new frontiers of virtual reality with leading technology developers and storytellers who are using VR for Good.

 

Speakers:

  • Emily Yu, The Case Foundation (@DCxchange)
  • Sally Smith, The Nexus Fund (@Smith_Sally)
  • Chris Milk  (@milk)

Tweet this: Vote to help the panel “Virtual Reality – A New Lens for Social Change” make it to #SXSW bit.ly/VR4GoodSXSWvote

 

How Elections Change Next Gen Cause Engagement

Vote at: https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/65678

SXSWPanel_10Fact: Millennials value cause engagement. But what happens during an election year? Could politics possibly influence how this generation participates in social causes? In November, we learn not only who the next President of the United States will be, but also, for the first time, we are able to track and document the impact of an election on the way in which Millennials engage with social causes. Through the 2016 Millennial Impact Report, Achieve and the Case Foundation identified what—if any—demographic factors are connected to engagement trends. Join us as we release the final wave of survey results exclusively at SXSW and share how organizations can motivate this generation.

Speakers:

Tweet this: Learn How Elections Change NextGen Cause Engagement – vote to see this panel at #SXSW: bit.ly/NextGenSXSWvote

 

Gaming for Good: Changemaking Becomes A Gamechanger

Vote at: https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/66435

SXSWPanel_Gaming4GoodIncentivizing people to do good is nothing new… but making it fun and entertaining, now that’s a more recent shift in how changemaking is conceived, thought of and done. Whether it is through raising money through crowdfunding platforms; offering prizes in exchange for actions taken; or watching your favorite gamer play a game and tipping them—knowing that a portion of the money will go to support a nonprofit. The increasing popularity of gamification for good online is helping to bring forth new models of engagement that are creating real world solutions to some of society’s most pressing challenges. Find out how games are fundamentally changing how change is made.

 Speakers:

Tweet this: How is #gaming fundamentally changing how change is made? Vote to see this panel @ #SXSW bit.ly/Gaming4GoodSXSWvote

 

How Media Brands Thrive 100+ Years Later

Vote at: https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/65479

SXSWPanel_Media100YrsMore than 200 years of content and rich history exists between the global media powerhouses of National Geographic and Atlantic Magazine. While new technology and changing business models usher in a steady stream of competition, these brands continue to thrive. So what sets them apart? Learn from the media platforms that have adapted over decades and are still publishing today reaching nearly 1 billion consumers across the globe. Explore the evolution of their digital platforms, the shifts in American news consumption, trends that are captivating the media industry, key findings on the habits of the modern news consumer, and the standout traits of the most enduring media brands.

Speakers:

Tweet this: 200+ yrs of experience exist btwn @NatGeo & @TheAtlantic —Vote 4 this #SXSW panel on how 100 yo media brands thrive bit.ly/100yrMediaSXSWvote

50 Inclusive Entrepreneurship Champions You Should Be Following on Twitter

Posted on by Case Foundation

Earlier this week our CEO Jean Case shared the Case Foundation’s journey from understanding our work through the lens of our three pillars, or our main areas of interest, to distilling the core of what we do—catalyze movements around social innovation, tipping the scales from good intention to action.

As movement catalyzers, we are not creating a new program or issue area at the Foundation, but rather, are joining in and accelerating a movement that already has purpose, stakeholders and allies. For our newest movement around inclusive entrepreneurship, we have pulled up a seat at a table already populated with the inspiring entrepreneurs, savvy investors and dedicated ecosystem builders who seek to level the playing field for women entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs of color. Together, we are working to upend the bleak statistics regarding access to financial capital, risk tolerance and the cultural barriers faced by diverse entrepreneurs and create a new system that allows all individuals with innovative ideas to have access to the resources necessary to build, grow and scale their business.

In an effort to lift up these varied voices, ecosystem builders and entrepreneurs leading the inclusive entrepreneurship movement, we’ve curated a list of 50 inclusive entrepreneurship champions you should be following on Twitter. We know that this list is in no way exhaustive of the many incredible people doing work in this sector, but we hope this will give you a starting point to understand and join in the quest to create a level playing field for all entrepreneurs. If you want to shine a spotlight on others supporting this ecosystem, please let us know on Twitter using @CaseFoundation and the hashtag #Ent4All.

Follow the whole list below with one easy click. And don’t forget to keep in touch with the Case Foundation and our team! @CaseFoundation   @JeanCase   @SteveCase  @SaratKoch
(Full Team List)

Alejandra Castillo
@MBDANatlDir
The official Twitter feed of the United States Minority Business Development Agency National Director
Ari Horie
@AriHorie
Founder of Women’s Startup Lab (@wslab) & MoChiGo
Backstage Capital
@backstage_cap
Venture capital fund investing in startups led by women, Black & Latinx, and LGBT founders. Contact = @ArlanWasHere
Blackstone Entrepreneurship Initiative
@BlackstoneEI
@Blackstone Entrepreneurship Initiative, powered by the Blackstone Charitable Foundation. Cultivating entrepreneurship and igniting job growth globally.
Carolyn Rodz
@carolynrodz
Founder of @CircularB, a #startup accelerator for #femalefounders. Mom of 2, wife of 1, entrepreneurial advocate & contributor to Fortune, HuffPo + Entrepreneur
Clare O’Connor
@Clare_OC
Staff writer at @Forbes, mostly covering women entrepreneurs and workplace equality. No plans to go camping.
Darius Graham
@dariusg
Director, Social Innovation Lab (@SIL_Baltimore) at @JohnsHopkins; Founder & Board Chair, @dcsocialinnov; Adjunct Professor, @GoucherCollege;#AnyoneAnInnovator
Defy Ventures
@defyventures
We are an entrepreneurship, employment, and leadership training program that serves people with criminal histories.
Derek T. Dingle
@DTDingle
Sr. VP/Editor-in-Chief of @BlackEnterprise Magazine. Award-winning author. Co-founder, Milestone Media comic book co. Proud alum of Norfolk State U.
Diana Project
@Diana_Group
Diana International assembles researchers worldwide interested in women’s entrepreneurship
Duke I&E
@EshipatDuke
Latest happenings from the Duke Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative.
Eutiquio Tiq Chapa
@TiqChapa108
Program Manager: Stanford GSB Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative. Mobile UX/Behavior Designer. Democratizing info. PoliticsDonors. Educating billions. Crossfit.
Freada Klein
@TheRealFreada
Founder of Level Playing Field Institute, investor in social impact startups, dog devotee
Hajj Flemings
@hajjflemings
Featured in @CNN’s Black in America 4. Founder of @BrandCampU. Founder of@RebrandDetroit a @knightfdn#knightcities project. #rebrandDetroit
Jade Floyd
@JadeFloydDC
Senior Director of Communications @CaseFoundation + @Revolution Venture Capital | Food + Wine + Design Addict
Johnathan Holifield
@TheTrimTabber
Author of Upcoming book on Inclusive Competitiveness, former NFL player, Keynote Speaker, Advisor & Consultant.
JumpStart Inc
@jumpstartinc
We are a nationally recognized nonprofit that unlocks the full potential of diverse & ambitious entrepreneurs to economically transform entire communities.
Kapor Center
@KaporCenter
The Kapor Center is relentlessly pursuing creative strategies to leverage tech for positive, progressive change.
Kathryn Finney
@KathrynFinney
Founder/Speaker/Investor/Wifer/Mother. @digundiv, @rewritethecode, #projectdiane, @budgetfashion (sold).
Kauffman Foundation
@KauffmanFDN
Fostering economic independence by advancing education & entrepreneurship. RTs ≠ endorsements.
Kesha Cash
@KeshaCashIAFund
General Partner @ Impact America Fund
Kimberly Bryant
@6Gems
Founder @BlackGirlsCode ~ White House Champion of Change ~ 2014 GOOD 100 /good.is/the100 Find me here
Kirsten Saenz Tobey
@kirstentobey
founder & chief impact officer@revolutionfoods, mom, social entrepreneur, healthy food junkie, board member @netimpact and @mercaris
LATINAS THINK BIG®
@ThinkBigSociety
Latinas Think Big® is a global membership community and platform tailored to support and accelerate your career and ventures. Join us!
Laura Weidman Powers
@laurawp
Co-Founder/CEO @Code2040. Fellow @NewAmericaCA @EchoingGreen. Alum @StanfordBiz @StanfordLaw @Harvard.
Lemelson Foundation
@lemelsonfdn
Improving lives through invention
Lydia Dishman
@LydiaBreakfast
Business journalist @FastCompany and others. Bronx native. @FordhamNotes alum. Tweets = mine. RTs not endorsements. Hearts = bookmarks or love, you choose.
Makinde Adeagbo
@makinde
Founder of @devcolororg. Engineer at @Pinterest, @Dropbox & @Facebook. Husband to @iamawara.
Mandela SH
@MandelaSH
@KaporCapital helping tech startups succeed in biz, social impact and diversity | @Forbes 30Under30
Maria Contreras-Sweet
@MCS4Biz
Official account of @POTUS @Cabinetmember Maria Contreras-Sweet,@SBAgov Administrator. Former CA Cabinet Secretary, community banker and entrepreneur.
Megan Rose Dickey
@meganrosedickey
Reporter @TechCrunch covering diversity & inclusion and social justice. megan at techcrunch dot com
Monique Woodard
@MoniqueWoodard
Venture Partner @500Startups // Founder & ED @blackfounders
Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center
@thecenter
The Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center is designed to educate, innovate and connect aspiring & current entrepreneurs. Grow your ideas. Get inspired. Tell your story.
New Profit
@newprofit
#AdvanceEquity is a new digital dialogue series about equity and inclusion. Join us in advancing bold new ideas for systemic change: https://newprofit.org/amplify
Pamela Lewis
@PamintheDLewis
Executive Director of @neimichigan.
PowerMoves
@powermovesnola
PowerMoves.NOLA is about creating power through opportunity – the opportunity of high growth minority Traditional & Tech Entrepreneurship.
Project Entrepreneur
@pjtentrepreneur
Project Entrepreneur ignites bold ideas by providing women access to the tools, training and networks needed to build scalable, economically impactful companies
Regina Ann Campbell
@ReginaAnnCampbe
A Lover of Detroit, all about people, place and purpose! Economic development working with small businesses, supporting entrepreneurs in the Detroit Region!
Rethink Impact
@rethinkimpact
Investing in ecosystems of change
Ross Baird
@rossbaird
Executive Director of @villagecapital; also teach at @UVA. Enable entrepreneurs to solve major global problems.
Salvador Rodriguez
@sal19
@Inc Reporter covering tech, diversity, startups & entrepreneurs. Before w/@IBTimes, @LATimes. Let’s play air hockey. DM me srodriguez@inc.com
Sarah Koch
@SarahtKoch
VP, Social Innovation @Casefoundation. Passionate about #ent4all, #nptech, #socent & gluten free baking.
Sheila Herrling
@sherrling
SVP Social Innovation @CaseFoundation; ex @MCCgov @CGDev @USTreasury Passionate about family, friends, fun, well articulated views, bourbon.
Talib Graves-Manns
@TalibValue
@Black_WallSt + @LifeOnAutoPilot + Point AB. Code2040 + Google EIR + American Underground Durm. We replace question marks with periods. Tech. Innovation. VC.
Tory Burch Foundation
@ToryBurchFdn
The official Tory Burch Foundation tweets.
Unshackled Ventures
@UnshackledUS
An early stage venture fund created to support immigrant founders and economic value in the U.S.
Vanessa Dawson
@veedaws
All about The Vinetta Project
Vanessa K. De Luca
@Vanessa_KDeLuca
Editor-in-chief of ESSENCE@essencemag. Mom, wife, daughter, friend. Honored and blessed to serve Black women. IG: @vanmommy
William Crowder
@williamcrowder
Co-lead of @CVCatalyst, an early stage venture fund. | Partner at @Dreamit global startup accelerator.
Women in Venture
@WomenInVenture
WxV is a network of traditional VC dealmakers, founded and run by the same.

*This list is provided for informational and educational purposes only. Inclusion on this list does not indicate endorsement by the Foundation.

Top 10 #BeFearless Olympic Quotes

Posted on by Case Foundation

This post on Olympic quotes was written by Isabella Robledo, Case Foundation intern.

Every two years, the world comes together in a celebration of the breadth and height of human physical achievement at the Summer and Winter Olympics. Often the narrative surrounding these talented athletes from around the world is one of “determination” and “persistence.” In fact, many articles about individual Olympians will cite the “10,000 hour rule,” explaining that what sets these athletes apart is not only talent, but also a single-minded focus and persistence in this one major area of their life. Today, we recognize that in addition to these athletes’ commitment to their sports, to become truly great at anything also requires one to Be Fearless. And this is a life lesson from which we can all learn.

Take Gabby Douglas, for example, a world-class gymnast who took a giant leap at the young age of 14 by moving across the country to train and pursue her dream of competing in the Olympics. Her perseverance and fearlessness paid off in 2010 when she won a gold medal for the USA, and again this year as she and her “Final Five” teammates repeated as Olympic champions in women’s gymnastics by an historic margin. In an interview after her 2010 victory, Douglas noted that before the competition she kept repeating to herself, “Believe, don’t fear, believe.”

In the spirit of Olympic Fearlessness, here are our top 10 Be Fearless Olympic quotes.

  1. “I’d rather regret the risks that didn’t work out than the chances I didn’t take at all.” – Simone Biles, five-time Olympic medal-winning gymnast

Biles

  1. “Don’t put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the further you get.”
    – Michael Phelps, most decorated Olympian of all time, with 28 medals for swimming

PhelpsCropped

  1. “Failure I can live with. Not trying is what I can’t handle!”
    – Sanya Richards-Ross, four-time Olympic gold medal-winning track and field star

RichardsRoss (1)

  1. “We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.”
    – Wilma Rudolph, American runner and three-time Olympic gold medalist

Rudolph

  1. “We have the can-do factor, and us doing what we do I think inspires people to just try that little bit harder, whether they are able-bodied or disabled.”
    — Lee Pearson, ten-time Gold Paralympian Dressage competitor

Pearson

  1. “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”
    – Muhammed Ali, Olympic gold medalist boxer

Ali (1)

  1. “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take a game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
    – Michael Jordan, two-time Olympic basketball gold medalists

Jordan

  1. “I don’t run away from a challenge when I am afraid, instead I run towards it because the only way to escape fear is to trample it beneath your feet.”
    – Nadia Comaneci, five-time Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast

Comaneci1 (1)

  1. “I’m scared of failure all the time, but not enough to stop trying.”
    – Ronda Rousey, 2008 Olympic Judo bronze medalist

Rousey

  1. “There’s always a point where you get knocked down. But I draw on what I’ve learned on the track: If you work hard, things will work out.”
    – Lolo Jones, Olympic hurdler and four-time gold medal winner

Jones1 (1)

Feeling inspired? If you’re ready to begin your own Be Fearless journey start by downloading our free Be Fearless Action Guide and Case Studies.

Header photo credit: Flickr user Tony Hisgett, used via Creative Commons.

Trailblazing Women in Impact Investing

Posted on by Case Foundation

Special thanks to Ramya Tallapragada, intern with the Case Foundation, for her contributions to this blog.

In the years since the Case Foundation became a champion for Impact Investing, the movement has really taken off. In the U.S. and around the world, there has been a flurry of activity among traditional investors, policymakers, philanthropists and researchers. We’ve seen traditional investors begin to realize the value of private capital deployed for good, without the need to sacrifice profit. We’ve seen concerted efforts from the social sector to build necessary infrastructure for the Impact Investing and social enterprise community. We’ve seen government catalyze progress by enacting policy changes to increase the amount of capital available for good. We’ve seen impact investments empower entrepreneurs with transformative ideas to solve real world problems.

The Impact Investing movement also stands out in another important way: women are emerging as a driving force behind its growth—as investors, as entrepreneurs and as leaders of the movement. A recent NASDAQ piece notes that women are spearheading and populating this sector more so than any other financial services sector. I suppose there are a host of reasons why this is, but I particularly like a quote by Jackie VanderBrug of U.S. Trust in this article:

“I wouldn’t want to say it’s pink, but it has been a field where, philosophically, women have led. Part of that is because women have a more holistic view of investment. Yes, they do care about returns, but they also care about the role of their investments in society. It’s partly because they are looking for more opportunities to differentiate themselves. And it’s partly because they are looking to meet objectives beyond the benchmarks.”

A recent Calvert Investments report asserts that women, along with younger investors, will drive the growth of Impact Investing. In a study of affluent women, Calvert found that 95 percent ranked “helping others” and 90 percent ranked “environmental responsibility” as important. Women have also demonstrated that they often make purchasing decisions based on their personal values. Still, only 4 percent said that they understood how to make investments that align with their values. 70 percent did not know about sustainable or responsible investing.

While business and investing continues to focus on boomers, this data shows the importance of ensuring that women are aware of Impact Investing strategies. Remember, their purchasing power and, therefore, their potential social impact power is enormous—women control 39 percent of investible assets in the U.S. That number will continue to rise, as 50 percent of private wealth in the U.S. will be in the hands of women by 2020. And, amongst that group, it’s worth keeping an eye on Generation X and Millennials set to inherit $41 trillion of wealth over the next 40 years, with a higher degree of millennial women who are educated and look to have decision making power (vs. their male counterparts).

Education about opportunities and the how-to’s of Impact Investing remain an essential component of leveraging the impact of women in Impact Investing. Activating more investment dollars into the space is what’s required to tip the movement from niche concept to mainstream investment strategy. And typically in the early stages of movement catalyzing, we require some “Be Fearless” actors just “doing it” as we say in our Short Guide to Impact Investing.

Here are some of the fearless women leading the charge. It’s by no means comprehensive, but rather a spotlight on the mix of players from philanthropy, the investment community, the financial services industry and government:

In Philanthropy:

  • I would be remiss not to start with our own Jean Case*. She is an avid champion of the concept of putting private capital to public good. Her work on the U.S. National Advisory Board for Impact Investing helped craft a hugely successful coalition of change agents around a collective policy agenda. And she remains one of the most powerful influencers in the field, as an advocate, an ecosystem builder and an investor.
  • Clara Miller*, after assuming leadership of the Heron Foundation in 2010, has led the foundation’s effort to deploy all of its assets towards its mission, breaking down the traditional method of giving within the organization and ensuring that Impact Investing was totally integrated into the foundation’s operations and mission.
  • Debra Schwartz* has led the MacArthur Foundation’s Impact Investing arm for 15 years, directing capital to improving affordable rental housing across the U.S.
  • Laura Arnold, co-Chair of the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, is a leading advocate and supporter of Pay for Success, a potential break-through financing scheme for social ventures.
  • Kimberlee Cornett*, Managing Director of The Kresge Foundation’s Social Investment Practice, spearheads the foundation’s effort to identify and fill gaps in funding for enterprises in economically stressed communities using a strategic combination of grant making and investing.
  • Paula Goldman, Vice President and Global Lead for Impact Investing at Omidyar Network, is a critical thought-leader and movement builder in the space. And Omidyar Network’s early movement in the Impact Investing arena and continued big bets in the space continue to pave the way for future followers.

In the Investment Community:

  • Nancy Pfund, Managing Partner of DBL Partners, is a venture capitalist that has proven that striving for a double bottom line can be profitable for investors and companies. Her current fund has committed to making early investments in companies to not only facilitate impact, but also encourage the integration of impact into corporate culture and operations.
  • Deborah Winshel of BlackRock Impact is transforming the way the traditional investing community views impact. BlackRock Impact oversees $200 billion in assets, offering clients values-based, ESG-based and Impact Investing strategies. A passionate advocate for metrics, Winshel is also leveraging BlackRock’s quantitative capabilities to measure investees’ social impact.
  • Dina Habib Powell, head of Goldman Sachs’ Urban Investment Group and President of Goldman Sachs Foundation, is another example of a leader moving Impact Investing to the mainstream. Managing the firm’s housing and community-development investments, Powell is directing billions of dollars to neighborhoods and underserved communities in need across the U.S.
  • Lisa Hall is Managing Director of Anthos Asset Management, a privately owned investment manager based in Amsterdam. Former President and CEO of Calvert Foundation, Hall is a champion for investing in enterprises that aim to solve critical social issues.
  • Maya Chorengel* is the founder of Elevar Equity, a fund manager committed to using impact investments to empower entrepreneurs around the world. Elevar Equity’s early-stage investments have enabled enterprises to develop innovative business models to solve critical development problems around the world.
  • Jenny Abramson, founder of Rethink Impact, brings her diverse background in consulting, education, technology and media to Impact Investing. Rethink Impact is focused on investing in companies managed by women and leveraging technology to create impact. Listen to this podcast and her focus on enhancing returns through gender lens investing.
  • Jennifer Pryce, President and CEO of the Calvert Foundation, is at the forefront of the effort to democratize Impact Investing. Through Vested.org, the Calvert Foundation offers an inexpensive way to become an impact investor by using the foundation’s Community Investment Notes.
  • Erika Karp, Founder and CEO of Cornerstone Capital Group, leverages her expertise working at UBS and as a founding board member of SASB to advance sustainable investments.
  • Tracy Palandjian*, Co-Founder and CEO of Social Finance, is leading the charge to promote public-private partnerships through Pay for Success and Social Impact Bond models.
  • Audrey Choi*, CEO of Morgan Stanley’s Institute of Sustainable Investing, brings her experience working in journalism, the social sector and government to build cross-sector partnerships that promote sustainable investing in building resilient communities across the globe.
  • Durreen Shahnaz, Founder of Asia IIX and Shujog, is building a robust Impact Investing ecosystem in Asia. After establishing Asia IIX, the world’s first social stock exchange, Shahnaz founded Shujog, which strives to amplify the impact of social enterprises. Keep an eye on her latest idea—the Women’s Livelihood Bond.

In Research and Metrics:

  • Jean Rogers, Founder and CEO of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) is filling a critical gap in the current Impact Investing industry: measurement standards. SASB is the social side of FASB, and will enable investors to evaluate corporations on their environmental, social and governing performance.
  • Cathy Clark*, at the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) at Duke University, is using her 25 years of experience as an impact investor and private foundation executive to conduct rigorous research and data collection to build out the case for Impact Investing. Her most recent report examines the challenges and barriers to Impact Investing.
  • Michelle Greene*, former head of Corporate Responsibility at NYSE Euronext is bringing her extensive experience to academia as Adjunct Professor at Columbia University. She also recently joined the Long-Term Stock Exchange, a new securities exchange focused on long-term value creation, as Chief Policy Officer.
  • Sonal Shah, Executive Director of the Beeck Center for Social Innovation at Georgetown University, has taken on a leading role in promoting innovative finance and social innovation policy in the public and private sectors.
  • Lisa Woll, CEO of the US SIF, leads a vibrant network and hub for sustainable, responsible and impact investment, with a host of essential programs and resources. See the 2014 US SIF report here.

In Government:

It is becoming increasingly clear that women—at every intersection of the Impact Investing movement—are serving as trailblazers and practitioners for its advancement. We just wanted to take a quick moment to say thanks and keep up the hard work.

*Member of the U.S. National Advisory Board on Impact Investing (NAB)

Be Fearless Spotlight: Mama Hope

Posted on by Case Foundation

This Spotlight is a part of a special blog series by the Case Foundation featuring Be Fearless stories from the field. Follow along with us as we meet people and learn about organizations that are taking risks, being bold and failing forward in their efforts to create transformative change in the social sector. This Spotlight is authored by Katrina Boratko, Communications Manager at Mama Hope.

Mama Hope was built from love. In 2006, our founder Nyla suddenly lost the person closest to her in the world—her mother Stephanie. While she was ill, Stephanie and Nyla made plans to travel to Kenya and meet a young man she had helped sponsor through school and corresponded with since he was a boy. Unfortunately, Stephanie was never able to make that trip; but in a twist of fate Nyla was posted in a United Nations placement near to his village soon after her mother’s death. When she arrived, Nyla was greeted by the whole community singing Amazing Grace and holding a service for her mother. As it turns out, Stephanie had done more than just sponsor one boy. She had been holding small fundraisers in the living rooms of her Marin, CA, friend’s homes to help support a women’s business group in the community. Nyla learned that the humble investment she made from afar had truly transformed the lives of the women, their families and the whole community.

When the money Stephanie raised was put into the right hands, a small investment made a huge impact, the likes of which Nyla hadn’t seen working at government organizations and multinational NGOs. That day she learned the first rule of Mama Hope: the communities we work with know what they need and our biggest job is to listen. Nyla decided to take her love for her mother and build an organization that listens—Mama Hope. Love is the common connection that runs through everything we do; from our partnerships to our Global Advocates to our Stop the Pity campaign. To us, to Be Fearless is to choose love over fear, disconnection, apathy and hate.

Working from a place of love comes with its own unique set of risks. Every day we make huge bets on the power of connection and the value of human capital. We believe that every human has the capacity to become a global leader, regardless of his or her birth—and we treat everyone in our sphere according to that belief. When Mama Hope connects with a community leader, our first questions are: “What is your vision?” and “How can we support you in achieving your goals?” We then align our team and resources. We have built a relationship of mutual trust and true respect with all of our partners, and we credit this relationship for all of our successes.

In 2011, we experimented with a new approach to scale the reach and impact of the program—we introduced a Global Advocate Program (GAP). The GAP is a rigorous nine-month training program for social entrepreneurs. Our Advocates each commit to raising at least $20,000 for a sustainable project initiated by one of our partner communities, and they travel to the field to live and work directly with our partners to help bring the projects to life. We take a risk with every Advocate we train—investing money, training and staff time into an individual with the expectation that they will rise to the fundraising challenge and open their hearts to our partners. This risk has reaped massive rewards: since 2011, we’ve worked with 64 Advocates who have raised over $1.3M to fund over 60 projects that, working in tandem with local experts, employing local builders and using local resources, have improved the health, education, food, water security and livelihoods of over 150,000 people in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ghana and Guatemala.

We are not building projects that will only help people get from one day the next, but that will help our partner communities thrive for generations. And beyond the impact numbers above, there is a much deeper ripple effect in communities that grounds our work and was brought to life in a fabulous chalkboard drawing by a staff member in our Queen Elizabeth Academy (QEA) partnership in Mlali, Tanzania.

MamaHope Inline photo

“Our benefits aren’t easily seen right now, like they would be if someone came and said “here, take these clothes” or “take this money”, and you took them. We don’t give things out like this because our primary focus is giving education to these children. Later, they will be employed and they will return that benefit here, just like Kilines (the founder & director of QEA) did. She wanted to help her own community. The benefits of her education have returned home, and many people have felt them. And when these children study with the education that they get here, later when they find work they will also return that benefit home. One might start a health center, another might start some kind of industry and employ many people, another might start something else. You can’t do this without education. This school is producing something with benefits that will last from generation to generation.”

Mama Hope’s goal is to eliminate global poverty through inclusive entrepreneurship and by creating a global network of organizations bound by collaboration. We think that many organizations and companies are too restricted by their silos: nonprofit, for-profit, brands, media, grassroots, multi-national and community-based. We believe that we will see true change in this world when we all reach beyond our bubbles and work together across cultures, borders, profit margins and mission statements. We believe that when we focus on what makes us similar over what makes us different and hold each other’s dignity in the highest regard, we can shake off the ropes of competition and ego that hold us back. We believe in the power of an individual to change the world, and we believe every person can—and must—in order for us to rebuild a thriving planet. We believe that all of this is only possible if we are fearless with our love.

Feeling inspired? If you’re ready to begin your own Be Fearless journey start by downloading our free Be Fearless Action Guide and Case Studies.

5 Lessons From a 128 Year Old Millennial

Posted on by Case Foundation

MCON, the Millennial Engagement Conference, was a resounding success this year. From incredible mainstage speakers and fun and enlightening behind-the-scenes interviews on Facebook Live, to engaging online attendee conversations on social media and in-person networking at official MCON evening events, this year’s MCON festival offered participants three action-packed days. It was incredible to hear from Millennial leaders about how they were changing the world, and to hear from innovative brands on how they are working to engage this cause-driven generation.

You can see all of the MCON mainstage talks on YouTube, but our favorite talk was from our CEO Jean Case, sharing how a brand that is 128 years old, National Geographic, continues to stay relevant today and has cultivated Millennial talent and attention. You can see Jean’s full talk below, complete with her “5 reasons National Geographic is really just a 128 year-old Millennial,” followed by a brief Q&A session with CBS News Anchor Reena Ninan.

Header photo courtesy of MCON.

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