Month: December 2016

Be Fearless Spotlight: A Bold Investment Strategy Allows For Fearless Risk-Taking at FHI 360

Posted on by Case Foundation

This Spotlight is a part of a special blog series curated 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 Patrick C. Fine, Chief Executive Officer of FHI 360.

Every day, bold actions—large and small—inspire and shape the future. Girls in northern Nigeria defy threats from violent extremists to go to school; transgender women in Cambodia stand together against intolerance and discrimination that fuel HIV; and young refugees struggle to build new lives in foreign lands. FHI 360—a nonprofit human development organization dedicated to improving lives by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions—takes its inspiration from such daily acts of bravery and strives to be bold and Be Fearless in addressing problems around the globe.

We learn from the examples we see of people facing unimaginable hardship and with courage, initiative and determination overcome the challenges in their path and create new opportunities for themselves and their communities. Their stories inspire us to tackle the toughest problems and to be bold in the solutions we try. The issues facing our global community can’t wait, and they aren’t getting easier. We need to leverage all possible solutions, however unconventional, to meet these challenges.

The FHI Foundation—the foundation arm which exclusively supports the vision, spirit and mission of FHI 360 through strategic investments—was built on a unique impact investment model that has enabled FHI 360 to expand beyond its early focus as a small family planning organization and become a global force in human development. Once an organization with an annual operating budget of less than $3 million, FHI 360 now has expanded into more than 70 countries and all U.S. states and territories, with more than $600 million in revenue, a $150 million Foundation endowment and more than 4,000 staff around the world.

This approach—a foundation incubating projects at a non-profit organization—allows us to experiment early and often, allowing for a more creative approach to address some of the world’s most complex human development challenges. Moreover, it has enhanced FHI 360’s stability, resiliency and relevance by placing it on the cutting edge of development trends and critical issues faced by underserved populations around the world.

For example, in 2001, the FHI Foundation invested US$1 million to demonstrate the viability of antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs in resource-constrained settings in Ghana, Kenya and Rwanda, providing critical evidence that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) needed to expand ART delivery to countries devastated by the epidemic. By 2006, FHI (now FHI 360) was implementing comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment programs in 40 countries. As of September 30, 2015, U.S. government funding through multiple partners and organizations was supporting life-saving ART for 9.5 million people.

Today, FHI 360 continues to stimulate new ideas and incentivize innovations. With its Catalyst Fund, the FHI Foundation provides annual grants totaling $500,000 to FHI 360 staff to develop approaches, tools or products that address human development challenges. The Catalyst Fund competition brings together FHI 360 staff from different regions, sectors and specialties, many of whom may not traditionally work together, to allow for a space for staff to reach beyond their bubble and develop forward-thinking approaches to promote the health and well-being of individuals and communities. Funded initiatives are delivering innovations such as the use of drone delivery to increase access to medical supplies in rural Kenya, the development of a mobile-based test-prep app to help students prepare for exams in Myanmar, and a web-based application to help monitor child learning and health progress in classrooms globally.

While some organizations allow risk to become paralyzing, even in the face of an immediate crisis, the FHI Foundation/FHI 360 relationship proves what can be accomplished when urgency drives the quest for solutions and when financial stability allows for the freedom to make bold moves with high stakes, even when the outcome is uncertain. A mixture of private and public funds, a strategic investment model and a commitment to tackle the world’s most challenging problems head on, ensure FHI 360’s continued success and the continued benefits to those we serve around the world.

We believe that the time for bold action is at hand. Yet, we will only succeed if we work together and if we push ourselves to ask the uncomfortable questions, to learn from failure and to dare to challenge the status quo. We must be willing to see and do things differently, to develop new skill sets, devise new structures and conceive new partnerships. We must anticipate, adapt and enthusiastically embrace change to maximize our impact in the world.

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

50 Impact Investing Influencers You Should Follow On Twitter

Posted on by Case Foundation

2016 has been a year of real momentum within Impact Investing—whether it’s confronting the myths in Impact Investing, recognizing the trailblazing women building this movement, or the palpable shift in the discussion at the Social Capital Markets (SOCAP) conference. As we look to the future, we know that no movement advances to tipping point without bold thinking, big ideas and strategic alliances. As 2016 comes to an end, we want to give a shout-out to 50 influencers in the Impact Investing space—investors, intermediaries, researchers, and engaged thought leaders—who continue to share their vision about the evolution of Impact Investing and who you should be following on Twitter.

Below is our curated list of these 50 Impact Investing influencers. We recognize that there are thousands of others who are actively engaging in this conversation on Twitter, and we hope that you’ll be one of them! Join us in the conversation by using #impinv, adding your favorite influencers to the discussion and subscribing to our Twitter List to follow the whole group below with just one click. And of course, be sure to keep in touch with the Case Foundation and our team as we share our Impact Investing work:
@CaseFoundation   @JeanCase   @SteveCase   @Rehananathoo  (Full Team List)

Andrew Beebe
@andrewbeebe
#worldpositive investor
Anne Field
@annefieldonline
Business journalist/writer/editor. Focus #entrepreneur, #impinv, #smallbiz, #socent, plus #financialadvisor, #iot, #management, #socialgood, #supplychain, #tech
Antony Bugg-Levine
@ABLImpact
CEO @nff_news unlocking potential of mission-driven orgs w/investment, advice, ideas. #Impinv book https://amzn.to/tQji0s & Springsteen. @WEF #YGL
B Corporation
@BCorporation
The Official Twitter Feed of B Corporations, companies using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems #BtheChange
B Magazine
@officialbmag
B The Change Media is the voice of Business as a Force for Good, founded in conjunction with B Lab and the community of B Corporations.
BlueHaven Initiative
@_BlueHaven
Blue Haven Initiative is an innovative family office dedicated to #investing for profit and with purpose. #impinv #socent
Bridges Ventures
@Bridges_BV
Specialist fund manager dedicated to using an impact-driven approach to create superior returns for both investors and society at-large #impinv #socinv
Calvert Foundation
@calvert_fdn
Investments for social good.
Cathy Clark
@cathyhc
Professor at @CASEatDuke; Director of #CASEi3 Initiative on Impact Investing, #SocEnt Accelerator at Duke (@DukeSEAD)
Cecilia Munoz
@Cecilia44
Director of the @WhiteHouse Domestic Policy Council, former Director, WH Intergovernmental Affairs, Mom. Tweets may be archived. More at https://wh.gov/privacy .
Clara Miller
@ClaraGMiller
President, F. B. Heron Foundation
ClearlySo
@ClearlySo
We raise capital for high-impact business & run impact investing network #impinv #socent #investing #finance #startup #InvestWithImpact
Cynthia Muller
@cynmull
#Impinv Program & Portfolio Officer @WK_Kellogg_Fdn Board member @Grndswell & @E_LoanFund Alum @Stanford @UW. Aspiring nasty woman. High-fiving a million angels
Debra Schwartz
@ImpactBanker
Managing Director #impinv @MacFound. Love creating capital solutions for #nonprofit #socent #affordablehousing #communitydev #climate +++
Devin D. Thorpe
@devindthorpe
Champion of Social Good: Author, Rotarian, Forbes Contributor, keynote speaker, helping you use #crowdfunding, #impinv, #socent, #nonprofit to make your mark.
Durreen Shahnaz
@durreen
Mom, Wife, Daughter, Social Entrepreneur, Founder of @asiaiix and @shujog — leaders of impact investing/social finance #impinv #socent in Asia
Enclude
@EncludeHolding
An advisory firm dedicated to building more inclusive and sustainable local economies through integrated capital and capacity services. #ImpInv #SocEnt #SocImp
Fifty Years
@fiftyyearsvc
We back entrepreneurs using technology to solve the world’s biggest problems.
Fran Seegull
@Franseegull
Executive Director, U.S. Impact Investing Alliance @ImpactInvestUS impact investing
GIIN
@theGIIN
The Global Impact Investing Network is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the scale and effectiveness of impact investing.
GIIRS
@GIIRSRatings
GIIRS assesses the social & environmental impact of companies & funds
Impact Alpha
@ImpactAlpha
Investment News for a Sustainable Edge. Led by @davidbank. Also check out our open database, @ImpactSpace, aka CrunchBase for Impact.
ImpactAssets
@IAimpactassets
Catalyzing investment capital for maximum environmental, social and financial impact #impinv
ImpactEngine
@TheImpactEngine
We invest in early-stage, for-profit technology businesses improving education, health, economic empowerment, and resource efficiency. #ImpInv #SocEnt
ImpactUS
@ImpactUs_co
ImpactUs connects impact investors and mission-driven organizations to transform people and places. View our SoMe guidelines at https://bit.ly/2cQWHHv .
Jacqueline Novogratz
@jnovogratz
Founder/CEO of @acumen to find solutions to poverty & build dignity. Author of The Blue Sweater, lover of poetry, believer in possibility.
Jean Case
@JeanCase
CEO of the Case Foundation, Chairman of the National Geographic Society Board of Trustees
Jessica Matthews
@jessmatthewsCA
Impact investor, oenophile, equal parts Virginia lover & California dreamer. Twitter neophyte. All views my own. #impinv
Kesha Cash
@KeshaCashIAFund
General Partner @ Impact America Fund
Kresge Social Invest
@kresgesocinv
Working to expand opportunity, strengthen neighborhoods and improve quality of life in America’s cities by providing access to capital.
Lisa Hall
@LisaGreenHall
Passionate about impact investing. Champion 4 economic and social justice. Committed to a #betterworld thru #impinv
Matthew Weatherly White
@i3impact
Driving, shaping #impinv. Capitalist philosopher. Occasional punchbowl spiker. Stoked papa. Omnivore. Guilty of #hashtag #overuse
Min Pease
@MinPease
Director of impact investing @EchoingGreen. Effective philanthropy and the intersection of business + social impact.
Mission Investors Exchange
@MissionInvest
Mission Investors Exchange is where philanthropic innovators share ideas, tools and experiences to increase the impact of their capital.
Nancy Pfund
@NancyPfundDBL
Nancy Pfund, Managing Partner, DBL Partners, a double bottom line VC firm delivering strong returns withpositive social, environmental and regional benefits.
Nesta Impact
@nestaimpact
Investing in innovation for impact.
Omidyar Network
@OmidyarNetwork
A philanthropic investment firm harnessing the power of markets to create opportunity for people to improve their lives. #PositiveReturns
Rehana Nathoo
@rehananathoo
VP of Social Innovation (Impact Investing) @CaseFoundation. Obsessive hockey fan, bookworm, and travel glutton.
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. Big fan of @UVa basketball, @braves.
Sarah Cone
@impcapital
Managing Partner, Social Impact Capital #Impinv I invest in Seed-Series Z, in deals that provide top decile returns in addition to a positive social impact.
Sheila Herrling
@Sherrling
SVP Social Innovation @CaseFoundation; ex @MCCgov @CGDev @USTreasuryPassionate about family, friends, fun, well articulated views, bourbon. Views are my own.
SocEnt Alliance
@SEAlliance
A movement of social enterprises creating effective impact in the US & beyond. #Socinn, #GlobalDev, #Localize & #ImpInv. Let’s change the world through #socent.
Social Finance Inc.
@SocialFinanceUS
Social Finance US is a nonprofit dedicated to mobilizing capital to drive social progress through our work on #PayforSuccess and #SocialImpactBonds
Sonal Shah
@SonalRShah
Exec Director @BeeckCenter | Board @CaseFoundation @OxfamAmerica @SocialFinanceUS, @nff_news, Co-Founder @IndiCorps | Passionate about Social Change. Views own.
The ImPact
@theimpact
A Network of Families Committed to Make More Impact Investments, More Effectively.
Tideline
@TDLNE
Tideline is a consulting firm that provides tailored advice to clients developing impact investing strategies, products, and solutions.
Toniic
@ToniicNetwork
Toniic is the global action community for impact investors. #impinv #100impact #socent
US SIF
@US_SIF
Advancing sustainable, responsible and impact investing across all asset classes.
WhartonSocial Impact
@WhartonSocial
Wharton Social Impact Initiative leverages @Wharton’s strengths to foster business strategies for a better world.

Be Fearless Spotlight: Jay Newton-Small and the Story of Her Father

Posted on by Case Foundation

This Spotlight is a part of a special blog series curated 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 Jay Newton-Small (@JNSmall), Cofounder of MemoryWell, TIME magazine contributor and author of Broad Influence.

A few years ago, I put my father into a home for those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. It was the hardest decision of my life, but he was a wanderer and I couldn’t care for him on my own following the death of my mother. I didn’t know it at the time, but that decision would be the start of a long journey that would change both of our lives.

The home asked me to fill out a 20-page questionnaire about his life. This made no sense to me: who would remember 20 pages of hand-written data points for the 150+ residents there? Instead, I offered to write down his story. I’m a journalist after all, story telling comes naturally to me. They loved the story I wrote, it transformed his care; MemoryWell was born.

Over the next 2.5 years, I worked with a partner, Ilan Brat formerly of the Wall Street Journal, to write more life stories of people like my dad. We knew that this tool could help change the lives of the more than 44 million around the world currently living with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia and the many who care for them. And so, we developed a website called MemoryWell to host the stories and allow family members to add their loved ones’ favorite photos, videos and music—so that when caregivers or family members sit with them they have a whole toolbox of things with which to engage them.

My firsthand experience with my father and Alzheimer’s helped me to identify a critical solution and develop MemoryWell in response. The leap from daughter to entrepreneur was a big one, but a necessary one as I realized what this tool could do for families like mine.

We got our first clients earlier this year and, less than two months later, I let urgency conquer fear and left TIME Magazine to work on MemoryWell full time. Our CTO Andrew Fribush joined our team this fall and we got accepted into Halcyon incubator in Washington, DC, in November.

While all this sounds easy: let me assure you it was not! We are journalists, not entrepreneurs. In our newsrooms, taking a stand is always discouraged: we are impartial observers of the events around us. Most journalists are given assignments instead of making them. We are naturally skeptical of salesmanship and marketing/PR puffery; we work well with structure and want steady jobs (although the upheaval in the industry is changing that). But, in short, journalism isn’t an industry predisposed to innovation and that’s why you see so few journalism startups. But as I saw the impact that storytelling could have in the lives of Alzheimer’s and dementia patients, I knew that I had to take a risk in the face of these obstacles.

Certainly, our road hasn’t always been smooth and surely there will be many more bumps ahead. However, we have learned from every experience and failed forward to get to where we are today. We lost our first pitch contest to NewU, a group that gives grants to minority journalists, in September 2014, and then we lost three more Aging 2.0 pitch contests after than until Ilan finally won the Chicago Aging 2.0 contest in 2016—and still we didn’t make it to the national convention. The White House Summit on Aging loved our idea and approached us to participate in their 2015 summit only to cut us weeks later because we were too unproven. We’ve been blown off by investors and our bosses took extremely dim views of our extracurricular activities.

I’m taking a huge risk and it may well fail—indeed more startups do than succeed. But we feel passionately that stories can be used not just to inform the masses in a newspaper or magazine, but to affect change on a personal level, to build community where none exists. So instead of writing about the president-elect, I might be writing about your grandma, or your friend’s grandma, and nothing would make me happier.

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

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