Social Entrepreneurs Win $1M in Prizes at Forbes Under 30 Summit

Posted on October 9, 2015October 31, 2018 by Case Foundation

This post was contributed by Heather Wise, intern at the Case Foundation.

The Case Foundation recently teamed up with Forbes and several other leading organizations committed to supporting social sector change to host the Forbes Under 30 Change the World Competition, the largest-ever competition for young social entrepreneurs leading both nonprofit and for-profit organizations. More than 2,500 young social entrepreneurs from around the world entered the Change the World Competition and shared with us their disruptive and scalable ideas.

After reviewing the submissions, organizers chose six finalists—who would each receive $100,000—and who would advance to participate in a special pitch competition on stage at the Forbes Under 30 Summit for the chance to win an additional $400,000 in prizes.

This past Tuesday, the finalists took the stage to present their fearless ideas aimed at tackling chronic challenges in the areas of education, extreme poverty, sustainability, global health and other complex global issues. Competing in front of an audience of 1,500 thought leaders, influencers and game changers, the finalists pitched captivating plans in the hope of winning over the judges, which included: Hugh Evans (Founder, The Global Poverty Project), Mike Perlis (CEO, Forbes Media) and Lynn Taliento (Principal, McKinsey and Company). The judges noted that they were looking for ideas that could not only potentially solve problems, but that were also scalable, realistic and world changing.

Kiah Williams, the 29-year-old co-founder of SIRUM, won the grand prize. SIRUM’s co-founders have built a platform for matching unopened, unexpired surplus medication to people in need. So far, with a staff of only five people, they have distributed $4.7 million worth of prescription medications by collecting unexpired medications from pharmacies, hospitals and nursing homes where patients no longer needed them. How do they plan on using their winnings? They intend to scale up so that by 2019, they will have a network of 1,000 donor organizations that are donating a total of $19 million worth of drugs.

SIRUM was the big winner of the competition but the other five finalists proved to be exceptional as well and will be able to use this competition as a springboard for other great opportunities:

Daniel Yu, 22, Reliefwatch– works with health centers in the developing world to manage inventory using simple mobile phone technology.

Amara Humphry, 27, Gooru– Non-profit that helps teachers and students improve educational outcomes through a free data and tech-enabled personalization website.

Govinda Upadhyay, 27, LEDsafari– distributes cheap solar LED lamp kits so kids in developing countries can both learn about physics and have an electric light to study with.

Paul Duan, 23, Bayes Impact– uses big data to help governments and non-profit organizations operate more efficiently.

Heather Concannon and Elizabeth Nguyen, 27, Unitarian Universalist Community Cooperatives– Co-founders of an organization that runs the Lucy Stone Co-Op house in Roxbury, Massachusetts.

The Case Foundation was proud to sponsor this event alongside Forbes, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, the Pratt Foundation, the Keywell Foundation, Echoing Green through a grant from the John Templeton Foundation and entrepreneur Bob Duggan in an effort to support next generation social entrepreneurs. To learn more about the Forbes Competition, check out this blog post by Jean Case in which we announce the finalists and highlight some of the ideas submitted that captured our imagination.

A New Generation of Social Entrepreneurs

Posted on September 21, 2015October 31, 2018 by Case Foundation

Earlier this summer, the Case Foundation teamed up with Forbes and several other leading changemaking organizations to put out a call for the world’s most innovative social entrepreneurs under the age of 30 who are changing the world with their groundbreaking ideas. More than 2,500 of them answered and shared with us their disruptive and scalable ideas in the hopes of winning the Forbes Under 30 $1 Million Change the World Competition.

From this talented pool of both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, six finalists were chosen. Each of the finalists represents a bold new idea that has the potential to catalyze solutions in the areas of education, extreme poverty, sustainability, global health and other pressing social problems.

It is awe-inspiring to see what this gifted group of changemakers from all around the world is bringing to life. Determined to tackle the world’s most difficult and chronic challenges, these bright young social entrepreneurs are forging new solutions and creating meaningful impact along the way.

Meet our six finalists and learn about their organizations:

Amara Humphry, Gooru: Humphry, age 27, co-founded Gooru, which helps students in underserved communities where there is a lack of support and limited resources both at home and in the classroom. The Redwood City, CA, based organization provides students with access to crowd-sourced courses, as well as actionable data, enabling immediate insight into their strengths and weaknesses related to learning. Gooru is free and open to anyone, and is currently focused on serving California public schools and planning on expanding to the rest of the US and to the world.

Daniel Yu, Reliefwatch: Yu, age 22, founded Reliefwatch, which provides stock level data for organizations in the developing world. The Chicago, IL, based company uses basic mobile phones for inventory management, overcoming the need for computers or Internet access. Medical stock outs and expirations are a pervasive problem across the developing world, impacting more than $4 billion dollars of medical aid each year. The Reliefwatch platform creates transparency, allowing organizations to prevent stock outs and track expiration dates. Reliefwatch’s platform reduced wasted medication by 90 percent while working with Global Brigades in Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.

Govinda Upadhyay, LEDsafari: Upadhyay, age 27, founded LEDsafari, a Switzerland-based organization which provides low cost solar LED lamp kits for secondary school students in un-electrified areas of developing countries, enabling children to make and use their own lamps. LEDsafari’s instructions allow for the complete understanding of the physics behind the circuit and the design process. As the penetration of smartphones is increasing, LEDsafari is developing an app that students can use to measure their own impact.

Heather Concannon and Elizabeth Nguyen, Unitarian Universalist Community Cooperatives: These two 27-year-old clergy members co-founded the Roxbury, MA, based Unitarian Universalist Community Cooperatives. The organization offers cooperatively-owned affordable housing communities and opportunities for individual investors or organizations who value cooperation, and justice, but who struggle to find places to invest their money in ways that reflect their values.

Kiah Williams, SIRUM (Supporting Initiatives to Redistribute Unused Medicine): Williams, age 29, co-founded SIRUM, an online platform that provides life-saving medications to low-income people. Based in Stanford, CA, SIRUM taps into a new source of medications: unopened, unexpired surplus that would have been destroyed. The company leverages technology to identify surplus medications at institutions like nursing homes and pharmacies, find a matching need and then ship the medications directly to safety-net clinics that serve low-income populations.

Paul Duan, Bayes Impact: Duan, age 23, founded Bayes Impact, which provides technology solutions for improving critical social services around the world. Incubated at Y Combinator, the San Francisco, CA, based Bayes Impact brings data science solutions to governments that have never had access to them before.

These organizations will advance and compete on-stage at the Forbes Under 30 Summit in Philadelphia on October 6, 2015—where more than 2,000 of the world’s top young entrepreneurs and game changers, as well as world-class mentors will come together to celebrate the next generation of leaders. Each of the finalists will receive $100,000 in awards and the overall winner will walk away with an additional $400,000 in awards. Finalists will also be invited to participate in the Forbes Under 30 Impact Lab—an afternoon during which the attendees at the Under 30 Summit will work with challenge finalists to help them solve problems and accelerate their growth.

Through its global brand and trendsetting reputation, Forbes is actively lifting up the next generation of talented makers and movers. For these finalists, participation in the Change the World competition can provide an important spotlight on their work, as well as access to networks and resources that may ultimately help advance their social enterprises and bring them one step closer to sustainably scaling their ideas. It is our passionate belief at the Case Foundation that this new generation of changemakers holds tremendous promise for building a better world, and it is the reason we are so pleased to sponsor this important competition.

Given this, I would be remiss if I stopped there and only highlighted these six finalists. Indeed, in the review of the 2,500 applicants there were numerous, exciting examples of young leaders with bright, innovative ideas that can change the world. While six may be recognized here today, and one will win this competition, my hope is that this challenge will not only inspire those with big ideas to make them a reality, but also encourage those looking to mentor, fund or champion a next gen changemaker to take action.

Looking for a way to get started? Check out a few of the other revolutionary ideas submitted for the competition that inspired us:

1DocWay provides a platform that enables Americans in remote or underserved areas to access psychiatric care. 1DocWay brings doctors to communities they were not providing care in otherwise through telemedicine, potentially serving millions.

Eko Devices provides the first smartphone-connected stethoscope that integrates with a patient electronic health record for clinicians. Clinicians are helped with diagnosing heart sounds and are able to record, save and analyze them.

LuminAID makes sustainable and space-efficient solar lights that pack flat and inflate into lightweight, waterproof lanterns ideal for disaster relief and more. The portable, waterproof, solar lights are also useful for families living without access to reliable electricity, and LuminAID’s Give Light Program lets anyone contribute to providing sustainable light.

MetaMixis provides biological tools for chemicals and materials producers; to help them transition from petroleum products to biomass (plants and waste). The company has developed a rapid discovery platform that combines biology, computation and automation to harness solutions from nature.

Ensibuuko Tech Limited provides the means for Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOS) and credit unions to grow and scale rapidly as they reach underserved communities in Uganda. Ensibuuko provides a customized mobile banking software for SACCOS that improves how these institutions manage data and makes possible the use of mobile banking to make financial services accessible anytime.

Kinvolved provides mobile and web apps that enable instant SMS and email communication between teachers and parents of kids in disadvantaged schools. Kinvolved’s technology and coaching improves family engagement through more efficient and effective communication, which has been proven to increase student attendance.

LearnLux provides educated customers for financial institutions. LearnLux educates Millennials for free through an online personal finance hub and connects them to financial institutions able to help them grow and manage their money.

Soko is creating ethical fast fashion and providing sustainable income to artisans in emerging markets. Soko’s virtual factory provides artisans with market research, mobile enterprise tools and an online marketplace to sell their products to a global customer base.

Universidad Mexicana de Innovacion en Negocios (UMIN) provides the best-applied and theoretical education to the Mexican and broader Latin American population. UMIN provides affordable high-quality education to Mexican and Latin American students that combines theory and practice—so that students are more prepared to secure full-time employment when they graduate.

Check back after October 6th to find out which organization won the competition!

The Case Foundation is proud to sponsor this competition alongside: Forbes; the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation; the Pratt Foundation; the Keywell Foundation; Echoing Green through a grant from the John Templeton Foundation; and entrepreneur Bob Duggan.

Still Have Questions About Impact Investing?

Posted on September 18, 2015October 31, 2018 by Case Foundation

We’ve got Answers. Here’s a recap from the recent webinar: Everything you need to know about impact investing (in 1 Hr!). For those of you who missed it you can WATCH the webinar, which featured our own Jean Case and Kate Ahern of the Case Foundation; Melanie Audette of Mission Investors Exchange; Dan Brillman of Unite Us; and Stacy Donohue of Omidiyar Network.

Jean Case, CEO of the Case Foundation opened the discussion with a description of why impact investing and social enterprise are opening the door to important new opportunities for philanthropists to experiment and start making real impact. She shared pivotal trends and exciting recent developments in the field, like Happy Family’s big success for investors, which earned up to 30 times their return when Danone purchased the company. Finally, she provided insights into how foundation leadership can start to move from idea to action on impact investing.

Next, Kate Ahern, VP of Social Innovation at the Foundation gave an overview of the ins and outs of impact investing. She explained the range of options available for investors looking to bring their social goals to their financial strategy and vice versa. She also identified some of the unique opportunities for organizations like foundations to engage in the field, for example through Social Impact Bonds and backing supportive policies.

Stacy Donahue, Investment Partner at Omidyar Network and Dan Brillman, Founder and CEO of Unite US shared the perspectives of a social investor and a social entrepreneur. Omidyar Network has, through its LLC, provided Unite US with a Series A equity investment. Together they provided a rare look into the practical interactions between a company and its philanthropic, for-profit investor. Both Donahue and Brillman shared great insights into the values of reaching beyond your bubble for highly impactful collaborations.

At the Case Foundation we believe in the power of philanthropy, nonprofits and government to drive social change, that’s why we’re so excited about the growing momentum in impact investing. Over the course of the last two years we have witnessed a number of game changing moments, which we featured in our recent blog post, A Hot Summer for Impact Investing. From Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s recent acquisition of Imprint Capital, to impact investing champions like Darren Walker and the Ford Foundation taking leadership of the U.S. National Advisory Board on Impact Investing—each of these efforts have been rooted in building a strong ecosystem for the sector.

As part of this commitment to the ecosystem, we have spent countless hours educating and activating greater numbers of impact investors and educating others on this powerful tool for social change. Last year we released A Short Guide to Impact Investing, a quick and easy to read resource for anyone interested in impact investing. This year we’ve embarked on a number of educational events—from our journalists training hosted in conjunction with the ImpactHub and Arabella Advisors, to our webinar, this week, in partnership with Council on Foundations and Mission Investors Exchange.

We hope you will continue the conversation with us as we continue to explore more opportunities to drive social change through social entrepreneurship and impact investing—join us on Twitter using #ImpInv.

How Millennials are Driving the Future of Social Entrepreneurship

Posted on August 20, 2015October 31, 2018 by Case Foundation

Editors note: Entries for the competition described below are now closed.

Social entrepreneurship is the next generation’s secret weapon for tackling chronic social challenges and creating the change they want to see. What do they know that many others have yet to realize? As Jean Case, CEO of the Case Foundation notes, “Like other young generations before them, they are idealistic, but what sets this generation apart is that they are turning their idealism into action.” Millennials after all are known for their collective ability to pave their own pathways, create new solutions to old problems and advance the issues about which they feel passionate—in order to foster meaningful impact on a scale unlike anything we’ve ever seen.

To help catalyze this growing movement, the Case Foundation is proud to join Forbes and several leading foundations and entrepreneurs in the Forbes $1 million Change the World competition. We are looking for for-profit and nonprofit leaders from around the world (under the age of 30) who have disruptive and scalable ideas with the potential to change the world. If that sounds like you or someone you know we encourage you to apply before August 26!

To really understand what makes next gen social entrepreneurs special I talked with a 2015 Forbes 30 Under 30 awardee, Fagan Harris, CEO and President of Baltimore Corps. As a recognized changemaker Harris is actively changing the way we think about leadership and professional development. Through the work of Baltimore Corps, his team is cultivating the next generation of social impact leaders by placing talented young professionals at organizations that are at the forefront of social change. His team is transforming the city of Baltimore—one fellow at a time. Harris is also a passionate evangelist for Baltimore and is proud to work every day strengthening America’s “greatest city.”

What makes the next gen—under age 30—uniquely positioned to create transformative change in today’s world? What do they know that others don’t?

Harris: Apart from perhaps the rise of the middle class in China, the coming of age of the Millennial Generation is the biggest activation of talent anywhere on Earth. For the first time in decades, Baby Boomers have been surpassed in numbers by a younger generation—a generation that I think is defined by its ambition, interconnectedness and deep eagerness to engage in solving important problems.

I think both as a product of technology and of their immense talent, Millennials have tremendous options. If they aren’t happy in their roles or if their skills are not being fully utilized, this generation is particularly savvy in its ability to pivot and seek out new opportunities. The dream of working for a single employer for one’s entire career is a thing of the past. I think a product of that fluidity and wealth of options is that Millennials are more active in seeking out work that is highly meaningful to them, and that often translates to cause-driven work.

It is something of a perfect storm. You have a huge population of people that is highly mobile, extremely capable and deeply values-driven. And they’re up for grabs. Whatever cities, causes and industries can secure Millennials as they develop and plant roots will be in an amazing position to succeed.

What is the biggest obstacle or challenge facing Millennial social entrepreneurs today that keeps them from ultimate success?

Harris: Our biggest obstacle was our own mentality: our mistake was waiting to grow our team. Our initial philosophy was to establish the model, grow slowly and gradually expand our capacity. While it is certainly necessary to grow at an intentional rate, and there is security in gradual expansion, our greatest limiting factor by far was our hesitation to invest in and grow our staff. One of the most important lessons we learned in the early-goings of our organization’s life cycle was that our team is the single greatest investment we can make in our future—that the expansion of our core team doesn’t depend on the capacity we’ve built, but rather our ability to expand our capacity depends on the contributors we add. There will likely be times when you don’t feel ready to make the leap, but it may be the most important thing your organization can do.

What advice do you have for the next gen applicants to the Forbes Under 30 $1 Million Change the World Competition?

Harris: Be bold, take risks, don’t be afraid to fail, and if you know your idea can change the world, be ready to prove it.

Are you a social entrepreneur ready to prove you can change the world? Enter the Forbes Under 30 $1 million Change the World Competition by August 26!

A Hot Summer for Impact Investing

Posted on August 17, 2015October 31, 2018 by Case Foundation

The past few months have been full of news on the growing impact investing sector. Coming off of the announcements earlier this year—Bain Capital starting an impact fund under the leadership of Governor Deval Patrick, BlackRock starting an impact practice and Darren Walker and the Ford Foundation taking leadership of the U.S. National Advisory Board on Impact Investing—Jean Case recently described the increased buzz and activity as A New Inning for Impact Investing. She shares her insights on the growing movement that has until recently been in “spring training,” and an all-star line-up that is now taking shape.

We’ve summarized several key pieces of news from the past few months so you can read all about the latest updates. We look forward to seeing even more momentum this year!

Global Progress on Impact Investing

The Social Impact Investment Taskforce, established under the British presidency of the G8 in 2013, met in London in July to talk about progress achieved by member countries and to discuss what’s next for the group. Private and public sector representatives from G7 countries, the EU, Australia, Brazil, Israel, India, Mexico, Portugal, South Africa, China and others were present. Sir Ronald Cohen, Chair of the Taskforce, opened the Plenary Meeting by saying that “it’s impossible to stop an idea whose time has come,” and country report-outs on progress seemed to strongly support that statement. You can find presentations and reports from the Plenary Meeting on the Taskforce website.

New Report: Impact Investing Can Provide Market-Rate Returns

The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) and Cambridge Associates released results from a new study, the Impact Investing Benchmark. The report presents aggregate financial performance from 51 private equity and venture capital impact investment funds that have the intention to generate measurable social impact alongside a financial return. The report reveals that many of the early funds, established between 1998 and 2004, have achieved market rate or above market rate returns, demonstrating that impact investments don’t necessarily require financial sacrifice. GIIN and Cambridge Associates will provide quarterly updates on the benchmark.

Mixed Results for Social Impact Bonds

In an attempt to more effectively combat youth recidivism at the Rikers Island jail in New York, Goldman Sachs and Bloomberg Philanthropies launched the first Social Impact Bond (SIB) in the United States in 2012. The program provided cognitive behavioral therapy to youth at Rikers in an attempt to reduce their likelihood of returning to jail. Unfortunately, the new therapy didn’t work to reduce recidivism at Rikers, so the program has ended, and Goldman Sachs and Bloomberg Philanthropies have lost their $7.2 million investment.

Technically, the SIB worked: the program didn’t generate results, so taxpayers didn’t have to pay for it. Of course, we all hoped that the new intervention would have reduced recidivism. However, the pioneering model enabled government to experiment on providing a new and different service that might have led to better outcomes, but without the financial risk. This model of de-risking will hopefully lead to more innovation in provision of services even when government budgets are tight.

There was more positive news out of the UK, where three SIBs returned investor capital. Each of the three SIB partners—Career Connect, Teens & Toddlers and Advisa—met their goals, and investors received a financial return ahead of schedule. The nonprofits worked with Social Finance to improve educational participation for 4,000 teens through a number of activities, including job coaching and after school programs.

Better Outcomes at Lower Cost: Congressman John Delaney’s TEDx Talk on Pay for Success

Congressman John Delaney has been a consistent advocate for Social Impact Bonds and Pay For Success models as a means to address three challenges in government: lack of funding, inability to innovate and insufficient data on social impact. Watch Congressman Delaney’s call-to-action to “put aside the ideological divide” and “stand up for a smarter government” that can “intervene and make a difference in people’s lives but is focused on innovation, fiscal responsibility and focused on new ways of delivering its services.”

Goldman Sachs Asset Management Acquires Imprint Capital

In July, Goldman Sachs Asset Management announced its acquisition of Imprint Capital, an impact investing advisory firm. This acquisition highlights the growing need for impact investing experts within the traditional asset management field and a growing demand for products that consider environmental, social and governance as well as other impact metrics.

Millennial Entrepreneurs Get a Chance to Turn Ideas Into Reality

The Case Foundation is a proud sponsor of the Forbes $1 million Change-the-World Social Entrepreneurs Competition, which will identify and reward young social entrepreneurs leading for-profit and nonprofit social enterprises that address global challenges. This competition presents an opportunity for bright minds under 30 to change the way we approach social issues of our time. If you’re under 30 and changing the world, or you know someone who is, please apply! The deadline is August 26.

Excited about the news and want to learn more about impact investing? Follow our twitter feed @CaseFoundation, and check out the Case Foundation’s A Short Guide to Impact Investing.

A Billion + Change Celebrates Pro Bono Week

Posted on October 23, 2013November 1, 2018 by Case Foundation

This post was written by Jenny Lawson of the Points of Light Corporate Institute on behalf of the Case Foundation:

Over the past two years, we’ve seen more than 500 companies pledge $2 billion in pro bono services to nonprofits through the national A Billion + Change campaign.

Pledge companies are inspiring others to lend their time and talent to nonprofits through the powerful business and social impact that pro bono offers.

A picture is worth a thousand words, so to celebrate Pro Bono week, we’ve partnered with A Billion + Change to release an infographic showcasing the broad social impact and business value the pledge companies are generating.

So, for Pro Bono Week, why don’t you join us in celebrating the scale of pro bono around the world and the new innovations that are emerging? How can you lead the change through pro bono?

We invite you to read the recent Stanford Social Innovation Review article on the “three trends in creative collaborations that are leading to larger-scale success” authored by Jenny Lawson and Kate Ahern.

Collaboration Will Define the Future of Service

Posted on July 23, 2013November 1, 2018 by Case Foundation

This blog was co-authored by Case Foundation Senior Fellow Sonal Shah

“I have spoken of a thousand points of light, of all the community organizations that are spread like stars throughout the Nation, doing good…I will go to the people and the programs that are the brighter points of light, and I will ask every member of my government to become involved. The old ideas are new again because they are not old, they are timeless: duty, sacrifice, commitment, and a patriotism that finds its expression in taking part and pitching in.”

President George H.W. Bush, 1990
One of our country’s greatest strengths is our commitment to community and service. President George H.W. Bush modeled that both in his personal life and as President, with the creation of the Corporation for National Service and the National and Community Trust Act of 1993.

Since then, subsequent administrations have continued to build on that legacy of prioritizing service — the creation of AmeriCorps under President Clinton, President George W. Bush’s creation of the first Council on Service and Civic Participation, and the Obama Administration’s passing of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act and creation of the Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation.

We know that millions of Americans give and serve locally and globally. And we believe there is still much more we can do to prioritize service and civic engagement. For that reason, we were so pleased that President Obama announced a new initiative on July 15 during a White House event honoring President George H.W. Bush for his lifelong commitment to service.

The President announced the creation of a Task Force led by the Corporation for National and Community Service and the Domestic Policy Council to identify opportunities for the federal government to build better intergovernmental and public-private partnerships to expand national service. This was a national moment to see Presidents Obama and Bush and national service leaders focused on amplifying the work of the nation’s innovators and problem-solvers.

The announcement comes at an important time, as our country needs to double down on addressing some of our toughest challenges. We have the skills, the ingenuity, and the entrepreneurial spirit that can make transformational change. The President’s announcement catalyzed the sector by asking federal agencies to make national service a priority.

We have seen the power of collaboration within the federal government, as well as the power of partnerships that reach out to multiple stakeholders — corporations, nonprofits, foundations, and others — to drive social change. This is the moment to propel national service to achieve real outcomes. The Case Foundation looks forward to working with the government and programs like Reimagining Service to continue to help build innovative partnerships by working with government, corporations, foundations, and the social sector.

We currently support A Billion + Change in leading a movement for companies to enable their employees to provide skills-based volunteer services to nonprofits. Companies are finding that it’s more valuable — for the company, for the employee, and for the nonprofit — for an individual to lend her skills, and not just her time. Indeed, at more than $2 billion worth of time pledged, it’s the largest corporate commitment to service in America.

There are also other programs finding new ways to provide resources to the social and public sectors — Code for America and FuseCorps field tech geeks and other professionals on fellowships with city and state governments to improve service provision; Taproot and Catchafire connect individuals with pro bono opportunities; and Venture for America fields top college grads on fellowships with startups in areas that are struggling financially. The demand for these programs is growing. People want to find ways to serve.

The Franklin Project, led by General Stanley McChrystal, John Bridgeland, and Alan Khazei, is convening thought leaders from across the country on how to drastically expand civilian national service. And within the government, US Chief Technology Officer Todd Park and Deputy CTO Jen Pahlka have launched the second class of the Presidential Innovation Fellows, which is mobilizing some of the best minds from the private sector to solve problems across many federal agencies.

We are inspired by the innovators, service members, and the millions of Americans who give their time to make our communities and our country a better place. It is why we were excited to see President Obama continue President George H.W. Bush’s legacy to lift up the thousands and thousands of points of light represented by those who, through their service, strengthen our communities and our nation.

The White House Celebrates Corporate Pro Bono Service with A Billion + Change

Posted on July 6, 2012November 1, 2018 by Case Foundation

On June 27, the Case Foundation was pleased to join our fellow leadership committee members at the White House along with other corporate, government, and nonprofit leaders who are creating social change through skills-based volunteerism. We were part of a celebration and a challenge issued by A Billion + Change, a national campaign to mobilize billions of dollars of pro bono and skills-based volunteer services from the business community to nonprofits.

More than half of the 200 companies that have pledged to create or expand skills-based volunteering programs joined us to talk about how far corporations have come in the past 10 years or so in enabling their employees to donate their skills, and not just their time, to nonprofits. We talked about not only the benefits to companies’ nonprofit partners, but also to their employees and to their bottom line.

Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Obama and the Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls, opened the forum and said that companies participating in A Billion + Change were a model for others driving positive social change around the world. Her comments were echoed later in the day by Gene Sperling, Director of the National Economic Council and Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and by Billion + Change Honorary Chairman Senator Mark Warner, who said that at a time when nonprofits are facing decreased revenues and more work, pro bono from corporations is increasingly vital.

The sentiments from leaders in the public sector were matched by those in the private sector. Our CEO Jean Case led a panel with leaders from Deloitte, the Ritz-Carlton, Capital One, COTTON7, and Golin Harris to talk about the business benefits of supporting employee pro bono. Across the board, each of the panelists said that his employees and his company received at least as much value from nonprofit partners as was provided. Pro bono was characterized as a win-win-win proposition for companies, employees, and nonprofits.

We have come a long way since Jean Case helped to start A Billion + Change in 2008 when she was a member of the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. So far, we are proud to announce that more than 200 companies have pledged over $1.8 billion and nearly 12 million hours worth of time and talent to nonprofits.

But, we still have a way to go to reach our goal. We are seeking a total of 500 companies willing to pledge their best business skills and talents to build the capacity of nonprofits at home and around the world. Together, we will inspire the largest commitment of corporate pro bono service in history so that one day, skills-based volunteering will be the ‘new normal’ in every workplace.

To join us in the pro bono movement, visit www.abillionpluschange.org and make a pledge.

Want to learn more?

Read Jean Case’s post in Fast Company on making pro bono the new normal for corporate America.
Read Senator Mark Warner’s challenge to businesses in The Huffington Post to take the pledge to give pro bono.
Read what Ryan Scott, the CEO of Causecast, has to say in Forbes about how pro bono creates a competitive edge.

Case Foundation and Goldman Sachs help non-profits navigate difficult times

Posted on April 29, 2009November 1, 2018 by Case Foundation

As national service icons huddled together at the SEED School last week for the historic signing of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, I couldn’t help but reflect on the potential of this movement to transform communities and usher in a new day when the American tradition of service is central to the lives of millions of people across the country.

Now more than ever, we must look for new solutions that will provide scale and sustainability in our efforts to address the needs of our communities. And we must recognize this will take innovation and a willingness to break down the silos that have existed for too long between the public, nonprofit and private sectors. Simply put, all sectors have to pull together in a new way to achieve the kind of hope and opportunity we want for our nation and for the world around us.

Today, one week after the signing of this important service legislation the Case Foundation is pleased to join Goldman Sachs in hosting a special forum for nonprofit leaders called, “Managing Through Difficult Times.” The training which is being facilitated by the Bridgespan Group, is part of a commitment that Goldman Sachs CEO, Lloyd Blankfein, and I made last year at ServiceNation — as a way for the private sector to help strengthen nonprofit’s fiscal, operational and human capital responsibilities.

Most know Goldman Sachs as one of the most prestigious investment banks in the world. But those who know Goldman Sachs well, also know that this is only part of the story. What makes this great company unique is its longstanding role in helping to address the needs of communities both here and across the globe.

Goldman Sachs has been a corporate leader in service for years — last year alone they contributed more than 145,000 hours of service. But this doesn’t accurately convey what makes Goldman most unique – and that is Goldman’s strategic approach to service. Goldman recognizes that its greatest corporate asset is the talent of its people. And they have been quick to take the core competencies of their people and apply them in strategic and smart ways. Through its philanthropy and its service, Goldman models a new way forward.

Over the course of the past few months, we’ve watched as the public’s image of the corporate sector has been challenged. But as more individual Americans step up and answer the call to service we must challenge the business sector to think more creatively about how they will answer the call. Yes, nonprofits are in great need of funding, many are struggling to fill the gap of increased needs and decreased donations – but businesses have value to offer that goes beyond dollars. Businesses must begin to more strategically deploy the talent and skills of their workforce.

However, even as more companies are stepping up to offer this pro bono or skilled volunteer support, Deloitte’s latest Volunteer IMPACT Study released earlier this month uncovers some of the difficulty that nonprofits are having connecting with these resources. In fact, the survey found 95% of nonprofit respondents need and want more pro bono support. Yet, most have a startling lack of knowledge and information about where to get it.

What’s more, almost 40% of nonprofit executives said they still plan to spend anywhere from $50,000 to more than $250,000 on outside contractors and consultants this year. How could that be, when organizations like the Taproot Foundation who connect professionals with opportunities to engage in pro bono service projects have far more applicants than they can place in meaningful service opportunities? But this is only a starting point; companies must get smarter about making their resources available, and nonprofits must feel comfortable asking for it. A much more sophisticated process is needed to match highly skilled volunteers with opportunities, and the process, as the IMPACT study reveals, must be managed well by both the nonprofit and corporate volunteers.

At a time when we recognize the importance of strengthening the nonprofit community’s ability to respond to the economic conditions facing our communities, it is our hope that through greater cross-sector collaboration, nonprofits will not only make it through these difficult times, but come out stronger and better positioned for the future.

Join Me in Celebrating International Corporate Philanthropy Day

Posted on February 23, 2009November 1, 2018 by Case Foundation

While America’s current economic crisis is causing companies to rethink nearly every aspect of their operations – including giving and philanthropy, some may find it unfortunate timing that we mark today as International Corporate Philanthropy Day. But in fact I believe there is no better time than today to celebrate the philanthropic achievements of our business communities, share the benefits of corporate giving, and inspire businesses across the country and around the globe to embrace new and innovative ways to give back to their communities that go far beyond traditional financial support.

Today as Steve and I made the trip to New York to join corporate leaders in marking this day, we began thinking about the motivating factors that businesses have for getting their companies and employees involved in volunteering and philanthropy. We’ve watched as corporate giving has evolved from the old “checkbook philanthropy,” to a more strategic one, in which businesses are aligning their giving programs more closely with their expertise and capabilities — and their support comes more in the form of mobilizing the time and talents of their employees to make a difference. It is this broad base of civic participation that inspires us at the Case Foundation to help make corporate involvement easier, more accessible, and more meaningful in reaching those in need.

While today will be marked through symbolic gestures like the ringing of the Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange or the lighting of the Empire State Building in blue and green to mark International Corporate Philanthropy Day, the day presents us with a much deeper recognition of the power of the corporate sector to address some of our country’s most pressing problems. From reducing greenhouse gas emissions, to issues like the world water crisis or the prevalence of childhood obesity, companies can tap the abundance of their expertise, talent pool, and financial success to combat some of the world’s greatest challenges.

Not surprisingly, most chief executives of large companies say they feel more pressure today than they did five years ago to help solve social and environmental problems. Yet the majority say their corporate philanthropy isn’t doing an adequate job of meeting social or business goals – this according to a study produced last year by the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy, and based on research by McKinsey and Company.

We also know that members of the rising Millennial Generation increasingly want more from their chosen place of employment than a paycheck and benefits. They want to affiliate with a company that is playing an active, visible role in addressing the needs of our society. And young consumers want the same things from the brands they are choosing – they want to know that the company behind the brand is responsible, a good corporate citizen using its assets to make a difference in the world. Because of these trends, today’s smart CEOs recognize that doing good can help build competitive differentiation in ways that matter and that can translate to the bottom line.

At a time when some companies may be tempted to deemphasize philanthropic efforts, we plan to celebrate the opposite as we identify companies that are going above and beyond and giving new meaning to the phrase doing well by doing good. In the past year, we have watched as the leadership of some of our country’s top companies initiated A Billion + Change – a three-year campaign designed to leverage $1 billion in skilled volunteering and pro bono services from the corporate community. We are pleased to report that one year into the campaign, 23 major global companies including Deloitte, IBM, Intel, Pfizer, Target, and General Electric have committed specific pledges totaling more than $400 million in services to the nonprofit sector. But our work has only just begun.

In the coming weeks we’ll be calling on our partners at the HandsOn Corporate Service Council, the Taproot Foundation and their Pro Bono Action Tank, and the Committee to Encourage Corporate Philanthropy to share thoughts and reflections on emerging trends and companies to watch in corporate philanthropy, pro bono service and corporate volunteering.

There is no greater corporate cause, there has never been a time when there was more need, and we believe these great companies deserve to be recognized. Please watch this space in the coming weeks as we begin recognizing companies that are doing well by doing good.

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Corporate Engagement