SXSW 2020 PanelPicker – Cast Your Vote by August 23!

Posted on August 8, 2019August 20, 2019 by Case Foundation

Each year, the Case Foundation looks forward to discussing exciting ideas from changemakers across the country at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive stage. This past March, we joined in the conversation at SXSW with a packed room for an author talk from our CEO Jean Case on her new book Be Fearless: 5 Principles for a Life of Breakthroughs and Purpose, and led sessions on building more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems and helping founders—particularly women and founders of color—learn to tell their stories.

This year, we submitted a number of ideas for the SXSW PanelPicker to allow for discussion around critical topics like the importance of fostering diversity in entrepreneurship, millennial engagement and providing an opportunity to shine a light on social movement and philanthropy leaders who often do not get the chance to tell their stories.

We need your help to get these panels to SXSW 2020. Below, you can learn more about the panels we submitted and how you can cast your vote for them. Not registered for SXSW 2020 yet? That’s okay! You don’t need to register to attend SXSW to vote. To vote, all you have to do is sign into, or create, a PanelPicker account. In addition to casting your vote, we would appreciate your help in elevating the conversation around these important topics by spreading the word on your social media accounts and encouraging your friends to participate in the voting process.

See our panels below and be sure to vote before SXSW PanelPicker voting closes on August 23rd!

Unicorns of Color: Where are they?

Everyone is searching for this year’s unicorns, startups that are valued over $1 billion. While they come from a wide range of industries, unicorns are overwhelmingly founded by white men. So, where are the unicorns of color? How can we break down the barriers that hold back founders of color from finding this kind of success? Unicorns of color shouldn’t be so rare. Join representatives from venture capital firms and ecosystem builders that focus on finding these future unicorns and igniting pathways to capital.

Speakers:

Sarah Koch, VP of Social Innovation, The Case Foundation
Renee Wittemyer, Sr Lead for Tech Innovation, Pivotal Ventures
Kathryn Finney, CEO, digitalundivided

Vote Here

Tweet your support: Where are the unicorns of color & how can we break down the barriers that hold back founders of color from finding this kind of success? @sarahtkoch @reneewittemyer & @KathrynFinney want to bring this discussion to SXSW. Vote for it now! https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/103019

Female Founders Breaking out of the Beauty Aisle

Female-founded companies receive only 2.2 percent of VC funding, and it’s even worse for those starting gender-neutral businesses. Many famous female-led unicorns from 2018 and 2019 were companies like Glossier, Rent the Runway and Third Love, all of which cater mostly to women. Crunchbase found gender-neutral businesses get 54 percent less funding than female-founded businesses that are female-focused. In a discussion moderated by Sarah Koch of the Case Foundation, Renee Wittemyer of Pivotal Ventures, Kristen Sonday of Paladin, and Sky Kelley of Avisare explore how women can find big success in building businesses outside of traditionally female-focused fields.

Speakers:

Sarah Koch, VP of Social Innovation, The Case Foundation
Sky Kelley, CEO/Founder, Avisare
Renee Wittemyer, Sr. Lead for Tech Innovation, Pivotal Ventures
Kristen Sonday, Co-Founder, Paladin

Vote Here

Tweet your support: Gender-neutral businesses get 54% less funding than female-founded businesses that are female-focused. Vote for @sarahtkoch @reneewittemyer @SkyKelley1 & @kristensonday’s SXSW panel on female founders breaking out of the beauty aisle. https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/103017

Millennials: The New Philanthropy Champions

10 years of research on the Millennial Generation from the Case Foundation has shown that Millennials are changing the way change is made. Millennials are more likely to give than generations before them, even with lower earnings and student debt. And with young Americans poised to inherit an estimated $30 trillion of wealth from baby boomers over the next 30 years, it’s not a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’ they start to change how they think about philanthropy and investing. Already we see young philanthropists and investors trying new ways of giving and making a social impact through day-to-day interactions and where they divert their resources. Learn how Millennials are changing the social impact sector and why your organization can’t afford to ignore this cohort, 80 million strong.

Speakers:

Jessica Zetzman, VP of Marketing and Communications, The Case Foundation
Steph Stephenson, Cordes Foundation
Derrick Feldmann, Ad Council/Cause and Social Influence Summit
Rachel Gerrol, Nexus Global

Vote Here

Tweet your support: Millennials are changing the how change is made & orgs can’t afford to ignore this cohort (80 million strong!). Uplift this conversation at SXSW by voting for a panel featuring @_stephxsteph, @derrickfeldmann, @RachelGerrol & @ActuallyJZ! https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/104412

It Takes a Village to Raise an Entrepreneur

It takes a village to raise an entrepreneur. When there are so many different actors within an entrepreneurship ecosystem, what is the best way to work together to create opportunities and wealth for an entire community? Unlikely allies have joined together in cities like Minneapolis, Cleveland and Kansas City to create networks, move capital and expand inclusive ecosystems. Investors, accelerators and foundations are finding their unique roles in their cities to create conditions for success for their entrepreneurs. Learn from the Case Foundation, Jumpstart, Center for Economic Inclusion and the Kauffman Foundation about their efforts to support ecosystems that will support entrepreneurs who live all across the country.

Speakers:

Sarah Koch, VP of Social Innovation, The Case Foundation
Cathy Belk, President, JumpStart Inc
Tawanna Black, Founder & CEO, Center for Economic Inclusion
Andy Stoll, Senior Program Officer, The Kauffman Foundation

Vote Here

Tweet your support: It takes a village to raise an entrepreneur. @sarahtkoch, @CathyBelk, @TawannaABlack & @andystoll are joining forces at #SXSW to share efforts to support ecosystems that will support entrepreneurs who live all across the country. Vote! 👇https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/103192

DIY: Women Starting their own VC Funds

It’s well known that female founders face discrimination raising venture capital funding (raising only 2.2 percent of all VC funding in 2018). What’s worse, only 8 percent of the top 100 venture capital firms have women partners. Women are choosing to break out of firms that are male-dominated and start raising their own funds, so they have power. When more women are on the other side of the table, yielding the power and influence, more female-founders will get their shot. However, female venture capitalists face tremendous obstacles when starting their own funds. Sutian Dong and Kimmy Paluch discuss their experience raising money and offer insight to those looking to jump into the arena; moderated by Sarah Koch from the Case Foundation.

Speakers:

Sarah Koch, VP of Social Innovation, The Case Foundation
Sutian Dong, Co-founder, Global Women in VC Directory
Kimmy Paluch, Managing Partner, Beta Boom

Vote Here

Tweet your support: Female VCs face tremendous obstacles when starting their own funds. On this proposed #SXSW panel, @sutiandong & @kimmypaluch share their experience raising money and offer insight to those looking to jump into the arena. Vote plz! https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/103673

Do This, Not That: How to Tell Your Startup Story

Take a deep dive during this interactive panel on how to tell your startup story and shine in front of reporters. Three seasoned journalists and experts in storytelling will share their tips for what makes an effective and compelling pitch, how to prepare for interviews both on-air and in person, fatal flaws to avoid when speaking with reporters and how to build effective relationships with media outlets. At the conclusion of the session, we will invite attendees to share their pitches with the journalists for feedback in real-time. Come to this session with your media pitch in hand.

Speakers:

Jade Floyd, VP of Communications, The Case Foundation
Kate Clark, Reporter, TechCrunch
Morgan Clendaniel, Senior Editor, Fast Company

Vote Here

Tweet your support: Interested in learning tips and tricks to successfully tell your #startup story and shine in front of reporters? Vote on #PanelPicker for this interactive #SXSW panel featuring @KateClarkTweets, @MClendaniel & @JadeFloydDC! https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/102490

Movement Makers: How Movements Drive Social Change

What makes a social movement? Successful movements are citizen-centered and formed from the grassroots up. Philanthropy has an important role to play in driving social change through movement building. These organizations breakthrough, capturing the interest and action of the masses. Learn how they inspire, educate and activate people to action – from social citizens who penned and passed 27 pieces of legislation for sexual assault survivors, to a public health organization that has reduced teen smoking to single digits and national group of coastal defenders who transform their passion to protect our oceans. Meet the movement makers.

Speakers:

Eric Asche, Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer, Truth Initiative
Chad Nelson, CEO, Surfrider Foundation
Amanda Nguyen, CEO and Founder of Rise
Jessica Zetzman, VP of Marketing and Communications, The Case Foundation

Vote Here

Tweet your support: Movement makers inspire, educate and activate people to action and @nguyen_amanda, @chadenelsen, @easche & @ActuallyJZ want to highlight them at #SXSW. Vote for their panel on #PanelPicker here! 👇https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/102610

The Million Dollar Club is Getting Less White

Why should the startup world care about what we call, the Million Dollar Club? Well, the median seed round raised by companies is approximately $600,000, so $1 million raised would indicate the startup has been able to raise additional funding after their seed round. Harlem Capital found 117 founders of color that raised over $1 million and Digitalundivided’s research found 34 Black women founders raised over $1 million in 2017—up from only 12 in 2015. That number continues to grow. By the end of 2017, 58 Latinx Women have raised over $1 million in venture funding. Hear from founders of color that accomplished this great achievement, how they did it and how we can support other founders to raise over $1 million in capital.

Speakers:

Sarah Koch, VP of Social Innovation, The Case Foundation
Carolyn Rodz, Co-founder, Hello Alice
Sky Kelley, Founder & CEO, Avisare

Vote Here

Tweet your support: Interested in a #SXSW panel featuring founders of color who made it into the Million Dollar Club? Vote here on #PanelPicker to get @carolynrodz & @SkyKelley1 on the stage for a discussion moderated by @sarahtkoch! https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/102199

When Women Hold the Wealth

Women are set to inherit $41 trillion of wealth over the next 40 years, and they are emerging as a driving force as investors, entrepreneurs and leaders of the impact investing movement. Women have also demonstrated that they often make purchasing decisions based on their personal values. So what happens when women hold the pocketbook? This panel will explore how leading female venture capitalists, female founders and investors are taking the reins in a male-dominated world.

Speakers:

Jean Case of The Case Foundation in conversation with other investors.

Vote Here

Tweet your support: Vote for this #SXSW panel on #PanelPicker that will explore how leading female venture capitalists, female founders and investors are taking the reins in a male-dominated world! @JeanCase, CEO of @CaseFoundation will lead the discussion: https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/103693

No, Millennials Aren’t Ruining Everything

Even though headlines say Millennials are ruining the housing market, brick and mortar stores, and even marriage, Millennials have actually wielded their influence for social good over the past decade. During the past 10 years, the Case Foundation researched how Millennials interact with the world around them, seeking out possibilities across all aspects of their lives, pushing social movements forward and disrupting antiquated practices.

Speakers:

Matrika Bailey-Turner, Director of Social Innovation, The Case Foundation
Steven Olikara, Founder & President, Millennial Action Project
Derrick Feldmann, Managing Director, Principle Researcher, Cause and Social Influence
Jessica Clancy, Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility, NBCUniversal

Vote Here

Tweet your support: No, millennials aren’t ruining everything. In fact, research says the opposite. Help bring this important conversation to the stage by voting for a #SXSW panel featuring @StevenOlikara, @derrickfeldmann, @jsultzer, & @MatrikaBT! https://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/102562

Every year, we are impressed with the conversations we are able to have at SXSW and the way we leave inspired to continue to make an impact. With your help, we will be able to ensure that these important topics are front and center at SXSW 2020 and that we use every possible tool in the toolbox to drive these important conversations forward.

It’s Time for Philanthropy to Open the Door to Open Source

Posted on May 30, 2018October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

Innovation is driving technology and change faster than ever before. Yet, when I am asked about technological innovations that have the best chance to make an impact in the future of philanthropy, I often cite a collaborative approach that is closely aligned with the technology world, but can no longer be considered cutting edge: open source.

This may not be the answer that many are expecting, but open source’s collaborative and transparent nature is well suited for philanthropy and its ability to leverage the power of many to do good at minimal cost lends itself to being one of the keys to the next phase in the evolution of philanthropy.

Open source software allows anyone to read, study, modify and redistribute a software’s source code with little restriction other than that free access is maintained. It is often developed in a highly collaborative manner with many people contributing pieces of code and it is found in a wide variety of places – the overwhelming majority of consumer devices include some open source code.

For many philanthropies and non-profits, open source provides the opportunity to save money and time. There is a growing community of coders experimenting openly and sharing ideas and software covering everything from website and app development to artificial intelligence and blockchain. By embracing open source, foundations and nonprofits can tap into this space of bright technologists and innovators for free. In doing so, they will gain access to battle-tested code and ideas, allowing them to focus on their core missions.

For others, it is an opportunity to leverage the time and money they have put into building software and programs so others in the field can use them. In our network of changemakers, we see many organizations producing innovative platforms and technologies that are used to create social change. Why not further that effort by open sourcing that work so that many more can use, improve and share it? Our experience shows that by including open source from the outset of a plan, you reap the benefits of including a community in your work and have a product that can be shared with the larger community with minimal effort. And, frankly, isn’t the act of open sourcing software in line with most philanthropic missions?

Open source has other benefits as well. The collaborative nature of open source can encourage philanthropies to engage with new audiences and to connect technical and nontechnical participants. We have seen that reaching beyond your bubble and forging unlikely alliances between those working to solve the same problem can yield impressive and transformational results.

We’re already seeing philanthropies embrace open source. For example, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation developed an open source platform to drive the adoption of digital financial services in developing countries. Mojaloop, the platform’s name, creates a standard system for banks and other financial service providers to communicate and execute transactions at a lower cost than competitors for the nearly two billion unbanked people in developing regions.

Throughout the Case Foundation’s history, we’ve recognized the value of open source software by both using it in our work and supporting others who are a part of the community. Some of our greatest efforts such as Make It Your Own and America’s Giving Challenge succeeded because open source software enabled us to move quickly and experiment with new ideas without having to start from scratch. We were also early supporters of groups such as Code for America which produces open source software and organizes communities of citizens to also create and contribute open source solutions for their towns and cities.

And we are now building all the software we produce for specific campaigns with an eye on making them open sourced as well. For example, we have provided the open sourcing code from our #FacesofFounders campaign allowing any organization to launch a similar campaign focusing on user-generated content. And this year, we plan to release even more open source projects produced through our broader work here at the Case Foundation. We hope that–along with many others–we can help the social sector see the benefits of open source, spark innovation, accelerate social good and ultimately help change the world.

We hope you will join us.

Social Good in April: Stories You Don’t Want to Miss

Posted on April 30, 2018October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

April was full of breaking news in social good, so we’re bringing you another edition of “This Month In Social Good,” rounding up our favorite stories from our Breaking Good newsletter so you don’t miss anything.

Of particular note this month, we saw a lot of great stories across the podcast circuit. Case Foundation CEO Jean Case talked to Wall Street Journal Podcasts about the importance of fearlessness in her journey to spark innovation in the social sector, and our VP of Social Innovation, Sarah Koch, was on Silicon Hills News and EU Now to talk about the need to support women in tech and entrepreneurship. We also revisited our roundup of Seven Fearless Founder Podcasts for those of you looking to brighten your daily commute.

April also brought us stories about industry leaders attaining B Corp certification, local communities embracing Impact Investing and female founders and investors coming together to change the face of entrepreneurship.

B Corps in the news

This month, a major player jumped into the world of B Corps: Danone North America. The certification, which makes them the world’s largest certified B Corp, comes just one year after Danone legally registered as a benefit company as part of their acquisition of WhiteWave. The North American entity is the eighth company under the Danone umbrella to be certified. The company has long been a proponent of corporate social responsibility and socially conscious business and the speed with which this large company achieved certification is a signal to other companies with social-impact goals that B Corp certification is attainable no matter their size. As an added bonus, the company worked with B Lab to create a case study of the steps they took throughout the year so other multinationals could learn from Danone’s experience and, hopefully, follow in their footsteps.

In April, we also got to hear firsthand about how Greyston Bakery, another B Corp, is making waves. For 30 years, Greyston Bakery has been focused on a big bet: to hire anyone, regardless of their background, as they bake gourmet brownies and cookies, including many of the brownies you see in Ben & Jerry’s Brownie Ice Cream, at their for-profit bakery located just north of New York City. On our latest episode of Be Fearless, we talked to CEO Mike Brady and the Greyston team about the success open hiring practices has brought for their company and their community and how they’re helping other companies do the same.

Impact Investing making inroads in local communities

From Atlanta to Lancaster to Baltimore, local foundations and governments are testing the waters with Impact Investing and alternative funding structures. At the beginning of the month, the Lancaster County Community Foundation announced that they would invest $500,000 in two local organizations aiming for both a social and financial return. The recipients were a housing and neighborhood revitalization organization and a financial inclusion organization. The investment is part of an ongoing effort from the foundation to leverage new funding mechanisms to support their community.

In Atlanta, the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta made a splash with a $10 million impact investment fund—the first local Impact Investing fund in the city. The fund, named GoATL will be distributed over the next two to three years and focused on five impact areas: arts, community development, education, nonprofit effectiveness and wellbeing.

Atlanta also is trying out innovative investing models with efforts to raise $12.9 million for an environmental impact bond through Neighborly, the municipal bond broker-dealer. The funds will go toward minimizing flooding and improving drainage. Baltimore is following suit with efforts to raise $6 million for an environmental impact bond aimed at reducing pollution in the Chesapeake Bay.

Seeing communities across the country take on Impact Investing to tackle local but large-scale challenges is a great reminder of the field’s potential to grow and scale globally as it continues to move to the mainstream.

Female founders and the changing face of entrepreneurship in America

In the world of Inclusive Entrepreneurship, Vanity Fair’s April feature gave us both something to celebrate and something to work on. The magazine teamed up with Kathryn Finney and digitalundivided to feature the 26 Black women who have raised $1 million or more in venture funding. And while these groundbreaking women are truly worth celebrating, this was yet another reminder of the need to support all women of color launching business, many more of whom deserve to join the ranks of this “million dollar club.”

Also on the founder side, we heard the stories of inspiring female founders like Maneesha Mukhi, a social entrepreneur who created an online marketplace called ImmiGo to help individuals and businesses find high quality immigration attorneys. We also heard from GirlCrew cofounder, Aine Mulloy, who took to #FacesofFounders to tell the story of launching a platform to connect women across the globe, while fighting for female representation across industries.

Female investors are taking a stand too. April also heralded the launch of AllRaise, a group of 34 women investors—representing over $1 billion in investable capital—who are committed to helping women entrepreneurs raise money. Recognizing that there’s a robust pipeline of female entrepreneurial talent, the group is committed to increasing the percentage of venture funding going to women while doubling the number of female partners at venture firms.

These stories have inspired us and motivated us to get to work this month and beyond—and we hope they’ve inspired you too. To stay up to date on all things social good sign up for our newsletter, Breaking Good. 

Is there anything we missed this month? Tell us about your favorite social good story you saw in April!

23 Conferences on Our Radar in 2018

Posted on January 17, 2018October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

It’s that time of year! The beginning of a new rotation around the sun when we all start to prioritize our goals for the next 365 days. One of my resolutions this year is to make meaningful connections and expand my knowledge of subjects both known and unknown. There’s no better way to do so then to step out of the office occasionally and travel to a new region for a few days of learning. Our team at the Case Foundation does just that, attending and speaking at dozens of conferences and events across the globe.

Last year we took the stage at events like SXSW, Essence Festival and the Forbes Philanthropy Summit. We had the chance to talk Impact Investing with the masses at gatherings like the first-ever Forbes Impact Investing Summit, the Financial Times Investing for Good, the NYPL Business Leadership Council, Web Summit, Wharton Social Impact Investing Conference and more. And our Inclusive Entrepreneurship team took the stage at key events like the Women’s Global Leadership Forum, Atlantic Magazine’s Social Impact Forum and Black and Brown Founders.

We know that time is precious and there are countless conferences and events for you to consider in 2018 to expand your knowledge. Here’s our take on 23 conferences to attend this year in the world of philanthropy, Impact Investing, Millennial engagement and Inclusive Entrepreneurship:

MAKERS Conference, February 5-7 (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA) explores new ways to make shock waves, unleash our collective power and lift each other up as we fight for causes that matter. Last year’s conference included speakers like Gloria Steinem, Eva Longoria, Priscilla Chan, Sheryl Sandberg, Diane von Furstenberg and Gabby Douglas.
Economist Impact Investing Forum, February 15 (New York, NY) join Economist editors and 200 financiers, institutional investors, policymakers, academics, impact investors and philanthropists at the second iteration of Investing for Impact: risk, return and the future of the world. Our CEO Jean Case is scheduled to take the stage with Liesel Pritzker Simmons, co-founder of the Blue Haven Initiative in a conversation on why investing in women founders is the ultimate return.
SXSW Interactive, March 9-17 (Austin, TX) we would be remiss if we didn’t give a shoutout to the conference of all conferences. Tens of thousands of attendees gather for hundreds of sessions on topics related to social good, investing, entrepreneurship, art, music and more. Our Case Foundation team will take the stage at four sessions that week, and we look forward to seeing many of you while in Austin. Speakers this year will include Melinda Gates, Alex Chung, Mark Cuban, Michael Dell, Kathryn Finney, Cindy Whitehead, Ira Glass, Walter Isaacson, Ezra Klein, Megan Smith, Gary Vaynerchuk and many more.
Women’s Private Equity Summit, March 9-11 (Half Moon Bay, CA) brings together more than 500 female private equity and venture capital leaders for discussion and networking.
Skoll World Forum, April 10-13 (Oxford, England) launched by the Skoll Foundation, accelerates entrepreneurial approaches and solutions to the world’s most pressing problems by uniting social entrepreneurs in a pursuit of learning, leverage and large-scale social change. Past speakers have included President of the World Bank Group Dr. Jim Yong Kim, Winnie Byanyima of Oxfam International and Hamdi Ulukaya of the yogurt empire Chobani.
Nonprofit Technology Conference, April 11-13 (New Orleans, LA) features over 100 educational sessions, an exhibit hall highlighting the latest nonprofit products and services and networking events each day. Be sure to check out our session on open source philanthropy with our VP of Interactive Strategies, John Jones.
Women in the World Summit, April 12-14 (New York, NY) presents powerful new female role models whose personal stories illuminate the most pressing international issues. Speakers last year included Scarlett Johansson, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Diane von Furstenberg and many more luminaries.
Tech Inclusion, Spring 2018 (Washington, DC) brings the industry together to drive solutions to diversity and inclusion. Attendees include executives, hiring managers, human resources, data scientists, educators, entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and diversity and inclusion advocates.
Vanity Fair Founder’s Fair, April 20 (New York, NY) slated for its second year, this gathering highlights the accomplishments of ambitious women entrepreneurs and explores ways to help them unleash even greater growth for their businesses and their brands.
Good Tech Fest, May 22-24 (Detroit, MI) is for anyone using data and technology to drive impact. It’s for the doers and practitioners. The people on the ground. The leaders that are wanting to find innovative ways to leverage technology, and the technologists wanting to apply their skills for real global change.
US SIF Annual Conference, May 30-June 1 (Washington, DC) gives you the opportunity to network with leaders of sustainable, responsible and Impact Investing. Hear from leading investors, CEOs and policymakers, and to learn about new approaches, trends and policy developments in the field.
MCON, June (Washington, DC) join 1,000 passionate individuals who come together to channel their enthusiasm into action for today’s most pressing issues. MCON gathers leaders, entrepreneurs and cause enthusiasts of all generations to discuss problems and find creative solutions to the challenges of today.
Forbes Impact Investing Summit, June 12-13 (New York, NY) this invitation only event for doers and investors who believe in investing in companies that can change the world is a new offering from Forbes and it’s certain to make an impression. Join seasoned impact investors who are moving capital and leading the next generation of investment.
NextGen Summit, June 18 (New York, NY) unites a global community of young entrepreneurs. The 2017 Next Gen Summit welcomed dozens of investors and founders of billion dollar brands and companies, NBA and NFL stars, Shark Tank alums, world-renowned fitness experts and underwater drone creators.
Aspen Ideas Festival, June 21-30 (Aspen, CO) unites leaders and influencers from around the globe for inquisitive discussions on the ideas and issues that shape our lives and challenge our times. Hundreds of award winning journalists, global leaders, scientists and explorers, former secretaries of states, startup founders and investors take the stage each year.
Fortune Most Powerful Women, October 1-3 (Laguna Niguel, CA) MPW has evolved into the world’s most extraordinary leadership community, convening the preeminent women in business—along with select leaders in government, philanthropy, education and the arts—for wide-ranging conversations that inspire and deliver practical advice. The program features one-on-one interviews, panel discussions, interactive breakout sessions and high-level networking.
Communications Network, October 10-12 (San Francisco, CA) brings together more than 500 social sector communications professionals from foundations and organizations across the globe for engaging dialogues on using the power of storytelling to drive social impact, demystifying design and the making of movements.
Global Impact Investing Network Forum, October 30-31 (Paris, France) investors from around the globe convene for the preeminent gathering of active impact investors and those who are interested in building an Impact Investing practice. Hosted by the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) and PEI Media, the Forum aims to advance and scale the market through insight from industry leaders, leading-edge research and unrivaled networking opportunities.
PopTech, October 31-November 3 (Point Lookout, ME) is a robust gathering of more than 600 scientists, technologists, humanitarians, designers, artists, innovators, corporate and governmental leaders, academics and those who defy tidy categorization.
Inc Women’s Summit, Fall 2018 (New York, NY) unites savvy female business leaders with diverse backgrounds, passions, and pursuits for a day of dynamic exchanges and innovative business ideas. Speakers have included the likes of Spanx CEO Sara Blakely, Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary, Maria Malcolm Beck of Bluemercury and more.
Blavity Afrotech, Fall 2018 (Silicon Valley, CA) unites founders and employees of some of the fastest-growing tech startups to share the tactics and strategies they use to grow their products and businesses. Conversations range from raising venture funding, combining tech and culture, user design workshops, growth hacking and more.
Washington Ideas, October 2-4 (Washington, DC) is an annual must-attend event bringing the most consequential people and issues to D.C. featuring hundreds of political leaders and those shaping the future of business, science, technology, arts and journalism.
Fast Company Innovation Festival, Fall 2018 (New York, NY) taking place across NYC, the festival features dozens of events in content tracks ranging from tech to design, leadership to creativity, fashion to healthcare and more. CEOs and influencers from companies and organizations like Bloomberg Philanthropies, CARE, DonorsChoose.org, Robin Hood, Swell Investing and more.
Bonus: LIVE anything! Live content from media brands is a hot ticket for 2018 both in person and online. Check out the many upcoming LIVE events from media entities like Forbes, Washington Post, Bloomberg, AXIOS 360 and The Atlantic announced each week.

There are countless other gatherings you can consider like TED, Fortune Most Powerful Women Next Gen, the Code Conference, the Milken Global Conference, Wharton Social Impact Conference and the Sustainable Brands Conference series. Be sure to check out our past conferences we have featured in our blog from 2017 HERE and 2016 HERE. Many of these events take place year-after-year, so be sure to keep them on your radar in 2018 and beyond.

The Best Newsletters for Philanthropy News

Posted on December 18, 2017October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

The world of philanthropy is always evolving, and our team is inspired each day by the tremendous giving that is taking place across the globe. From families and entrepreneurs lining up to give a majority of their wealth away through the Giving Pledge, to the boom of online giving platforms being modernized and democratized, to open source emerging as a new form of philanthropy, there’s a lot to keep up with and celebrate. The many advances in the practice of giving back have opened the doors for new givers, both large and small, who are supporting nonprofits that are changing the world.

At the Case Foundation, we want to empower people to use their time, their talents and their treasures, and the first step to doing so is understanding the field. We are often asked how we stay up-to-date on the news across the sector, so we’ve compiled a list of newsletters we read each week that will bring you up to speed on all things philanthropy.

Philanthropy News Digest from Foundation Center is a weekly news digest of the top philanthropy news. Sign up here.
Inside Philanthropy has the top news in who’s funding what, and expert commentary on the philanthropy world. Sign up here.
Future of Philanthropy from Fast Company has weekly updates on the individuals, groups, ventures and tactics leading the way in philanthropy. Sign up here.
Philanthropy Today from the Chronicle of Philanthropy is a daily roundup of the news in the nonprofit world. Sign up here.
The NPQ Newswire from Nonprofit Quarterly has a rundown of the latest events and trends on fundraising, philanthropy, nonprofit board governance and nonprofit management. Sign up here.
SSIR Now is Stanford Social Innovation Review‘s weekly roundup of their top news stories covering the world of social change. Sign up here.
Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy’s newsletter covers philanthropic, foundation and changemaking news with a focus on the next generation of innovators. Sign up here.
Causeartist shares news in social impact with a focus on socially conscious consumerism. Sign up here.
The Daily Good is a daily digest from Good Magazine that shares the top news geared towards next generation conscious consumers. Sign up here.

With these great newsletters, you can be better informed as a practitioner and as a philanthropist just by checking your email. And if you’re interested in the news on our other movements, check out my roundup of Inclusive Entrepreneurship and Impact Investing newsletters.

#GivingTuesday: a Chance to Use Tech to Give Back

Posted on November 28, 2017October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

Some time ago, the idea of putting your credit card number on the internet seemed unthinkable, but today almost 80 percent of Americans shop online. And with the holidays coming up, online marketplaces are seeing an impressive spike in both traffic and orders. In fact, this year, more people are expected to shop online than in-store.

While e-commerce has forced traditional brick and mortar retail to evolve, the convenience of online shopping for consumers has been advantageous for online giving. This summer, we talked about how tech trends like the emergence of online payment platforms have made it that much easier for everyone to jump into philanthropy. Millennials are key players in that trend too; the Millennial Impact Report found that 80 percent of Millennials made donations last year, and 62 percent have expressed interest in using mobile as a giving platform.

In 2012, we helped support the first official #GivingTuesday campaign, founded by the 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation. We were very excited to play a part in #GivingTuesday’s transformation from a campaign to a movement, both through our own donation matching campaigns and by supporting the overall tracking of fundraising activity each #GivingTuesday.

Five years later, it’s more convenient than ever to give. New platforms allow users to search for charities that match their interests, donate by shopping for things they’d already buy and use social media to donate and fundraise.

Here are some easy ways you can use tech to give on #GivingTuesday.

Donation Platforms

If you’re not sure where to start, there’s a variety of platforms that can help you find a cause you’re passionate about and verify the credibility of the organization behind it so you can donate with confidence.

If you shop online, you’re already familiar with PayPal, but did you know that you can also use the payment service for donations? The Paypal Giving Fund lets you browse charities and donate to them online through your PayPal account.

If you’re searching for a specific charity, or already know which issue you want to support, Network for Good* has an online database of over a million charities of all sizes and issue areas. You can also purchase Good Cards on the site if you want to give someone else a gift card that they can use to donate to the charity of their choice.

Interested in taking a more international approach to your giving? Global Giving allows you to donate to vetted projects from around the world and will send you updates on how your money is being put to work.

And if you’re interested in helping educators in the U.S., Donors Choose can connect you to a public school in need. Teachers use the site to share the projects for which they need funds, and how much they need to reach their goals. You can use the site to donate to the classroom project of your choice.

Crowdfunding platforms

Donating to a crowdfunding campaign is a great way for people on a wide range of budgets to work with others in the online community to help someone in need, and there are several platforms you can use.

GoFundMe allows online donors to contribute to individuals or groups taking on a wide variety of projects and problems. And it’s making a real difference—more than $4 billion has already been raised through the site. If you’re looking to contribute to an individual or a new organization that hasn’t registered as a charity yet, GoFundMe provides that flexibility.

Crowdrise is a social fundraising tool that supports corporations, nonprofits and events. Nonprofits and individuals can set up fundraisers for their favorite cause with specific goals and timelines. Do you want to use your network to expand your impact on #GivingTuesday? Crowdrise can help you do that. The website also allows users to explore trending fundraisers and look for ones in the categories they’re interested in.

A different type of online crowdfunding source is Kiva. Kiva gives users a chance to lend as little as $25 to help people across the globe with everything from going to school to launching a business. Kiva donors get their loans repaid, and then can reuse the repayment for another loan, or withdraw it.

Purchase roundups

When checking out at a brick and mortar store, you’ve probably been given a chance to round-up your purchase to the nearest dollar or more and have that extra change go to charity. Now you can do that online, and you can choose which charity receives that extra money.

We micro give is an online platform that rounds your online and in-person purchases up to the nearest dollar and donates the change to the charity of your choice. The site allows you to set monthly maximums and provides users with an online dashboard to summarize their giving activity.

Similarly, Coin Up offers a website and an app that donors can use to have their credit and debit card purchases rounded up and donated. The site tracks your donations over time and sends a year-end donation total so you can see your yearlong impact.

Network for Good* recently launched Hippo Give, an app that also helps you make secure donations through purchase roundups. You can support multiple organizations with your spare change and see your donation activity tracked in real time. Hippo Give even makes a donation on your behalf when you get started. It should be noted that this is still in minimum viable product development stage (MVP), but it’s an exciting new platform that shows promise.

And finally, if you use Amazon.com, you can give back without spending an extra dime just by changing the URL. If you use https://smile.amazon.com/, 0.5 percent of your purchase total will go to the charity of your choice.

#Donate Using Social Media

Organizations and individuals often use social media to give their fundraisers a promotional boost, but now there are ways to donate directly though the social media sites themselves.

Facebook has a donating platform that organizations can use year-round to give their followers an easy way to donate and share. And this #GivingTuesday, the site is stepping up its commitment to support online giving through an up-to-$2 million matching campaign in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

You can also donate instantly across social platforms with Goodworld. All you have to do is comment or reply #donate on a participating cause’s Facebook or Twitter post, and you’ll be sent a secure, one-time link you can use to apply your donation.

Last year, #GivingTuesday saw a record $168 million in charitable donations, and we expect to see similar results from today’s activity. Every year, online platforms like these make it that easier, more interactive and more fun for users to donate to causes close to their hearts. Charitable giving is truly just a click away. We hope you’ve been inspired to give to a cause you care this #GivingTuesday (November 28 this year) and throughout the year.

*Brian Sasscer is on the Board of Trustees for Network for Good

A New Form of Digital Philanthropy: Open Sourcing #FacesofFounders

Posted on November 6, 2017October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

Open source software, by its simplest definition, is a work of software whose source code is available for others to read, study, modify and redistribute with little restriction other than that the free access is maintained. Earlier this week, I wrote in an op-ed in the Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR) about how we at the Case Foundation see open source as another form of philanthropy—a digital one whose contributions influence the success of many by providing publicly accessible software. In the article, I shared how we see the potential of open source software and how it can spark innovation, accelerate social good and ultimately help change the world.

Building on the early work of Jean and Steve Case—pioneers in the democratization of information with AOL—technology has always been a crucial part of how the Case Foundation works, and our tech-centric legacy has led us to champion early ideas that are now commonplace such as online giving and digital advocacy. In the course of that work, we have often used open source technologies because of their scalability and opportunity for customization. Giving the technology we create for projects at the Foundation back to the open source community is the next logical step. As we take on new challenges and new campaigns that serve our movements, we will also begin to take the time to ask ourselves and the community if a project that we think would be good for our efforts would also be good for others’ efforts. If that is true, we will dedicate time and resources in the project to open source the components that the community needs. Our contributions will always follow the needs of our broader goals, and we will open source the work in which we and the community find of real value.

So, as a part of our commitment to this open source ideal, we are excited to release the code that powered our #FacesofFounders campaign. This open source code includes features that powered the social photo upload and filters, applicant and story submissions, and the distributed judging platform. By releasing this platform’s code into the community, we are aiming to help those looking to launch similar campaigns where applicants must submit information and have a pool of judges evaluate the submissions.

We designed this platform that powered the first phase of the #FacesofFounders campaign to attract entrepreneurs, particularly women founders and entrepreneurs of color, to share their photos and stories of entrepreneurship on FacesofFounders.org or on Twitter using #FacesofFounders. Launched at the White House’s South by South Lawn festival, in partnership with Blackstone Charitable Foundation, Google for Entrepreneurs and UBS, along with Fast Company, #FacesofFounders sought out and lifted up America’s dynamic entrepreneurs who are key to driving innovation and job growth. The winners of the crowdsourced contest, who were reviewed by our panel of 40 guest judges, were selected because they bridged innovation and a commitment to inclusiveness. We then featured the winners of the contest on FastCompany.com and our #FacesofFounders Medium publication.

The technology powering this campaign was a huge part of its success, and we’re excited to share this code with the open source community. Throughout the judging process, we received numerous comments on how easy it was to use. The platform has three unique components that are all a part of a combined codebase.

Social Media Profile Photo Filter

The first of which is the photo upload feature that allowed visitors to upload a photo (or select their Facebook or Twitter profile photo) and place a campaign-themed filter on top of it. The visitor could then make that filtered photo their profile image on their social media profiles, and the photo was added to a shared photowall on the homepage, which continually displayed all new and past filtered photos. In addition administrators had the ability to remove inappropriate photos from the homepage.

Story Submission

The second feature is the story submission system. In addition to, or instead of, uploading a photo, visitors could submit their story to the judging platform. This submission tool contains customizable forms and can be placed in a “closed” state once judging begins. All submissions entered through the form then go into a queue for a site administrator to assign to judges. Because the platform is built into WordPress, it is also possible to directly upload submissions via WordPress’s dashboard.

Story Review and Judging

The third and final component of this codebase is the judging platform. As visitors submit stories, they queue in the judging section of the backend. Once all submissions are final, assigned judges can log into the platform and request submissions to review. The judges score each submission on a numeric scale, and the platform uses those scores to begin ranking each submission. Site administrators can then log in and view the stories ranked by their aggregate scores to determine winners. The entire codebase comes packaged as a WordPress theme for easy deployment and visual customization using WordPress’s robust theme system.

This open source #FacesofFounders platform is a useful tool for organizations running any sort of applicant submission and review process, and it could be modified to accommodate a grant or scholarship application review, among other uses. If you have a pool of judges or reviewers who are geographically separated or difficult to coordinate on schedules, the platform accommodates such logistical challenges by facilitating an individualized back-end review process. We believe that this code will be integral for the prizes and challenges community.

Given the collaborative nature of the open source community, we are looking for organizations interested in using this code in their own campaigns, as well as suggestions for ways to improve the #FacesofFounders codebase. Moving forward, we plan to share more of the software powering other campaigns and efforts with the open source community.

We at the Case Foundation hope our work can help others, and we’ll do our part to help catalyze the open source movement as we share our resources, our time and our talents with the community. We are excited to share this multifunctional platform with the community, and we look forward to further contributing to this part of digital philanthropy.

You can find the #FacesofFounders platorm here.

SXSW 2018 PanelPicker—Cast Your Vote by August 25!

Posted on August 9, 2017August 8, 2019 by Case Foundation

Every year, the Case Foundation and our partners love to share some of our exciting work and ideas that we find compelling from the South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive stage. This past March, we celebrated the Case Foundation’s 20^th anniversary at SXSW by hosting the #GetInTheArena lounge and presenting on four panels. We got to talk about Inclusive Entrepreneurship, Impact Investing, millennial engagement, social good and the important role citizens play in science in the 21^st century. We worked with incredible speakers and learned invaluable lessons on innovation across movements.

This year, we submitted 14 panel ideas for the SXSW PanelPicker that discuss topics like diversity in entrepreneurship, women in Impact Investing, millennial engagement, open source technology, business journalism, user generated content, digital analytics and more.

We need your help getting them to SXSW 2018. Below you’ll find out about each panel and how you can vote for them. In addition to casting your vote, you can help these important topics be part of the discussion at SXSW by spreading the word with the social messages below and encouraging your friends and networks to vote as well.

See our panels below and be sure to vote before SXSW PanelPicker voting ends on August 25th!

Under Her Eye: Women Are Our Future

Women—nearly 4 billion strong—are our business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, global leaders, journalists, scientists, philanthropists and CEOs making their mark on the world today. Women multiply the impact of an investment made in them by building businesses that outperform, creating better lives for their family and cultivating strong communities. Explore why women are vital to long-term business and community success and meet dynamic female leaders championing other women.

Speakers

Sheila Herrling, Senior Vice President of Social Innovation, Case Foundation
Jennifer Stybel, Executive Director, Rent the Runway Foundation
Cindy Whitehead, Founder & CEO, The Pink Ceiling
Stephanie Lampkin, Founder & CEO, Blendoor

Vote Here

Tweet this: Why are women vital to long-term business success? Vote for @CaseFoundation’s #SXSW2018 panel to find out: https://bit.ly/2wqwcSP

Gen Unaware: Can Millennials Invest for Impact?

The next generation of investors are bringing increased attention to the world of sustainable and impactful investing. As more investors and consumers put real focus on how companies stack up on environmental, social and governance criteria, these factors influence markets, and by extension, business. Learn new strategies that can turn you into an impact investor today.

Speakers

Rehana Nathoo, Vice President, Case Foundation
Jennifer Pryce, President and CEO, Calvert Social Investment Foundation
Dave Fanger, Founder and CEO, Swell Investing
Megan Hryndza, Founder & CEO, Mighty Deposits

Vote Here

Tweet this: Interested in learning about how Millennials can invest for impact? Vote for this #SXSW2018 panel from @CaseFoundation https://bit.ly/2vGwBlQ

Building a More Inclusive Startup Culture

Leading women in tech continue to speak out about injustices in working with tech executives and investors, but gender and racial imbalances remain. Meanwhile, Paris, London and other European cities are pouring money into innovative startups. This panel will explore how government, big tech and investors can help build a more inclusive and innovative startup ecosystem. The panelists will also discuss getting past the unconscious biases of VCs that tend to invest in founders who resemble them.

Speakers

Kenya Wiley, Founder and CEO, Fashion Innovation Alliance
Janett Martinez, CEO, LOOMIA
Sheila Herrling, Senior Vice President, Social Innovation, Case Foundation
Erik Moe, Artist and Writer, Erik Moe Creative

Vote Here

Tweet this: I’m hoping to discuss how to increase diversity in the startup world at #SXSW2018. Vote for my panel here: https://bit.ly/2vj28Zb

Get in the Arena: Fearless Changemakers Tell All

Meet the leaders, activists and social entrepreneurs who drive and inspire us to change the world. From igniting civic engagement, to creating sustainable oceans, and leveling the playing field for entrepreneurs of color, these social impact champions are catalyzing efforts to create transformative change. Join the Case Foundation as they explore the breakthrough organizations and individuals who are taking bold risks, and failing forward in order to produce exponential social returns.

Speakers

Sheila Herrling, Senior Vice President of Social Innovation, Case Foundation
Derrick Feldman, President, Achieve
Daniela Fernandez, Founder & CEO, Sustainable Oceans Alliance
Adam Foss, Fmr. Assistant District Attorney, Prosecutor Impact

Vote Here

Tweet this: Want to know how social impact champions are living our #BeFearless principles? Vote for this #SXSW2018 panel https://bit.ly/2vdyJkG

The Overlooked Future of Entrepreneurship: Latinx

The Latinx community accounts for more than half of the population growth in the US, but Latinx entrepreneurs represent less than two percent of venture-backed companies. Hear from Latinx entrepreneurs and the investors who back them to understand who they are, what they’re building and why investors should be paying attention to this important group of entrepreneurs.

Speakers

Sarah Koch, VP, Social Innovation, Case Foundation
Dyan Gibbens, President, Trumbull Unmanned
Kristen Sonday, Co-Founder, Paladin
Carolina Huaranca, Principal, Kapor Capital

Vote Here

Tweet this: Want to hear about the future of Latinx entrepreneurship at #SXSW2018? Vote for @CaseFoundation’s panel here: https://bit.ly/2vfMtJV

Creating a Movement through User Generated Content

User Generated Content (UGC) has quickly become a valuable form of marketing, and today’s rich analytics environment means we have more information than ever about how people are reacting to brands and using different platforms. But creating a campaign that leverages UGC across multiple channels—playing to each of their strengths—remains a challenge for many marketers. Join Nat Geo, ONE Campaign, NBCU and the Case Foundation to see how they are creating cross-platform campaigns centered on UGC.

Speakers

Jessica Zetzman, Director of Digital Communications and Marketing, Case Foundation
Monique Carswell, Director, Corporate Social Responsibility, Comcast NBCUniversal
Kate Coughlin, Director, Audience Development , National Geographic Partners
Meagan Bond, Creative Director, ONE Campaign

Vote Here

Tweet this: Want to learn how to create a movement w/ user generated content @ #SXSW2018? Vote for @CaseFoundation’s panel here https://bit.ly/2vdxO3t

Women and Wealth: The Drivers of Impact Investing

With news of the $41 trillion intergenerational wealth transfer, there’s a real opportunity to change the face of social impact. Wealthy women are taking over familial decision making, armed with a view of the world that blends profit and purpose. Young millennial women are also making waves to disrupt traditional structures and try their own hand at changing the world. This panel will examine the role women will play to truly tip the Impact Investing movement.

Speakers

Rehana Nathoo, Vice President , Case Foundation
Jackie VanderBrug, Managing Director, U.S. Trust
Kesha Cash, General Partner, Impact America Fund
Anna Marie Wascher, Founder, Flat World Partners

Vote Here

Tweet this: How are women driving Impact Investing? Help @CaseFoundation discuss at #SXSW2018 by voting for this panel on #ImpInv https://bit.ly/2wnK002

No Margin, No Mission: Building Social Enterprises

Social enterprise is not always not-for-profit and having a great idea is not enough to create a sustainable impact venture. Generating revenue via sales or fundraising is critical to the sustainability of social enterprises. Learn from experts on how to weave mission throughout the fabric of impact ventures, while transforming idea into viable businesses. Join Halcyon for this session to see how we do it!

Speakers

Sheila Herrling, Senior Vice President for Social Innovation, Case Foundation
William Eggers, Executive Director, Center for Government Insights, Deloitte
Melissa Bradley, Professor, McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University
Ryan Ross, Program Director, Halcyon Incubator, Halcyon

Vote Here

Tweet this: Want to know how a for-profit startup can be a high-impact social enterprise? Vote for this #SXSW2018 panel: https://bit.ly/2vgqfZV

Build It & They’ll Come! Data Viz for the Dataless

Data visualizations are a great way to communicate a complex subject or issue, but how can you leverage this powerful storytelling tool with imperfect data? By being fearless! Using the Case Foundation’s Impact Investing Network Map as a case study, we’ll dig in with data science & impact investing experts to discuss leveraging available resources & creative problem solving to build a useful data visualization platform, while creating conditions and infrastructure to meet your eventual objective

Speakers

Sheila Herrling, SVP, Social Innovation, Case Foundation
Cathy Clark, Director, CASE i3 Initiative on Impact Investing, CASE at Duke University, Fuqua School of Business
Rayid Ghani, Director, Center for Data Science and Public Policy, Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago

Vote Here

Tweet this: How does the Network Map leverage data visualization with imperfect data? Vote for this #SXSW2018 panel to find out: https://bit.ly/2fqyAoy

The $1 Million Club

Fewer than twenty African American woman have raised more than a million dollars in venture capital. What’s going on here? Meet some of those women and the investors who back them. Learn why they are building the next breakthrough businesses that will change America.

Speakers

Sarah Koch, VP, Social Innovation, Case Foundation
Kathryn Finney, Founder/CEO, digitalundivided
Cheryl Contee, Co-Founder, Fission Strategy and Attentive.ly
Kellee James, Founder, Mercaris

Vote Here

Tweet this: <20 African American women have raised over $1M in VC. Vote for this #SXSW2018 panel that will discuss the issue https://bit.ly/2ujOo2I

Improving Digital Communications Through Analytics

In the fast moving world of digital communications, it can be hard to find the time to step back and evaluate what is working, what is not, and where there is room to innovate—but doing so has never been more critical. In this hands on workshop, take some time to learn how to build an internal Analytics, SEO and KPI’s (ASK) team, set up regular, smart digital experiments and report them out to senior staff in a way that is relevant, interesting and actionable.

Speakers

Jessica Zetzman, Director of Digital Communications and Marketing, Case Foundation
John Jones, VP of Interactive Strategies, Case Foundation

Vote Here

Tweet this: Want to learn how to step up your digital comms & analytics game @ #SXSW2018? Vote for this panel from @CaseFoundation https://bit.ly/2vd8muR

Next Frontier in Philanthropy: Open Source

As technology continues to be a pivotal element of social-change oriented activities, it is imperative that these efforts have access and tools to use open source software. Leaders from both the nonprofit and technology sectors explain why recognizing open source contributions made by individuals and organizations as a new form of philanthropy is crucial to the future of both sectors. This includes well-established projects but it also increasingly includes purpose-built technologies.

Speakers

John Jones, Vice President of Interactive Strategies, Case Foundation
Dave Hollander, Data Scientist, Foundation Center
Andrew Means, Co-founder, The Impact Lab
Daniel Doubrovkine, CTO, Artsy

Vote Here

Tweet this: #OpenSource is the next trend in philanthropy. Vote for this #SXSW2018 panel that will discuss how the 2 come together https://bit.ly/2uAeKJ5

Millennial Activism in the Trump Presidency

On Saturday, Jan 21, 2017 we witnessed a massive shift in social issue engagement. Millennials took to the streets with an energy, never before seen for this generation. Petitions began to drive online voice to real-life action, showing Millennials what issues affect them, how to contact reps and where to meet for protests. But what does all of this energy add up to? What do Millennials really care about and what action are they taking? Join a discussion on the research tackling these questions.

Speakers

Sean Tennerson, Program Officer, Case Foundation
Derrick Feldmann, President, Achieve Agency
Clare Kenny, Campaigns Manager, GLAAD
Abdi Soltani, Executive Director, American Civil Liberties Union or Northern California

Vote Here

Tweet this: How did the 2016 election affect Millennial activism? Vote for this #SXSW2018 panel that will look at the research https://bit.ly/2hDq0Dr

Covering America: Journalists Challenging the Business

Journalists are conquering stereotypes and busting myths everyday through their digital, online and print platforms. Meanwhile, newsrooms are taking increased steps to cover diverse audiences and the changing demographics of business in America. The Case Foundation leads the conversation on how news agencies are sharing stories that shatter the status quo. Seasoned journalists share how they are covering communities of color, inclusive networks and entrepreneurs who are the new faces of business.

Speakers

Jade Floyd, Vice President of Communications, Case Foundation
Esha Chhabra, Freelance Journalist
Shadi Rahimi, Senior Producer, AJ+
Megan Rose Dickey , Reporter, Tech Crunch

Vote Here

Tweet this: How are journalists’ stories changing entrepreneurship? Vote for @CaseFoundation’s #SXSW2018 panel to find out: https://bit.ly/2vLy23m

Getting In The Arena: The Importance of Going Local and Getting Personal

Posted on July 25, 2017October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

Over the past twenty years, the Case Foundation has created, implemented and led a wide variety of initiatives, nearly all together with a vast portfolio of partners. In our efforts to “invest in people and ideas that can change the world,” we’ve brought a desire for scale and impact in everything we do. As we celebrate our twenty-year history and look back on the lessons we have learned, we realize that while our focus has been on making big bets, we have seen transformative power in “going local and getting personal” as an approach to addressing daunting challenges.

What do I mean by this? In my earliest days in philanthropy, I knew I had much to learn (I still do, by the way). I was struck by the passion and commitment of those working in the social sector—the public, nonprofit and philanthropic arenas. But I was also struck by how often new solutions being proposed for communities didn’t have the voice of a local, or the personal voice of the very people whose problems the solutions were aiming to address. We saw many examples of solutions drawn up by professionals sitting under fluorescent lights too often removed from the realities of those living the problems.

In 2006, we commissioned research that resulted in a report called “Citizens at the Center: A New Approach to Civic Engagement.” The research found that individuals often felt disconnected from public leaders and civil society organizations. It promoted an approach that included engaging those being served to more effectively solve problems and improve lives in their communities. This approach puts the community and stakeholders at the center of any program, problem to be solved or decision-making process and, I think, shines through in all of our work over the past twenty years.

As we look at our divided nation today, we know there is a great desire among many segments of society to feel both included and heard on matters affecting their lives and their future. Indeed, there is plenty of data to suggest that the divide itself has been driven by a sense of disenfranchisement from sectors of society across the nation. By ensuring communities and individuals are at the heart of programs and initiatives designed to address their needs, new “onramps” and opportunities can be created for more robust citizen engagement, which in turn should lead to more effective impact across society.

In our own work at the Case Foundation, we have been intensely focused on engaging stakeholders across our initiatives, and we have promoted platforms and programs that better enable citizen engagement. For example:

- When we sought to address the digital divide through one of our earliest initiatives, PowerUp, we did so with a wide range of partners, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, local faith-based organizations, the YMCA and community centers. We enabled each locality to craft their own venues and programs to meet the specific needs of their community. The result? A web of diverse after-school technology centers in 1000 communities across the nation. The key was standardizing elements that enabled scale, while not losing the ability of communities to make it their own.

- In 2007, we launched The Make It Your Own Awards, challenging people from all walks of life to discuss what matters most to them, decide what kind of community they want, and then take action together. With more than 4,600 applicants, the program drew a diverse set of both individuals and small community based organizations, many of whom had never applied for foundation funding to support their work. What’s more, the program involved the public in nearly every aspect of the decision-making process and design—and as one of the first grant programs decided by public vote, more than 15,000 votes were cast to help name the Top 20 projects. Make It Your Own was also an opportunity to help all 4,600+ applicants understand the latest (at the time) social media tools to help empower them to raise funds and rally supporters whether or not they were successful in receiving funding from the Foundation. The impact was impressive as we found that more than half of the grantees had achieved concrete and significant outcomes at the two-year mark.

- Even campaigns that were based in Washington, DC, such as the White House Summit on Innovation that we co-hosted, were grounded in the idea that innovative ideas from local communities and audiences were needed to improve government performance. The program pushed 35 U.S. government agencies to use contests and grand challenges to tap “entrepreneurial spirit” across the nation in finding solutions to major challenges faced by government agencies. And it was innovators from the private sector and citizens from communities across the country that responded with great ideas from new perspectives. Since its launch in 2010, 740 challenges have been run on Challenge.gov—the site that grew out of that initial effort—eliciting entries from 250,000+ citizens from all 50 states.

Even in the realm of science and exploration, we are seeing an explosion of citizen engagement. A new generation of scientists and explorers are tying their work and data collection to local communities, often looking to non-scientists for inputs. Whether it is tracking radiation levels in oceans near nuclear plants, high school science classes transmitting their daily environmental observations, communities working together to track wild animal migrations so both wild and domesticated animals can coexist or citizens setting aside one day a year to count birds for the Great Backyard Bird Count, the data collected by non-scientists about their communities is integral to much of the scientific work taking place today. And the scientists see value in grounding that data in the human experience. This connection provides context, but also democratizes science so that anyone, anywhere can be part of the scientific process. The scientists and explorers I know see this as a wonderful development that, they hope, will lead to more broad-based support both for science and for exploration.

Some believe that to move past the stalemates in Washington, we need to go local and follow the lead of cities and states who are engaging their citizens and finding innovative approaches to daunting challenges. Mayors can’t grow detached from the citizens they serve, nor can a Governor survive by ignoring the priorities of his/her state. No matter where leaders sit, failure to engage citizens and think about local impact, undermines even the best-intentioned initiatives. By more actively engaging citizens to build a better world, we will accelerate and expand opportunities for lasting impact. At the Case Foundation, we are committed to continuing to keeping “citizens at the center” in all we do.

Four Trends Democratizing Philanthropy

Posted on July 10, 2017October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

Democratizing philanthropy. Isn’t that a simply wonderful concept? The notion that giving—of your time, talent or treasure—isn’t something just for an elite class of individuals, but for all individuals. That the idea of an “every person” giver and “every day changemaker” has the potential to accelerate social impact. At the Case Foundation, as we celebrate 20 years of changemaking, this very idea has been at the core of our approach. Our anniversary call to action to Get in The Arena is a call to everyone, everywhere to engage as a community of social change agents in any way you can.

From early experiments testing the power of technology to drive more financial donations to social causes, to creating alliances of private-public partners to drive talent and time donations to the nonprofit sector, we’ve been pushing against the status quo of what it means to be a “philanthropist” and how to maximize resources to improve the social condition.

So we were thrilled to see the Giving USA 2017 Report find that charitable donations from America’s individuals, estates, foundations and corporations increased to an estimated $390.05 billion in 2016. That represents a 3.5 percent increase in foundation giving from 2015, a 3.5 percent increase in corporate giving and a 3.9 percent increase in individual giving! And how about this fun fact as evidence that individual giving is democratizing philanthropy—more people give than vote.

Against that history and mission, it was such a pleasure to explore trends in “microgiving”—the opportunity for more individuals to give with small donations—with the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy for a piece on how, with time and technology, more people are turning into philanthropists.

Expanding on what I was able to share in that article, here are my thoughts on four trends that are driving that movement and catalyzing the democratization of philanthropy.

Trend #1: Going mobile and frictionless

In order to truly make giving ubiquitous, donating must be frictionless and easy for people. This quote from Aaron Strout at W20 Group sums it up for me: “The new “Holy Grail” for any business should be to make it as easy as possible for any customer to buy a product or service whenever and wherever they like, with as few clicks as possible. With the evolution of location-based technologies, mobile payment systems and a continual decrease in technology costs, this concept of true ‘frictionless commerce’ is quickly becoming a reality.” And the “business” of giving is no exception. In 2016, online giving increased by almost eight percent, and 17 percent of all online donations came through mobile. I see this trend only growing.

Why? In part because of who is driving online giving: Millennials. The Case Foundation sponsored Millennial Impact Report found that 84 percent of Millennials made donations in 2016. Blackbaud’s Next Generation of American Giving report also found that 62 percent of Millennials expressed interest in making donations on their phones. With Millennials surpassing Baby Boomers as America’s largest generation, their habits and preferences will inevitably drive the future of philanthropy.

We’re also seeing a surge of entrepreneurship and innovation in online platforms aimed at maximizing a seamless experience for users. Check out platforms like Goodworld, on a mission to make it easy to donate in the moment by using a hashtag on social media, or Spotfund or Google’s One Today, all aimed at easing in-the-moment donations when you’re thinking about moving your interest in a social causes to action. And last year’s exciting news from Facebook that users could choose from a list of over 750,000 charities to support by building their own fundraising pages or linking donate buttons to Facebook Live videos. All of these are part of a trend toward simplifying and democratizing philanthropy.

Trend #2: Creating “communities of giving” through crowdsourcing and crowdfunding

In general, people want to belong. To a club, a tribe, a social network, a church, a movement…something bigger than themselves. The beauty of microgiving is that all of the smaller individual donations become part of a larger social cause community driving collective impact.

And technology and tech platforms have made it easier to find your tribe, engage and see your impact. Who can forget the viral activation of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge? Clever concept meets social media sharing capability meets information awareness and donation surge. And these “everyday philanthropists” became part of tribe that resulted in the discovery of a new ALS gene, NEK1, known to be among the most common genetic contributors of the disease, and impetus for a new target on drug development. Crowdfunding sites allow people to donate to social ventures year-round. GlobalGiving, Kickstarter, Kiva, Crowdrise and Indiegogo have all gained popularity in recent years, especially among Millennials. We’ve seen this trend play out through our partnership launching #Giving Tuesday, which hit a record donation sum last year of $168 million from 1.6 million donations around the world.

Trend #3: Conscious capitalism is taking hold

The notion of “conscious capitalism”—aligning your values with your spending, investing and business operations—is moving from niche to mainstream and putting individuals at the core of driving social change alongside profits. Consumers are paying attention to brands that put social impact at the core of their business operations. In fact, 66 percent of global consumers are willing to spend more on products if they’re from a sustainable brand. 73 percent of Millennials express the same preference. That buying behavior is driving profits alongside purpose at companies like Patagonia, Method and Warby Parker.

Similarly, as Impact Investing—investments into companies, organizations and funds with the intention to generate social and environmental impact alongside financial return—has taken hold with the high net worth investor community, large institutional investors and foundations, we are also seeing a trend toward making it more accessible for everyone. Check out Benefit Chicago, an initiative to put $100 million in nonprofit investments in the city to work with investors with as little as $20, or Calvert Community Investment Notes, similarly putting $20 investments to social good, while getting a bond-like return. These kinds of vehicles enable everyday people to be everyday impact investors.

Trend #4: It’s more than money

Money matters, but so does time and talent when it comes to driving social change. Finding ways to tap the extraordinary talent across the nation and “donate” it to social service has opened the aperture of philanthropy and allowed many more people to give. The Case Foundation’s early experiment in this arena—A Billion + Change—tapped into this potential to democratize giving.

Also, through the Case Foundation’s Millennial Impact Report, in partnership with Achieve, we’ve found that employers of the Millennial generation will need to embed talent-giving strategies into their employee retention efforts. Similar to financial donation platforms, technology is and will continue to accelerate and make more accessible this type of giving. Check out NationSwell and Service Year for inspiration.

What trends are you seeing? Share your thoughts on how people are turning their interest into action with us on social media using #GetInTheArena. It’s an exciting issue to follow for many reasons but, for me, because microgiving and small-dollar philanthropy create a global culture of giving. Our CEO, Jean Case, often reminds us that the Greek root definition of the word “philanthropy” is the love of humanity. Imagine a world where decisions—by individuals, investors, government and corporations—are made and measured by their human impact!

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