Key Takeaways from a Decade of Millennial Research

Posted on July 26, 2019August 21, 2019 by Case Foundation

The release of the Millennial Impact Report: 10 Years Looking Back celebrates over a decade of research the Case Foundation led focused on increasing our understanding of how millennials connect, give and involve themselves with social and political causes. More than ten years ago, millennials were branded as “Generation Q”–a quiet, inactive, insular group that did not engage with social causes and were often considered self-centered, lazy and too concerned with their devices to think about anyone else. Yet, as a parent of millennials and with a staff largely comprised of engaged members of the generation, this stereotype didn’t ring true. Wasn’t this also the generation that brought us game-changing companies like Airbnb, Instagram and Lyft, and helping to power movements like Giving Tuesday? It was clear we needed to take action to search for ways to ensure that this 80 million strong cohort could be motivated to make a positive impact on the world.

With this in mind, we launched the Millennial Impact Project to learn more about this generation and how they thought about doing good. Together with our partners at Achieve, we surveyed more than 150,000 millennials over the decade, generating one of the most robust data sets on millennials to date. The release of today’s report is the culmination of this decade-long focus on millennials and their attitudes toward social change.

We learned a lot. In particular, we found that millennials are thinking, acting and living their lives like no other generation before them, bringing a more holistic approach to using their time and resources to make a difference. They think about making change across a continuum from the purchasing decisions they make at the supermarket to the petitions they support on social media and the social good opportunities they incorporate into their work. And, in a counterpoint to the “Generation Q” stereotype that sparked the Case Foundation’s interest in learning more about this impactful generation, the research shows a commitment to partnerships and working together, with respondents saying they are more likely to donate if a coworker asks, more likely to volunteer if a coworker also is volunteering. Indeed such as in movement-building, they see their actions, even if they are small, having an impact if they are in concert with a larger active group. These changes in behavior and the breaking down of traditional barriers, coupled with the technological tools that are commonplace, requires everyone–from the social sector seeking their donations, to employers who want to attract and retain talent, and companies that count on millennial consumers to purchase their products–to be nimble, curious and constantly open to revising and improving approaches. As I said when we released our 2014 report on millennials in the workplace, “Millennials are in the business of doing good.”

After a decade of research on millennials, it is clear that the generation is not a monolith, with many different groups in different stages of life, coming from wide-ranging of points of view and interests in activism. And it is important to remember that the oldest millennials are now coming up on 40 — a good reminder that the oldest segment of this generation is raising families now, owning homes and building serious careers. One of the key learnings we take away from this work is to be very wary of those who seek to characterize all of the sentiments and intentions of a generation of over 80 million individuals, particularly with the millennial generation, in a few broad statements or phrases. With that in mind, the decade of research the Case Foundation has led provides important insights into how many in the generation view social change and can provide key guidance to those–millennial or not–who want to engage more people in their efforts to make an impact on the world. Here are a few of the key takeaways:

Millennials Believe All Assets are Equal: They believe their time, skills, talent, money, voice, purchasing power and ability to network all have equal value, and they offer them as such. This generation does not prize being a financial donor above being a volunteer or activating their peer network as more valuable than signing a petition. When they are inspired to do something, they see their behavior (no matter what it is) as significant support.
Millennials are Passionate About Issues, Not Institutions: “Millennial donors are not committed to one single organization; they are more committed to a cause,” according to Justin Wheeler, Funraise CEO. “So, their loyalty is to an issue they care about or are passionate about. And whether they give money or volunteer, it’s not necessarily directed at one organization.” More than 90 percent of millennials said they would stop giving to an organization if they began distrusting it. In a reflection of that trust, more than three-fourths would stop giving if they aren’t told how their contributions help.
Millennials are Influenced by Their Peers: This trend has been seen across many years of our millennial research as millennials have consistently reported that they often invite friends to join their volunteer and fundraising efforts and are more likely to engage in a cause if their peers are already participating.
Millennials Support the Greater Good, Not Partisan Politicking: Millennials are both empathetic to the needs of others and discontented with the status quo. They want situations and conditions that are worsening peoples’ lives to be fixed, but they distrust the government to address social ills effectively. In particular, they expressed no trust at all in the government’s ability to address key social issues like poverty (33%), race and culture (32%) and student loans (30%). Millennials are also impatient with bipartisanship and politicking–a major reason they are developing their own ways to inspire and affect public policy change.
Millennials Believe in Activism: While millennials often come to activism from a different starting point, they continue to believe in tools of traditional activism, such as voting, petitions, protests and marches. In 2017, voting topped the list of the most actions taken by millennials and the action they deemed most likely to be influential; 71 percent responded with voting as activism.
Millennials Believe All Actions Matter–Big and Small: Millennials have engaged in causes back and forth across the spectrum–some remain at the micro-level of involvement, some move to leadership roles and many move within the space in between. One significant, unique notion supported by 10 years of research is that millennials acting in small ways individually often create leverage as a large, active group capable of influencing great change.

As you can see, many of our findings show that millennials are not just trying to change the world, they are actually changing the way that social change is made. Some of these changes may make traditional players uneasy and raise questions about effectiveness, but by acting as force multipliers for the world of cause engagement and social good, and by matching their actions with the times, millennials are changing the communities around them. The nonprofits and companies that successfully engage this group and respond effectively to this new way of pushing for social change will ultimately be better positioned to harness the energy and passion of this large generation. We hope that the summary of insights that we have learned over the past decade will help leaders from all generations work together to make a real impact. You can read the full report here.

Justin Cunningham of SocialWorks Shares How He’s Empowering Youth in Chicago

Posted on October 2, 2018December 5, 2018 by Case Foundation

This interview is the fourth of nine in a series of Q and As with leading changemakers, representing the Millennial generation who are working across sectors to be the force for change on the issues they care about most.

Tell as a little bit about yourself and your work

I’m a mid-twenty-year-old raised on the Southside of Chicago working to abandon fear and advance personal growth. The work I do at SocialWorks constantly excites me. From the initiatives to the workplace culture, we thrive off collaboration and frankness. At SocialWorks we’re aiming to empower the youth through the arts, education and civic engagement. We find ourselves pushing positivity, inclusiveness and leadership, showing the next wave of leaders what is possible with passion, strategy, and discernment.

What problem keeps you up at night? What do you think it will take to solve it?

Getting money to the right people! How can we provide funds to individuals without complicating it? All major social action groups in Chicago are run by people working multiple jobs. We talk about wanting change but aren’t funding it. Leaders are literally waiting for organizers to burn out. It’s a sad reality. It’s going to take creativity to solve it and a different remittance address.

With technology, the barriers to organizing for action have continued to come down – how do you think that has influenced the way you bring people together to take part in the social change in your community?

Technology has influenced the way we bring people together because it adds more plug-ins. Individuals can be a part of the conversation and push our message without physically being here in Chicago. Aids in the camaraderie and the notion that everyone doesn’t need to do a lot but just enough.

How do you and the team at SocialWorks meet young people where they are, and galvanize their energy to engage with social issues?

At SocialWorks, we meet young people where they are by removing as many barriers as possible, providing forward-thinking support and being candid. There is a reciprocity between young people and us and we make sure to not tarnish that relationship. Moreover, we’re only a handful of years removed from “young people” and we have the luxury of recalling and being present. We’re also rooted in hip-hop; that aids a lot in how we approach tasks.

What have been some of your biggest challenges?

Manifesting SocialWorks—it’s so hard creating something from nothing.

What has been your favorite success story?

Manifesting SocialWorks – it’s so satisfying creating something from nothing.

Who are some fellow next generation leaders you admire?

I admire individuals that put themselves out there and lead by action. Whether it’s a small student group galvanizing their peers to vote, creating a bohemia for exchanging ideas, or the community groups that finds an intersection between their passion and organizing, I admire many individuals in Chicago that are finding innovative ways to support their peers while making people rethink.

What is one thing you think everyone should know about your generation?

So tough! I think everyone should know that millennials are problem-solvers. This was an awful response.

What’s next for you? What are some of your dreams and goals?

For me, becoming a better man, son, brother, friend, Executive Director. At SocialWorks we’re just getting started and I want to do it right, so solidifying SocialWorks’ place as a Chicago institution. Then, moving on ideas that we weren’t able to execute because of the position Socialworks is in. But before anything, SocialWorks has to be right. A lot of people are counting on us with their paychecks and that’s not something we take lightly.

How can people interested in your cause learn more?

People interested in SocialWorks can go to www.socialworkschi.org or @SocialWorks_chi on any social media channel. SocialWorks—inspiring creativity, building dreams, and letting you, be you.

We will be featuring interviews from each of the leaders representing the Millennial generation on key movements and issues today who participated in our recent 10-day Instagram takeover. Stay tuned for the rest of this series and see their stories as part of an infographic detailing ten key traits about how Millennials engage with causes, based on our ten years of research, here.

Fagan Harris of Baltimore Corps Shares how He and the Organization are Investing in Baltimore’s Innovators

Posted on September 25, 2018December 5, 2018 by Case Foundation

This interview is the third of nine in a series of Q and As with leading changemakers, representing the Millennial generation who are working across sectors to be the force for change on the issues they care about most.

Tell as a little bit about yourself and your work.

I grew up in the Baltimore area and attended local public schools. Even in my earliest memories of the city, Baltimore’s story was always one of two cities: many of our neighborhoods enjoy tremendous affluence; yet, an even greater proportion are locked into and suffer from the daily grind of intergenerational poverty. The city’s hyper-segregation, fundamental inequity and chronic disinvestment play out in racial terms because its predominantly Black neighborhoods and communities struggle disproportionately.

When I returned home at 26, I started my work in Baltimore as an organizer, building infrastructure in communities that need it most. My early professional experiences made clear to me that we had the energy, talent and enthusiasm, but not necessarily the organization or institutional capacity necessary to address the city’s systemic challenges. As a social entrepreneur, I work to simply connect the talented individuals and leaders living in our communities to opportunities to make the biggest difference in the city, from tackling issues of addiction to addressing long-term unemployment to eliminating chronic absenteeism. Ultimately, Baltimore Corps represents a massive investment in our city’s talent base. The organization is tireless in its efforts to recruit talented people into the careers and projects that move the needle furthest on our toughest problems.

What problem keeps you up at night? What do you think it will take to solve it?

What keeps me up at night is that we still struggle to see one another, which unconsciously blinds us to genius and talent right in front of us. Yesterday’s barriers of legal separation of people have begun to fall away, but new obstacles like the de facto barricades of race, class, privilege, education and access to social networks compromise our ability to empower people to propel their own lives and improve their communities. Dreams continue to be deferred, which is a loss to the individual and larger society, alike. In what ways would the world, our nation, our individual cities and communities be different, if we more fully experienced the talents of all of our peoples?

It’s essential we acknowledge our shared humanity and create bridges for discourse that involves more voices, recognizing historical trauma and oppression and beginning to move us together to solve critically urgent challenges plaguing our communities. Systemically, we must name, interrogate and dismantle unjust systems, and ensure that no one is locked out of opportunity or internalizes messages of inadequacy. We must learn to appreciate and leverage talents manifested in people who do not look like us and who bring to bear different life experiences. We must realize—and act upon—the fact that our future is tied up in one another.

With technology, the barriers to act have continued to come down – how has that powered Baltimore Corps and your efforts to bring more young people to meaningful work in Baltimore?

At the core of our organization is infrastructure: we leverage CRM and other technological tools to connect, at scale, passionate and talented individuals to one-year placements, career opportunities, internships, apprenticeships, as well as capital for their small business or social venture. We track and qualify hundreds of these opportunities for our talent pools. Without technology, it’s impossible to scale our platform to achieve citywide scale. With technology, Baltimore Corps can execute efficiently, effectively and responsively to serve all of Baltimore.

What is one thing you think everyone should know about your generation?

I want people to know that our generation is frequently underestimated, misunderstood, and discounted as a force for good. Millennials are frequently stereotyped in the workplace as entitled, impatient or unsettled, hopping from job to job. Our research, data, and direct experience contradicts these claims.

I find that our generation is so hungry to contribute to their communities and larger world and, if invested in, will wholly devote themselves to important causes and struggles (often in spite of enormous personal costs). We live in consequential times and confront massive challenges in our democracy and throughout our communities; now, more than ever, we need young people to lead us boldly into the future.

When I look at the network of leaders that we’ve deployed at Baltimore Corps, I observe Millennial leaders architecting campaigns to stem the tide of heroin addiction in Baltimore, building durable workforce pipelines for the long-term unemployed, organizing their communities to inform and direct conscious community development, and much more. These leaders drive change with immense savvy—leveraging technology, online and offline organizing and strategic insight that’s actually up to the task of confronting our challenges. Our generation personifies the opportunity to tackle our challenges in a different way to achieve a fundamentally different result.

Why do you think it’s important to meet young people where they are to galvanize their support for causes and how have you been able to achieve that through Baltimore Corps?

We are witnessing something of a perfect storm as it pertains to engaging and working with young people to change the world. The largest generations in American history are aging into the workforce, building and leading institutions and innovating at a rate we have never seen before. To boot, they are highly mobile, extremely capable and deeply driven by values. They badly want the world to be different—they expect a world that is fairer, more equitable and achieves better results and life outcomes for everyone—and won’t stop until that vision is realized. And they are up for grabs. The cities, causes and industries that can harness the passion and leadership of young people will be in an amazing position to succeed moving forward. Those that miss it, will miss a profound opportunity to change their future for the better. That’s why it’s critically important that cities like Baltimore go above and beyond to engage, empower and enlist the next generation in the hard work of building stronger communities. This opportunity to bring different people to the table to achieve a different result won’t last forever. The time is now.

What have been some of your biggest challenges?

There are always challenges when building organizations and next-generation institutions that operate differently in terms of their values and who they enlist in the work. Building and aligning diverse teams is incredibly hard but essential; creating and leveraging technology in a sector that rarely invests in infrastructure is challenging. However, I have found that the biggest challenge is sustaining oneself in the work when the work, by definition, exacts a high, personal cost. For me, terms like self-care are no longer kitchy or theoretical—they represent an essential set of practices, habits and boundaries that are critical to driving ongoing success in the work.

What has been your favorite success story?

My favorite success story is every time an individual connects to their high calling through our platform. It has been gratifying to witness hundreds of individuals accelerate careers in social change and public service, launch new models of impact and build community with another as we endeavor to change Baltimore for the better, together.

Who are some fellow next generation leaders you admire?

Laura Weidman Powers, Chris Wilson, Wes Moore, Brittany Young, Sarah Hemminger, Sam Novey.

What’s next for you? What are some of your dreams and goals?

I recently had an opportunity to serve as executive producer on a film called Charm City, and it was fascinating to observe how the power of media can shift behaviors and mindsets at a global scale. It’s really fun to learn about and try to pull different levers for change. Ultimately, my bottom line is Baltimore and my community. I’d love to build several different kinds of organizations and institutions that all embrace the challenge of building equitable communities. We need so many different kinds of solutions to so many problems. I would, for example, be very interested in driving comprehensive community development as a complement to our work at Baltimore Corps (that builds diverse and equitable talent pipelines into the economy). We work hard to invest in the workforce potential of people living in our communities and neighborhoods; how can we further shape and strengthen those communities? What assets are now in evidence that we can leverage to bring more affordable housing, healthcare or education to a place that needs it? I am fascinated by these opportunities.

Interested in learning more about Baltimore Corps? Check out their website at baltimorecorps.org and follow them on social media at @baltimorecorps.

Shane Feldman of Count Me In Shares How He Inspires Youth to Unlock Their Potential

Posted on September 18, 2018December 5, 2018 by Case Foundation

This interview is the first of nine in a series of Q and As with leading changemakers, representing the Millennial generation who are working across sectors to be the force for change on the issues they care about most.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work

My driving purpose is helping others uncover their courage, value and potential. When I started Count Me In as a small project back in high school, I had no idea it would grow to be a global brand impacting millions. In fact, I still have a hard time believing it to be true today! Count Me In is now the largest youth-led organization in the world, inspiring students to be positive change-agents in their communities.

What problem keeps you up at night? What do you think it will take to solve it?

Youth (and anyone for that matter) not seeing their own innate value. So many people genuinely don’t believe that they matter, and it breaks my heart. That’s why I’m so passionate about the mentorship programs my team and I have designed at Count Me In. From national school tours to global leadership training camps, Count Me In offers world-class youth empowerment programs infused with emotional intelligence.

With technology, the barriers to communication, sharing of stories and even taking action in support of a cause have continued to come down – how do you think that has influenced the way you and others take part in social movements today?

The fact that someone in a remote fly-in community can seamlessly learn from, partner with or work for an organization on the other side of the world is incredible. When used thoughtfully, technology is a powerful vehicle for empowerment and grassroots social movements. Count Me In would have never grown at the rate it did without technology and social media. Our first global broadcast reached 2.2 million people around the world. That’s 2.1 million more people than what we could have impacted without technology.

How do you meet young people where they are to encourage engagement with social issues today, and why is that approach so important?

Listen. Teens desperately want to feel seen and heard. Meet teens where they’re at, invest time with them and practice listening. It sounds simple but I promise it is one of the most powerful practices when used intentionally and consistently.

What have been some of your biggest challenges?

Over the past decade of leading Count Me In, I’ve experienced imposter syndrome, burnout and a period of high stress and serious anxiety. I remember going to sleep with my laptop, having little-to-no social life and even losing weight during one particularly stressful chapter. I have since become way more intentional about where I invest my time, the people I surround myself with, spending very limited amounts of time on social media, and dedicated hours for friends, family, and me time

What has been your favorite success story?

Instead of writing it, I’d love to show you:

https://www.facebook.com/cmiCountMeIn/videos/1605866282815613/

Who are some fellow next generation leaders you admire?

The entire Count Me In Leadership Team is comprised of young leaders I admire. Count Me In is their movement as much as it is mine. They are the team behind the Count Me In Leadership Summit (https://CountMeInSummit.com) which is our most recognized global program, uniting young leaders aged 11-23 for advanced leadership training and community building.

What is one thing you think everyone should know about your generation?

Millennials care very deeply, and we’re the most talented BS detectors. People and brands who are wholehearted and unapologetically authentic win every time

What’s next for you? What are some of your dreams and goals?

In addition to speaking at companies, conferences and schools, I have started consulting for other companies and organizations, helping them increase their impact and think of their brand as a “movement.” That’s a core focus for me right now and has me very excited.

How can people interested in your cause learn more?

Check out https://CountMeInSummit.com for more information on our global leadership program. Other program info and updates can be found at https://cmimovement.com and https://ShaneFeldman.com 🙂

We will be featuring interviews from each of the leaders representing the Millennial generation on key movements and issues today who participated in our recent 10-day Instagram takeover. Stay tuned for the rest of this series and see their stories as part of an infographic detailing ten key traits about how Millennials engage with causes, based on our ten years of research, here.

Highlights from Latest Research on Young Americans and the Inaugural Influence Nation Summit

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

For the past ten years, a key pillar of our work at the Case Foundation has been focused on understanding and empowering Millennials to act on causes that matter to them. Since 2009, through the Millennial Impact Project, the Case Foundation has worked with researchers to engage more than 100,000 young people to better understand the dynamic between causes and Millennials, with a particular focus on what influences this impactful generation to act for social good.

Building off this work, and guided by both the answers and further questions this research raised, we turned our eye now to how a segment of this generation, Young Americans between 18 and 30, were viewing key issues. Marketers and product developers have long felt that the 18-30 phase of life is when lifelong consumer behaviors are formed, and, therefore, we also explored what influences play a role in social causes for this generation during these formative years.

Highlights from the Influence Nation Summit

With this goal, we supported INFLUENCE | SG to host the Influence Nation Summit. We were delighted to take part in the inaugural Summit this month to share in the discussions on what builds and sustains movements. The summit brought together nearly 400 people to the National Geographic campus here in Washington, DC. Speakers passionately covered many of the key social issues of concern today from climate change and the impact of plastics; to civil rights and issues of race; to gun safety; and LGBTQ rights. Here are only a few of the key moments from the event:

Two National Geographic Explorers—Imogen Napper and Lillygol Sedaghat—who are contributing to the science and telling the story of climate change and the role of individuals and the products we consume. For example, Imogen explained her role in reducing plastics in the environment via the microbeads in face and body washes.

Case Foundation CEO, Jean Case, and Michael Smith—Case Foundation alum, now Executive Director of My Brother’s Keeper, and Director of youth philanthropy at the Obama Foundation—had a powerful discussion on the fearlessness of civil rights leaders and others who have led movements historically and how their work is continued today with efforts like My Brother’s Keeper. This was also an opportunity for us to continue the conversation with Michael that we had begun online, as he was one of the leaders who we invited to participate in a 10-day Instagram Takeover to share a day in their life representing the Millennial generation’s interests on key issues and movements, which you can still see here.

Watch the discussion here!

We were happy to also promote our Be Fearless campaign off-stage in the lounge by inviting attendees to add their picture to a larger mosaic, telling how they too will be fearless and change the world. The lounge came together as a truly inspiring setting where local artists’ paintings, photography and live installations were a great reminder of the power of creatives to influence movements and the influence of movements to inspire the work of artists.

When discussing influential movements today, it is impossible to leave out the leadership of the Stoneman Douglas High Students and the March for Our Lives that continues to influence young activism across the country. It is also impossible to ignore the unfortunate event that led to their social and political activism. We had the opportunity to hear from Fred Guttenberg, the father of Jamie Guttenberg who was sadly killed in the Parkland, FL shootings this February, during the afternoon, when he delivered an impassioned call to individuals to vote to change policies they do not believe in.

Key Findings from the new report Influencing Young America to Act

The issues and movements highlighted at the summit are among the key social issues and movements that young Americans raised in a nationwide survey of 1,100 Americans between the ages of 18-30 that Cause and Social Influence fielded in August. As sponsor of this research, we are excited to share the results of this initial research as it can inform all those who work in the social sector—nonprofits, corporations and government—as well as the media, about the motivations and influences that lead Young Americans to take action on the issues they care about. For example, the leading issues of concern for survey respondents are: civil rights/racial discrmination, gun safety, immigration and climate change, which were all brought to life on stage through robust conversations at the Influence Nation Summit.

Within the full report, there are a number of other valuable findings, including these two important takeaways.

Television news media plays an unexpectedly important role in informing Young Americans about key issues.

In our past work researching the Millennial generation, we, like many others, have noted the powerful role of peer influence when it comes to partaking in donations and volunteerism. Therefore, were were surprised to see that among the 18-30 year-olds surveyed, television news media was cited as the primary way Young Americans became aware of social issues.

To understand the degree of television media’s influence, you have to look at each individual issue:

57 percent of those surveyed who believe immigration is the top issue facing our nation first learned about it via television news media; compared with
47 percent of those who are concerned about gun safety; and,
44 percent of respondents who believe civil rights/racial discrimination is the top issue facing our nation; while,
Only 36 percent of those concerned about climate change cited news on television as central to their becoming aware of the issue.

Meanwhile, social media was still the number one way that they learned about social movements like #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo. The role of TV news media continued to show its power in movement building for this generation as the second most cited source of awareness about major movements and the number one source for the movement #AllLivesMatter.

Young Americans believe their influence can have an impact and state an intention to vote in the November Midterm Elections.

While intending to vote does not always translate into actual voting, 66 percent of respondents said they intend to participate in the midterms this year. Young Americans, to varying degrees across demographics, believe they can best exert their influence on government to create the change they want to see through voting. Specifically:

77 percent of Hispanics believe their vote will lead to desired change, as do
73 percent of Asians,
69 percent of Caucasians, and
55 percent of African Americans.

The research shows a significant interest in exerting influence on government by voting, both because a significant portion of those surveyed do not think the the country is going in the right direction and they have low trust in government to do the right thing. According to the survey, 48 percent of Young Americans think the country is going in the wrong direction. This dissatisfaction outweighed the 27 percent of respondents who thought the country was on the right track.

When it comes to trust, the only institutions that young people find less trustworthy than government are corporations. In order of most trustworthy to least trustworthy, respondents listed key groups as follows:

Myself and people like me
Nonprofit organizations
Social movements
Local government
Federal government

In light of this less than positive outlook on government, it is heartening to see that Young Americans who were surveyed are not intending to sit on the sidelines. They want to do something about the issues that concern them, and we hope to see this interest turn into action and increased voting this November.

As we embark on this extension of our past work and continue to explore not only how 18-30 year-olds in America consider social issues and major movements but what influences their interests and willingness to act, we welcome your comments, insights and voice in sharing this work and its findings. We look forward to continuing this conversation on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using #CauseInfluence as well as in the Case Foundation’s weekly newsletter, Breaking Good.

Download the report here.

Five Open Source Projects We Love

Posted on August 23, 2018October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

The open source community has no shortage of projects devoted to social change and improving lives. Pick a need, and there is likely an open source solution for it, but it is often difficult for projects that have a social good application to get the notice they deserve. This is a shame as the collaborative and transparent nature of open source is a force-multiplier for changemaking efforts and when properly supported, open source software can spark innovation, accelerate social good. Therefore, here are five open source projects that we think show the potential for open source to make a real impact in the non-profit world.

Givesource

The creators of Givesource had a vision that there could be a cheaper and better fundraising platform for nonprofits. Through a partnership between Firespring, a Lincoln, NE-based marketing and software company, and the Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management, the team built a fundraising tool to power the Lincoln Community Foundation’s Giving Day but with a broader vision of creating a platform that out-performed anything on the market at a far-reduced operating cost. The result is a platform that empowered the Lincoln Community Foundation to set a new record for giving, slashed their processing and platform fees, and attracted the attention of local media. Anyone seeking a best-in-class tool for fundraising can tap into the power of Givesource as it was designed from the outset to be open sourced.

Learn more at Givesource.com

Tidepool

Seeing firsthand how little interoperability there was between diabetes devices and their data, Tidepool founder Howard Look set out to create an open source toolkit that allowed users, both individuals with diabetes and medical professionals, to better combine and analyze data from the multiple devices diabetes patients must use to manage their health. Users of Tidepool’s software can explore their data on a personalized dashboard and easily share that data with their doctor, ending the need for patients to physically go to their doctor’s office to share their data. Similarly, researchers using Tidepool’s platform can share their data in real-time with the research team.

Learn more at Tidepool.org

Code for America

Code for America empowers citizen developers to help their communities using their talents. Salt Lake County was struggling with a solution to notify people for court appearances or for court-ordered treatments. The Code for America Fellowship group approached the problem by starting with extensive research and a user-centered design process which yielded evidence to disprove the commonly-held notion that most individuals simply skip or forget their court dates and other appointments. Instead, their research showed a wide range of reasons individuals missed their dates and there was a need for a better tool for communicating with their case officers at any time. Therefore, Code for America’s team built ClientComm, an open source platform that facilitates easier communication between case officers and their clients by giving the case officer’s a sophisticated management platform to track their clients and gives end-users a simple text-message-based platform that allows them to contact their case officer immediately in any situation.

Learn more at ClientComm.org

Mifos

The Grameen Foundation found a key barrier to their goal of helping the 2 billion poor and unbanked worldwide was the lack of good financial services platforms. To address this problem, they created Mifos, an open source financial services suite that institutions may use to easily offer low or no cost digital banking solutions to their customers. As a totally open platform, banks may use and expand upon the features in Mifos to best serve their customers all while being part of a community of users of the tool who share and collaborate on features. Mifos’s mission now is to spread the use of this platform across the world, starting with developing regions where there is little to no access to banking.

Learn more at Mifos.org

Open Agriculture Initiative

An initiative of the MIT Media Lab, the Open Agriculture Initiative’s works to create healthier, more engaging and more inventive future food systems and drive an ecosystem of open source tools to support transparency and innovation across their work. Some of the many open source projects they support include a set of tools for using technology to optimize conditions for growth. These applications include the Tree Computer for tree growth, the Personal Food Computer for tabletop-sized environments, and the Food Server which manages large-scale hydroponic installations. In addition, the Open Agriculture Initiative supports research to incorporate computer vision and machine learning into their projects to enhance their growth management tools.

Learn more at media.mit.edu/groups/open-agriculture-openag/overview

Whether it is reducing the cost of fundraising for non-profits, improving the lives of patients, making government systems more friendly for citizens or supporting teams that are focusing on the food of the future, each of these projects highlight the benefits that can come from the wide embrace of open source by the non-profit and philanthropic sectors. We tip our hats to each of these organizations who are ensuring that their work is available to all—embodying the Case Foundation’s vision that open source is a form of philanthropy. We look forward to showcasing further examples of open source work being done by individuals, nonprofits, and companies. If you have or know of a project that you believe is fearlessly trying to make change in a community or the world, let us know at opensource@casefoundatdev.wpenginepowered.com/.

SXSW 2019 PanelPicker—Cast Your Vote by August 30!

Posted on August 13, 2018October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

Each year, we enjoy getting together with innovators and changemakers at South by Southwest (SXSW) to discuss important and compelling work and share some of our learnings on the SXSW Interactive stage. Last March, members of the Case Foundation team lead four panel discussions with incredible experts about developments in areas such as diversity in entrepreneurship, making movements through user generated content and business journalism. Each provided us with insights and inspiration we have tapped since to inform our ongoing work.

This year, we’ve identified 12 panels to recommend for the 2019 SXSW stage that could bring together engaging panelists and leaders who will bring to life timely topics such as the role fearlessness plays in the work of leaders from all walks of life, what the future of Latinx entrepreneurship looks like, how startups can get their story out, the importance of young voices in our society and at the voting booth and opportunities for organizations to harness the power of data, analytics and open source to increase their impact.

We believe that these will be a valuable addition to the important dialogue that will take place in Austin at SXSW 2019—and we need your help getting these discussions the time they deserve on stage! Below you’ll find information on each panel and how you can vote for them. While casting your vote, don’t forget to spread the word with the social messages below and encourage your friends and networks to vote as well.

See our panels below and be sure to vote before SXSW PanelPicker voting ends August 30th!

Fearless Changemakers Tell All

What does it mean to be fearless? It means experimenting, taking risks, being willing to strike unlikely alliances and accepting the possibility of failure while still pressing forward. Meet the fearless changemakers setting audacious goals and acting urgently and boldly. Jean Case of the Case Foundation sits down with three leaders who explore the extraordinary core qualities of great changemakers and find out how being fearless helped them succeed. They’ll share their stories and strategies to inspire attendees to fearlessly tackle the world’s most pressing issues.

Speakers

Jean Case, CEO, The Case Foundation
Enric Sala, Explorer-in-Residence, National Geographic Society
Jordyn Schara, Founder and Executive Director, HOPE (Helping Our Peers Excel)
Loretta Claiborne, Vice Chair and Chief Inspiration Officer, Special Olympics

Vote Here Tweet Here

How to Tell Your Startup Story

Take a deep dive during this interactive session featuring leading journalists covering startups, venture capital and technology. Seasoned journalists will be moderated in a discussion by the Case Foundation. You’ll learn their tips for founders seeking to break their next big story, what makes an effective and compelling pitch, how to build relationships with reporters and how to make your company stand out. At the session’s conclusion, we will invite attendees to share their pitches with the journalists for feedback in real time. Please come to this session with your media pitch in hand.

Speakers

Jade Floyd, Vice President of Communications, the Case Foundation
Veronica Dagher, Host, WSJ Secrets of Wealthy Women podcast; senior wealth management reporter, Wall Street Journal
Emily Chang, San Francisco-based anchor and executive producer of “Bloomberg Technology”

Vote Here Tweet Here

The Fearless Story Behind José Andrés’ Success

What does it mean to be fearless? It means experimenting, taking risks, being willing to strike unlikely alliances and accepting the possibility of failure while still pressing forward. Meet the fearless changemakers setting audacious goals and acting urgently and boldly. Jean Case of the Case Foundation sits down with chef José Andrés as they explore the core qualities of great changemakers and find out how being fearless led to his success. They’ll share their stories and strategies to inspire attendees to fearlessly tackle the world’s most pressing issues.

Speakers

Jean Case, CEO, The Case Foundation
Jose Andres, Founder, World Central Kitchen

Vote Here Tweet Here

Listen Up! Young American Voices Matter

Marches. Protests. Tweets. Votes. These are just a few of the many ways that young Americans made their voices heard in 2018. With fearless passions and the drive to create meaningful change, they brought a national spotlight to the issues they care about. Now, it’s your turn. Join our workshop, share your story and learn how to elevate your voice from some of today’s most innovative young activists and organizers.

Speakers

Sean Tennerson, Director, Social Innovation, the Case Foundation
Amanda Nguyen, CEO and Founder, Rise
Derrick Feldman, Managing Director, Influence SG

Vote Here Tweet Here

Facebook Watch—a New Tool for Social Movements

At the end of 2017, Facebook rolled out a new feature: a platform to stream shows. Facebook Watch has become a key tool for organizations to tell their stories and bring big issues to light in a new way while reaching a broader audience—with some even going as far as to call it “the new Netflix.” What are the benefits of this new platform and how might it work for your organization? The Case Foundation, ATTN and The Influencer Collective share how organizations with a variety of resources and needs can make Facebook Watch work for them. Together they bring knowledge from working on shows with a wide range of budgets, production levels and audience sizes and will bring high level takeaways on how to get started, evaluate show needs, build a story arc and analyze success.

Speakers

Jessica Zetzman, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, The Case Foundation
Clare Stein, Creative Director, ATTN:
Jennifer Sherman, Founder and Chief Strategist, Influencer Collective

Vote Here Tweet Here

Making Data and Analytics Work for Your Brand

Data-informed decision making is only as good as an organization’s understanding of the data on hand. Faced with that challenge at the Case Foundation, the team responsible for digital analytics and reporting set out to construct a dashboard that directly and efficiently compiled key data from multiple websites in one place. Using this tool, project and program leaders can see real time performance using key filters like top blog authors, page views, time on page, new users, downloads, top performing pages and posts and email campaign performance. Hear from the team that designed this tool and learn how the organization uses it, their efforts to adapt their work to best fit what the data indicates, and how attendees can launch their own version of the dashboard for free.

Speakers

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

Vote Here Tweet Here

How B Corps Are Leading Open Source

In a time when trust in technology is in question, B Corps are finding a way to deliver innovative technology to their customers without sacrificing trust: through open source. By doing so, these companies are not only establishing a stronger level of trust but also democratizing technology for many. Hear from open source leaders, Zach Burke of Exygy, Jason Wilkinson of Firespring, and John Jones of the Case Foundation in a panel moderated by the Case Foundation’s Jade Floyd.

Speakers

John Jones, Vice President of Interactive Strategies, the Case Foundation
Jade Floyd, Vice President of Communications, the Case Foundation
Jason Wilkinson, Chief Technology Officer, Firespring
Zach Berke, Founder and Managing Partner, Exygy

Vote Here Tweet Here

The Overlooked Future of US Entrepreneurs: Latinx

The Latinx community accounts for more than half of the population growth in the US, but Latinx founders represent less than 2% 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 they’re going to make you money. Attendees will learn what funds and resources are available for Latinx entrepreneurs and how you can support more inclusive startup ecosystems.

Speakers

Sarah Koch, VP Social Innovation, Case Foundation
Dyan Gibbens, CEO, Trumbull Unmanned
C’pher Gresham, VP of Communities, SEED SPOT
Marcos Gonzalez, Managing Partner, VamosVentures

Vote Here Tweet Here

Social Impact Meet Up

Join the Case Foundation, Kapor Center for Social Impact and Sunshine Sachs as we unite social sector leaders, entrepreneurs and philanthropy practitioners for a SXSW Meet Up. Connect with fellow changemakers and share new ideas, collaborate and ideate on how you can create meaningful change together. We invite everyone in the social sector—from foundation staff to philanthropists, nonprofit leaders, social entrepreneurs and social impact businesses to gather. Meet those like you who are changing the world.

Speakers

Jade Floyd, Vice President of Communications, the Case Foundation

Vote Here Tweet Here

Is Texas the Silicon Valley 2.0?

Venture capital investments may be focused on the coasts, but some of the largest and most successful companies have been started in middle America in cities like Houston, Dallas and Austin. Learn from the entrepreneurs, investors and supporters who have created bustling startup ecosystems across Texas. Find out what kind of partnerships and resources your city may already have to lead the way for startup growth in your community.

Speakers

Sarah Koch, VP, Social Innovation, Case Foundation
Naji Kelley, Founder & CEO, BLNDED Media
Saleha Khumawala, Professor – Robert Grinaker Professor of Accounting and Founding Director, SURE Program, University of Houston

Vote Here Tweet Here

Philanthropy’s New Role In Open Source

As technology continues to define shifts in society, it is essential that the social sector has access to the best technology. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Case Foundation see a future in this as leaders in creating useful, open source tools for entire sectors to use that open doors for changemakers to unlock innovation, better achieve their missions, and ultimately, change the world. Hear from the Case Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and GitHub on how that’s starting to happen.

Speaker

John Jones, Vice President of Interactive Strategies, the Case Foundation
Kosta Peric, Deputy Director, Financial Services for the Poor, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Admas Kanyagia, Senior Director of Social Impact, GitHub

Vote Here Tweet Here

With your support, we hope we’ll get to take the stage next March in Austin and share our work and insights on these exciting movements. To catch up on our presence at SXSW in 2018, check out our Twitter moments which featured live updates from each of our panels, and watch these video interviews with some of the founders, funders and ecosystem builders in attendance who shared their exciting work with us. We loved getting to make a splash at SXSW this past spring and get wait to get the chance to do it again!

15 Impact Investing Podcasts To Explore

Posted on August 6, 2018October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

The past decade of growth in the Impact Investing movement has been impressive. More investors, entrepreneurs, corporations, foundations and nonprofits are investing with the intention of generating both financial and social return than ever before. As the field has expanded, we’ve built a series of tools like the Short Guide to Impact Investing and the 10-year Interactive Timeline to provide information, learnings and insights to those inside the movement as well as those looking to “stick their toe” into Impact Investing.

And others have joined us, with many taking to podcasts to give investors a window into the ins and outs of Impact Investing by showcasing conversations with professionals and leaders in the field. Here’s a rundown of some of our favorites:

Stanford Social Innovation Review Podcast features lectures and talks by leaders in the social change movement. These leaders come from all places and walks of life, but they have one thing in common: they are dedicated to using their businesses and crafts to make a social impact. By telling their own stories, these leaders are able to inspire the listeners to embark on a social impact journey of their own.

Beyond Reports is a monthly podcast that discusses the latest news in the world of sustainability. It features interviews with experts such as Amanda Feldman, Director of the Impact Management Project and Caroline Rees, President of Shift, the leading center of expertise on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. This podcast will bring you the latest on global sustainability from experts in the GRI global community.

Returns on Investment is a podcast from ImpactAlpha. The brief episodes give you the opportunity to quickly learn from leading impact investors. The short tid-bits are a perfect coffee break activity if you’re looking to delve into Impact Investing. The episodes are light, conversational and put things in layman’s terms so anyone can listen in and learn something new.

Next Economy Now, produced by impact consulting firm LIFT Economy, the podcast features pioneering individuals and leaders who are working to use business as a force for good. Highlighting people such as Rose Marcario of Patagonia, John Fullerton of Capital Institute, and Rha Goddess of Move the Crowd, this podcast interviews leaders in a conversational atmosphere that gives them a platform to present how they are working to make a change and how you too can get involved in Impact Investing.

Investing in Impact is a short podcast series produced by The Fletcher Social Investment Group, a student-run organization committed to the study and practice of Impact Investing This group gives students and young entrepreneurs advisory services and information that makes Impact Investing accessible to them. This podcast is an extension of those services that dives deep into the practices of their featured guests, which include investors, organizations, and beneficiaries. Some of these guests include Yigal Kerszenbaum, Senior Program Associate for PRI of The Rockefeller Foundation and Mitchell Strauss, the Special Advisor for Socially Responsible Investment Finance.

The Impact Investing Podcast includes interviews and conversations with leaders in the Impact Investing movement to help build a community of new investors. By interviewing leaders in Impact Investing, it gives listeners an idea of how to begin and how to delve into socially responsible investing themselves. This podcast takes the larger idea of Impact Investing and boils it down to accessible and understandable information for listeners.

The SRIESG Podcast features relatively short episodes that give how-tos on the ins and outs of Impact Investing and socially responsible investing. The host, Bill Holliday, candidly and casually speaks about how you can make an impact in the world with your capital. Holliday highlights a range of topics that make it easy for readers to find their interest area.

Impact on Record is hosted by three Yale students who are interested in educating the public, and especially young adults, about Impact Investing. When encountered with confusion from their peers, Kodjo Adovor, Jenny Chan, and Kristina Whyte created Impact on Record in order to bring Impact Investing to the mainstream. The podcast features interviews with experts in the field who go through the logistics of Impact Investing and make it easy for listeners to learn how they can get involved.

Social Entrepreneur Podcast is hosted former Fortune 500 executive Tony Loyd. He invites changemakers on the show to spotlight individuals who are investing in impactful causes through their own businesses. He makes a point to invite underrepresented voices on the podcast in order to make Impact Investing accessible to everyone. The podcasts consists of cheerful and lively conversations with small business owners that give people a thorough idea of how they can get into Impact Investing. Some of these changemakers include Alicia Wallace of All Across Africa, Junita Flowers of Junita’s Jar, and Aine Mulloy of GirlCrew.

More Than Money focuses on how people can use their conscience to guide their investing. Host Dawn Carpenter created the podcast in order to bring her doctoral research on the responsibilities of wealth to the public. The podcast encourages listeners to use their ethics and values in order to inform investments. Carpenter presents Impact Investing as an alternative approach to asset management through interviews with leading impact investors.

Financing Social Entrepreneurs is a weekly podcast that interviews social innovation leaders like grant providers, impact investors, foundations and even independent individuals. These people share their backgrounds, how they got into their business, their successes, and failures. All this information gives the listener a well rounded image of what Impact Investing looks like, as well as how they can get involved.

The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business hosts a series of podcasts that present the idea of responsible investing that creates a social impact. The different podcasts come together to give the listener a well rounded image of the world of Impact Investing, featuring leaders from the Gates Foundation, the Wharton Social Impact Initiatives and more Impact Investing Leaders. The lively conversations emphasize the importance of using business and investing as a source for good.

Money + Meaning is a new podcast launched by SOCAP hosted by their own Linsday Smalling and Liz Maxwell. This podcast aims to widen the conversation around Impact Investing and the strategies to stimulating social change through finance and partnerships. They come out with new episodes each week filled with relevant and up to date information on Impact Investing today.

The CDC Podcast launched by Development Finance and the CDC, UK’s development finance institution, brings you discussions on the role of development finance firms in the fight against poverty. The podcasts features experts such as Philippe Le Houerou, the CEO of International Finance Corporation and Sir Suma Chakrabarti, president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

The Bottom Line, hosted by Drucker Institute’s Rick Wartzman, highlights companies that are advancing social progress. The podcast features conversations with top executives who give insights as to how their companies are fighting against the world’s most pressing problems. Some of these experts include Deloitte Consulting’s U.S. Human Capital leader Erica Volina, as well as Tim O’Reilly, CEO of O’Reilly Media. The conversations with leading changemakers in the world of business will give you the foundation you need to dive headfirst into the Impact Investing world.

We hope these podcasts will help you learn how you can change the the world and invest with impact. Check out our Impact Investing page for more information on the field and to learn how people are joining the movement. Have any other Impact Investing podcasts you think we should keep on our radar? Tweet us @CaseFoundation.

Lisa Hall, Senior Fellow at both the Case Foundation and the Beeck Center, and Monica Pizzo, an intern at the Case Foundation, contributed to this article.

35 Impact Investing Conferences to Explore

Posted on June 21, 2018October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

At the Case Foundation, we hit the road each year to spread the word about Impact Investing movement. We also look to learn about the latest thinking in Impact Investing and work alongside all those who are expanding the world of investors looking for both a financial and social return. Along the way, we are continuously reminded of the impressive global community of impact investors who are dedicated to sharing their discoveries, failures and best practices, and we find these experiences invaluable for our work.

Interested in learning more about Impact Investing? Want to brush up on new opportunities and the latest thinking? Our team has pulled together a list of some of our favorite annual conferences and events where Impact Investing is on the agenda or is a favorite gathering place for those who are committed to investing for impact.

Check out this list of the 35 Impact Investing Conferences to Watch in the coming year and beyond.

Vatican Impact Investing Conference, July 8 – 11, 2018, Rome – Hosted by Catholic Relief Services and the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Impact Investing experts and Catholic leaders from around the world will convene in Rome to share and evaluate blended finance models and investible vehicles to address systemic challenges of great importance to both the Catholic Church and the global community. These challenges include: Climate Change, Health, Migrants and Refugees, and Youth Unemployment.
The Impact Conference at Sustainatopia, July 17-21, 2018, Moscow – This conference gathers leading Global Impact + SRI investors, funds, social entrepreneurs, foundations, nonprofits, B Corporations and policy makers. Attendees from more than 60 countries share their best practices from a global ecosystem of social, financial and environmental sustainability.

Impact Capitalism Summit Nantucket, July 18-19, 2018, Nantucket – Mainstreaming impact and showcasing stewards of capitalism are this year’s themes at the Impact Capitalism Summit run by Big Path Capital in Nantucket. This year’s conference will explore how institutional investors are finding market performance returns by looking at diversity as a potential source of arbitrage.

Endowments & Finance Summit, – September 6-7th, 2018, Washington, D.C. – This summit is a forum at the nexus of philanthropy, finance, investment and policy where C-Suite foundation leaders go to explore the shifting forces in the investment landscape, gain invaluable insights on trends, strategies, and new regulations and have candid conversations about threats to business models.

North American Family Impact Investing Conference, September 26-27, 2018, San Diego – During the two days of this conference, family business, office and foundation owners and executives share experiences of Impact Investing and debate the key opportunities and challenges that they face. Meanwhile, experts in academia and industry discuss the infrastructure and how Impact Investing can be scalable.

Mashable’s Social Good Summit, September 2018, New York – Held annually during the United Nations General Assembly week, the Summit unites a lively community of global citizens and progressive thought leaders around a common theme: #2030NOW. Attendees focus on how we can unlock technology’s potential to make the world a better place. Past speakers have included Jean Case, Shazi Visram of Happy Family, Kathy Calvin of the UN Foundation, Matt Keller of XPRIZE and many more. Watch last year’s summit HERE.

Wealth Management Impact Investing Forum, September 2018, location TBD – The RIA Institute’s Wealth Management Impact Investing Forum gathers an intimate group of senior RIA, multi-family office and single-family office executives together with thought leaders and elite providers for an afternoon of discussion and debate about Impact Investing opportunities and risks for wealth managers. The forum focuses on the most critical Impact Investing trends in the individual investor industry and the specific ways in which wealth managers can incorporate these strategies into their portfolio profitably and with measurable impact.

Impact Investing Forum North, September 12-13, 2018, New York – The Impact Investing Forum North unites top influencers, both public and private experienced investors, money managers, and service providers that are leading the charge in the Impact Investing space. Defining Impact Investing, portfolio construction, asset class opportunities, and the role of the investor are just a few of the stimulating topics to be covered at this event hosted each year by the Opal Group.

Exponent Philanthropy, September 28-30, 2018, Philadelphia – The National conference offers timely and relevant educational content for staff, donors, and trustees at all levels of experience and serving all types of foundations (including community and family foundations) as well as individual donors, donor advised fund holders and managers, philanthropic service professionals, and thought leaders in the field of philanthropy.

Net Impact, October 25-27, Phoenix – For more than 25 years, the Net Impact Annual Conference has inspired and informed attendees on the most cutting edge and impactful ideas to change the world. An annual favorite, this event creates a space for the brightest young impact leaders from around the world. With specific paths mapped out for students, new graduates, emerging leaders, and those changing careers, all attendees will leave with their own map of their path to purpose. The event will explore examples of transformational change that defy traditional expectations.

GSG Impact Summit The SRI Conference, October 8-9, 2018, New Delhi – The Summit unites hundreds of impact leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, philanthropists, corporates, social sector and government leaders and leading market builders. Together they will explore current and future actions by the GSG, the National Advisory Boards and partners to catalyze the impact economies of the future.

High Water Women’s Investing for Impact Symposium, October 17, 2018, New York – High Water Women’s Investing for Impact Symposium has evolved into an important gathering for female impact investors who want to connect with other investors, advisors, and investment professionals. Topics include the practical realities of building an impact portfolio, the opportunities and challenges for acting, the latest developments in Impact Investing and women in the impact investment marketplace.

SOCAP, October 23-26, San Francisco – SOCAP convenes thousands of innovators in finance, entrepreneurship, business, government and philanthropy from across social and environmental issue areas to accelerate the market at the intersection of money and meaning.

GIIN Investor Forum 2018, October 30-31st, Paris – The Forum provides a unique opportunity to gain insights from industry leaders, discuss cutting-edge research, and network with over 1,000 global practitioners. Whether you are currently making impact investments or exploring the opportunities, this is an opportunity to take part in the discussions shaping the future of the market. Speakers include executives from the the Rockefeller Foundation, Bain Capital, Blue Haven Initiative, MacArthur Foundation and Catholic Relief Services, to name a few.

The Fast Company Innovation Festival, November 2019, New York – Each Fall, thousands of attendees convene in New York City for Fast Company’s unique take on the field trip with 100 plus Fast Tracks. Attendees have the rare opportunity to go behind the scenes at New York City’s most innovative companies where they experience talks, workshops, demos, networking, and sponsor activations. The 92Y also host thought-provoking keynote sessions at companies like Charity: Water, Donors Choose, Swell Investing, Ellevest, Global Citizen, Instagram, Rent the Runway and more.

The SRI Conference, November 1–3, 2018, Colorado Springs -The SRI Conference on Sustainable, Responsible, Impact Investing (formerly SRI in the Rockies) is the annual gathering of investors and investment professionals working to make money and direct the flow of investment capital toward a truly sustainable future. The SRI Conference is the place for professionals interested in responsible investing to learn and network with colleagues, and to grow and deepen their professional understanding of how to make money and make a difference—at the same time.

Social Finance Forum, November 7-8, 2018, Toronto – Now in its 11th year, the Social Finance Forum, organized and convened by the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing, attracts more than 500 investors, entrepreneurs, finance professionals, charity leaders and public service visionaries who are reshaping markets and ensuring that every dollar makes a difference.

Sorenson Winter Innovation Summit, February 6–8, 2019, Salt Lake City – The Winter Innovation Summit is the premier cross-industry event in social impact, innovation and investing. Earlier this year the Summit brought together policy makers, funders, nonprofits, and social entrepreneurs to explore the future of social innovation across the globe. More than 700 guests unite for the latest breakthroughs in social impact, innovation, and investing, skiing the greatest snow on Earth and experiencing the 2018 Sundance Film Festival which takes place the same week.

World-Changing Women’s Summit, February 2019, location TBD – gathers the most successful women in conscious business for conversations on developing yourself as an authentic, conscious leader in the workplace, how to develop a more inclusive workplace culture, best practices for raising capital and how you can scale your company while staying true to your values. Last year’s gathering included female influencers from Google, the Beneficial State Bank, Solstice, SheO, Pipeline Angels, Seed Spot and B Lab.

Economist Impact Investing Forum, February 2019, location TBD – 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. This past February speakers included National Geographic Chair and Case Foundation CEO Jean Case, Audrey Choi of Morgan Stanley, Case Foundation board member Sonal Shah of the Beeck Center for Social Impact and Innovation at Georgetown University, Saadia Madsbjerg of the Rockefeller Foundation, Debra Schwartz of the MacArthur Foundation, Liesel Pritzker Simmons of the Blue Haven Initiative, Amit Bouri of the GIIN and Kesha Cash of Impact America Fund.

The Heart Series, February 14-15, 2019, El Segundo, CA – Explores topics like how your company can make an impact, maintaining your brand promise to your customers and the earth, interactive experiences that promote social change, how to activate Millennials and youth and dreaming up big impact partnerships. On site attendees also have plenty of cool eco inspired perks including wellness shakes, meditation resources and massages. That’s my kind of conference! Speakers include leaders from companies like SOKO, Share Our Strength, CLIP Bar, Nerd Wallet, Blavity and Swipe Out Hunger.

Greenbiz Summit, February 2019, location TBD – Leaders from global brands will meet as they discuss and learn the opportunities at the intersection of business, technology and sustainability. Last year’s speakers included executives from Target, Apple, Bloomberg, and the World Wildlife Fund.

Harvard Social Enterprise Conference (SECON), February 2019, Cambridge – SECON draws almost a thousand practitioners, academics, students, and young professionals. Speakers include influencers and leaders from Omidyar Network, Root Capital, Accion, Mastercard, One Acre Fund, Trillium, Twilio, the Rockefeller Foundation, Accenture and many more.

Duke Conference on Sustainable Business & Social Impact (SBSI), February 2019, Durham – SBSI focuses on the theme of working towards solving our greatest social challenges through innovative methods and cross-sector collaborations. The event has grown to one of the largest conference of its kind in the Southeast, with more 500 people attendees who are making the world a better place while looking to the future of social impact and sustainability.

SXSW Conference, March 8-17, 2019, Austin – Next year marks the 26th Anniversary of SXSW, the world renowned gathering that unites more than 420,000 people from across the globe. Each year SXSW dedicates itself to helping creative people expand their knowledge and have the opportunity to meet fellow innovators on a mission to change the world. Conference goers take a deep dive into innovative ideas that contribute to a better and more equitable world. Browse past social impact sessions HERE.

Confluence Philanthropy’s 9th Annual Practitioners Gathering, March 4-7, 2019, Brooklyn – Confluence Philanthropy’s Annual Practitioners Gathering is a four-day conference where asset owners and their advisors meet at the cutting edge of mission-related investing. This Gathering represents the most advanced foundations, investment managers, and advisors in Impact Investing today. They are distinguished by a commitment to building the field through collaboration, innovation, and their investments. Join us for deep strategic thinking, critical discussion, sharing and most importantly, fun.

Skoll World Forum, April 2019, Oxford – Launched by the Skoll Foundation, the Skoll World Forum 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.

Yale Impact Investing Conference, April 2019, New Haven – Impact On Record hosts the Yale’s Impact Investing Conference that includes a day of engaging conversation, presentations and interviews about impact investing. Topics include women and wealth, technology and impact, government and policy, impact funds, emerging markets and faith-based investing.

Milken Global Conference, April 2019, Los Angeles – Each year the Milken Global Conference brings together the strongest minds in business, government, technology, philanthropy, academia and media to examine global challenges and find actionable and collaborative solutions to some of the most important questions of our time. Watch videos from past conference speakers HERE.

Impact Capitalism, April 2019, location TBD – At Impact Capitalism, you will hear from prominent family offices, institutional investors and influential foundations about what is driving their impact investment decision-making and experience an exciting lineup of discussions, debates, and performances across asset classes and impact themes. Over 300 family offices, asset managers and fund managers representing over $150 billion in investable assets take part.

US SIF Annual Conference, May 2019, location TBD – US SIF Annual Conference gives you the opportunity to network with leaders of sustainable, responsible and impactful investing. Hear from leading investors, CEOs and policymakers, and to learn about new approaches, trends and policy developments in the field.

Engage For Good, May 2019, location TBD – If you work at the intersection of cause and commerce, there’s no other event that focuses exclusively on this work and how to engage consumers and employees with social good efforts. Nearly every global brand for good attends include executives from eBay, Fidelity, J.P. Morgan Chase, Omaze, PayPal, REI, Scholastic, The Home Depot Foundation, Univision Communications Inc. and more.

Social Innovation Summit, June 4-6, 2018, San Fransisco – The Social Innovation Summit is an annual event taking place in Silicon Valley which represents a global convening of black swans and wayward thinkers. Where most bring together luminaries to explore the next big idea, they bring together those hungry not just to talk about the next big thing, but to build it.

Mission Investors Exchange National Conference, TBD 2020 – Produced every other year, the conference is one of the most anticipated events for impact investors in philanthropy, offering an action-focused, collaborative, and personal space to renew and build partnerships, experience on-the-ground impact investments, share investment opportunities, meet leading voices in the field, and shape the future of the Impact Investing movement.

Sustainable Brands Conference, multiple dates, Buenos Aires, Vancouver, Detroit, Madrid, Bangkok and more – the events are held throughout the year in cities around the globe. The Sustainable Brands conference provides another welcomed perspective as sustainability and design leaders gather from around the world to share profitable business models that deliver brand purpose. Join business intelligence, finance and sustainability leaders to discover innovative tools, ideas and methodologies that capture tangible business value and translate it into financial performance.

These conferences bring together individuals who are pioneering the Impact Investing movement—and they create a platform for professionals who are committed to making a difference or want to learn more about this rapidly expanding field. We hope that they will bring new light to the importance of investing for financial and social returns and give a space for new people to join the movement!

We hope these suggestions help you take the next steps on your Impact Investing journey—whatever stage of it you’re on. Have a conference you want us to keep on our radar? Share it with us on Twitter @CaseFoundation!

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.

Cookie	Duration	Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional	11 months	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy	11 months	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

Tell as a little bit about yourself and your work

What problem keeps you up at night? What do you think it will take to solve it?

With technology, the barriers to organizing for action have continued to come down – how do you think that has influenced the way you bring people together to take part in the social change in your community?

How do you and the team at SocialWorks meet young people where they are, and galvanize their energy to engage with social issues?

What have been some of your biggest challenges?

What has been your favorite success story?

Who are some fellow next generation leaders you admire?

What is one thing you think everyone should know about your generation?

What’s next for you? What are some of your dreams and goals?

How can people interested in your cause learn more?

Tell as a little bit about yourself and your work.

What problem keeps you up at night? What do you think it will take to solve it?

With technology, the barriers to act have continued to come down – how has that powered Baltimore Corps and your efforts to bring more young people to meaningful work in Baltimore?

What is one thing you think everyone should know about your generation?

Why do you think it’s important to meet young people where they are to galvanize their support for causes and how have you been able to achieve that through Baltimore Corps?

What have been some of your biggest challenges?

What has been your favorite success story?

Who are some fellow next generation leaders you admire?

What’s next for you? What are some of your dreams and goals?

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work

What problem keeps you up at night? What do you think it will take to solve it?

With technology, the barriers to communication, sharing of stories and even taking action in support of a cause have continued to come down – how do you think that has influenced the way you and others take part in social movements today?

How do you meet young people where they are to encourage engagement with social issues today, and why is that approach so important?

What have been some of your biggest challenges?

What has been your favorite success story?

Who are some fellow next generation leaders you admire?

What is one thing you think everyone should know about your generation?

What’s next for you? What are some of your dreams and goals?

How can people interested in your cause learn more?

Highlights from the Influence Nation Summit

Key Findings from the new report Influencing Young America to Act

Television news media plays an unexpectedly important role in informing Young Americans about key issues.

Young Americans believe their influence can have an impact and state an intention to vote in the November Midterm Elections.

Download the report here.

Givesource

Tidepool

Code for America

Mifos

Open Agriculture Initiative

Fearless Changemakers Tell All

How to Tell Your Startup Story

The Fearless Story Behind José Andrés’ Success

Listen Up! Young American Voices Matter

Facebook Watch—a New Tool for Social Movements

Making Data and Analytics Work for Your Brand

How B Corps Are Leading Open Source

The Overlooked Future of US Entrepreneurs: Latinx

Social Impact Meet Up

Is Texas the Silicon Valley 2.0?

Philanthropy’s New Role In Open Source

Build Your BE FEARLESS Style On ReadBeFearless.com