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Small Firms Are Still a Big Missed Opportunity in Development Philanthropy

Stanford Social Innovation Review

A clear opportunity exists for philanthropic capital to unlock this kind of private and public sector capital, through targeted investments. For many, SME growth is seen as more of an enabling environment or an SME financing problem, not something philanthropy for philanthropy to address. Why is philanthropy still hesitant?

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The Social Impact Investment Mirage

Stanford Social Innovation Review

Last year, our social impact startup hit a milestone that eludes 96 percent of female founders: we hit one million dollars in revenue. We know that for social entrepreneurs trying to solve global challenges, the system is rigged. Underneath every accomplishment lies a profoundly broken funding landscape for social innovation.

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A Social Movement Requires Momentum

Stanford Social Innovation Review

In the realm of social change, community-based leaders are skilled at influencing and using momentum to advance local solutions but often lack all the financial resources they need to push those solutions to their full potential. In its wake, momentum for change seemed to build.

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Putting Health at the Center of Climate Change

Stanford Social Innovation Review

Companies can also create goals for their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies that both improve the well-being of suppliers in the near term and lay a foundation for them to minimize their environmental footprints in the future. Innovation. Companies can also look beyond their own walls for innovative ideas.

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The Colors Co-op Experiment: Learning the Right Lessons from Our Failure

NonProfit Quarterly

As a former Windows on the World worker and a co-founder of ROC who witnessed the restaurant’s opening (2005) and closing (2020), I believe it is important to assess what worked, what did not, and what can be learned from the experience that might inform future co-op and social enterprise efforts. million yearly.

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The Power of Self-Renewal: Sustaining Your Impact as a Leader

Stanford Social Innovation Review

Throughout my 35-year career as an optometrist turned social entrepreneur, I have practiced continual self-renewal in pursuit of a world where equitable access to eyeglasses is universal, especially for the poorest and most remote communities. Compassionate capitalism and public-private partnerships held the key to jumpstarting our impact.

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How Guarantees Can Advance Community Development and Racial Equity

NonProfit Quarterly

While many foundations screen their endowment investments based on environmental, social, and governance factors, only a few optimize their investment strategies for mission impact. Financial guarantees are a powerful tool, yet they are underutilized in the social sector. One confounding challenge is low field awareness.