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A Missing Opportunity for Investment: Bringing the Bedroom to the Boardroom
During SOCAP 2012, impact investing funds and social impact bonds were among mechanisms for bringing access to family planning to scale. But the first step is simply naming family planning as an impact investing priority. This requires moving the issue from the margins to the center of social causes.
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- Health Care
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Aligning Strategy to Maximize Impact: Reflections from Columbia’s Social Enterprise Conference 2012
At this year’s Columbia Business School Social Enterprise Conference, Aligning Strategy to Maximize Impact, the themes of technology and business model innovation, partnerships and capital mobilization featured prominently. Almost in direct contrast to last year’s back-to-basics themes of connection, and the network, this year’s conference was decidedly forward looking, covering a smattering of emerging strategies and sectors experiencing rapid redefinition.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
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THE BIG IDEA: Global Spread of Affordable Housing – Now Available in Spanish: Our e-book with Ashoka is available to download and focuses on solutions in Latin America and the Caribbean
The release of "THE BIG IDEA: Global Spread of Affordable Housing" as an e-book earlier this year, was among the most-read projects for NextBillion and our partner, Ashoka. After receiving many requests for a Spanish version, we are proud to bring it to readers.
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- Uncategorized
- Tags
- housing
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The $450 Billion Opportunity: Catalyzing Smallholder Agricultural Finance
As population growth and rising incomes create unprecedented demand for food, multinational companies increasingly rely on smallholders to secure their supply of agricultural commodities. As a result, smallholders present a compelling opportunity for buyers, lenders, and other actors in the agricultural value chain. However, smallholder production is often characterized by low yields, low quality, poor linkages, and little access to finance. A Dalberg report released Wednesday called “Catalyzing Smallholder Agricultural Finance” suggests that with increased financing, farmers can improve their yields and products and in some cases double their income.
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- Agriculture
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Another Online Hub? Here’s Why We Tried Something Different : The Business Innovation Facility and IAP database is a one-stop-shop for social entrepreneurs
A new Database of Financial and Technical Support for Inclusive Business aims to reduce the time and challenge involved. Produced by the Business Innovation Facility (BIF) and Innovations Against Poverty (IAP), it’s a step towards a ‘one-stop shop’ for IB entrepreneurs.
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- Education, Social Enterprise, Technology
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How a Mobile Airtime Vendor Became Zimbabwe’s Fastest-Growing Bank: EcoCash has reached a million subscribers in less than 6 months
Money is whizzing through the airwaves and cell towers of Zimbabwe, as a mobile cash transfer system is on track to become the country’s biggest bank. EcoCash, a mobile money transfer service operated by telecommunications company EcoNet Wireless Zimbabwe, has reached a million subscribers in under six months since its launch.
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- Technology, Telecommunications
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From Pavement Begging to Stable Housing, Stable Incomes : The Equitas Bird’s Nest program is moving pavement dwellers in Chennai toward secure housing
Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to interview John about Equitas’s ultra poor pilot in Chennai. In this interview, he talks about the challenges his team faced while working with the pavement dwellers, the importance of sustainability and the road ahead for Equitas Bird’s Nest program.
- Categories
- Finance
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Impact Bonds: Boon or Boondoggle? Before We Hop on the Bandwagon, Let’s Scan the Road Ahead
Although there are many benefits to impact bonds – make no mistake – they are complicated to implement. Because they are new tools and because it is in the interests of all parties involved to reduce risk, only strong programs with proven statistical success are likely to be supported by a social or development impact bond.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment
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