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Empowering OPIC: Why the U.S. Should Embrace Development Finance and Harness the Power of Impact Investing
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) supports projects in nearly 100 countries around the world, leveraging limited public investment to attract billions of dollars in private capital. And for 39 consecutive years, it has returned money to the Treasury, reducing the deficit by $2.6 billion over the past eight years alone. Yet it remains constrained in the types of investments it can make. Fran Seegull urges the U.S. to let OPIC better harness the momentum of impact investing.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
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Making it Rain: Solar-Powered Irrigation and the ‘Household Productivity Ladder’
Solar energy can be put to many constructive uses in emerging market households, but SunCulture focuses on helping smallholder farmers move water. Why? Because it has the greatest impact on a key area: household productivity. Their CEO Samir Ibrahim shares the story of a SunCulture customer, whose experiences highlight the value of solar-powered irrigation to 2.5 billion farmers living on less than $2 a day.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Energy, Social Enterprise, Technology
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Exclusive Giveaway for NB Notes Readers: Free Chapter of Jed Emerson’s New Book
Along with curating NextBillion's top articles, jobs and events in an easy-to-read format, our weekly e-newsletter has grown to include something equally cool: free stuff! We have two giveaways this month, exclusive for NextBillion Notes subscribers: A free chapter of “The ImpactAssets Handbook for Investors," edited by Jed Emerson, and 1 free ticket to the Social Finance Forum, Canada's leading conference on impact investing and social enterprise.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
- Tags
- impact investing
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Impact Investing Has it Backward: It’s Time to Prioritize the Needs of Social Enterprises, Not Just Investors
Impact investing is blissfully unaware – or intentionally ignorant – of social enterprises’ experience as they seek investments, contend Mara Bolis and Sarah Alexander. This process often involves accepting financial terms and/or partners that can distract from the social mission. Impact investing needs to start telling – and hearing – these businesses' stories, so they share a financing story that's emblematic of enterprises that prioritize social returns within fragmented enabling environments.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing, Social Enterprise
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Supporting the Supporters: Why Impact-Focused Incubators and Accelerators Struggle to Find Talent
Of the millions of social entrepreneurs starting new social ventures around the world, only a few thousand get access to support services like incubators and accelerators. Yet these support organizations themselves often struggle to attract and retain talent, hampering their ability to boost social business. The Global Social Entrepreneurship Network's Krisztina Tora offers some potential solutions.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
- Tags
- incubators
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Helping Farmers Rebuild After Civil War Isn’t Charity; It’s Good Business
As an agribusiness owner in Africa, GADC founder Bruce Robertson has grown weary of the silver bullet solutions proposed for transforming rural economies. In 22 years in Uganda, he has yet to see a quick fix. But private enterprise has enormous potential to improve rural lives when donors and businesses collaborate, he says, explaining GADC's "replicable model with huge potential for expansion."
- Categories
- Agriculture, Impact Assessment, Social Enterprise
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On Camera at SOCAP17: Eight Video Interviews with Leaders in Social Business and Impact Investing
We interviewed eight thought leaders at SOCAP17, including investors, entrepreneurs and other influencers, on Facebook Live. The discussions covered a broad range of issues important to the social business and investing space. If you missed the conference, or if you have an interest in these sectors, these Q&As are essential viewing.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
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Beyond Microcredit: Why Tackling Poverty Requires More Than a Loan
It's clear that microcredit is not enough to end poverty, say Gary Carrier and Harrison Pharamond of MCE Social Capital. But this does not stop MCE from investing in microfinance institutions. Instead, they maximize the impact of these investments by supporting MFIs in offering “credit-plus services” - additional services that address poverty holistically.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing, Social Enterprise
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