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NexThought Monday: Approach with Caution – Why Buffett, Gates, and the Giving Pledge Members Should Be Wary of Impact Investing
Many billionaires have signed on to the Giving Pledge, a pact pushed by software tycoon Bill Gates and value investor Warren Buffett for the super-rich to donate much of their wealth. Many are now turning their attention to impact investing. But large, individual investors have at least three reasons to approach the phenomenon of impact investing with caution.
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Guest Post: Silicon Valley Without Stanford? The Role of Philanthropy in Impact Investing
The focus on the proper mix of philanthropy and investment at the individual deal level can obscure even bigger and, I’d argue, more important issues facing the impact investment industry – lack of good deal flow. Lack of good deal flow will become a bigger problem as more capital is mobilized. Imagine Silicon Valley without Stanford. That is the state of the early-stage impact investing movement today.
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The Rockefeller Foundation at 100 Years: The Road Ahead
As part of its centennial celebrations The Rockefeller Foundation has launched various initiatives including the Innovation Challenges. Michael Myers, senior policy officer and director of Centennial Programming at The Rockefeller Foundation answered a few questions about the Innovations Challenge and the centennial.
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How Tony Elumelu’s ‘Africapitalism’ Aims to Redefine African Economic Development
Tony Elumelu did not set out to create social change during his tenure at the helm of United Bank of Africa. "We wanted to democratize banking – at the time, it was an economic, not a social act,” he said during a keynote speech the Global Philanthropy Forum. Elumelu turned the failing Nigerian bank United Bank of Africa (UBA), which was purchased in 1997 for $5 million, into a multi-billion dollar financial services powerhouse. Elumelu is now taking his learnings from this experience to redefine strategies for African economic development.
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At GPF, Finding a Way (or Making One) for Foundations to Impact Invest
Family foundations are often considered the low-hanging fruit of impact investing: their mission-driven philosophies combined with their perceived nimbleness make them ideal candidates to become first movers and concept-provers. However, panelists at the Global Philanthropy Forum discussed the barriers that exist even for them when trying to put their money towards companies that create positive impacts.
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Monitor and Acumen Research Highlights Why Impact Investing Needs Philanthropy
Today, we are thrilled to release From Blueprint to Scale: The Case for Philanthropy in Impact Investing, a new study by Monitor Group, in collaboration with Acumen, on the role of philanthropy in impact investing. From Blueprint to Scale is based on Monitor’s deep expertise, 60+ expert interviews and 10+ years of Acumen Fund data; it shows how grants are needed to bridge the gap when developing new business models that serve low income customers.
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At GPF 2012, Business and Philanthropy Mingle ‘Toward a New Social Contract’
For the past decade, the Global Philanthropy Forum has served as a catalyst for social change by bringing together donors and social investors with global leaders in business and government. This year’s forum is built around the theme “Toward a New Social Contract." In a recent interview, Jane Wales, president and CEO of the Global Philanthropy Forum and the World Affairs Council, discusses the shared value agenda.
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- philanthropy
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The Power to Give Strategically: Indian Philanthropy Forum by Dasra
The opulent Taj Mahal Palace hotel in Mumbai set the stage for high-net-worth individuals, socially-conscious investors and foundations, and corporate leaders to discuss the state of strategic giving in India. According to keynote speaker Matthew Bishop of The Economist, a “good billionaire” is increasingly becoming defined as one who, Bill Gates-style, thinks twice before simply writing a check.
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