-
Unity During the Pandemic: How the Social Enterprise Community is Coming Together to Survive COVID-19
The economic fallout from COVID-19 could increase global poverty by as much as half a billion people. And as Pamela Roussos at Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship points out, the pandemic is also delivering a heavy blow to the social enterprises that fight poverty around the world. She explores some new and innovative ways these enterprises, and the broader sector, are responding to the crisis.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Entrepreneurship
-
Four Key Challenges Facing India’s Local Energy Enterprises During COVID-19 – And 16 Ways Funders Can Help
COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on last-mile energy companies. SELCO Foundation recently conducted surveys and conversations with 33 local Indian energy enterprises about the challenges they're facing. Sarah Alexander explores what these businesses shared about how governments, investors, philanthropies and other stakeholders can support them.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Energy, Finance
-
Impact Investing Slowed to a Crawl in 2nd Quarter
Impact investing’s decline accelerated in the second quarter, as the twin blows of COVID-19 and social protests hit the sector in different ways.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Impact Assessment
-
Emergency Funding and COVID-19 Crisis Counseling for Miller Center Entrepreneurs
Back in March and April, the folks at the Pollinate Group were in a state of emergency, like most small businesses around the world. For the past seven years, the Melbourne, Australia-based enterprise had trained and developed women in poor areas in India and Nepal, teaching them the skills needed to sell solar lights, clean cookstoves and other products likely to improve community members’ quality of life.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Energy, Entrepreneurship
-
How Socially-Led Innovation Can Bring Positive Change in Unchartered Times
In my work with Microsoft 4Afrika I have had a front row seat to the innovation and creativity many African startups have employed to address pressing economic and social gaps and needs. Whether it’s using agri-tech to improve farmer crop yields, using technology to deliver finance solutions to the previously unbanked or pairing solar power and IoT to solve power reliability issues, African innovation is alive and thriving, and the Covid-19 pandemic has only fanned these flames of ingenuity.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Investing
-
Innovating on the Pay for Success Model: How ‘Social Derivatives’ Can Unlock Everyday Giving to Incentivize Greater Impact
Pay-for-success models have generated considerable excitement in the social finance sector. But according to Akhil Pawar and Geet Kalra at Yunus Social Business, the approach presents several challenges, mainly around the question of who will pay, and how to ensure an economical structure. They share a potential solution that leverages retail giving, substituting large donors with small ones by using "social derivatives."
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
-
Leading a Social Impact Organization During COVID-19: Eight Ways to Navigate the Current Crisis
Leading a social impact-focused organization during a crisis like COVID-19 isn't easy. Alex Counts, the founder of Grameen Foundation and author of two recent books on mission-driven leadership, shares some of the top lessons he has learned from his decades in the sector, to help leaders guide their non-profits and social enterprises through this time of national and global crisis.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Entrepreneurship
-
Have We Reached the Tipping Point in Racial Equity Investing?
In the past few weeks, racial equity and justice have been the central rallying cry, across the world. This has prompted many individuals and institutions to speak out against racial injustice, not least in the investing industry. On June 10, Confluence Philanthropy, a membership network of foundations and impact investors, launched a pledge for racial equity. The pledge is a commitment to “discussing racial equity at our next investment committee meeting.” As of June 13, 67 institutions have signed up, representing $533.96 billion in assets under management.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
Parent Organization
