The Rise of the Charitable For-Profit Entity
“Many Americans, and millions of business owners, want to do more than simply turn a profit — although they certainly have nothing against making money. Their goals also include improving the environment and developing communities. In the classic model, these social purposes had to be pursued in a non-profit corporation. But some regulations on tax-exempt non-profits such as limitations on political and lobbying activities, attracting and raising investment capital in addition to taxes on unrelated business income have made it a less desirable business entity for some.”
(via Forbes)
Should Philanthropies Operate Like Businesses?
“What should you expect of your charities? Businesslike efficiency? Or something more intangible, less-easily defined?
Charles R. Bronfman and Jeffrey R. Solomon, chairman and president, respectively, of the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies, favor businesslike thinking. Michael Edwards, a distinguished senior fellow at Demos, a social issues think tank, argues that social values should take precedence.” (via WSJ)
(I say YES…and no….what do you think?)
(via the World Bank)
“In just one day, more than 200 million hours of women’s time is consumed for the most basic of human needs — collecting water for domestic use.”
(infographic courtesy of water.org)
5 Skill Sets Impact Investing Managers Should Cultivate
1. Technical: Specialized knowledge bases, including, but not limited to social sectors (health, housing, education, etc), technology and systems, operations. The greater the breadth and depth of knowledge, the better the chances of finding & exploiting hidden synergies and opportunities.
2. Tactical: Think of tactical skills as the “how” response to a technical challenge. What financial instruments has an individual used and how creative were the structures and deals? How well do these skills translate? An equity analyst used to widely-covered and analyzed US stocks might find due diligence on early stage emerging markets social enterprises to be a completely new experience. Fundraising is another important tactical skill to keep in the mix.
3. Strategic: My definition of strategy covers values, vision and empathy. The ability to explore and assess the potential rewards or consequences of a given action or investment is a critical skill for investment managers. When problem-solving, how many alternatives does a person typically generate, or do they tend to see a single “right” answer based on precedent? Creativity, curiosity and healthy understanding of risk (in all its forms) play a role in effective strategy development. It may require time and direct interaction to understand a person’s strategic competence, and not everyone is strategically inclined. We’ve all known brilliant analysts without a strategic bone in their bodies: this is worth thinking about when you’re designing individual career development plans!
4. Communications & Management: I think of this skill set as a continuum of relationship and leadership building. As an analyst, your ability to crunch numbers, write and deliver clear arguments for or against an investment may be what matters most. By the time you’ve matured into a senior investment officer, manager or director, the ability to inspire and motivate others is likely a higher priority.
5. Geographic: Don’t let the name lull you into complacency. Geographic skills include cultural understanding, languages, field experience and even academic background. While you always have the option of deploying excellent technicians and tacticians without any of this “geographic” expertise, I guarantee that understanding local language, culture and history contribute to better performance outcomes.
The Hopeful Continent: Africa Rising After Decades of Slow Growth (Africa has a real chance to follow in the footsteps of Asia)
(via http://www.economist.com/node/21541008)
We Need a Battery Miracle
All the batteries on Earth store just 10 mins of world electricity needs. This new battery may be key.
(via @BillGates)
The Silicon Valley of Shit: Nairobi Is Ground Zero for Sanitation Innovation
“Yet while the government lacks funds, initiative, and directive for innovation in sanitation, a unique blend of social entrepreneurs have flocked to Nairobi, all seeking one noble goal: Profiting from peoples’ excrement.”
(via @good.is)
The just person lives a life of honesty, equity, and generosity in every aspect of his life.
India [one example] currently produces 46 million tons of urban solid waste, an amount that we triple in the next 15 years, according to the World Bank. Two thirds of this waste is left uncollected on streets, creating health and environmental hazards. Methane, a green house gas twenty times more harmful than carbon dioxide, is being pumped into the atmosphere at a rate of billions of cubic meters per year. (via http://www.togetherasone.in/background.html)
Waste is a significant problem for developing countries…in many places, thousands of people literally live in the dumps - many of them children.
