Leveraging the Power of Foundations-An Analysis of Program-Related Investing

This new report by the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy provides a fresh look at program-related investments and how they are being used by foundations but continue to remain a very small part of the philanthropic toolkit.

http://www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/research-by-category/PRIreport

Learning from Odysseus: Can stuffing our ears help us make better decisions?

"When Odysseus wanted to sail around the island of the Sirens, he stuffed his fellow sailors’ ears with wax and tied himself to the mast.  In doing so, he influenced his future decision by wise precaution – and became the first to listen to the enchanting song of the Sirens without steering his ship into the cliffs." The University of Heidelberg's Centre for Social Investment has a new report on how choice architectures may improve decision-making. 

https://www.csi.uni-heidelberg.de/report/pdf/CSI_report_14__2013-05_english.pdf

Unburnable Carbon

If governments are serious about climate change, a portion of oil and gas reserves of major energy companies would not be usable.  Carbon Tracker has done an interesting analysis of this issue.
http://www.economist.com/news/business/21577097-either-governments-are-not-serious-about-climate-change-or-fossil-fuel-firms-are

Google Investing in Peer-to-Peer Lender

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/05/02/google-to-invest-in-lending-club/?smid=pl-share

In Brown-Vitter Bill, a Banking Overhaul With Possible Teeth???

This legislative attempt to simply increase the capital requirements for the large U.S. banks will probably go no where. Socializing risk and privatizing profits.  Will the story ever change?

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/05/01/in-brown-vitter-bill-a-banking-overhaul-with-possible-teeth/?smid=pl-share

Impact Investing Panels from the Milken Institute Global Conference

http://www.forbes.com/sites/devinthorpe/2013/05/01/impact-investing-discussions-at-milken-institute-global-conference-suggest-economic-returns-and-social-impact-can-be-achieved-together/

Jeremy Leggett from Carbon Tracker

http://www.alliancemagazine.org/node/4257

Interview with GIIN's Amit Bouri on Forbes.com

http://www.forbes.com/sites/meehyoekoo/2013/04/29/connecting-the-global-community-of-leading-impact-investors-global-impact-investing-network/

SIB Guide for Providers from Children's Aid Society

This SIB guide for service providers by Megan Golden is a great addition to the SIB field.

http://www.childrensaidsociety.org/files/upload-docs/CAS_FINAL_Report.pdf

Rockefeller Foundation's Judith Rodin Profiled in FT on Impact Investing

Rockefeller continues its support of impact investing as the G8 plans to include impact investing its June meetings.

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/cf342d78-ab53-11e2-8c63-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2Rr9egaMR

Social Impact Bonds: Pay-for-Success Programs Could Help OMB with Grant Guidance

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/news/2013/04/26/61415/pay-for-success-programs-could-help-omb-with-grant-guidance/

First the Giving Pledge and now the Investing Pledge

Which Leading Investors are Seeking Profit and 100% Impact by 2020?:

If Bill Gates and Warren Buffett are willing to eventually give away all of the wealth through philanthropy, just image the positive impact they could create if they agreed to make all of their investments reflect their values and philanthropic goals.

Future of Impact Investing from Sir Ronald Cohen

Is impact investing the Next Big Thing?  I hope so as we work through how to move capital into this strategy/asset class/sector.  Sir Cohen sees the foundation community's endowments as critical to the shift.

Future of Impact Investing

Gabrielle Giffords' Powerful Message to our Shameful U.S. Senate

I think Gabrielle Giffords' op-ed piece on the shameful behavior of our U.S. Senate is the most powerful message I have heard about the need to control gun violence in our country. I hope you read it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/18/opinion/a-senate-in-the-gun-lobbys-grip.html?smid=pl-share

San Francisco Fed's Community Development Investment Review Issue on Pay for Success Financings

I am pleased to be part of this issue with an article on the role that CRA banks can play as pioneer investors in pay for success financings.

http://www.frbsf.org/publications/community/review/vol9_issue1/index.html

NYC's Social Impact Bond on the PBS Newshour

Making Sense is the goal of this segment - I think it is a good overview

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/jan-june13/bonds_04-09.html#

Third Sector Case Study: Preparing for a Pay for Success Opportunity

http://www.thirdsectorcap.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Third-Sector_Roca_Preparing-for-Pay-for-Success-in-MA.pdf?utm_source=Work+Etc.+Import+April+10%2C+2013&utm_campaign=f3ecd9fe91-3_1_13_Hiring&utm_medium=email

Illinois to Launch 2nd SIB in US

http://www.wrex.com/story/21923194/2013/04/09/illinois-to-be-2nd-state-to-start-social-impact-bond-program

If all politics are local, how can we ever hope to solve global challenges like climate change?

In this article on the History of Earth Day, it becomes clear that the strategy of environmental organizations to engage with corporations to support climate change legislation in the U.S. did not work in the absence of a grassroots movement.  It's not about messaging.  It is about exercising political power through democratic structures - sounds naive but there doesn't appear to be a better substitute.
 
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2013/04/15/130415crat_atlarge_lemann

Mixing Economics and Philosophy Over Lunch

Harvard Philosopher Michael Sandel's critical take on Imperial Economists like Larry Summers and how we can begin to challenge our prevailing "culture of the transaction" makes for an interesting FT Lunch article.

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/bd509112-9c55-11e2-9a4b-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2Ph2kofNJ