| New Initiative for Responsible Investment Staff |
PRI Makers Network and More for Mission would like to introduce you to our new staff associate, Annie Olszewski.
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Greetings! 
The flow of federal dollars into new transit options creates an opportunity for communities to determine their destiny. Across the country, foundations and public entities are on a path to building neighborhoods that are rich in affordable housing, schools, and cultural resources, and promote health and safety. Creating a community loan fund for property acquisition can be a critical first step. We will learn more at our national conference about Denver's $15 million Transit Oriented Development Fund and similar efforts in other cities. Featured workshop speakers include Robin Hacke of Living Cities, Melinda Pollack of Enterprise Community Partners, and Michael Brown of The Seattle Foundation. This is one you won't want to miss!
Peter Berliner, Managing Director, PRI Makers Network
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 The Initiative for Responsible Investment, with our partners at Pacific Community Ventures, just released a report entitled "Impact at Scale: Policy Innovation for Institutional Investment with Environmental and Social Benefit," with support from the Rockefeller Foundation. In this report, we offer a framework for thinking about institutional investors in the United States - pension funds, insurance companies, foundation and university endowments - and the ways in which policy can engage these investors to catalyze private investment for public purpose. Read more...
David Wood, Director, More for Mission
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 In the News |
President Brian Fogle recently discussed the Foundation's double bottom line activities with Ozarks Public Radio KSMU. The foundation's Mission-Related Investment Program makes low-interest loans to nonprofits as part of its three year-old Community Investment effort which commits two percent of the foundation's assets to MRIs.
Dunham Fund Makes $1 Million Neighborhood Revitalization PRI
The PRI with Joseph Corporation will establish a home rehabilitation loan fund. The Dunham Fund Home Rehab and Refill Program will purchase, rehabilitate, and resell 75 unoccupied and distressed homes over five years in an area identified as a Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area by the city of Aurora in Illinois.
RBC Commits CDN $20 Million to Impact Finance Initiative
The Canadian financial services corporation and its corporate foundation announced its commitment to a new initiative aimed at addressing social and environmental challenges while generating financial return.
IRS Chief Counsel William Wilkins said in December that a guidance project related to private foundations will add more PRI examples.
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Upcoming Network Events |
Regional Members Meeting: The Future of Social Finance
March 28
Seattle, WA
Join us at our offices with David Wood as he brings you up to date on the progress on incorporating social financing as a means to raise capital for social programs. We will also provide a preview of our newly integrated organization that will be launched at our national conference in May (see below). This gathering is open to members of the PRI Makers Network and Philanthropy Northwest.
Investing for Impact:
2012 National Conference
May 8 - 10, 2012
Seattle Waterfront Marriott Hotel
Join us in Seattle to connect with 300 peers committed to mission investing - see who's attending! Learn from colleagues, share your experiences, and build your mission investing program through workshops covering skill-building, investment strategies, innovations in the field, and discussions for advanced and emerging thought leaders. Whether you are not yet making investments or are an experienced investor, the conference has something for you!
Early-bird registration is now open - Network members save $150 by registering before March 23.
Many thanks to our sponsors for their support.
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New at the Network | |
Welcome New Members!
Our membership continues to grow in anticipation of the launch of our integration with More for Mission at our May conference. If your organization is not yet a member, join today! We are pleased to welcome the following new members:
Clif Bar Family Foundation of San Francisco supports grassroots organizations focused on increasing opportunities for outdoor activity, reducing environmental health hazards, building stronger communities, creating a healthy food system and protecting the earth.
Community Foundation for the Alleghenies of Johnstown, PA serves its donors by perpetuating their philanthropic interest in financially supporting the community, using the Foundation's integrity, accountability and community knowledge.
The Energy Foundation of San Francisco is a partnership of donors interested in advancing new energy technologies that enable economic growth with dramatically less pollution.
Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago provides financing and direct funding tools that support affordable housing and local lending initiatives in their communities.
Greater Milwaukee Foundation of Wisconsin focuses on helping donors create personal legacies of giving that last beyond their lifetimes; investing donor funds for maximum return with minimum risk; and playing a leadership role in tackling the community's most challenging needs.
The Heckscher Foundation for Children of New York City aims to level the playing field for needy youth through grants to youth-serving organizations in the fields of education, family services, child welfare, health, arts and recreation.
The W. Clement & Jessie V. Stone Foundation of San Francisco is committed to providing educational and developmental opportunities to disadvantaged children and young people that enable them to fulfill their potential.
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Resources & Articles of Interest
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As the momentum builds in the U.S. to launch Social Impact Bonds, which have the potential to improve social outcomes at reduced taxpayer expense, transfer financial risk to private investors, and reward high-performing nonprofits with long-term growth capital to scale proven innovations, it is critical to understand both the promise and challenge of developing and implementing this new and innovative financial instrument.
The eighth edition of the Proxy Preview provides an overview of upcoming votes on environmental and social shareholder resolutions, including advocacy sections for 2012īs most prominent issues and case studies of successful dialogues. |
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Events of Interest |
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SEEED 2012: Building Social Enterprise Ecosystems
March 16 - 17
Providence, RI
Brown University and Social Venture Partners Rhode Island are organizing the Social Enterprise Ecosystem Economic Development (SEEED) summit to explore social enterprise as a catalyst for economic development.
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SAFSF 10th Anniversary Forum: Bounty for All?
June 19- 21
Santa Barbara, CA
The Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders (SAFSF) invites you to its 10th Anniversary Forum where they will reflect upon progress over the last decade and look to future challenges and opportunities. Using the California food system as a microcosm of our global food system, Forum participants will explore inequities around issues of water, environmental health and labor.
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