Consider the alternatives

(Photo from Flickr: Creative Commons, I_Yudai) It is always easier to tear down what exists than build something new. It is just plain simpler to point out all that is wrong with what is than actually to imagine, let alone create, viable alternatives. In response to my post about breaking new boxes I was reminded [...]

FasterCures Philanthropy Advisory Service

(Image from http://philanthropyadvisoryservice.org/pas) I’m jammed for time so will have to make this quick – check out FasterCures Philanthropy Advisory Service. It launched today at the Milken Institute Global Conference. I have had the great privilege of being in contact with these folks for several years about this work. Sometime in 2005/06 I received a [...]

FasterCures Philanthropy Advisory Service

(Image from http://philanthropyadvisoryservice.org/pas) I’m jammed for time so will have to make this quick – check out FasterCures Philanthropy Advisory Service. It launched today at the Milken Institute Global Conference. I have had the great privilege of being in contact with these folks for several years about this work. Sometime in 2005/06 I received a [...]

The search for shared measures

I posted an update on the state of philanthropic and social capital markets the other day in which I made this comment: “Where it gets tricky is in the calculation of the social or environmental return. How to calculate the extent of these impacts is a thorny problem no matter where on the financial spectrum [...]

Moving markets

I’ve been thinking about philanthropic and social capital markets for several years now. (There are dozens of posts on the evolution of these markets on this blog and this was the primary topic – and title – of my 2004 book) We are currently in one of the most dynamic periods in this area that [...]

The Blue Sweater – book review

I spent a good part of my recent birthday stuck on airplanes, re-routed from connecting flights, and sitting on the tarmac instead of getting home. This was my first birthday since my mom died. This was a perfect set-up for self-pity. Luckily for me, I was traveling with a Kindle full of reading and one [...]

Field building – does the field matter?

I’ve written a lot about field building and read even more. Nowadays, the word “industry” is often substituted for field. I suppose I could take some credit for this – since a chunk of my 2004 book addressed the issue of philanthropy as an industry – and, as an idea that was ahead of its [...]

Global Social Investment Exchange

I’m excited to be playing a small part in the brainstorming, pre-planning, possible launching of a Global Social Investment Exchange. (GSIX). Some incredibly creative and accomplished people in online giving marketplaces, social enterprise, poverty alleviation, nonprofit finance, financial exchanges, and technology are coming together to consider the possibilities of a global exchange, modeled on national [...]

Global Social Investment Exchange

I’m excited to be playing a small part in the brainstorming, pre-planning, possible launching of a Global Social Investment Exchange. (GSIX). Some incredibly creative and accomplished people in online giving marketplaces, social enterprise, poverty alleviation, nonprofit finance, financial exchanges, and technology are coming together to consider the possibilities of a global exchange, modeled on national [...]

Commons, not markets

The title of this post “commons, not markets” hints at a much larger theme I’m working on. In that vein, however, here is an interesting site and presentation on a “social venture commons” that I found through twitter (#igniter). Note the presentation refers to micro-funds. Reminds me of my “Let’s pitch Hollywood” and “Giving Commons” [...]