Your Mark On The World

Never miss another interview! Join Devin here: http://bit.ly/joindevin. Melissa Danielsen and Melanie Fountaine launched a drop-in day-care center for special needs loved ones after they lost their brother, a special needs person. It gave the twin sisters a chance to be a continuing part of a community they loved. Over the years, they realized, however, that their operation served only their Twin Cities community. They hoped to help many more people in their national and global communities. Recently, they formed a new company and launched an app to find qualified and vetted on-demand care for people with special needs--about 70 percent of whom are on the autism spectrum. Today, the app serves only the Twin Cities but they are hoping to expand quickly and are trying to identify the best next market. Click the following link to learn my insider secrets to media publicity for social impact: http://bit.ly/75offmedia.

Never miss another interview! Join Devin here: http://bit.ly/joindevin. The difference between community redevelopment and gentrification isn’t entirely a subjective judgment left to the eye of the beholder, say Fran Seegull and Jen Collins. Fran is the executive director for the U.S. Impact Investment Alliance and Jen is a fellow-in-residence at the Beeck Center at Georgetown University. They are leading minds on community-based impact investing under Opportunity Zones created by the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act. The law that created Opportunity Zones did not limit the investments to those with demonstrable social impact. The U.S. Impact Investment Alliance and the Beeck Center have partnered to develop a framework for investing in Opportunity Zones intended to be a defining difference between community redevelopment and gentrification. Click the following link to learn my insider secrets to media publicity for social impact: http://bit.ly/75offmedia.

Never miss another interview! Join Devin here: http://bit.ly/joindevin. For decades, Sam Daley-Harris has quietly gone about changing the world. Much of the global success in eradicating extreme poverty can be credited in part to him and his leadership at RESULTS. His secret has been to train and empower ordinary citizens to be effective activists. He helps organizations learn the secrets to empowering a group’s membership to act independently and effectively to drive change. This requires organizations to train their membership with the skills they need and at the same time to step back and allow the membership to act on their behalf--even when members might muddle the message. His approach has proven effective not only with RESULTS on poverty but also with the Citizens Climate Lobby. Today, Sam is focused on a new organization called Civic Courage, teaching other organizations how to empower their members. Click the following link to learn my insider secrets to media publicity for social impact: http://

Never miss another interview! Join Devin here: http://bit.ly/joindevin. Pact is a large NGO that isn’t content to do things the way they’ve always been done because it’s the way things have always been done. Amidst a global impact investing and social entrepreneurship boom, Pact created Pact Ventures and tapped experienced impact investor Brian Vo to lead the effort. Using funds from its own balance sheet, Pact is seeking to prove that invested capital can be returned and recycled for future impact when funds are used to scale proven interventions. Already reaching millions of people each year with a 2018 budget of $200 million, PACT seeks to increase its reach by strategically applying an investment approach in certain circumstances. Click the following link to learn my insider secrets to media publicity for social impact: http://bit.ly/75offmedia.

Never miss another interview! Join Devin here: http://bit.ly/joindevin. Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/2CrposD. “Brilliant” is the word one source used to describe Project Drawdown’s ranked list of 100 climate change solutions, begging the meta question, should the list be on the list. Having a variety of climate change solution options is only useful if everyone who should know they exist does know, making a credible list of climate solutions potentially as important as the solutions on the list. In 2017, Project Drawdown, published the New York Times bestseller Drawdown, edited by the founder, Paul Hawken, 72. (Be sure to watch the full interview with Hawken in the player at the top of the article.) Hehjabeen Abidi Habib, the author of Water in the Wilderness, based in Pakistan, the seventh most vulnerable country to climate change effects, serves on the Project Drawdown advisory board. She sees the effort as evidence “that it is not too late to make choices to

Never miss another interview! Join Devin here: http://bit.ly/joindevin. Village Capital was founded to invest in social entrepreneurs using a novel, peer-selected methodology. A decade later, under new leadership, it remains committed to those principles. Allie Burns recently succeeded Ross Baird (who left to start Blueprint Local) as the CEO of Village Capital. She joined Village Capital nearly three years ago after leaving the Case Foundation, working closely with Jean Case on communications surrounding impact investing initiatives. Allie joined me to talk about three key ideas. First, she noted that investors need to look beyond equity as the primary structure for startup finance. Second, she noted the success of the peer-selection model at Village Capital. Finally, she noted that the peer-selection model not only yields good investments it eliminates gender bias. Be sure to tune in to the full interview in the players above. Click the following link to learn my insider secrets to media publicity for

Never miss another interview! Join Devin here: http://bit.ly/joindevin. Shri Ajvalia, Global Medical Affairs, Project Management at Janssen Pharmaceuticals (a subsidiary of our sponsor Johnson & Johnson), has conducted two successful crowdfunding campaigns on CaringCrowd. He joined us to share his passion and insights. In two separate campaigns, Shri raised money to fight human trafficking and gun violence. Neither is a top of mind public health issue, but both certainly are health issues that are impacting the public. CaringCrowd, a crowdfunding site sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, is focused exclusively on public health nonprofits. That definition focuses not on interventions and activities but on outcomes, allowing for a broad range of nonprofits to raise money on the platform. In our discussion, Shri shared some insights about what he’s learned from his crowdfunding success. Learn more by tuning in to the full interview above. Click the following link to learn my insider secrets to media publicity f

Never miss another interview! Join Devin here: http://bit.ly/joindevin. Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/2O2aspl. Inspired by Visa’s cooperative ownership structure, Michael Dillhyon, founder and board member of Healthbank Cooperative, has created a novel way for people to keep and own their health and medical records. Envisioned as a global solution and based in Switzerland, the co-op has 270,000 members, giving it a credible start. The members of the co-op each have one vote in corporate decisions, regardless of their ownership. The co-op itself owns the data and an operating subsidiary that is working actively to grow the business. The co-op controls the subsidiary, but some financial returns will go to investors. Co-op member, Otto Philipp Braun, who is the managing director for Metamorphoses, says, “The cooperative offers an individual, safe and transparent way to use healthcare data.” He also expressed appreciation for the oversight the co-op provides to the

Never miss another interview! Join Devin here: http://bit.ly/joindevin. Jason Lewis, an expert nonprofit fundraiser and author of The War for Fundraising Talent and How Small Shops Can Win, joined me for a disscussion about his insights from the book. Jason encourages nonprofits to build real relationships with donors who can give significant amounts of money, sharing a story of a career highlight when he mentored a small nonprofit that had established a weak relationship with a big donor and was on the brink of losing her. With his help, the nonprofit was successful in strengthening the relationship and in obtaining additional funds to support its mission. Click the following link to learn my insider secrets to media publicity for social impact: http://bit.ly/75offmedia.

Never miss another interview! Join Devin here: http://bit.ly/joindevin. One of the world’s leading experts on philanthropy, Phil Buchanan, president of the Center for Effective Philanthropy and author of the book Giving Done Right, joined me to share insights about philanthropy. His fundamental premise is that giving effectively is more difficult than getting money for most philanthropists. He first notes that while the nonprofit sector is much maligned--perhaps because there are still problems in the world--it’s work is both important and generally effective. Philanthropy is different from investing--in many ways more difficult--and requires a unique set of skills. He also argues that nonprofits must by their nature collaborate rather than compete. Tune in to watch the entire interview in the video player at the top of this article. Click the following link to learn my insider secrets to media publicity for social impact: http://bit.ly/75offmedia.

Never miss another interview! Join Devin here: http://bit.ly/joindevin. Jaclyn Lindsey knows more about kindness than any living human. Her organization, Kindness.org, seeks to be the singular authority on kindness, including scientific research on the benefits and results of kindness. Her goal is to catalyze more kindness everywhere. Her theory of change concludes that all social problems--even environmental problems--can be positively impacted by greater kindness. Be sure to watch the full interview with Jaclyn in the player at the top of this article. Click the following link to learn my insider secrets to media publicity for social impact: http://bit.ly/75offmedia.

Never miss another interview! Join Devin here: http://bit.ly/joindevin. Stephen McKeon joined us to talk about security tokens. As the chief strategy advisor for Security Token Academy, he is an expert in the issuance of security tokens. Stephen explains that security tokens are digital securities, built on blockchain technology. The advantages of security tokens include the ability to trade them more efficiently than traditional securities because they incorporate security, including a universally accepted record of ownership such that even after lots of trading, everyone agrees on who owns the securties. The market around security tokens really only began to develop about two years ago but it is accelerating quickly now as the use case for blockchain technology for trading securities really works. Click the following link to learn my insider secrets to media publicity for social impact: http://bit.ly/75offmedia.

Never miss another interview! Join Devin here: http://bit.ly/joindevin. Dr. Heidi Stieglitz Ham, an expert in cognitive psychology with a focus on autism, is working to put adults on the autism spectrum in greater control of their lives. The nonprofit she founded, Spectrum Fusion, works to help provide meaningful, strategic connections to people who often feel isolated and alone. She calls the experience a Reactor Room. By working with an adult on the spectrum to identify a dream, goal, business idea or creative desire, the organization builds a team of reactors to hear and react to the idea. The reactors, as the audience members are called, then work to help the individual develop or refine a plan to bring the vision into reality. The exercise serves to transform lives both by helping the individual to realize their full potential and by connecting them with a community of support so they are no longer isolated. Click the following link to learn my insider secrets to media publicity for social impact: ht

Never miss another interview! Join Devin here: http://bit.ly/joindevin. Novica is delivering handmade items from artisans around the world to customers here in the United States. This has enabled them to send almost $90 million to those producers in the developed world, creating a sustainable model and impact on diverse communites around the globe. The business started with a focus on serving the artisans. The company operates offices scattered around the globe to provide a presence that allows locals to have direct access to an affluent market. Founder Roberto Milk partnered with National Geographic to launch Novica. The partnership continues today. Click the following link to learn my insider secrets to media publicity for social impact: http://bit.ly/75offmedia.

Never miss another interview! Join Devin here: http://bit.ly/joindevin. Impact Shares is an innovative nonprofit financial firm that has created several exchange traded funds or ETFs that ordinary investors to easily purchase in their existing stock portfolios. I am so excited about this opportunity I intend to add these to my personal investment portfolio. While my purchases will be small, I’ll wait a few days before I make my investments to avoid any suggestion of front-running--a serious Wall Street “no-no.” The funds are designed to align with specific development goals. The mission of each fund is developed in partnership with a nonprofit working on that issue area. Impact Shares has issued exchanged traded funds in collaboration with The NAACP Minority Empowerment ETF (Ticker: NACP), the YWCA Women’s Empowerment (Ticker: WOMN) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (Ticker: SDGA). Click the following link to learn my insider secrets to media publicity for social impact: http://bit.l

Never miss another interview! Join Devin here: http://bit.ly/joindevin. Arlene Cogen, author, certified financial planner and philanthropy consultant, joined me to discuss her three tips for better philanthropy. She suggests working with your advisor to find a simple way to endow a gift--and to lead by example. Be sure to tune in the hear all her great advice. The following is the pre-interview with Arlene Cogen, CFP. Be sure to watch the recorded interview above. She provides three tips for being a better philanthropist. Tip 1: Work with your advisor - comprehensive plan Tip 2: Endow a gift - make a gift you never imagined. Tip 3: Lead by example Click the following link to learn my insider secrets to media publicity for social impact: http://bit.ly/75offmedia.

Never miss another interview! Join Devin here: http://bit.ly/joindevin. Paula Froehle, co-founder and CEO of Chicago Media Project, joined me to discuss the organization’s work. The group starts as an angel investor group for documentary film but it doesn’t stop there. The group also helps to drive innovation in the field and hosts both public and member-only events. The following is the pre-interview with Paula Froehle. Be sure to watch the recorded interview above. For-profit/Nonprofit: Both- our ecosystem includes CMP the nonprofit & CMP Invest/Impact, our for-profit equity fund. Revenue model: We are funded by member donations. We have revenue-generating events like Doc10 that supplement. Scale: We have 55+ members. 4 staff. We have provided $4.5 million in funding support for documentary films. What is the problem you solve and how do you solve it? We support media to power social change. Click the following link to learn my insider secrets to media publicity for social impact: http://bit.ly/75

Never miss another interview! Join Devin here: http://bit.ly/joindevin. Isabelle Hau, a former investment banker at Morgan Stanley (where I originally met her more than a decade ago), now serves as the investment partner for US Education at Omidyar Network. She joined me to discuss a recent report showing the importance of educational intervention at a remarkably early age. Beginning at 18 months, researchers can identify vocabulary differences in children raised by parents with a college education compared with those who are not. By age five, when children start kindergarten, the difference can be almost too great to overcome. Children who are not reading and speaking on grade level by the third grade are shown to face greater challenges throughout their lives. Hau sees an opportunity to invest in children before they start school to level the playing field and give every child an equal opportunity at success in life. Click the following link to learn my insider secrets to media publicity for social im

Never miss another interview! Join Devin here: http://bit.ly/joindevin. Mark Durstewitz, the vice president and creative director for MadElf Arts and Education, discovered the power of music to spread a message when he wrote a rock musical about divorce that resonated with audiences. Or the past two decades, he’s been applying his skills to create and share a musical that encourages discussion about the environment. The story is about a farm sitting atop the last clean, freshwater aquifer and the intrigue around the fight over it. By sharing the musical in schools, he’s helping the next generation to develop skills in understanding and discussion difficult environmental issues. Click the following link to learn my insider secrets to media publicity for social impact: http://bit.ly/75offmedia.

Never miss another interview! Join Devin here: http://bit.ly/joindevin. Read the full Forbes article and watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/2U0SxBN. John Kluge, 35, founder and managing director for the Refugee Investment Network or the RIN, created this matchmaking service between impact investors and impact actors in the refugee space with a key group of people in mind: the 70 million refugees and internally displaced people in the world. With refugees spending an average of 26 years in camps, he says, this is a global crisis that is growing. Millions of refugees were born in camps and have never lived anywhere else. Without a change in current trends, the number of refugees globally could approach the current population of the United States by 2030. “If you're displaced for decades and you are not allowed to work and not allowed to move freely (as is the case for millions of refugees and displaced people around the world), you are not living. You are surviving,” Kluge says, noting that he sees thi