Group items tagged

Systems thinking. An individual or organization must first be able to put forward a new solution or set of solutions to a pressing social challenge. This sounds obvious, but we're suggesting that organizational theories of change, business plans, and other foundational materials need to reflect systems thinking. The most important tool in the new systems entrepreneur's suite is the ability to embed the solution into the larger system being targeted.

Breakthrough Capitalism Our financial, environmental and social systems are heading towards breakdown. But some visionary organisations in the corporate and investment communities are stepping beyond traditional corporate social responsibility (CSR) and socially responsible investment (SRI) and driving systemic change with breakthrough ventures. This is the focus of Phase II of the Breakthrough Capitalism program: see Progress Report. To contribute to the upcoming report Betting on Breakthrough: Top Team Agendas for Transformative Change, or to get involved with a Breakthrough Labs, please contact breakthrough@volans.com

We unite entrepreneurs with the potential to address major problems at scale. Problems like poverty, lack of education, and access to clean water. We then swarm them with hand-picked mentors, funders, and a global network to help grow their impact. Our goal? For each venture to impact 1,000,000 people.

ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA STEWARDSHIP NETWORK In 2008, the Morgan Family Foundation launched the California Stewardship Network as a civic venture, investing $ 1.5 million over 2 years in matching grants to 10 economic regions that agreed to focus on breakthroughs led by stewardship teams composed of business, community and government civic entrepreneurs. While each regional team has developed its own stewardship strategy, all share a common approach. Typically, these strategies are: (1) Data-driven, (2) Based on economic regions and industry clusters, (3) Successful in sustaining the engagement of business, (4) Effective at integrating economic, social, and environmental considerations, and (5) Innovative in their approach to public-private partnerships in implementation. The teams represent the diversity of California ranging from San Diego and Los Angeles in the South to Sacramento Valley, the Fresno Region and the Central Coast to the Sierra Region, Sonoma and Butte Counties and the Redwood Coast near the Oregon Border. These regional groups meet on regular basis and exchange best practices.

The concept for this site was born when a group of us at West End Community Ventures were launching Ottawa-Carleton's first Green Community initiative. We wanted to better our understanding of how to improve our own program's impact. In securing funding from the Ontario and Canadian governments, we were encouraged - and enabled - to step back from the day-to-day urgencies of our particular program and to take a broader and longer view.