Entries For: February 2008
2008-02-29
National Summit on Entrepreneurship
May 20-23, 2008, Presented by the Association for Enterprise Opportunity, Anaheim, CA
Registration is open for the AEO National Summit.
When entrepreneurs are empowered and equipped to succeed, communities grow and the economy is strengthened. And in this economic climate, the time to be empowered is now.
The 18th annual AEO gathering will provide you with new ideas, tools and strategies to help you succeed as a service and product provider to microentrepreneurs across the country. This summit is the largest gathering of organizations and practitioners focused on micro-entrepreneurship as a solution to community economic development and poverty alleviation in the country.
Our co-host this year is the California Association for Microenterprise Opportunity (CAMEO) and this year's summit theme is Empowering America's Communities. We will focus on the importance of building strong, economically viable communities by developing energetic and committed partnerships within and outside of the microenterprise development field. It's about the "regional flavor" and "buy local" concepts that bring together diverse entities to create stronger, more sustainable and energy efficient communities. It's about local economic development and the strengthening of America's communities through innovative inclusive financial and social opportunity. At the core of these exciting local strategies is microenterprise development!
Join us from May 20 - 23, 2008 in Anaheim, California, along with other delegates who will share best practices, innovations, ideas, and a renewed passion for the movement and growth of microenterprises.About Our Co-Host: CAMEO is a statewide association of organizations, agencies, and individuals dedicated to furthering microenterprise development in California. CAMEO builds the capacity of practitioner organizations to better meet customer needs. For more information about CAMEO visit www.microbiz.org.
2008-02-28
2008 Social Enterprise Conference
Harvard Business School, March 2, 2008
Speakers include:
Panels include:
2008-02-25
The World of Children Awards Nominations Open
Deadline for 2008 Nominations is Wednesday, April 30, 2008
The World of Children honors these leaders, and grants them funds to support the proven, high-impact programs they have created. These awards assure that more children's lives will be touched, and changed...forever.
One 2008 Humanitarian Award - maximum grant of $100,000.
The Humanitarian Award recognizes an individual who has made a significant lifetime contribution to children in the areas of social services, education or humanitarian services.
One 2008 Health Award - maximum grant of $100,000.
The Health Award recognizes an individual who has made a significant lifetime contribution to children in the fields of health, medicine or the sciences.
Two 2008 Founder's Award for Youth - two maximum grants of $25,000 each.
The Founders Award recognizes youth, under the age of 21, that are making extraordinary contributions to the lives of other children.
Deadline for 2008 Nominations is Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Visit WorldofChildren.org for nomination criteria and guidelines.
Nominate someone.
Recipients of the 2008 World of Children Awards will be officially announced and celebrated in New York City on Thursday, November 13, 2008.
2008-02-24
World Biofuels Markets Congress
12-14 March 2008, Brussels, Belgium
World Biofuels Markets Congress
Brussels, 12-14 March 2008
Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, is confirmed to address the World Biofuels Markets Congress. The World Biofuels Markets Congress has grown rapidly into Europe’s largest biofuels congress and annually attracts all the major companies from the entire global biofuels value chain to Brussels.
2007 saw Al Gore address over 1300 participants from 58 different countries. For 2008 in addition to the Commissioner, attendees will hear from Vinod Khosla, an ex founder of Sun Microsystems and leading US venture capitalist, industry pioneer Jeff Broin (CEO Poet Energy), leading biofuels plant developer Giuseppe di Carpegna (CEO, Desmet Ballestra Oleo) and leading next generation scientist Per Falholt (CSO at Novozymes). With 5 pre-congress conferences and 4 highly focused streams, the event is the largest, annual gathering of international biofuels industry experts.
2008-02-23
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Finance Conference
March 27th-28th 2008, Park Central Hotel, New York
Mainstreaming Biodiversity & Ecosystem Finance
March 27th-28th 2008, Park Central Hotel, New York
This two day conference will explore all the issues relating to the developing area of Biodiversity Finance. Speakers will be a balance of conservation groups; financial institutions’ and early adopter best practice case studies. Day one of the conference will introduce the biodiversity finance challenge and biodiversity conservation finance and day two will focus more closely on the financial service sector and biodiversity.
How can financiers & corporations take a lead in biodiversity & ecosystem conservation?
- Learn from 25 financial, biodiversity & ecosystem experts
- Explore ways to stimulate the involvement of the finance and business community
- Understand the business risks & opportunities for the financial sector
- Assess the opportunities for private sector companies in biodiversity & ecosystems finance
- Find out how to achieve the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity
- Hear innovative examples of biodiversity & ecosystem finance and investment
2008-02-22
TBLI Conference Asia 2008: Fast-Tracking Environmental and Social Governance
29-30 May, 2008, Bangkok, Thailand [Proposals for presentations due 29 February 2008]
TBLI CONFERENCE™ ASIA 2008
29-30 MAY, 2008
The Landmark Bangkok Hotel*****
BANGKOK, THAILAND
Register to attend at TBLI.org.
CALL FOR PROPOSALS |ภาษาไทย | 中文 | 中文繁體 | 日本語 | 한국어
Do you have cutting edge research to communicate or experience in Asian ESG/SRI that you would like to share? We are now accepting proposals for the upcoming TBLI CONFERENCE™ ASIA in Bangkok, May 2008. Proposals must be received by 18:00 GMT on February 29, 2008 to be considered. Click here to learn about the proposal process and presentation requirements.
CALL FOR SPONSORS: Is your organization looking to increase its profile in Asia?
The Asian financial community demonstrates a rapidly growing interest in Environmental and Social Governance, as well as Sustainable Investment. Asia is rapidly catching up and SRI will soon be an general integrated part of investment schemes and corporate governance. Don't miss this opportunity to network and raise your organization's visibility in this region! Click here to see our sponsor package.
Note: Proposals are also being accepted for the TBLI Conference Europe 2008 being held 13-14 November, 2008 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Brooklyn Bridge-TBLI GROUP™ is a knowledge broker and an extra-financial rainmaker, specializing in Triple Bottom Line Investing (TBLI) and ESG (Environmental and Social Governance). The concepts of TBLI or ESG are: People plus Planet plus Profit, i.e. Social Equity, Environmental Quality and Economic Prosperity. ESG adds social and/or environmental value to external stakeholders, whilst increasing value to shareholders.
Social Entrepreneurship Day
Sunday, February 24, 2008, Stanford University, Palo Alto CA
Kriss Deiglmeier, executive director of the Center, will moderate a lively discussion among funders of social enterprises and their grantees, including:
o Jenny Shilling Stein, executive director of the Draper Richards Foundation
o Jessica Jackley Flannery, cofounder and director of business development of Kiva.org
o Amy Clark, Global Fellows Program Leader at Ashoka
o Suzanne McKechnie Klahr, Ashoka Fellow and founder of BUILD
The event is open to all, with no registration required (but we recommend that you arrive early). For more information, visit http://eweek.stanford.edu.
Immediately afterwards, from 4:00-5:00 PM in Wallenberg Hall, the Stanford Digital Vision Program will host a fair showcasing social entrepreneurs from around the world. Meet these entrepreneurs in person and learn about the innovative IT-based applications they have developed in the areas of health, education, and financial services.
Entrepreneurship Week
February 22-29
Social Entrepreneurship Day is just one of many events taking place on the Stanford campus during Entrepreneurship Week. Events include prestigious speakers, networking receptions, and roundtable discussions on biodesign, technology, social ventures, and more. The big launch on 2/22 features Stanford president and entrepreneur John Hennessy and the world movie premier of Imagine It!, an inspiring documentary featuring numerous alumni and Stanford students competing in last year's Innovation Tournament. Most events are free and open to the public. Get details at http://eweek.stanford.edu.
2008-02-21
Accelerating Social Entrepreneurship in Virginia, Round II
Wednesday, March 19, 2008, Richmond, VA
Visit The Phoenix Project for more details about this half-day conference and to register.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
11:30 am - 5:30 pm (Lunch Program 12:00-2:00)
Richmond Marriott, Richmond, Virginia
Program
11:30 AM-12:15 PM: Sponsors’ Reception
12:15-2:00: Lunch Program
Introductory Remarks by Phoenix Project Executive Director Greg Werkheiser
Keynote Remarks by Governor Tim Kaine
Panel Discussion including Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, Jim Ukrop and additional panelists to be announced, on how the nonprofit, public and private sectors can cooperate in new ways and with news strategies to address the challenges facing each sector and address Virginia's chief public challeges.
Audience Questions/Comments
2:30-4:00: Breakout Sessions
Session I: Community Wealth Ventures staff will facilitate two workshops simultaneously:
- Getting Started with Social Enterprise: For nonprofit executives who have little to no experience with social enterprise, but are interested in exploring how it could help their organization increase mission and organizational sustainability. Is your organization ready for social enterprise and what opportunities are appropriate? Leave the workship with a process that your staff and board can implement.
- Maximizing the Impact of Social Enterprise: For nonprofit executives with moderate to significant experience operating a social enterprise within their organizations. Hear key strategies for performance and maximizing impact of a venture. Two participating organizations will be selected to receive free in-depth consulting services at a late date.
Session II: Social Entrepreneurship in the Classroom and in the Field: For college administrators, faculty and students—explore strategies for integrating social entrepreneurship education into the curricula and co-curricula of Virginia institutions of higher education.
4:15-5:30: Plenary Session
The Phoenix Network: For all attendees—discuss formation of a statewide network through which Virginia universities and our most economically distressed communities partner to build the capacity of the communities to address their challenges, improve the educational mission of the universities and prepare our next generation of nonprofit leaders and social entrepreneurs.
Alcoa Foundation is a Governorship Sponsor of the event, and the Phoenix Project's Round II partners include Community Wealth Ventures, Virginia Network of Nonprofit Organizations (VANNO) and the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV).
Please email us for additional information or call (703) 425-3532 with questions. We hope to see you there!
2008-02-20
i-genius World Summit
Phuket, Thailand, 13th - 16th March 2008
The i-genius summit is bringing the most creative and innovative social entrepreneurs from around the world together with leaders in government, business investors and NGOs to participate in a unique event.
The summit will be highly original in its concept, format and design – where social entrepreneurs will lead the programme of activities. Focusing on the four themes of:
*Opportunities for social entrepreneurs in a changing world
*Communications and media
*Network and partnership building
*Funding
The summit is a fantastic opportunity to develop your ideas, be part of stimulating social change, meet great people and form partnerships with other social entrepreneurs, corporations, agencies, and media organisations. We will also be launching the ‘i-genius award’ at our Gala dinner, for the most inspiring social entrepreneur within our community.
The conference will be held at the superb 5 star Indigo Pearl resort, which not only provides us with a stunning and inspiring venue, but is also eco-friendly, consistent with our desire to run an ethical event.
Our ethos is to create a place to meet amazing people and form strong partnerships, and to host an event where the participants create the energy to make great things happen.
To receive a copy of our brochure, which outlines programme details and participant fees, please contact team@i-genius.org or click here to download your copy (please note: the document is large and may take a short while to download).
To register for the summit, please go to http://igeniusworldsummit.eventbrite.com
i-genius helps people promote what they are doing, their work, their ideas, their passion – and through our community, enables them to connect with others. In our community we seek to stimulate fresh thinking and bright ideas, and inspire a new generation to become 'social entrepreneurs'. Social entrepreneurs are individuals who create or develop businesses (whether commercial or not for profit) where the primary focus is on social change.
2008-02-18
Net Impact’s 2008 Second Annual "Green Challenge" Global Competition
Applications Due April 1, 2008.
The “Green Challenge” will recognize and reward environmental initiatives and programs developed by Net Impact’s student and professional chapters worldwide. The creation of carbon neutrality plans, sustainability task forces, and green building policies all help illustrate the growing movement of MBAs and professionals wishing to “go green.”
Net Impact members who are leading environmentally friendly initiatives on campus or in their workplace are encouraged to participate and compete for global recognition and cash prizes. “The Green Challenge inspires, recognizes, and rewards current and future business leaders,” says Liz Maw, Net Impact’s Executive Director. “We’ve created a viable platform for students and professionals to showcase their efforts to green campuses, businesses and the global marketplace. We hope their ideas and efforts will inspire and motivate others to follow.”
Preliminary applications are due by April 1, 2008. All projects will be evaluated by an esteemed group of “Green Challenge” judges based on the following criteria:
* Measurable difference in key green area, such as waste reduction, energy efficiency, green purchasing, design for environment, and culture change
* Strategic planning and long-term sustainability of actions
* Creativity of approach
* Stakeholder engagement process
Last year’s winners reduced company and campus paper usage, developed carbon offsetting programs and ran campaigns to change co-worker and student behavior.
To learn more about getting involved in the “Green Challenge” visit www.netimpact.org/greenchallenge or email greening@netimpact.org
2008-02-16
The Center for Financial Services Innovation (CFSI) Nonprofit Opportunities Fund
Average grant size $200,000-$300,000. Proposals due Friday, March 14, 2008.
2008-02-15
Investors' Circle Spring Conference & Venture Fair 2008
May 5-7, 2008, Hotel Nikko, San Francisco, CA. Registration Open Now. Early Bird Rates Available.
Join us this May for three exciting days of deal-making, exploration and connections.
Program Overview
May 5 - Play BIG Members Only Events
Investors’ Circle is partnering again with Play BIG and Tides for an invitational pre-conference gathering for people with exceptional financial capacity who want to leverage their capital proactively and strategically for high social impact. Monday will also include our Members Only events. The afternoon will feature a special meeting for new members; in the evening, we are pleased to host a conversation with Slow Food Founder President, Carlo Petrini, and an exclusive reception.
May 6 - Venture Fair (Open to accredited investors only)
Hear presentations and meet with representatives from 20 innovative, for-profit companies and small venture funds presenting their investment opportunities in: energy environment, food organics, health wellness, education media and community international development.
May 7 - Education Day
This spring's plenary panel will focus on Is Organic the Next Clean Tech? The afternoon features breakout sessions that allow people to come together to share the latest thinking about for-profit social entrepreneurship and double bottom line investing.
For complete event details, visit Investors' Circle Spring Conference.
2008-02-13
National Geographic Geotourism Competition
Apply at Changemakers by April 9, 2008 for chance to win US$5,000.
Competition Seeks Innovations in Tourism
The National Geographic Society introduces its first Geotourism Challenge collaborative competition to identify and showcase innovators in tourism development, management and marketing. The one-of-a-kind online competition, at www.changemakers.net/geotourismchallenge, will raise awareness about how tourism can help sustain, enhance and preserve local culture and environment. Three winners will each receive a cash prize of $5,000 and an opportunity to present their innovations at a Geotourism Challenge Summit this fall.
Coordinated in partnership with Ashoka’s Changemakers, the global “Geotourism Challenge: Celebrating Places/Changing Lives,” will accept online applications through Wednesday, April 9, 2008. Applicants must demonstrate an innovation that furthers geotourism, defined as “tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place — its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and the well-being of its residents.” During this 10-week period anyone can debate, endorse or provide additional information on the applicants.
Travelers can nominate additional candidates and provide feedback about unique travel experiences and quality destinations. A distinguished panel of judges will review the applications and select a dozen finalists. The online community will then vote for three Geotourism Challenge winners.
The Geotourism Challenge is Changemakers’ 15th collaborative competition and draws on Ashoka’s 27 years of experience in identifying leading social entrepreneurs around the world. To date, the competitions have sourced over 2,000 local innovations on various themes from more than 125 countries.
Anyone who completes the online nomination form is automatically registered for a chance to win two trips for two, including airfares, accommodations and spending money, anywhere in the world where WHL Travel operates.
Find out more about how to nominate, enter, comment and vote in our collaborative competitions at www.changemakers.net.
2008-02-12
Stanford Executive Education for Social Entrepreneurs
Application deadline is April 21, 2008.
2008-02-11
Social-Impact Accepting Applications from India-based Social Entrepreneurs
Applications for two year-long professional development in Hyderabad, India due April 26, 2008
Social-Impact's professional development programme offers training, mentoring, networking opportunities, capacity building and access to financial support to help successful social entrepreneurs advance to the
next level in pursuit of their vision. These unique services are delivered and supported in collaboration with leading local, state and national practitioners and mentors.
New this year, Social-Impact will be accepting applications from social entrepreneurs who are based anywhere within India. Additionally, Social-Impact is extending its program to two years in length: Year one will focus on the fundamentals of business planning for scaling social enterprises. Year two will help selected participants with exceptional business plans gain access to new sources of funding as well as increasing existing sources in order to meet scaling goals.
Social-Impact's two-year programme requires a serious time commitment from selected social entrepreneurs, and ultimately enables them to successfully ramp up and scale their social ventures. Between 15 and 18 talented individuals will be selected to participate in the 2008/10 professional development programme in Hyderabad, India.
Social entrepreneurs interested in participating in the programme should download the guidelines and application. Space is limited and applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through April 26 2008.
2008-02-06
Author Bill Strickland lecture and book signing
February 27, 2008, 6:30 p.m., Japan Society, New York
Over the past 30 years, Bill Strickland, a leading American social entrepreneur, has been transforming the lives of thousands of people through jobs training center and community arts programs at Manchester Bidwell. He and his staff strive to give disadvantaged kids and adults the opportunities and tools they need to envision and build a better future. Keying off his new book, Make the Impossible Possible (January 2008, Currency/Doubleday), Mr. Strickland, a master storyteller, shares his inspirational story from growing up in a Pittsburgh ghetto to running a nationally-recognized organization that successfully balances social action, artistic creativity and entrepreneurial acumen. More recently he has worked with the Society's U.S.-Japan Innovators Network, a multidisciplinary network of innovative leaders committed to creating a better world. Nana Watanabe, an award-winning photographer and author of Changemakers II: Working as a Social Entrepreneur (in Japanese), which includes Mr. Strickland, will preside.
Followed by a reception and book signing.
Tickets: $10/$8 Japan Society members/$5 students & seniors. Purchase tickets online above or call the Box Office at (212) 715-1258.
2008-02-05
2008 SEED Awards for Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Development
Call for Submissions: February 1st until March 16th 2008.
SEED focuses on locally-driven, entrepreneurial partnerships in developing countries. Its goal is to inspire, promote and build capacity to support the many innovative ways in which diverse groups are working together to improve incomes and strengthen livelihoods; tackle poverty and marginalisation; and manage and conserve natural resources and ecosystems.
Through an annual, global awards scheme SEED reveals a wealth of novel ways of doing business through partnerships and provides international recognition to the most promising enterprises.
The SEED Initiative is launching its SEED Awards 2008. The SEED Awards for Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Development is an annual international competition, designed to support locally-led, innovative, entrepreneurial partnerships in developing countries, which have the potential to make real improvements in poverty eradication and environmental sustainability.
We welcome innovative ideas from any group in a developing country, which is working in partnership with others to generate environmental and social benefits in an entrepreneurial way.
Deadline 16 March 2008.
The SEED Initiative assists young and promising initiatives in strengthening and scaling up the impact of their activities. This is not a cash award. Instead, a comprehensive package of tailor-made support services, with a value of US$25,000, will be provided to Winners.
The support services respond to the challenges that emerging partnerships face when planning and implementing new ideas, including access to relevant expertise and technical assistance, meeting new partners and building networks, and developing business plans and identifying sources of finance.
The SEED Award recognizes and rewards two levels of winners:
Fifteen finalists who will be publicized and receive limited support through capacity development activities. Finalists will be chosen from developing countries in each of the 4 UN regional groups: Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia. There will be 3 finalists from each region except Asia, from which six finalists will be selected.
Five Award Winners, selected from the pool of fifteen finalists, who will receive the full 'SEED Award' of support services, which will be delivered over a period of 12 months. The nature of the support services will depend on the needs that the Winners identify and will be developed jointly with them.
In addition to receiving support services, Winners in 2007 were celebrated at Awards ceremonies in their home countries and invited to SEED's International Partnerships Forum and Workshop in South Africa. SEED intends to do the same, and more, in 2008.
APPLY NOW.