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The Ins & Outs of B Corps: Frequently Asked Questions Guide

Due to the the tireless efforts of Profitable Purpose Consulting, B Local Georgia, and many, many others, Georgia has a growing B Corp community! Check this FAQ resource GSIC co-developed with Kevin Christopher of Rockridge Venture Law to help more entrepreneurs take steps...
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Field Insights: Fiduciary Duty, Good Governance, & Impact Investing

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It’s a common misconception: the belief that being a responsible trustee means walling-off mission from investment considerations. Many board members question, “Can we really pursue impact without compromising our financial obligations?” The truth is, by unpacking and rethinking what fiduciary duty really means—alongside reworking governance systems—we can discover that the pursuit of both financial returns and mission alignment isn’t just possible; it’s a win-win. Let’s dive in and explore how...
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Hansjörg Keller

Understanding the Impacts of Federal Policy & Budget Shifts on Georgia

Shifting federal policies and budget priorities could have a profound impact on Georgia’s economy, financial security, and access to essential services. Dramatic reductions to key federal programs and departmental staff reductions targeting employment, social services, and small business funding are likely to negatively impact Georgia as a whole as well as areas of the state already facing economic hardship...
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How the “Sunflower State” Raised the Bar for Statewide Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development

On February 5, 2025, TruFund Financial Services held its Annual Ecosystem Breakfast – bringing together more than 30 key stakeholders from Atlanta’s entrepreneurial and small business ecosystem. A diverse mix of participants – representing traditional banks, CDFIs, quasi-government agencies, business support organizations, and private sector investors – contributed to a lively, generative discussion on the challenges and opportunities...
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Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta

Local Impact Investing, the Next Frontier for Community Foundation Leadership

On January 28, 2025, GSIC hosted an educational webinar “Local Impact Investing, the Next Frontier of Community Leadership” to help Georgia’s community foundations to understand how peers across the country are embracing local impact investing...
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CDFI Friendly America

Field Insights: “CDFI Deserts” and the State of CDFIs in Georgia

New data from CDFI Friendly America highlights a critical challenge facing Georgia: it remains one of just nine U.S. states labeled a "CDFI Desert," reflecting a severe shortage of community development financial institution (CDFI) investment. While significant progress has been made, large portions of Georgia - especially areas beyond Atlanta - continue to be underserved, limiting opportunities for economic growth and financial...
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Coming Spring 2026: Atlanta to Host a Leading National Impact Investing Conference

Nearly 30 years ago, Atlanta captured the world’s attention as the city played host to the 1996 Summer Olympics. Last week Mission Investors Exchange (MIE) - one of the country’s leading impact investing networks - announced that Atlanta will host its 2026 biennial conference...
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Thoughts from the Executive Director

Greetings - I'm thrilled to be writing this as Georgia Social Impact Collaborative’s new Executive Director! It's been an exciting and busy first few months. For many of you, I’m a new name and face in your impact investing ecosystem.…
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The Opportunity to Invest (for Impact) in Shared Ownership Across Georgia

The Georgia Shared Ownership Convening, co-hosted by the Rutgers Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing, Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative, Goizueta’s Business & Society Institute, and Georgia Social Innovation Collaborative, brought together 50+ stakeholders to discuss the future of shared ownership models in our state. From ESOPs to cooperatives, these models are vital tools for promoting economic resilience and racial equity...
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Georgia Social Impact Collaborative Announces New Executive Director

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The Georgia Social Impact Collaborative (GSIC) is pleased to announce that Sydney England will serve as the new Executive Director. Sydney joins GSIC having spent the past decade working in various capacities in the field of impact investing.
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Stanford Social Innovation Review: “Impact Investing Should Be Hard”

Here in Georgia, our work at GSIC revolves around fostering connections and elevating investments that not only perform but transform. A recent article in Stanford Social Innovation Review challenges the impact investing field to resist the temptation of oversimplification and to embrace the difficult—but necessary—work of delivering additionality...
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Community Foundation of Northeast Georgia

Micro Loan Program Expansion Will Support Latina Entrepreneurs

The Latin American Association (LAA) and the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia have partnered to support Latina entrepreneurs through a $100,000 investment from the Foundation's Impact Investment Fund. This funding will enhance LAA’s Avanzando Juntas initiative, providing loans...
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A Night of Catalytic Connections: GSIC and GoATL Fund Host Impact Investing Wine Tasting Event

GSIC partnered with the GoATL Fund to host a Catalytic Capital Wine Night sponsored by BNY Mellon at El Vinedo Local, a minority-owned restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia. The event brought together impact investors, philanthropic foundations, and family offices to celebrate the growth of the impact investing...
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Lunchtime Impact Conversation with YoNasDa Lonewolf

YoNasDa Lonewolf is a living example of the saying, “No Nation Can Rise Higher Than Its Women.” Being self-driven, she is living her divine calling as an activist and a voice against any injustice that affects people worldwide. GSIC Director…
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Entrepreneur Profile: my Panda

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my Panda helps people get trusted, reliable help from right in their own neighborhood. my Panda has a culture of women helping women. 95% of the Pandas are women, they understand the struggles our members face, and they hire those who are passionate about helping. GSIC caught up with founder Tamara Lucas to learn more about her journey...
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Entrepreneur Profile: Royal Thanaka

Royal Thanaka is a unique line of skin care products that features Thanaka, an ancient ingredient from the central forest in Myanmar. For over 2,000 years, it has been used by local people for skin protection and nourishment. GSIC caught up with co-founders Htwe Htwe and Mary Ellen Sheehan to learn...
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Celebrating GSIC Director’s First 100 Days

GSIC celebrated Lavonya Jones' first 100 days as Director on Thursday, August 11th, at a networking happy hour. Partnership for Southern Equity and Startup Runway Foundation hosted, and GSIC Steering Committee Member Brian Goebel...
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Entrepreneur Profile: Rochelle Porter, Rochelle Porter Design

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True to its tagline, “Design for Abundant Living,” Rochelle Porter Design (RPD) believes everyone along the value chain should have the chance to live well. RPD prioritizes fair pay and the use of organic materials whenever possible. Their goal is to “Create the flyest possible products while doing...
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Entrepreneur Profile: Micole and Musa Hasan, Bread and Butter Farms

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Bread and Butter Farms aims to utilize what the earth provides holistically to grow vegetables, fruits, and herbs with zero chemicals. They simply take care of the soil, plant heirloom seeds, and harvest to provide the most nutrient-dense produce possible. GSIC caught up with founders...
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Welcome to GSIC’s New Director, Lavonya Jones

GSIC recently announced the new leader who will spearheading our ecosystem efforts! Take a minute to hear from Lavonya Jones about what she envisions for GSIC moving forward...
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Morehouse Blackstone Launchpad Fellows Attend Startup Grind and TechCrunch in Silicon Valley

During the 2021-2022 academic year, Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Clark Atlanta University because the first Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs)…
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Entrepreneur Profile: Tyler Thompson, Atlanta Green Market

April 14, 2022   By: Tyler Thompson and Jeffrey Shiau   Profile Summary: Entrepreneur Name: Tyler Thompson Venture Name: Atlanta Green Market (a subsidiary of TESS: The Environmental Solutions Store) Impact Focus…
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Entrepreneur Profile: Yohana Solomon and Amanda Plumb, Chow Club Atlanta

April 4, 2022   By: Kayla Jones, GSIC Social Impact Fellow   Yohana Solomon was born and raised in Ethiopia and came to the US in 1998 due to a civil war. She is the owner of Atlanta Underground Market and chef and owner…
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Entrepreneur Profile: Yenny Yang, Read 4 Unity

March 31, 2022   By: LaDerrius Williams, GSIC Social Impact Fellow   GSIC x START: ME x Read 4 Unity Entrepreneur: Yenny Yang Venture: Read4Unity Impact Focus Area(s): Literacy, Diversity Business Stage (Ideation,…
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GSU Hosts Social Impact Networking Event

March 7, 2022   By: LaDerrius Williams, GSIC Social Impact Fellow   On Friday, February 18th, 2022, Georgia State University’s (GSU) Social Entrepreneurship Club and the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies Career Center…
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Entrepreneur Profile: Rev. Dr. Sidney Williams, Jr., Faith-based Social Impact Leader

March 1, 2022   By: Kayla Jones, GSIC Social Impact Fellow   The Oikos Institute for Social Impact helps congregations strategically respond to the disorienting effects of gentrification, disproportionate unemployment,…
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CCI: Atlanta’s Home for Good Trouble

February 7, 2022   By: LaDerrius Williams, GSIC Social Impact Fellow   Self-described as “Atlanta’s home for good trouble,” the Center for Civic Innovation (CCI) is an integral part of Georgia’s social impact ecosystem…
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Entrepreneur Profile: Ashani O’Mard, Affordable Housing Leader

February 7, 2022   By: Kayla Jones, GSIC Social Impact Fellow   Ashani O’Mard served as the Executive Director for the Atlanta Affordable Housing Fund (AAHF) since January 2020. AAHF is a social impact fund designed to…
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Tracking the 2021 Georgia CDFI Fund Awards

January 4, 2022   By: LaDerrius Williams, GSIC Social Impact Fellow   On December 8th, 2021, the United States Department of the Treasury announced the recipients of $180.3M from its Community Development Financial Institutions…
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Q&A with Brian Goebel, Managing Director of the GBS Business and Society Institute

December 6, 2021   By: Kayla Jones, GSIC Social Impact Fellow   Q&A: The following is a Q&A with Kayla Jones, a Social Impact Fellow for the Georgia Social Impact Collaborative (GSIC) and GoATL Fund, and Brian…
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Woman-led, Commercial Firm SkyRise Property Group Seeks to Educate and Empower Nontraditional, Diverse-led Investors and Provide Key Amenities To Under-resourced Communities

December 4, 2021   By: LaDerrius Williams, GSIC Social Impact Fellow   Women and diverse-led companies are reshaping the small business landscape. In the United States, 17 percent of Black women are in the process of starting…
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Village Micro Fund Launches Workers Equity Fund

November 12, 2021   By: Donte Miller, Executive Director          
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Georgia Small Business Capital Fund: Leveraging Unrestricted Grant Dollars for Greater Impact

November 8, 2021   Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs (ACE) is a Georgia 501(c)(3) nonprofit and community development financial institution (CDFI) that provides capital, coaching, & connections to help borrowers create &…
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CDFIs are Once Again “Stepping into the Breach”

October 29, 2021   By Mandy Eidson, Senior Manager, ANDP Loan Fund   In 2014, a report by the Carsey School of Public Policy highlighted how Community Development Financial Institutions, or CDFIs, had “stepped into the…
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BestFit, Inc. Selected for Google for Startups Black Founders Fund

September 21, 2021   Asha Owens, is one of 50 founders selected for Google for Startups program focused on high potential startups from Black entrepreneurs based in the U.S.  BestFit, Inc., an early-stage startup addressing basic…
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Love is Love Cooperative Farm Scales Up Local, Organic Production, Expanding to 70 Acres in Mansfield Ga.

September 7, 2021   As the demand for locally grown food increases, one local organic farm is stepping up to provide the supply. Love is Love Farm, a 13-year-old organic farm serving the metro Atlanta area, has converted to a worker-owned…
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Atlanta-Based Roots Real Estate Investment Fund Empowers Residents to Build Cash Equity While They Rent

Imagine being able to invest in a diverse portfolio of residential real estate properties around Atlanta’s rapidly growing market that not only delivers a great return, but also empowers the people in the properties that you’re invested…
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Building Healthy Soil and a Healthy Business

Profile Summary: Entrepreneur Name(s): Steven & Hannah Simms Venture Name: The Rural Urban Connection (TRUC) Impact Focus Area(s): Local Food, Regenerative Agriculture, Rural Economic Development Business Stage: Startup in…
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Plateful.ly: Pay-What-You-Can Meal Kit Delivery Service Eyes Atlanta-Area Expansion

By: Franzene Minott   Home-delivered meal kit services are exploding, and it’s no wonder. The now $10 Billion global industry combines the advantages of “fast food” and “slow food” by delivering easy-to-make, healthy and…
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Healthcare Georgia Foundation Announces Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs, Inc. (ACE) as Recipient of Strategic Health Impact Investment Funding

Healthcare Georgia Foundation is pleased to announce that Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs, Inc. (ACE) has been awarded $250,000 in Strategic Health Impact Investment funding. The Foundation is thrilled to establish this partnership with…
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Healthcare Georgia Foundation Announces Carver State Bank as Recipient of Strategic Health Impact Investment Funding

Healthcare Georgia Foundation is pleased to announce Carver State Bank as a recipient of the Foundation’s recent Strategic Health Impact Investment funding in the amount of $100,000. Since 2019, the Foundation has worked to identify organizations…
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Healthcare Georgia Foundation Combats Health Inequities through Affordable Housing Financing

The Foundation is working with the ANDP Loan Fund to address health and housing disparities across Georgia  Healthcare Georgia Foundation has made a $250,000 program-related investment in the ANDP Loan Fund to expand access to quality, healthy…
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Innovative Program Unlocks Federal Funds for Nonprofits

Announcing the Community Guarantee Pool, powered by the GoATL Fund   ATLANTA – June 8, 2021 – At a time of heightened need across the region, the GoATL Fund (GoATL), an initiative of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta,…
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New Story – Innovative Uses of Capital to Impact Global Homelessness

By: Josh Young, Chief of Staff   We are not what people expect. Since our founding, we have operated a different type of nonprofit. Homelessness continues to increase around the world, which must stop. Making lasting progress requires…
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Cherry Street Energy is Applying Bright Thinking to Renewable Energy

By: Brent Hobson, Project Manager at Cherry Street Energy   Where do you see yourself in 14 years? How about 29? Weird timelines, I know, but I ask because 2035 and 2050 are fairly significant dates. Organizations across the globe…
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Illuminarium is Democratizing Extraordinary Experiences in Atlanta

ATLANTA - May 24, 2021 - Illuminarium Experiences, a new breakthrough global experiential entertainment company, announced today that tickets for its first Illuminarium in Atlanta, opening July 1, 2021, are now on sale at Illuminarium.com. Tickets…
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Entrepreneur Profile: Kevin Mobolade, Swipe Credit

  Entrepreneur Name: Kevin Mobolade  Venture Name: Swipe Credit  Impact Focus Area(s): Financial Inclusion  Business Stage (Ideation, Startup, Early, Later, Mature): Early  Year Venture Established: 2021  Business…
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Tenth Street Ventures and Partners’ New Project Creates 40 Fully Furnished, Attainable Rent Apartments in Atlanta’s Hunter Hills

The American South Real Estate Fund is a lead investor in renovating the 20-unit garden style apartments into 40 studio apartments with attainable rents at 60% AMI ATLANTA (April 2021) – Tenth Street Ventures along with partners Miles Alexander…
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The Oikos Institute for Social Impact Launches First Ecosystem in Atlanta

At the end of 2020, Crossing Capital Group, Inc. (CCG) established the The Oikos Institute for Social Impact (Oikos) to create mutually supportive ecosystems with seminaries and universities, foundations, government agencies and denominational…
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Georgia Tech MBAs Compete in Turner MIINT Impact Investing Case Competition

By: Rob Joy   The Turner MBA Impact Investing Network and Training (MIINT) is a hands on experiential lab designed to give students real world experience in impact investing. This is Georgia Tech’s first year participating in the…
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Start It Up Georgia Graduation and Grant Funding Winners

Last fall, Atlanta Tech Village launched Start It Up Georgia with the mission to provide free training, support, and guidance to all Georgians who wanted to become entrepreneurs.   Here are a few stats on the program: 709 people…
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Evo Haven Founders Building Container Community Amid Housing Crisis

Founders: Majesty & Elize Gayle Venture Name: Evo Haven Impact Focus Area(s): Sustainable Housing; Opportunity Zone Fund Business Stage: Startup Year Venture Established: 2020 Business Type: LLC   Evo Group Holdings…
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Community Foundation’s GoATL Impact Investing Fund Announces New Commitments

Three activities result in $1 million deployed for COVID-19 recovery and more than $2 million raised for future deployment    ATLANTA – The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta’s GoATL Fund provides flexible, cost-effective…
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Drawdown Georgia Launches to Accelerate Climate Solutions

Nonpartisan effort to scale solutions by bringing Georgians together to crowdsolve for climate progress   The end of 2020 marked the launch of a long-term, multi-stakeholder climate initiative in Georgia - one designed to bring business…
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Three Ways You Can Support the Climate Change Revolution (from your couch) in 2021

By: Ed Thomas, Co-Founder and CEO of 412 Technology   In 2020 alone, it seemed like half of California was on fire, there have been so many hurricanes that we’ve run out of names, and the year is on pace to match 2016 as the hottest…
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Entrepreneur Profile: Jasmine Burton, Wish for WASH

Profile Summary: Entrepreneur Name: Jasmine Burton Venture Name: Wish for WASH Impact Focus Area(s): Water, Sanitation and Hygiene; Global Health; Health Equity; Health Education Business Stage (Ideation, Startup, Early, Later,…
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Farm-to-Home Explorer Kits for Daymaker Kids

By: Ben Haynes, Daymaker Giving   “Food education should be a cornerstone of every child’s education." - Erin Croom, founder of Small Bites Adventure Club in Atlanta, Georgia Daymaker believes that everyone should have access…
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A Mission Investing Partnership: A Nonprofit Leveraged 1 Foundation’s $100k Loan Into Over $2.3 Million In Only 3 Months

By: Thelma Johnson, CEO of Albany Community Together! (ACT) & Christine Reeves Strigaro, Executive Director of The Sapelo Foundation    Albany Community Together! (ACT!) is a Community Financial Development Institution (CDFI)…
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Aegis: Starting a Financial and Economic Transformation

Entrepreneur Name: Reginald Maisonneuve Venture Name: Aegis LLC Impact Focus Area(s): Financial & Economic Transformation for the consumer, enterprise & government. Core areas include: Financial Health Affordable…
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Athens Seeks to Become a Purpose-Driven Business Hub

October 26, 2020   By: Nathan Stuck, Ad Victoriam Solutions and B Local Georgia As the B Corp movement continues to gain traction throughout the Southeast, it also continues to gain in popularity in Georgia. The city of Athens,…
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Fixing the Horribly Broken Healthcare System

October 2, 2020   Your business looks beyond a P&L statement for this week, this month and even this quarter, because you know that the social impact evolves and pays back over the long term. You know you and your business…
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Coalition of Public-Private Entities Launch Partnership to Advance Technology and Inclusive Innovation Statewide

September 21, 2020   Lieutenant Governor Endorses Efforts to Establish Georgia as the Technology Capital of the East Coast    Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan announced the official launch of the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation,…
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Join Startup Runway to Turn the Racial and Gender Funding Gap into an Onramp in Atlanta

September 2, 2020 Atlanta influences everything, the saying goes, and racial and gender equity in startups is no exception. Atlanta is home to the largest pitch event for underrepresented founders, Startup Runway, which is closing the equity…
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When Economic Equality Increases, We All Rise

August 31, 2020 Dr. Roshawnna Novellus, EnrichHER.com I founded my company, EnrichHER, partly because my mother instilled in me at a young age that, as a Black woman, I was going to have to be my own financial advocate. She knew she…
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Using Seasonal Giving to Make Longitudinal Impact

August 27, 2020 By: Brent Macon, Chief Partnerships Officer   At its heart, Daymaker is a compassion platform. We believe that giving expands our capacity to love one another while transferring resources so that every kid can develop…
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Georgia Enacts Benefit Corporation Legislation

Businesses in Georgia Can Soon Incorporate for Profit and Purpose ATLANTA – August 26, 2020 – The Georgia Senate passed House Bill 230 on June 25, just before the end of the 2019-2020 regular session. Governor Kemp signed the legislation…
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Purposity. A Story of Human Goodness and Social Innovation.

July 29, 2020 By: John Moon, Purposity Summer Intern We believe that humanity is fundamentally good.  Earlier this year, a series of fifteen tornadoes hit Tennessee in a single night, causing a single mother and her teenage daughter…
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Small Businesses Need Your Help, Too

This post originally appeared on the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta blog. June 24, 2020 By: Jonny Newburgh, Impact Investment Associate, GoATL Fund Small businesses are hurting. Black-owned businesses face added challenges. In…
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Statement on Racial Equity

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The Georgia Social Impact Collaborative’s Steering Committee is committed to addressing racism and racial inequities internally and in our work in the community to accelerate the social impact ecosystem across Georgia. We must do and be better.…
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Webinar Recap: Advancing Place-based Strategies in Georgia

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Alongside Mission Investors Exchange (MIE), which held its 2020 conference virtually (instead of the originally planned location in Atlanta), GSIC hosted a session on place-based impact investing in Georgia on May 22. With over 75 participants,…
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BestFit: Redesigning a Social Safety Net for Young Adults 

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Entrepreneur Names: Asha Owens and Rebecca Kwee  Venture Name: BestFit  Impact Focus Area: College Success, Civic Tech  Business Stage: Startup  Year Venture Established: 2018  Business Type: Private, Social Enterprise   Basic…
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During the Pandemic, PadSplit Keeps Atlanta’s Service Workers Housed

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In 2017, PadSplit launched as an innovative new model providing affordable housing for workers who have been unable to keep pace with the city’s rising rents, which according to RentCafe have increased by 65 percent in the last decade. In…
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Ways to Support COVID-19 Relief and Recovery

Our immediate reaction to the ongoing pandemic and recession was to develop a list of capital and technical resources for small businesses and nonprofits in Georgia. If you are looking for capital to sustain your operations, please visit our…
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ServeScape: Connecting People with Place through Plants

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Entrepreneur Name: Mario Cambardella Venture Name: ServeScape Impact Focus Area(s):  Landscape and Environment Business Stage:  Startup Year Venture Established: 2020 Business Type: Private - Landscape Consulting  There…
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Bridging the Food Access Gap During a Pandemic

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Goodr has joined forces with Atlanta Public Schools to provide emergency food to APS students at five meal distribution sites during closure. Students will be able to access prepared meals from 10am-12pm Monday - Friday. This includes: Douglas…
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United Way of Greater Atlanta and Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta announce the Greater Atlanta COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund

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This post originally appeared on The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta's blog on March 17, 2020.   March 25, 2020 ATLANTA – With children out of school, businesses temporarily closing, performances shuttered and workers…
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Small Business and Nonprofit Support During the COVID-19 Crisis 

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Please visit the Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative's Resource Roundup for Small Businesses and Nonprofits.   LAST UPDATED: Monday, June 23 at 10:00 am With so many concerns about the impact of isolation amidst the current COVID-19…
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Teaching Meets Machine Learning – A “Smart School” Future

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By: Ian Cohen, TARA Education Technologies March 4, 2020   “Data in education.” Whether you are an experienced educator or just an average community member, when you hear that phrase, I am willing to bet that only a single…
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Local Colleges and Universities Commit to Carbon Neutrality

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By: Sydney Hulebak, WoodLeaf Partners February 28, 2020   From February 23rd to 25th, the Intentional Endowments Network (IEN) hosted its annual Higher Education Climate Leadership Summit in partnership with Second Nature in Atlanta.  IEN…
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The Conservation Fund

Revolving Fund Drives Social Impact for Atlanta Communities

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By: Stacy Funderburke, Assistant Regional Counsel & Conservation Acquisition Associate, The Conservation Fund February 26, 2020 In January, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance-Bottoms and Department of Parks & Recreation announced a new…
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Affordable Housing: An Impact Investment, Close to Home

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This post originally appeared on Boardwalk Capital Management. By: Scott Sadler, CFA February 23, 2020 Investors may not think of affordable housing as an "impact" investment, but without question some opportunities in this sector have…
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Goodr

Goodr’s Origin Story: How One Local Business is Ending Hunger and Food Waste

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By: Zeb McLaurin VI January 24, 2020 Globally, there are 821 million people who are hungry. That’s 1 in 9 people on the planet. Every year, nearly 40 million people experience hunger in the United States, including more than 11 million…
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Deriving Success From Purpose: Helping Others Helps You

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By: Jane Curth, Co-Founder & CEO, FitFixNow January 21, 2020   I’ve been a health and wellness professional for my entire adult life. I know firsthand how working on one’s own health dramatically improves quality of life,…
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3 Rules for Engaging Millennial and Gen Z Talent in the Workplace

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Originally posted by The World Economic Forum By: Judy Oh, Global Shaper, Atlanta Hub, BrightHouse January 15, 2020   Millennials and Gen Z will be the majority of the workforce in 2020. For younger generations, workplace…
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Ron Clark Academy to Receive an $8 Million New Markets Tax Credit Allocation

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Originally posted by InvestAtlanta January 7, 2020 Atlanta Emerging Markets, Inc. (AEMI), a U.S. Treasury-certified Community Development Entity created by Invest Atlanta, officially closed an $8 million New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) transaction…
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Nathan Stuck

5 Reasons Why B Corp Certification is Right for Your Business

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By: Nathan Stuck January 3, 2020 It’s 2020 and times have changed in the business world. More and more every day, becoming the gold standard of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is taking on a bigger role in C-Suite conversations. No…
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EIIG

Emory Impact Investing Group (EIIG) Invests in Atlanta’s Entrepreneurs

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By: Aayush Gupta (22C) December 18, 2019 EIIG has a mission of working with entrepreneurs who have little to no prior business experience and frequently lack the skills necessary to start and grow a company of their own. The organization…
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Pioneering Partnerships: Emory’s Commitment to Enabling through Innovation

December 12, 2019  By: Franzene Minott In 2015, Emory solidified its position as a sustainability pioneer after their Strategic Vision outlined the ambitious goal that 75% of food served in the university—and 25% in the hospitals—would…
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Avi Scher

Fall Conference Roundup: Emory MBAs Recap Social Impact Events

December 5, 2019  By: Sydney Maier, Carolyn Bero, Avi Scher  Emory University’s Goizueta Business School recently sent several students across the U.S. to attend conferences on social entrepreneurship, impact investing, and socially…
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Misconceptions of Money & Value

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By: Davion Ziere December 2, 2019 For at least 3,000 years, money (including but not limited to coin, shell, paper and digital currency) has dominated how mainstream society measures value. It was originally developed as a tool to simplify…
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Emory Impact Investing Group

Atlanta Entrepreneurs Discuss the Benefits of Impact Investing at Emory University

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By: Aayush Gupta (22C) November 26, 2019 “Most people think of entrepreneurs as risk-takers. I was taught that you have gifts, you have talent, so you invest in those,” said Kevin Rodgers, founder of SHWAXX Laboratories.   On…
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Center for Civic Innovation

VOTE NOTE: Civic Impact Awards

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The Civic Impact Awards is an awards ceremony hosted by the Center for Civic Innovation to celebrate leaders and organizations who love Atlanta and are fighting for better policies, stronger civic engagement, and an Atlanta that is built for…
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Intentionally Good Project

Relationships Matter for Diverse-Led Startups & Social Impact Startups

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This post originally appeared on LinkedIn. Relationships Matter for Diverse-Led Startups & Social Impact Startups: What We Learned By Spinning Up The Intentionally Good Project in 90 Days October 14, 2019 On May 31st, we received notification…
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GSIC

Leveraging CDFIs for Mission

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Foundations and community lenders scaling outcomes through capital October 9, 2019 Last week, the Georgia Social Impact Collaborative (GSIC) hosted leaders from nearly 40 GA-based foundations and 15 community development financial institutions…
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Valor Ventures

Smart Investors Use “Inclusion Premium” Thinking, and Here’s Why

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By: Lisa Calhoun September 30, 2019 If you’ve ever thought about spending your money with one brand instead of another because one of them had a better reputation, you’re an impact investor. Investors who want to scale their impact…
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Invest Atlanta/Center for Civic Innovation

Atlanta Emerging Markets Inc., Spanx by Sara Blakely Foundation, and the Center for Civic Innovation Continue Support of Civic Problem-Solvers

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Originally posted on Invest Atlanta September 24, 2019 Four Atlanta social ventures have been awarded a total of $200,000 by the Spanx by Sara Blakely Foundation and Atlanta Emerging Markets, Inc. (AEMI) through the Civic Impact Loan Fund.…
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Forbes

This VP Proves Impact Investments Yield Big Returns For Investors And Communities

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Originally posted on Forbes.com September 17, 2019 The U.S. is struggling with mounting social issues, such as the growing wealth gap and an increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness. To combat these problems, foundation…
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Pavan Iyer of Backyard ATL

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August 29, 2019 By: Pavan Iyer, founder of eightvillage and Backyard ATL Backyard ATL is an affordable housing initiative that provides Atlanta homeowners with backyard space a platform to earn additional income with their property. We…
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Jack Griffin of FoodFinder

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Profile Summary: Entrepreneur Name: Jack Griffin Venture Name: FoodFinder Impact Focus Area(s): Food Insecurity Business Stage (Ideation, Startup, Early, Later, Mature): Early Year Venture Established: 2014 Business Type: Nonprofit The…
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Nedra Deadwyler of Civil Bikes

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Profile Summary: Entrepreneur Name: Nedra Deadwyler Venture Name: Civil Bikes Impact Focus Area(s): Historic Preservation, Community Identity, Culture Work Business Stage (Ideation, Startup, Early, Later, Mature): Early Year Venture…
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The Evolution of Sustainable Business in the Southeast

June 27, 2019 By: Scott Sadler, Founder and President, Boardwalk Capital Management   Today’s companies echo the refrain that “sustainable business is good business” (or something like that.)  But eight or nine years ago,…
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Erin Croom of Small Bites Adventure Club

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Profile Summary: Entrepreneur Name: Erin Croom Venture Name: Small Bites Adventure Club Impact Focus Area(s): Health & Wellness, Food Business Stage (Ideation, Startup, Early, Later, Mature): Startup Year Venture Established:…
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Terri-Nichelle Bradley of Brown Toy Box

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Profile Summary: Entrepreneur Name: Terri-Nichelle Bradley Venture Name: Brown Toy Box Impact Focus Area(s): Education, Black Children, STE(A)M, Cultural Representation Business Stage (Ideation, Startup, Early, Later, Mature):…
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SOCAP, Conscious Company Media, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Announce Inaugural SPECTRUM Conference

This post originally appeared on the website of PRNewswire.    ATLANTA, May 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- SOCAP (Social Capital Markets) and Conscious Company Media (CCM) will host the inaugural SPECTRUM conference on June…
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UGA Office of Sustainability

Campus Sustainability Grants: Building Better Businesses through the B Corp Framework

This post originally appeared on the website of the University of Georgia's Office of Sustainability. University of Georgia MBA student Zack Godfrey is challenging business owners in Georgia to rethink their practices and consider using…
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Atlanta Lands Largest Impact Investing Conference for Foundations

Atlanta Lands Largest Impact Investing Conference for Foundations Mission Investors Exchange (MIE) takes biannual conference south in 2020 On May 16, 2019, Mission Investors Exchange (MIE) officially announced to its members that Atlanta…
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Urging the Georgia Senate Judiciary Committee to Vote In-Favor of HB230, the Georgia Benefit Corporation Act

May 17, 2019 By: Jeff Woodward, Steering Committee, Georgia Social Impact Collaborative   The Georgia Senate Judiciary Committee disappointed the social impact community in failing to vote in favor of HB230, the Georgia…
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The Triple Bottom Line Approach

May 7, 2019 By: John Lanier, Executive Director of The Ray C. Anderson Foundation   I wonder how linguists feel when they hear frequently misused words and idioms. Is it like nails on a chalkboard, or do they find this vernacular…
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City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management

Atlanta’s Creative Financing for Green Projects

April 26, 2019 Funded in part by a grant through the Rockefeller Foundation’s Innovative Financing program, Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management (DWM) recently raised $14M to provide storm water improvements in the Proctor…
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Chubb Foundation’s Inaugural Pitch Night Makes Impact

April 24, 2019 By: Brandon Chubb, Chubb Foundation   What better way to spend an evening than to hear elementary school kids pitch innovative products and ideas that they've created all on their own? Well, that's exactly…
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ONCE by WildArk: Linking Ecosystem Protection to Consumer Behavior

April 22, 2019 By: Sydney Hulebak, ONCE by WildArk Human activity around the globe is causing the sixth mass extinction. In the last 50 years alone, 50% of the world’s individual species, 58% of the world’s biodiversity and 45% of…
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Selling Pecans to Feed Those in Need

April 10, 2019 By: Andrea Jaron, Chief Development Officer, Meals on Wheels Atlanta Meals on Wheels Atlanta is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving our metro area’s seniors in need. In exploring ways to diversify funding sources…
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Georgia Tech Hosted Eastern Regional Global Social Venture Competition Finals

Originally published on Scheller News on March 25, 2019 The Global Social Venture Competition (GSVC) empowers the next generation of social entrepreneurs by providing them with mentoring, exposure, and over $80,000 in prizes to transform…
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What If We Only Paid for Success?

How can nonprofits create sustainable programming? How can impact investors ensure scalability? How can governments spread dollars furthers to actually fix social issues? Pay for Success answers all three questions at once. Pay For Success…
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With Social Impact Investing Support, Place-Based Model Moves to the Suburbs

March 26, 2019 By: Ashani C. O'Mard, Senior Director of Capital Development at the Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership Atlanta is home to several inspiring placed-based models of community revitalization - from the transformative…
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Funding U

Take Risk and Get Paid Handsomely: One Entrepreneur’s Challenge to Start Ups and Impact Investors

March 23, 2019 By: Jeannie Tarkenton, Founder/CEO, Funding University Being part of the impact investment “ecosystem” these days means you likely have a mash up of issues on your mind because – thankfully – the movement has matured…
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Mark Crosswell of GoATL Fund

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Profile Summary: Entrepreneur Name: Mark Crosswell, Managing Director Venture Name: GoATL Fund, an initiative of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta Impact Focus Area(s): Arts, Community Development, Education, Nonprofit…
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Impact Investing and Building the Next Economy

February 19, 2019 By: Nikishka Iyengar, Founder and CEO, The Guild   This article originally appeared in Green Money Journal. Growing up in Mumbai, India’s financial hub, it was hard to escape the pervasive Slumdog Millionaire-esque…
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Measuring Social Impact on Technology Investments

February 15, 2019 By: Sean Williams, Performance Measurement, TechBridge   How do you measure the social impact of technology investment? It’s a big question TechBridge has been working to answer for nearly 25 years. In 2001, TechBridge…
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Learning How to Leverage Impact Investing Firsthand at SOCAP18 in San Francisco

December 7, 2018 By: Ted Kietzman 19MBA and Janvi Pamnani 21BBA, Emory University's Goizueta Business School Impact investing is a growing trend in the world of social impact and entrepreneurship. Traditionally, social enterprises were formalized…
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Be Wary of Opportunity Zones in Georgia

December 5, 2018 By: Deborah Kasemeyer, Northern Trust Opportunity Zones (OZs) could lead to greater infusions of capital into historically underinvested neighborhoods. And with over 250 OZs in Georgia, only 27 of which are in Atlanta, much…
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Rutu Chaudhari of The Dharma Project on SOCAP

SAN FRANCISCO- October 2018- I am the owner of a yoga studio called All Life is Yoga, and the Founder and Executive Director of the Dharma Project, an Atlanta-based non-profit that brings mindfulness and yoga to communities and organizations…
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Emory Impact Investing Group

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Profile Summary: Venture Name: Emory Impact Investing Group (EIIG) Impact Focus Area(s): Business Lending, Consulting, Workforce Development, Job Creation Business Stage (Ideation, Startup, Early, Later, Mature): Startup Year Venture…
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Greg Block of First Step Staffing

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Profile Summary: Entrepreneur Name: Greg Block, Founder and Chairman Venture Name: First Step Staffing Impact Focus Area(s): Homeless, Workforce Development, Disability Services Business Stage (Ideation, Startup, Early, Later,…
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Brian Cayce of Gray Ghost Ventures

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Profile Summary: Entrepreneur Name: Brian Cayce, Vice President, Investments Venture Name: Gray Ghost Ventures (GGV) Impact Focus Area(s): International Development, Technology, Financial Services Business Stage (Ideation, Startup,…
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Grace Fricks of Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs

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Profile Summary: Entrepreneur Name: Grace Fricks, President & CEO Venture Name: Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs (ACE) Impact Focus Area(s): Small Business Capital with Coaching and Connections, Job Creation, Asset/Wealth Building,…
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Workshop on Impact Capital for Nonprofits & Social Enterprise

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ATLANTA – October 4, 2018 – I attended and thoroughly enjoyed the October 4th Georgia Social Impact Collaborative workshop on Impact Capital for Nonprofits & Social Enterprise: Aligning Creative Capital with Mission. Not only did I learn…
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Judith Winfrey of PeachDish

Judith Winfrey of PeachDish

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Profile Summary: Entrepreneur Name: Judith Winfrey Venture Name: PeachDish Impact Focus Area(s): Agriculture; Environment; Food Products/Organics; Green Consumer Products Business Stage (Ideation, Startup, Early, Later, Mature):…
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Georgia’s Social Impact Map Goes Live

ATLANTA – October 4, 2018 – Nearly two years after hatching the idea, a collaborative of community leaders announces the launch of the Georgia Social Impact Map, an interactive platform designed to connect and educate stakeholders interested…
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Jason Martin of Community Guilds

Jason Martin of Community Guilds

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Profile Summary: Entrepreneur Name: Jason Martin Venture Name: Community Guilds [STE(A)M Truck Program] Impact Focus Area(s): Education, Community Development, Work force development, Professional Development, Capacity Building …
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Jasmine Crowe of Goodr

Jasmine Crowe of Goodr

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Profile Summary: Entrepreneur Name: Jasmine Crowe Venture Name: Goodr Impact Focus Area(s): Sustainability, Waste Reduction, Hunger Prevention Business Stage (Ideation, Startup, Early, Later, Mature): Early Year Venture Established:…
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Jeffrey Martin

Jeffrey Martin of honorCode

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Profile Summary: Entrepreneur Name: Jeffrey Martin Venture Name: honorCode Impact Focus Area(s): Education, Employment Generation Business Stage (Ideation, Startup, Early, Later, Mature): Early Year Venture Established: 2015 …
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Andrew Eck

Andrew Eck of Georgia Artisan Furnishings

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Profile Summary: Entrepreneur Name: Andrew Eck Venture Name: Georgia Artisan Furnishings Impact Focus Area(s): Sustainability, Workforce Development, Community Development Business Stage (Ideation, Startup, Early, Later, Mature):…
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Report Cover

Final Report Issued

ATLANTA – June 12, 2018 – After an exhaustive, year-long study on the state of impact investing in Georgia, the Georgia Social Impact Collaborative (GSIC) has issued a final report on the initial stage of a network mapping project. The…
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