The Science of Social Impact

Twist Out Cancer (TOC) was built on the belief that when you share, the world opens up. At the age of 29, Jenna Benn Shersher was diagnosed with grey zone lymphoma—a rare form of cancer which affects less than 300 people in the United States.

Midway through treatment, Jenna, a dancer at heart, was isolated due to her compromised immune system. Alone and longing for the days when she could dance freely, she created an online video of herself doing the twist. She asked her friends to join her on her virtual dance floor, and within days, Jenna’s challenge was met by hundreds of videos of thousands of people dancing around the world. She no longer felt alone but instead connected to and supported by a community of twisters. When Jenna completed treatment she knew that she wanted to give back in a meaningful way. She recognized the power of sharing and the importance of creating a support community that caters to the psychosocial needs of those affected by cancer. Thus: Twist Out Cancer was born.

You can learn more about this awesome organization at twistoutcancer.org, and you can see the famous "Twist" that started it all right here. 

A universal fact is that we have only a finite amount of time on earth. It's something we can't change. What do get to choose is how we live that time out. 

Grant Hensel believes we must use that time we are given to do meaningful work. 

Listen about his multiple social impact ventures, including his current business, Nonprofit Megaphone. 

Nonprofit Megaphone helps nonprofits acquire and maximize the Google Ad Grant, helping them spread their mission and make more impact. 

For all nonprofits that are 501(c)3 and NOT using this free Google Ad Grant, we encourage you to reach out to Grant and the team at https://nonprofitmegaphone.com/

Find out more at strawesome.com

Here is the Strawesome story in their words...

"Our Story

In the beginning, there were plastic straws everywhere and people thought this was good because straws helped suck things up faster and easier without messes. You could find plastic straws almost anywhere a drink was served.

But soon plastic straws were found in places that were not so good. They were found used and thrown away along streets, on the beach, and even in the waterways. Used plastic straws were everywhere. But it got worse.

Plastic straws were found in the bodies of animals that lived out at sea (like in turtles’ noses). That was terrible to discover, but then something unimaginable and worse was found….the Pacific garbage patch! It was a huge collection (like hundreds of tons) of plastic things floating on the ocean the size of Texas!

Someone did some research and discovered that millions of straws every day were being used once and then thrown away. And most everyone didn’t even realize what they were doing. Who’s great idea was this? But it got worse.

Plastic was discovered to be toxic and non-decomposable. It was both unhealthy AND not going anywhere, EVER! Yikes!!! Everyone was in a panic. It seemed hopeless. Many cried. It was a dark day….

And then something unexpected happened. A creative glass artist made a straw from glass. Huh? A glass straw? What is that? Is it a bean shooter? Is it a crack pipe? No silly, it is a straw you drink from. Kinda like all those plastic ones you use all day long, but these are non-toxic, can be used over and over again, and look way cool like art.

Oh, I get it. That’s a great idea! Freaking brilliant! I can’t believe no one thought of this before. Since I don’t want to use plastic straws anymore, can I get a glass straw? Can I get a bunch of them for my family and friends? Can I get long ones, short ones, bent ones, and colored ones? Please? Pretty please?

Yes! Of course! We would love to! How about we work together and spread the word to everyone we know that there’s a solution to this plastic straw problem and make the world a better place in our lifetime? Sound like a good idea?

Yes! Let’s do it!

So Strawesome was born and people on earth lived happily ever after with their glass straws and healthy planet.

Our Mission

The world is plagued with plastic debris and toxins in our oceans and water ways, on and in the soil of our land, and in the bodies of animals and humans. It is a major problem. Rather than just give up and “deal with it”, Strawesome was born to do something about it. Since March 2009, we have been working towards sufficient awareness and action to forever eliminate the need for single-use plastic drinking straws.

Our mission is to provide the world’s most artistic, eco-friendly, and health-conscious drinking straw. Combined with a lifetime warranty and great customer service, there’s every reason to join the alternative straw movement and eliminate the need for single-use plastic drinking straws."

The Kaikuna Story- https://www.kaikuna.com/

The idea was simple, really: make stuff locally and make it to last; support the communities that we are a part of; follow our passions. So...how did a husband and wife come to be here, making and selling clothing?

Well... It all began with a Volkswagon Van.

Adventure. Risk. Excitement. Growth.

Stepping off of the Cliff. Finding out what this planet has to offer. 

Allan and Julie met over a VW Van - his, to be honest. He’d pieced it together from two or three old vans. She loved it, and found him to be equally engaging and exciting. She hopped in, swooned by his kiss and promise of adventure, and off they went to travel the world and create beauty together. (corny but true)

20 years (and several vans) later, they are still jumping off cliffs. The most recent being the creation of Kaikuna, a clothing company founded with the simple goals of following passions, supporting the betterment of a healthy planet, and giving back.

Wear Ever You Go: Be yourself. Live well. Give from within and let good things boomerang back. 

Globally Inspired, Locally Made Active Wear

Based in Santa Clara, California, Kaikuna offers you “Made in California” travel friendly and functional active wear: Top quality, easy to care for, and versatile.  

Mindful Manufacturing: Their initial goal is to supply made in the USA garments that give you an opportunity to directly support the American economy and revitalize work for local tradespeople and artisans. Kaikuna creates their garments with local San Francisco, California labor.  

Kaikuna also works to support the growth of more environmentally healthy Textile and Clothing Industry practices. They intentionally research and use components made locally and organically whenever available and promote like-minded clothing manufacturers.

Kaikuna gives you an opportunity to choose more ethically manufactured products. They are thrilled to be contributing to 1% For The Planet.

About Prashant, in his words 

"I am a social entrepreneur with a background in finance, international affairs, and philanthropy. My work experiences around the world have allowed me to further expand my knowledge and skills in Business and consumer facing sales, Data management, Financial management, Communication, Organic and Fair-trade product development, and non-profit marketing and market research. 

I've continued to expand my global perspective by living and working in different areas around the world. Working closely with first class non-profit organizations has helped me gain a better understanding of solutions to positively impact the world both from an on the ground and business level. 

I continue to work with and expand a unique network of the world's most intelligent entrepreneurs and passionate change makers. Leaders from the United Nations, world class non-profits around the world, and world changing businesses like LinkediN, all have contributed to a larger network of passionate changemakers. 

Through the past seven years I have worked alongside an inspiring team to develop a new concept for charitable giving with Conscious Step. A social enterprise that makes premium fair-trade and organic socks, each uniquely designed to directly support leading non-profits around the world. 

Through it all I continue to strive to learn more and utilize my skills and creative passions to inspire positive change and outlooks."

About Conscious Step 

For every pair of socks purchased, a donation goes directly to a non-profit. Conscious Step prides itself on being mindful in its manufacturing, sourcing organic cotton, providing an ethical workplace, and being Fair Trade Certified.

About Phoebe

With over a decade's experience working in supply chain management and merchandising, Phoebe Yu founded Ettitude with the vision of building a sustainable bedding brand offering high quality, modern, minimalistic bedding at accessible prices with a focus on innovative fabric technology. 

Prior to Ettitude, she founded two international trading and sourcing companies. Her experience includes business developing, manufacturing, outsourcing, branding, e-commerce & online marketing. 

With a love of technology and sustainability, she constantly seek new ways to use emerging technologies to solve real-world problems and provide better online shopping experiences. 

About Ettitude

Ettitude believes that comfort and quality should not be compromised by a commitment to conscious living. Because the earth is our greatest caretaker, they invest in sustainably sourced materials and methods, so the entire lifecycle of their products reflects the renewable patterns of nature.

MIssion

Sand Cloud's mission is to protect our oceans and #SaveTheFishies. 

From their packaging to their products, everything is designed with sustainability in mind. By providing consumers better lifestyle options, they aim to conserve our precious oceans and marine life. 

Story

Sand Cloud was founded on the sunny beaches of San Diego, inspired by the ocean around us. At the time, it was just just three friends with a dream to reinvent an age-old product: the beach towel. 

They committed ourselves to using sustainable materials and donating a portion of all sales to marine conservation charities as a way to protect the beaches we love. When you purchase a beach towel from Sand Cloud, you not only get a sand-resistant, ultra-absorbent Turkish cotton towel, but also help in their mission as a portion of every sale goes to a worthwhile environmental charity. 

Products

Now, Sand Cloud not only sells the world's best beach towel, but they've introduced other eco-friendly accessories, like clothing made from recycled materials, reef-safe sunscreen, reusable glass water bottles and reusable metal straws. 

Along the way, they've been named Philanthropists of the Year by the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, been ranked as one of the fastest-growing company by Inc Magazine, and have worked with partners like Ryan's Recycling on community beach cleanups, but their favorite milestone by far has been watching the difference their customers make in the fight to #SaveTheFishies.

A self-made serial entrepreneur, Benjamin Jo VandenWymelenberg, has started multiple multi-million dollar companies. He had no idea how to start a business before he constructed a homemade wooden case for his iPhone. 

Within 6 months, it was selling nationwide in Target and Best Buy stores. Ben is founder and CEO of WOODCHUCK USA, a customized wood products manufacturing company, which promotes a “BUY ONE. PLANT ONE” philosophy. 

He’s planted millions of trees on six continents and has made measurable positive environmental impact on all seven. Ben is dedicated to showing the world how we all can make a difference by putting our best ideas into action. 

His most recent book " THE WORLD NEEDS YOUR F*CKING IDEAS" (2019 ) is a 9x Amazon bestseller, has been published in 5 different languages, and helps break down the initial barriers for those looking to take action and start their world changing ideas.

Coffeehaus is a consultancy and roasters - providing their clients with the pinnacle of service.

They provide entirely complimentary services such as restaurant and bar designs, independent training programs, equipment installation, in-house private label, and just about anything you may ever need.

All of this comes together with an emphasis on quality, execution, and cleanliness. By providing a plethora of microlot & direct trade offerings, they are able to remain transparent with their practices, providing insight into the coffee industry as a whole.

This sense of transparency holds coffee roasters accountable - ensuring that the the benefits of these coffees is in the interest of the farmer.

A portion of the profit from CoffeeHaus sales go toward education funds for youth in third world countries.

Learn more at https://www.coffeeha.us/

Heather is a vibrant and curious gal who is determined to help the world be a brighter place. She’s an honors law school grad, a yoga teacher, and a social entrepreneur - bogobrush and a think tank with her brother. She’s worked on venture finance and non-profit lobbying, and she loves singing, dancing, art, and the great outdoors. 

Heather and her brother grew up in a small town in North Dakota. With a dad as a dentist, John’s path to design school, and heather’s to law, were far from the family business. 

During school, however, they decided to use their talents to create products with environmental and social value, and as fate would have it, they couldn't resist starting with a toothbrush. 

BOGOBRUSH believes the world deserves a toothbrush worth caring about. They believe that starts with knowing where it came from, and how it was made. They believe it grows from an attention to aesthetics that will make you smile, and deepens with the beauty of giving back to someone in need. They believe that what is good for the planet, is good for us. They believe in the little toothbrush that could. 

Behind each Bogobrush is a group of determined, caring, visionary, and fun loving people who bring it to life. From factory machinists and material scientists, to product photographers and dental hygienists, they are an eclectic group on a mission to do something that matters.

Access Trax empowers people of all abilities to access the outdoors through their innovative portable, durable pathway, Beach Trax. 

Co-Founders Kelly and Eric both attended graduate school at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in San Diego, CA where they were studying to become occupational therapists. 

As part of their curriculum they took a class called Assistive Technology. Students were challenged to create a device that would help persons with disabilities in their daily lives. Kelly and Eric were inspired to help local adaptive surfers cross the sand to the waters edge in their wheelchairs with dignity and independence. 

Motivated to create a user-friendly solution, the two designed numerous prototypes and tested them with the adaptive surfing community. The initial concept worked, and they have since continued to improve upon the design with the input of the adaptive surfers and other wheelchair users. 

Their goal to have Beach Trax available to the public has been realized in 2018 with the launch of their company, Access Trax.

Access Trax website: https://accesstraxsd.com/

Subscribe to Access Trax monthly eNewsletter:

Here is more information about The Scribes! Check them out at thescribes.co

The Mission

When we started The Scribes, we had two simple goals: design high quality journals and support worthy causes. If we can turn a simple tool into something powerful - that inspires you to do your best work and encourages you to think of others, we will know that we are onto something.

We Are On Our Way
Since launching The Scribes in November 2019, we are happy to say that we are well on our way to accomplishing both. We now have two journals available for purchase, The Original Scribe and The Crosby Scribe, and we’ve supported multiple non-profits by gifting journals to kids in need. We’ve been extremely lucky to meet some incredible people that have not only shown an interest in The Scribes, but given us an opportunity to make a difference that none of us could have imagined. 

Your Purchase Makes a Difference. 

If a child or young adult lacks the resources to improve their own education or express themselves through writing, we want to help. We support kids, teachers, and mentors by donating to schools, juvenile detention centers, and community organizations. To learn more, head to thescribes.co

The Investment App That Lets People Make Money - And A Positive Impact On The Planet:

The article features Tickr, the “new social investment app that enables people to back globally-listed businesses that are committed to make positive social change.”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisoncoleman/2019/10/10/the-investment-app-that-lets-people-make-moneyand-a-positive-impact-on-the-planet/

The Highs and Lows of Creating the World's First Social Stock Exchange:

After launching the world’s first social stock exchange, the Impact Exchange, Durreen Shahnaz reflects on her journey and shares her top three takeaways.

https://qz.com/india/1718779/some-lessons-for-modi-governments-social-stock-exchange-plans/

There’s a new way for investors to turn a profit while helping California prevent fires:

This article highlights The Forest Resilience Bond, created by the nonprofit investment firm Blue Forest Conservation. The bond seeks to lower the risk of dangerous and destructive wildfires by shifting the heavy reforestation costs to private investors.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/31/new-bond-lets-investors-help-prevent-california-wildfires-and-turn-a-profit.html

When Women Invest in Other Women:

Only 2.9% of total venture investments went to female-founded startups in the first half of 2019. Feature includes top considerations for women looking to invest in women-owned companies.

https://fortune.com/2019/10/31/when-women-invest-in-other-women/

This Search Engine Uses Its Profits to Plant Trees Across the World:

Berlin-based tech company, Ecosia, is taking on both Google and climate change as they aim to be the social impact search engine.

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/mbmde4/this-search-engine-uses-its-profits-to-plant-trees-across-the-world-v26n4

In this episode, we join Nicholas and Cam to go over and describe what various Social Impact Certifications mean, how they are achieved or gained and the costs associated with them.

With so many different labels and certifications sometimes we forget what each of them represents. We picked 12 different certifications such as B Corp, Better Cotton Initiative, Energy Star, USDA organic certified, and a bunch of others that you may or may not have heard of! 

https://bcorporation.net/

https://bettercotton.org/

https://www.c2ccertified.org/

https://www.energystar.gov/

https://greenelectronicscouncil.org/epeat/epeat-overview/

https://www.fairtradecertified.org/

https://fsc.org/en

https://new.usgbc.org/leed

https://www.msc.org/

https://www.usda.gov/topics/organic

In this episode, we sit down with Mallory Brown, impact storyteller, humanitarian filmmaker and founder of Walk A Mile. A marathon journey to walk 26 miles in the shoes of 26 different females working hard to get their families out of poverty. We discuss everything from her first trip to a developing country during college that sparked her drive in this field, all the way to her current endeavors with Walk A Mile, which takes us from displacement camps in Haiti to Syrian refugee camps.

This begins with Mallory taking a school trip to Southeast Asia where she had a bike accident which led to her having to receive medical help and realizing how basic their medical care was compared to what we are used to in the United States. This experience changed her perspective and she then knew that she wanted to make it her goal to help as many people as possible across the globe.

That trip sparked her to visit more developing countries soaking up as much culture and experiences she could which then narrowed down to what is now her specialty of making short documentaries about charities around the world and the people that they help.

Her first fundraising trip was to Haiti after the devastating earthquake in 2010, where she visited the displaced persons camps housing all of the refugees that had nowhere to stay after the disaster. She met a family there and her story of how she helped them is breathtaking.

From there we go into one of her next projects which was going to Greece to visit the Syrian refugee camps and see where and how she would be able to help. This story dives into the relationships she built as well as how she took the risk to be smuggled INTO the refugee camp to get the first-hand experience and meet the people living there, even though no outsiders were allowed in the camp. From there she went to raise almost $48,000 to help outfit the schools that these refugees were going to.

To wrap up the episode we talk more in-depth about her project Walk A Mile where Mallory visits 26 countries to make 26 short film documentaries about 26 different women from 26 different cultures and their different approaches to pulling their families out of poverty.

We are so lucky to have people like Mallory Brown doing such great things for us on this planet and hope that you all enjoy hearing her story as much as we did, and hope it inspires you to go make an impact too!

http://travelmal.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4nt5Phuday7oHtqr3t8qRw

Social Impact Bonds Help Nonprofits Help Others:

This article announces the Social Impact Bond for a Grand Rapids based federal Healthy Start program, Strong Beginnings, in "addressing social challenges at the front end to avoid significant problems down the road."

https://www.freep.com/story/money/business/columnists/carol-cain/2019/10/26/social-impact-bonds-help-nonprofits-help-others-heres-how/4090113002/

New Law Brings Overdue Changes to Nonprofit Tax Filings:

The Taxpayer First Act is signed into law, mandating the electronic filing of nonprofit tax returns by 2021.

https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/new-law-brings-overdue-changes-to-nonprofit-tax-filings-form-990/

Meet the top performing B Corps creating impact through their business:

This article showcases the honorees of B Corporations featured on the Best for the World lists for Overall, Community, Environment, Workers, Governance and Customers.

https://medium.com/reinventing-business/meet-the-top-performing-b-corps-creating-impact-through-their-business-8ef4674501a1

New Website brings easy to use impact measurement to small and medium charities: 

New website helping charities understand and increase their impact.

https://www.inspiringimpact.org/about-us/our-blog/press-release-new-website-brings-easy-to-use-impact-measurement-to-small-and-medium-charities/

Charter Schools Are an Opportunity for Impact Investors:

This article highlights the opportunity for impact investors to have a spot in the Charter School space.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/charter-schools-are-an-opportunity-for-impact-investors-11572209068

As Investors Try To Be More Ethical, Some Find No Escape From Businesses They Detest:

An article about how investors are both looking and agreeing on the measuring stick for what is a truly sustainable impact investment.

https://www.npr.org/2019/10/26/771323268/as-investors-try-to-be-more-ethical-some-find-no-escape-from-businesses-they-det

This Saves Lives Snack Bar

A delicious snack bar with a mission to end child malnutrition.

https://thissaveslives.com/collections/all/

Yumbutter 

A buy one, feed one, nut butter snack that gives 100% profit directly to malnourished children in Guatemala. https://www.yumbutter.com/collections/shop/

The Soulfull Project

A Social Impact Oatmeal, buy one, give one to a food bank in the region where it was purchased. https://thesoulfullproject.com/products/

Endangered Species Chocolate

A Chocolate Bar with a mission. https://www.chocolatebar.com/where-to-buy/

The number one role for the Executive Director or CEO is to raise money for the organization so it can survive and thrive.

Adam's most passionate about helping young people see that they have potential in a future.

BUILD has served over 100,000 young people since they started over 50 years ago.

BUILD works with young people by creating a mutual accountability plan:

• What do you want to do while you're here?
• How can we help you?
• What are you looking to do?
• How are you trying to improve yourself?

Additionally, BUILD put on over 50 community events each year.

Chicago Center for Youth Violence Prevention reports the estimated cost of youth violence is more than $21 billion annually.

It costs $630 to serve one young person per year which amounts to a societal savings of about $16,000.

It costs $2,000 to serve one young person who is more heavily involved in violence which amounts to a societal savings of about $92,000.

In 2016 Adam brought up how BUILD was running low on physical space. He engaged a neighboring company to do a feasibility study. Adam and BUILD had to put together a 10 year projected budget before the board would approve the capital campaign.

Capital Campaign: 

Plan to build something new, or remodel your space to add additional space. Typically, it is outside of your annual operating budget; an additional set of fundraising goals.

To turn neighborhoods around you've got to give people hope, but not just speak it; you've got to show and demonstrate tangible results of that hope.

3 steps Adam took to overcome Capital Funding:

1. Be 100% bought in on your idea
2. Have a clear vision of why you need the money
3. Run the numbers

BUILD Inc.’s podcast: https://soundcloud.com/build50thstories/

There are three players in the social impact bond game:

1. Government
2. Service Providers
3. Impact Investors

In a social impact bond, impact investors provide the working capital for that service provider to be able to solve the problem.

For ideas to be considered feasible, they must meet three basic criteria:

1. Can it produce measurable outcomes?
2. Can it produce outcomes in a short timeframe?
3. Is there previous evidence of success?

Four reasons why one would seek an impact bond versus a more traditional type of funding:

1. It makes money more effective by tying funding to measurable results.
2. It allows service providers to better adapt to change.
3. It incentivizes better programs making it attractive and profitable for service providers to improve the programs they already have.
4. It focuses the private sector on social issues by creating an investment opportunity that includes a financial return.

Currently there are 151 active social impact bonds in use by 29 countries.

Active social impact bonds mentioned:

• Multinational bank gives a girl's education nonprofit from India enough funds to scale their program to three new villages.
• Large education philanthropy paying back the initial investment after three years based on the number of girls who've been enrolled in school and their learning gains.
• A set of impact investors invest in improving the services of diabetes management clinics to work with specific high-risk population.

Brookings Global Economy & Government:

• 48 social impact bonds in employment
• 52 social impact bonds in social welfare
• 21 social impact bonds in health
• 17 social impact bonds in education
• 10 social impact bonds in criminal justice
• 3 social impact bonds in environment
• 3 social impact bonds in agriculture

Average social impact bond duration = 50 months
Average upfront capital = $3.5m
Social impact capital outlay = $420m

Why a Social Enterprise is Much More than a For-Profit Venture: 

This article discusses the concept of social entrepreneurship as it continues to evolve and become mainstream, and how the aim of a social entrepreneur is beyond just profit.

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/341238

National Philanthropic Trust Introduces Four Proprietary Impact Investment Options: 

What we learn from this article is that one of the biggest independent sponsors of donor-advised funds is now giving people an option to actually get a return on that money that's invested.

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191022005242/en/National-Philanthropic-Trust-Introduces-Proprietary-Impact-Investment

Businesses Need to be Mindful of Social Impact Going Forward: 

This article discusses the notion that businesses need to be mindful of social and environmental impact moving forward.

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/341070

We Need a New Capitalism: 

This article discusses how our current system has led to profound inequality and to fix it we need businesses and executives to value purpose alongside profit.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/14/opinion/benioff-salesforce-capitalism.html

Nonprofit Quarterly: Hidden Cost of Social Impact Bonds:

In this article we learn a little bit more about what some of the risks and hidden costs are of social impact bonds.

https://nonprofitquarterly.org/the-hidden-costs-of-social-impact-bonds/