Notes from a changing world...
August 2021
Intentionality is one of the core principles of impact investing put in place to ensure that organizations have the “"intentional desire to achieve measurable positive impact ” to achieve measurable positive impact on society and/or the environment. We posit that a particular investment has impact only if it increases the quantity or quality of the enterprise’s social outcomes beyond what would otherwise have occurred. This aim to solve problems and address opportunities should be “at the heart” of what differentiates true impact investing from other investments that may happen to incorporate impact considerations. 

In essence, intentionality represents a line of defense against impact washing, the sometimes deceptive use of labels like “impact” or “sustainable” without meaningful follow-through on actions, measurement, or outcomes. Depending on the investor's motivations intentions can range from a broad range of commitments, here are a few simple reasons why intentions matter;

  1. Avoid harm: Investors can ensure that the enterprises they are investing in are in no way harming the environment or the community they are operating in.
  2. Benefit stakeholders: In addition to acting to avoid harm, enterprises can actively benefit stakeholders. Through investing, investors can ensure that the investment will directly benefit all the stakeholders involved.
  3. Contribute to solutions: Perhaps the most important one, investors can ensure that they are investing in enterprises that are dealing with the most pressing social or environmental problems
CELEBRATING NEW CHAPTERS
Congratulations to Aavishkaar Capital Investee North Lanka Family Foods, an organization that works with small farmers and the community in Northern Sri Lanka focusing on value-added production using locally grown Sri Lankan produce, who won the UN Food Systems, “Best Small Business: Good Food for All” award. The worldwide award is given to small businesses that have positively impacted the global food systems and showcase innovative ways to sustainably deliver good food and livelihoods for all. 
Happening in the Ecosystem
Opportunities for Entrepreneurs
The Sankalp Awards is a celebration of outstanding social entrepreneurs and a showcase of innovative and successful businesses globally. Making a positive impact on society, gaining hands-on experience, and networking with a global community are just a few of the perks of the Sankalp Global Awards 2021. The 2021 Edition of Sankalp Global Awards is looking for social entrepreneurs who are mainstreaming impact. Apply Now...
The AWCE Fund, announced in July 2021, will award projects in Sub-Saharan Africa to address the financing gap and support the growth of women climate entrepreneurs in the SGB sector. Winners will receive one-year grants of USD $30,000-$65,500 to test models for increasing gender-lens investing into women climate entrepreneurs in SGBs through innovative approaches. Learn more...
The GSG, Torino Social Impact and Social Impact Agenda per l’Italia, the Italian National Advisory Board, have joined forces to launch the Impact Narrative Awards, the first-ever award dedicated to communication about impact investing. The Impact Narrative Awards is a new initiative to recognize great storytelling that promotes impact investing to financial institutions and governments around the world. The Narrative Awards aims to identify best-in-class examples of impact investing stories used to persuade financial institutions and governments to put their full weight behind the impact. Learn more...
The Fred Morgan Kirby Prize for Scaling Social Impact (F. M. Kirby Impact Prize) is an annual global prize of $100,000 USD in unrestricted funds that amplifies and accelerates the work of enterprises working to scale their impact on social or environmental problems around the world. CASE will review up to the first 250 applications. Learn More...
iPitch is Villgro’s annual deal discovery platform for impact investors & incubators to discover India’s best social entrepreneurs that are rebuilding the lives of the underserved communities in Agriculture, Climate Action, Healthcare, Shelter-tech, and Housing, and Livelihood sectors, amongst other sectors. The shortlisted social enterprises will have access to USD 5 Million funding, and also have access to Artha’s network of over 1200 investors and incubators. Learn more...
The Sequoia Spark Fellowship aims to inspire more women in India and Southeast Asia to build companies by increasing their access to capital, mentorship, knowledge, and network. They offer fifteen $100,000 fellowships every year, 1:1 mentorship with a Sequoia investment advisor and founder every month, access to select Sequoia events, and hands-on support from their specialists. Learn more...
Events
Wednesday, August 11th to Friday, August 13th, 2021
WEEE Centre is happy to welcome you to our virtual First Africa Sustainable E-waste Conference & Expo. The theme for the conference is“Unlocking the potential in sustainable e-waste management while achieving a circular economy”. Feel free to participate in one, two, or all of the days - the conference is free of charge. Register Now
Thursday, August 19th, 2021
How can we create better opportunities for women climate entrepreneurs? Register for the South East Asia Climate & Environmental Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Snapshot Report Launch. With so much great work going on in supporting climate and environmental action, what can we do together to move forward as effectively as possible? Supported by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, join the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) and the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) to the virtual launch of the Southeast Asia Climate and Environmental Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Snapshot. They will be presenting key findings from the report and discussing the current – and future – state of climate and environmental entrepreneurship in the region. Register Now
Thursday, September 9th to Friday, September 10th, 2021
Impact Investors Council announces India Climate Investment Conclave 2021, a two-day virtual conclave that will unearth the transformative potential of early-stage, tech-driven start-ups in fighting Climate Change and building back Bharat. The India Climate Investment Conclave 2021 is India's first of its kind, pioneering convening by Impact Investors Council (IIC) in collaboration with Climate Collective, focused exclusively on mainstreaming capital for early-stage, climate-tech innovations. Register Now
Resources
As investors, accelerators, and incubators in the emerging market small and growing business sector (SGB) sector develop gender equality practices they turn to experts —gender-smart capacity development providers — for help. These capacity development providers may be individual consultants, advisory institutions, peer investors, accelerators, or incubators with a consulting practice. Hence, ANDE is assembling a gender-smart capacity builder directory to catalog institutions and individuals that help entrepreneurs or the investors, accelerators, and incubators that support them strengthen internal or external gender practices, theses, and strategies. Learn More...
The Acumen Resilient Agriculture Fund (ARAF) closed at a $58 million impact fund. This is a first-of-its-kind equity fund meant to Drive Climate Adaptation for Smallholder Farmers. This fund provides critical capital to support African agribusinesses that help smallholder farmers adapt to climate change. Learn More...
Chomoka: the app that is unlocking access to finance for smallholder African farmers. Many smallholder farmers in Africa manage their finances by saving and borrowing at the village level. Many of these farmers are women. The savings and loan groups are a CARE-Nederland approach in the fight against poverty. The Chomoka app makes it easier for members of savings and loan groups to borrow, save and invest. This improves their agricultural production and thus their livelihoods. Learn More...
Job Opportunities
Application Deadline: Friday, August 6th, 2021
Acumen is looking for a gender specialist with 10 – 12 years of experience in Kenya or Nigeria for a one-year, full-time contract to advise, manage, and advance their gender work on two significant programs as well as build internal capacities. This contract will be managed by the Head of Impact and will work closely with the East and West African Regional Managing Directors respectively. Apply Now...
Application Deadline: Friday, August 20th, 2021
The IKEA Foundation is seeking an experienced Programme Manager with expertise in renewable energy access and how it relates to mitigating the effects of climate change and alleviating poverty in order to strengthen their Renewable Energy portfolio. The Programme Manager Renewable Energy will be responsible for funding and monitoring initiatives within the portfolio. The Programme Manager will be based at the Foundation’s office in Leiden, the Netherlands. Apply Now...
International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Consultant on a short-term assignment, 100 days in the period from September 2021 – June 2022 including travel days, to be based in Kampala, Uganda. His/her key objective will be to develop a pipeline of investment and advisory (technical assistance) projects in the country’s refugee-hosting areas. Apply Now...
The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation in India is looking for a Program Manager who would seek opportunities and work collaboratively with social entrepreneurs, non-profit, private, and government agencies, and implementation and technology partners to design and sustain projects and programs that achieve results. The individual would also focus on supporting the organization’s current grants and investments portfolio to accelerate the impact of the Foundation’s work and investments in India. Apply Now...
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Sankalp Forum was initiated in India in 2009 by Intellecap, part of the Aavishkaar Group, to create a thriving ecosystem for business-led inclusive development. Over the past 10 years, Sankalp has built one of the world's largest impact enterprise focused platforms that has showcased and discovered 1800+ entrepreneurs, through 25 editions and has connected them to 600+ investors. Sankalp has enabled enterprises and entrepreneurs and has helped raise over USD 270 million in funding and disbursed over USD 870,000 in cash grants. Sankalp Forum engages with Governments, Corporations, influential platforms like the G8 and G20, media and civil society to drive a paradigm shift in inclusive development approaches.