novation Body Surface Examination Facilitated by Digital Microscopy [Innovations in Primary Care] By www.annfammed.org Published On :: 2020-03-09T14:00:11-07:00 Full Article
novation Reinventing the Medical Assistant Staffing Model at No Cost in a Large Medical Group [Innovations in Primary Care] By www.annfammed.org Published On :: 2020-03-09T14:00:11-07:00 Full Article
novation Connecting General Practitioners Through a Peer-Facilitated Community of Practice for Chronic Disease Care [Innovations in Primary Care] By www.annfammed.org Published On :: 2020-03-09T14:00:11-07:00 Full Article
novation Don't miss: Emotional veg, antique innovations and spooky maths By www.newscientist.com Published On :: Wed, 12 Feb 2020 18:00:00 +0000 This week, hide behind the sofa from mind-altering plants, listen and learn from technologies past and find out how the world is underpinned by numbers Full Article
novation This scientist studies alchemy to turn historical handicrafts into modern innovations By www.popsci.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 15:00:01 +0000 Pamela H. Smith finds scientific inspiration in manuscripts and other artifacts. “So much exploration, experimentation, and innovation happens in craft." Full Article Science
novation Med-Tech Innovation Expo rescheduled for June 2021 By www.medicalplasticsnews.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 09:55:25 -0000 Rapid News Group has announced the decision to postpone Med-Tech Innovation Expo, the UK’s flagship event for the medical device industry to 2021. Full Article
novation Debunking the Myth: ‘Gene Patents’ are not necessary for healthcare innovation. By patentlybiotech.wordpress.com Published On :: Thu, 09 Jun 2011 14:30:39 +0000 Myth: ‘Gene Patents’ are not necessary for health care innovation. Facts: Patents on DNA preparations or sequences are often the first patents upon which a later technology platform or portfolio is built. These patents are often in-licensed from universities by small start-up companies for the purpose of additional R&D, evidencing that the public/non-profit university sector cannot bear […] Full Article Gene Patents DNA patents gene patents gene patents and innovation gene patents and research gene patents are not necessary gene patents are unnecessary gene patents unnecessary healtcare innovation unnecessary gene patents valley of death
novation Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to Hold Workshop on Promoting Innovation By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 10 May 2010 11:16:17 EDT The Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Commerce’s United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced today that they will hold a joint public workshop on the intersection of patent policy and competition policy and its implications for promoting innovation Full Article OPA Press Releases
novation Construction Manager of Iowa Building Renovation Pleads Guilty to Environmental Crimes By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:46:51 EST The construction manager for a renovation project at the Equitable Building in Des Moines, Iowa, pleaded guilty today in federal court to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act and for violating the Clean Air Act’s work practice standards related to asbestos removal. Full Article OPA Press Releases
novation Justice Department Honors Crime Victims, Advocates, and Teams for Exceptional Perseverance and Innovation By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 9 Apr 2014 14:04:29 EDT Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole will preside over the National Crime Victims’ Rights Service Awards ceremony 2 p.m. Wed., April 9, honoring ten individuals and programs for exceptional perseverance and innovation in advancing crime victims’ rights. Full Article OPA Press Releases
novation Corporate-Wide Settlement with Lowe’s Protects Public from Lead Pollution During Home Renovations By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 17 Apr 2014 12:56:48 EDT Lowe’s Home Centers, one of the nation’s largest home improvement retailers, has agreed to implement a comprehensive, corporate-wide compliance program at its more than 1,700 stores nationwide to ensure its contractors minimize lead dust from home renovation activities. Full Article OPA Press Releases
novation ExcelVite Wins Two Gold Awards: Best Innovation and Best Global Market By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 06 Feb 2018 17:13:00 GMT In the 8th edition of The Star Outstanding Business Awards (SOBA), ExcelVite has emerged as Gold winner for two award categories–Best Innovation and Best Global Market. Full Article
novation A Thoughtful Innovation: HP Ingredients Launches Quantum IQ for Cognitive Health By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mon, 12 Feb 2018 22:39:00 GMT The cognitive-boost market just received another potent supplement ingredient–Quantum IQ Polygonum minus extract, exclusively from HP Ingredients, Inc. (HPI). Full Article
novation FDA approves MenQuadfiTM, the latest innovation in meningococcal (MenACWY) vaccination By www.news.sanofi.us Published On :: Fri, 24 Apr 2020 08:00:00 -0400 Latest innovation in quadrivalent meningococcal vaccination designed for use in persons 2 years of age and older in the U.S. Full Article
novation High-level Postdoctoral research fellow recruitment - The international Joint Center for Biomedical Innovation (JCBI), Henan University : Kaifeng, China By feeds.nature.com Published On :: Tue, 15 Oct 2019 09:23:52 +0000 The international Joint Center for Biomedical Innovation (JCBI) is comprised of two partner research nodes using nanoparticle technologies to develop solutions for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases diagnostics. Henan University has established a new research laboratory in nano-bio system innovation and theranostics, with start-up funding and new academic positions. Macquarie’s node is built upon its established excellence in neuroscience and cancer research programs. The collaborative succes… Full Article
novation Nuclear receptor crosstalk — defining the mechanisms for therapeutic innovation By feeds.nature.com Published On :: 2020-04-17 Full Article
novation Closing Critical Gaps that Hinder Homeland Security Technology Innovation By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 23, 2020 Apr 23, 2020Rapid technological advances are making nonstate actors much more capable than they were even a decade ago. Malicious actors like terrorist groups, criminal organizations, and state proxies are increasingly able to threaten American civilians and their interests around the world. At the same time, we are increasingly vulnerable to the emergence of new disease and natural disasters, as vividly shown by the hurricanes of 2017 (Harvey, Irma, and Maria) and the COVID-19 pandemic. Effectively countering these threats, including by developing and supporting private sector-generated new technological solutions, is a core government responsibility. DHS is the U.S. government’s primary civilian public safety agency and the main source of government funding for nonmilitary development of public safety technologies. Unfortunately, DHS has a poor record of developing new technological solutions to advance its mission and address emerging threats. This article assesses the current situation, identifies lines of research that are urgently needed, and makes recommendations on how DHS can more effectively partner with industry and how new technologies can be quickly seeded. Full Article
novation Study Group on Energy Innovation and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy: Advising Fortune 500 Companies By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Feb 19, 2020 Feb 19, 2020This study group will explore the role of the private sector in evolving energy systems, and how corporations might change in a climate constrained world. Full Article
novation Study Group on Energy Innovation and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy: Advising Fortune 500 Companies By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Feb 19, 2020 Feb 19, 2020This study group will explore the role of the private sector in evolving energy systems, and how corporations might change in a climate constrained world. Full Article
novation Closing Critical Gaps that Hinder Homeland Security Technology Innovation By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 23, 2020 Apr 23, 2020Rapid technological advances are making nonstate actors much more capable than they were even a decade ago. Malicious actors like terrorist groups, criminal organizations, and state proxies are increasingly able to threaten American civilians and their interests around the world. At the same time, we are increasingly vulnerable to the emergence of new disease and natural disasters, as vividly shown by the hurricanes of 2017 (Harvey, Irma, and Maria) and the COVID-19 pandemic. Effectively countering these threats, including by developing and supporting private sector-generated new technological solutions, is a core government responsibility. DHS is the U.S. government’s primary civilian public safety agency and the main source of government funding for nonmilitary development of public safety technologies. Unfortunately, DHS has a poor record of developing new technological solutions to advance its mission and address emerging threats. This article assesses the current situation, identifies lines of research that are urgently needed, and makes recommendations on how DHS can more effectively partner with industry and how new technologies can be quickly seeded. Full Article
novation Closing Critical Gaps that Hinder Homeland Security Technology Innovation By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 23, 2020 Apr 23, 2020Rapid technological advances are making nonstate actors much more capable than they were even a decade ago. Malicious actors like terrorist groups, criminal organizations, and state proxies are increasingly able to threaten American civilians and their interests around the world. At the same time, we are increasingly vulnerable to the emergence of new disease and natural disasters, as vividly shown by the hurricanes of 2017 (Harvey, Irma, and Maria) and the COVID-19 pandemic. Effectively countering these threats, including by developing and supporting private sector-generated new technological solutions, is a core government responsibility. DHS is the U.S. government’s primary civilian public safety agency and the main source of government funding for nonmilitary development of public safety technologies. Unfortunately, DHS has a poor record of developing new technological solutions to advance its mission and address emerging threats. This article assesses the current situation, identifies lines of research that are urgently needed, and makes recommendations on how DHS can more effectively partner with industry and how new technologies can be quickly seeded. Full Article
novation Innovations in dialysis membranes for improved kidney replacement therapy By feeds.nature.com Published On :: 2020-04-22 Full Article
novation Innovations in dialysis: the user’s perspective By feeds.nature.com Published On :: 2020-04-27 Full Article
novation Innovations in approaches to remove uraemic toxins By feeds.nature.com Published On :: 2020-05-07 Full Article
novation Study Group on Energy Innovation and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy: Advising Fortune 500 Companies By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Feb 19, 2020 Feb 19, 2020This study group will explore the role of the private sector in evolving energy systems, and how corporations might change in a climate constrained world. Full Article
novation Closing Critical Gaps that Hinder Homeland Security Technology Innovation By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 23, 2020 Apr 23, 2020Rapid technological advances are making nonstate actors much more capable than they were even a decade ago. Malicious actors like terrorist groups, criminal organizations, and state proxies are increasingly able to threaten American civilians and their interests around the world. At the same time, we are increasingly vulnerable to the emergence of new disease and natural disasters, as vividly shown by the hurricanes of 2017 (Harvey, Irma, and Maria) and the COVID-19 pandemic. Effectively countering these threats, including by developing and supporting private sector-generated new technological solutions, is a core government responsibility. DHS is the U.S. government’s primary civilian public safety agency and the main source of government funding for nonmilitary development of public safety technologies. Unfortunately, DHS has a poor record of developing new technological solutions to advance its mission and address emerging threats. This article assesses the current situation, identifies lines of research that are urgently needed, and makes recommendations on how DHS can more effectively partner with industry and how new technologies can be quickly seeded. Full Article
novation Closing Critical Gaps that Hinder Homeland Security Technology Innovation By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 23, 2020 Apr 23, 2020Rapid technological advances are making nonstate actors much more capable than they were even a decade ago. Malicious actors like terrorist groups, criminal organizations, and state proxies are increasingly able to threaten American civilians and their interests around the world. At the same time, we are increasingly vulnerable to the emergence of new disease and natural disasters, as vividly shown by the hurricanes of 2017 (Harvey, Irma, and Maria) and the COVID-19 pandemic. Effectively countering these threats, including by developing and supporting private sector-generated new technological solutions, is a core government responsibility. DHS is the U.S. government’s primary civilian public safety agency and the main source of government funding for nonmilitary development of public safety technologies. Unfortunately, DHS has a poor record of developing new technological solutions to advance its mission and address emerging threats. This article assesses the current situation, identifies lines of research that are urgently needed, and makes recommendations on how DHS can more effectively partner with industry and how new technologies can be quickly seeded. Full Article
novation Study Group on Energy Innovation and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy: Advising Fortune 500 Companies By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Feb 19, 2020 Feb 19, 2020This study group will explore the role of the private sector in evolving energy systems, and how corporations might change in a climate constrained world. Full Article
novation Closing Critical Gaps that Hinder Homeland Security Technology Innovation By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 23, 2020 Apr 23, 2020Rapid technological advances are making nonstate actors much more capable than they were even a decade ago. Malicious actors like terrorist groups, criminal organizations, and state proxies are increasingly able to threaten American civilians and their interests around the world. At the same time, we are increasingly vulnerable to the emergence of new disease and natural disasters, as vividly shown by the hurricanes of 2017 (Harvey, Irma, and Maria) and the COVID-19 pandemic. Effectively countering these threats, including by developing and supporting private sector-generated new technological solutions, is a core government responsibility. DHS is the U.S. government’s primary civilian public safety agency and the main source of government funding for nonmilitary development of public safety technologies. Unfortunately, DHS has a poor record of developing new technological solutions to advance its mission and address emerging threats. This article assesses the current situation, identifies lines of research that are urgently needed, and makes recommendations on how DHS can more effectively partner with industry and how new technologies can be quickly seeded. Full Article
novation Study Group on Energy Innovation and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy: Advising Fortune 500 Companies By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Feb 19, 2020 Feb 19, 2020This study group will explore the role of the private sector in evolving energy systems, and how corporations might change in a climate constrained world. Full Article
novation Closing Critical Gaps that Hinder Homeland Security Technology Innovation By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 23, 2020 Apr 23, 2020Rapid technological advances are making nonstate actors much more capable than they were even a decade ago. Malicious actors like terrorist groups, criminal organizations, and state proxies are increasingly able to threaten American civilians and their interests around the world. At the same time, we are increasingly vulnerable to the emergence of new disease and natural disasters, as vividly shown by the hurricanes of 2017 (Harvey, Irma, and Maria) and the COVID-19 pandemic. Effectively countering these threats, including by developing and supporting private sector-generated new technological solutions, is a core government responsibility. DHS is the U.S. government’s primary civilian public safety agency and the main source of government funding for nonmilitary development of public safety technologies. Unfortunately, DHS has a poor record of developing new technological solutions to advance its mission and address emerging threats. This article assesses the current situation, identifies lines of research that are urgently needed, and makes recommendations on how DHS can more effectively partner with industry and how new technologies can be quickly seeded. Full Article
novation Closing Critical Gaps that Hinder Homeland Security Technology Innovation By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 23, 2020 Apr 23, 2020Rapid technological advances are making nonstate actors much more capable than they were even a decade ago. Malicious actors like terrorist groups, criminal organizations, and state proxies are increasingly able to threaten American civilians and their interests around the world. At the same time, we are increasingly vulnerable to the emergence of new disease and natural disasters, as vividly shown by the hurricanes of 2017 (Harvey, Irma, and Maria) and the COVID-19 pandemic. Effectively countering these threats, including by developing and supporting private sector-generated new technological solutions, is a core government responsibility. DHS is the U.S. government’s primary civilian public safety agency and the main source of government funding for nonmilitary development of public safety technologies. Unfortunately, DHS has a poor record of developing new technological solutions to advance its mission and address emerging threats. This article assesses the current situation, identifies lines of research that are urgently needed, and makes recommendations on how DHS can more effectively partner with industry and how new technologies can be quickly seeded. Full Article
novation Closing Critical Gaps that Hinder Homeland Security Technology Innovation By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 23, 2020 Apr 23, 2020Rapid technological advances are making nonstate actors much more capable than they were even a decade ago. Malicious actors like terrorist groups, criminal organizations, and state proxies are increasingly able to threaten American civilians and their interests around the world. At the same time, we are increasingly vulnerable to the emergence of new disease and natural disasters, as vividly shown by the hurricanes of 2017 (Harvey, Irma, and Maria) and the COVID-19 pandemic. Effectively countering these threats, including by developing and supporting private sector-generated new technological solutions, is a core government responsibility. DHS is the U.S. government’s primary civilian public safety agency and the main source of government funding for nonmilitary development of public safety technologies. Unfortunately, DHS has a poor record of developing new technological solutions to advance its mission and address emerging threats. This article assesses the current situation, identifies lines of research that are urgently needed, and makes recommendations on how DHS can more effectively partner with industry and how new technologies can be quickly seeded. Full Article
novation Closing Critical Gaps that Hinder Homeland Security Technology Innovation By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 23, 2020 Apr 23, 2020Rapid technological advances are making nonstate actors much more capable than they were even a decade ago. Malicious actors like terrorist groups, criminal organizations, and state proxies are increasingly able to threaten American civilians and their interests around the world. At the same time, we are increasingly vulnerable to the emergence of new disease and natural disasters, as vividly shown by the hurricanes of 2017 (Harvey, Irma, and Maria) and the COVID-19 pandemic. Effectively countering these threats, including by developing and supporting private sector-generated new technological solutions, is a core government responsibility. DHS is the U.S. government’s primary civilian public safety agency and the main source of government funding for nonmilitary development of public safety technologies. Unfortunately, DHS has a poor record of developing new technological solutions to advance its mission and address emerging threats. This article assesses the current situation, identifies lines of research that are urgently needed, and makes recommendations on how DHS can more effectively partner with industry and how new technologies can be quickly seeded. Full Article
novation Study Group on Energy Innovation and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy: Advising Fortune 500 Companies By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Feb 19, 2020 Feb 19, 2020This study group will explore the role of the private sector in evolving energy systems, and how corporations might change in a climate constrained world. Full Article
novation Closing Critical Gaps that Hinder Homeland Security Technology Innovation By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 23, 2020 Apr 23, 2020Rapid technological advances are making nonstate actors much more capable than they were even a decade ago. Malicious actors like terrorist groups, criminal organizations, and state proxies are increasingly able to threaten American civilians and their interests around the world. At the same time, we are increasingly vulnerable to the emergence of new disease and natural disasters, as vividly shown by the hurricanes of 2017 (Harvey, Irma, and Maria) and the COVID-19 pandemic. Effectively countering these threats, including by developing and supporting private sector-generated new technological solutions, is a core government responsibility. DHS is the U.S. government’s primary civilian public safety agency and the main source of government funding for nonmilitary development of public safety technologies. Unfortunately, DHS has a poor record of developing new technological solutions to advance its mission and address emerging threats. This article assesses the current situation, identifies lines of research that are urgently needed, and makes recommendations on how DHS can more effectively partner with industry and how new technologies can be quickly seeded. Full Article
novation Closing Critical Gaps that Hinder Homeland Security Technology Innovation By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Apr 23, 2020 Apr 23, 2020Rapid technological advances are making nonstate actors much more capable than they were even a decade ago. Malicious actors like terrorist groups, criminal organizations, and state proxies are increasingly able to threaten American civilians and their interests around the world. At the same time, we are increasingly vulnerable to the emergence of new disease and natural disasters, as vividly shown by the hurricanes of 2017 (Harvey, Irma, and Maria) and the COVID-19 pandemic. Effectively countering these threats, including by developing and supporting private sector-generated new technological solutions, is a core government responsibility. DHS is the U.S. government’s primary civilian public safety agency and the main source of government funding for nonmilitary development of public safety technologies. Unfortunately, DHS has a poor record of developing new technological solutions to advance its mission and address emerging threats. This article assesses the current situation, identifies lines of research that are urgently needed, and makes recommendations on how DHS can more effectively partner with industry and how new technologies can be quickly seeded. Full Article
novation Study Group on Energy Innovation and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy: Advising Fortune 500 Companies By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Feb 19, 2020 Feb 19, 2020This study group will explore the role of the private sector in evolving energy systems, and how corporations might change in a climate constrained world. Full Article
novation Study Group on Energy Innovation and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy: Advising Fortune 500 Companies By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Feb 19, 2020 Feb 19, 2020This study group will explore the role of the private sector in evolving energy systems, and how corporations might change in a climate constrained world. Full Article
novation Study Group on Energy Innovation and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy: Advising Fortune 500 Companies By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Feb 19, 2020 Feb 19, 2020This study group will explore the role of the private sector in evolving energy systems, and how corporations might change in a climate constrained world. Full Article
novation Study Group on Energy Innovation and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy: Advising Fortune 500 Companies By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Feb 19, 2020 Feb 19, 2020This study group will explore the role of the private sector in evolving energy systems, and how corporations might change in a climate constrained world. Full Article
novation Study Group on Energy Innovation and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy: Advising Fortune 500 Companies By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Feb 19, 2020 Feb 19, 2020This study group will explore the role of the private sector in evolving energy systems, and how corporations might change in a climate constrained world. Full Article
novation Study Group on Energy Innovation and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy: Advising Fortune 500 Companies By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Feb 19, 2020 Feb 19, 2020This study group will explore the role of the private sector in evolving energy systems, and how corporations might change in a climate constrained world. Full Article
novation Study Group on Energy Innovation and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy: Advising Fortune 500 Companies By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Feb 19, 2020 Feb 19, 2020This study group will explore the role of the private sector in evolving energy systems, and how corporations might change in a climate constrained world. Full Article
novation Study Group on Energy Innovation and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy: Advising Fortune 500 Companies By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Feb 19, 2020 Feb 19, 2020This study group will explore the role of the private sector in evolving energy systems, and how corporations might change in a climate constrained world. Full Article
novation Study Group on Energy Innovation and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy: Advising Fortune 500 Companies By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Feb 19, 2020 Feb 19, 2020This study group will explore the role of the private sector in evolving energy systems, and how corporations might change in a climate constrained world. Full Article
novation Study Group on Energy Innovation and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy: Advising Fortune 500 Companies By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Feb 19, 2020 Feb 19, 2020This study group will explore the role of the private sector in evolving energy systems, and how corporations might change in a climate constrained world. Full Article
novation Technology and the Federal Government: Recommendations for the Innovation Advisory Board By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Mon, 06 Jun 2011 15:14:00 -0400 Our former Brookings colleague Rebecca Blank, now at the Commerce Department, is today leading the first meeting of the Obama Administration’s Innovation Advisory Board, looking at the innovative capacity and economic competitiveness of the United States.I applaud the effort. Nothing is more important to America’s longterm competitiveness than emphasizing innovation. As the council looks to the private sector and global markets, I urge it to examine how the U.S. government can lead innovation and contribute to economic growth. The best place to look is new and emerging digital technologies that can make government more accessible, accountable, responsive and efficient for the people who use government services every day. Here are some of the recommendations I made in a recent paper I wrote with colleagues here at Brookings as part of our “Growth Through Innovation” initiative: Save money and gain efficiency by moving federal IT functions “to the cloud,” i.e., using advances in cloud computing to put software, hardware, services and data storage through remote file servers. Continue to prioritize the Obama administration’s existing efforts to put unparalleled amounts of data online at Data.gov and other federal sites, making it easier and cheaper for citizens and businesses to access the information they need. Use social media networks to deliver information to the public and to solicit feedback to improve government performance. Integrate ideas and operations with state and local organizations, where much of government innovation is taking place today. Apply the methods of private-sector business planning to the public sector to produce region-specific business plans that are low cost and high impact. These improvements in government services innovations in the digital age can help spur innovation and support a robust business climate. And, as a sorely needed side benefit, they can also serve to eliminate some of the current distrust and even contempt for government that has brought public approval of the performance of the federal government to near historic lows. Authors Darrell M. West Image Source: © Mario Anzuoni / Reuters Full Article
novation The market makers: Local innovation and federal evolution for impact investing By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Thu, 28 Apr 2016 15:30:00 -0400 Announcements of new federal regulations on the use of program-related investments (PRIs) and the launch of a groundbreaking fund in Chicago are the latest signals that impact investing, once a marginal philanthropic and policy tool, is moving into the mainstream. They are also illustrative of two important and complementary paths to institutional change: fast-moving, collaborative local leadership creating innovative new instruments to meet funding demands; federal regulators updating policy to pave the way for change at scale. Impact investing, referring to “investment strategies that generate financial returns while intentionally improving social and environmental conditions,” provides an important tier of higher-risk capital to fund socially beneficial projects with revenue-generating potential: affordable housing, early childhood and workforce development programs, and social enterprises. It is estimated that there are over $60 billion of impact investments globally and interest is growing—an annual JP Morgan study of impact investors from 2015 reports that the number of impact investing deals increased 13 percent between 2013 and 2014 following a 20 percent increase in the previous year. Traditionally, foundations have split their impact investments into two pots, one for mission-related investments, designed to generate market-rate returns and maintain and grow the value of the endowment, and the other for program-related investments. PRIs can include loans, guarantees, or equity investments that advance a charitable purpose without expectation of market returns. PRIs are an attractive use of a foundation’s endowment as they allow foundations to recycle their limited grant funds and they count towards a foundation’s charitable distribution requirement of 5 percent of assets. However they have been underutilized to date due to perceived hurdles around their use–in fact among the thousands of foundations in the United States, currently only a few hundred make PRIs. But this is changing, spurred on by both entrepreneurial local action and federal leadership. On April 21, the White House announced that the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service had finalized regulations that are expected to make it easier for private foundations to put their assets to work in innovative ways. While there is still room for improvement, by clarifying rules and signaling mainstream acceptance of impact investing practices these changes should lower the barriers to entry for some institutional investors. This federal leadership is welcome, but is not by itself enough to meet the growing demand for capital investment in the civic sector. Local innovation, spurred by new philanthropic collaborations, can be transformative. On April 25 in Chicago, the Chicago Community Trust, the Calvert Foundation, and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation launched Benefit Chicago, a $100 million impact investment fund that aims to catalyze a new market by making it easier for individuals and institutions to put their dollars to work locally and help meet the estimated $100-400 million capital needs of the civic sector over the next five years. A Next Street report found that the potential supply of patient capital from foundations and investors in the Chicago region was more than enough to meet the demand – if there were ways to more easily connect the two. Benefit Chicago addresses this market gap by making it possible for individuals to invest directly through a brokerage or a donor-advised fund and for the many foundations without dedicated impact investing programs to put their endowments to work at scale. All of the transactional details of deal flow, underwriting, and evaluation of results are handled by the intermediary, which should lead to greater efficiency and a significant increase in the size of the impact investing market in Chicago. In the last few years, a new form of impact investing has made measurement of social return to investments even more concrete. Social impact bonds (SIBs), also known as pay for success (PFS) financing, are a way for private investors (including foundations) to provide capital to support social services with the promise of a return on their investment from a government agency if some agreed-upon social outcomes are achieved. These PFS transactions range from funding to support high-quality early childhood education programs in Chicago to reduction in chronic individual homelessness in the state of Massachusetts. Both the IRS and the Chicago announcements are bound to contribute to the growth of the impact bond market which to date represents a small segment of the impact investing market. These examples illustrate a rare and wonderful convergence of leadership at the federal and local levels around an idea that makes sense. Beyond simply broadening the number of ways that foundations can deploy funds, growing the pool of impact investments can have a powerful market-making effect. Impact investments unlock other tiers of capital, reducing risk for private investors and making possible new types of deals with longer time horizons and lower expected market return. In the near future, these federal and local moves together might radically change the philanthropic landscape. If every major city had a fund like Benefit Chicago, and all local investors had a simple on-ramp to impact investing, the pool of capital to help local organizations meet local needs could grow exponentially. This in turn could considerably improve funding for programs—like access to quality social services and affordable housing—that show impact over the long term. Impact investing can be a bright spot in an otherwise somber fiscal environment if localities keep innovating and higher levels of government evolve to support, incentivize, and smooth its growth. These announcements from Washington and Chicago are examples of the multilevel leadership and creative institutional change we need to ensure that we tap every source of philanthropic capital, to feel some abundance in an era where scarcity is the dominant narrative. Editor's Note: Alaina Harkness is a fellow at Brookings while on leave from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, which is a donor to the Brookings Institution. The findings, interpretations and conclusions posted in this piece are solely those of the authors and not determined by any donation. Authors Alaina J. HarknessEmily Gustafsson-Wright Image Source: © Jeff Haynes / Reuters Full Article
novation Scaling up social enterprise innovations: Approaches and lessons By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Thu, 07 Jul 2016 09:53:00 -0400 In 2015 the international community agreed on a set of ambitious sustainable development goals (SDGs) for the global society, to be achieved by 2030. One of the lessons that the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG s) has highlighted is the importance of a systematic approach to identify and sequence development interventions—policies, programs, and projects—to achieve such goals at a meaningful scale. The Chinese approach to development, which consists of identifying a problem and long-term goal, testing alternative solutions, and then implementing those that are promising in a sustained manner, learning and adapting as one proceeds—Deng Xiaoping’s “crossing the river by feeling the stones”—is an approach that holds promise for successful achievement of the SDGs. Having observed the Chinese way, then World Bank Group President James Wolfensohn in 2004, together with the Chinese government, convened a major international conference in Shanghai on scaling up successful development interventions, and in 2005 the World Bank Group (WBG ) published the results of the conference, including an assessment of the Chinese approach. (Moreno-Dodson 2005). Some ten years later, the WBG once again is addressing the question of how to support scaling up of successful development interventions, at a time when the challenge and opportunity of scaling up have become a widely recognized issue for many development institutions and experts. Since traditional private and public service providers frequently do not reach the poorest people in developing countries, social enterprises can play an important role in providing key services to those at the “base of the pyramid.” In parallel with the recognition that scaling up matters, the development community is now also focusing on social enterprises (SEs), a new set of actors falling between the traditionally recognized public and private sectors. We adopt here the World Bank’s definition of “social enterprises” as a social-mission-led organization that provides sustainable services to Base of the Pyramid (BoP) populations. This is broadly in line with other existing definitions for the sector and reflects the World Bank’s primary interest in social enterprises as a mechanism for supporting service delivery for the poor. Although social enterprises can adopt various organizational forms—business, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and community-based organizations are all forms commonly adopted by social enterprises—they differ from private providers principally by combining three features: operating with a social purpose, adhering to business principles, and aiming for financial sustainability. Since traditional private and public service providers frequently do not reach the poorest people in developing countries, social enterprises can play an important role in providing key services to those at the “base of the pyramid.” (Figure 1) Figure 1. Role of SE sector in public service provision Social enterprises often start at the initiative of a visionary entrepreneur who sees a significant social need, whether in education, health, sanitation, or microfinance, and who responds by developing an innovative way to address the perceived need, usually by setting up an NGO, or a for-profit enterprise. Social enterprises and their innovations generally start small. When successful, they face an important challenge: how to expand their operations and innovations to meet the social need at a larger scale. Development partner organizations—donors, for short—have recognized the contribution that social enterprises can make to find and implement innovative ways to meet the social service needs of people at the base of the pyramid, and they have started to explore how they can support social enterprises in responding to these needs at a meaningful scale. The purpose of this paper is to present a menu of approaches for addressing the challenge of scaling up social enterprise innovations, based on a review of the literature on scaling up and on social enterprises. The paper does not aim to offer specific recommendations for entrepreneurs or blueprints and guidelines for the development agencies. The range of settings, problems, and solutions is too wide to permit that. Rather, the paper provides an overview of ways to think about and approach the scaling up of social enterprise innovations. Where possible, the paper also refers to specific tools that can be helpful in implementing the proposed approaches. Note that we talk about scaling up social enterprise innovations, not about social enterprises. This is because it is the innovations and how they are scaled up that matter. An innovation may be scaled up by the social enterprise where it originated, by handoff to a public agency for implementation at a larger scale, or by other private enterprises, small or large. This paper is structured in three parts: Part I presents a general approach to scaling up development interventions. This helps establish basic definitions and concepts. Part II considers approaches for the scaling up of social enterprise innovations. Part III provides a summary of the main conclusions and lessons from experience. A postscript draws out implications for external aid donors. Examples from actual practice are used to exemplify the approaches and are summarized in Annex boxes. Downloads Download the full paper (PDF) Authors Natalia AgapitovaJohannes F. Linn Full Article