• Event Report

Catalysing Climate Finance in African Markets

  • Source : Atlantic Council
  • January 2021
This event report discusses strategies for catalysing climate finance in African markets, recognizing Africa’s vulnerability to climate change despite its minimal contribution to global warming. It highlights the continent’s untapped potential in natural resources, especially renewables, and the need for significant investment in green infrastructure. The report emphasizes mobilizing public and private sector funds through innovative financial instruments and addressing roadblocks to attracting green finance for sustainable economic development.
  • Paper / Report

Five Myths About Impact Bonds

  • Source : Dalberg
  • January 2023
This report debunks five common myths surrounding impact bonds, clarifying their nature and practical application in development finance. It explains that impact bonds are not traditional financial bonds but rather results-based financing mechanisms that link payments to the achievement of pre-defined social outcomes. The paper addresses misconceptions about new money, suitability for organizations, and risk allocation, providing a more accurate understanding of how these instruments can drive innovation and shared responsibility in social impact initiatives.
  • Case Study

Can Investing in Public Equities Improve the Lives of Women?

  • Source : University of Pennsylavania
  • January 2017
This study explores whether investing in public equities can improve the lives of women, concluding with a qualified “yes.” It examines the nascent field of gender lens public equity funds, noting their focus on companies with women in leadership roles. The paper suggests the need for more data and research to precisely determine which companies positively impact women’s lives and perform well financially, advocating for a broader scope of gender-related investment criteria.
  • Case Study

Blended Finance: Understanding Its Potential for Agenda 2030

  • Source : Devinit
  • January 2016
This report provides a foundational overview of blended finance, discussing its origins, mechanisms, and its potential to support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It analyses the effectiveness and risks of combining official development assistance with other public and private resources to fund development activities. The paper stresses the critical importance of strong governance, transparency, and clear data standards to ensure that blended finance delivers on its development promises. It calls for collaborative financing approaches that prioritize genuine development additionality and accountability to achieve the SDGs.
  • Paper / Report

The Ability to Build: Absorptive Capacity in the Nonprofit Sector

  • Source : Huskie Commons
  • November 2023
This paper explores the concept of absorptive capacity within the nonprofit sector, examining how organizations acquire, assimilate, transform, and exploit external knowledge to enhance their performance and adapt to changing environments. It discusses the critical role of absorptive capacity in fostering innovation, improving service delivery, and ensuring long-term sustainability for nonprofits. The research contributes to understanding how nonprofits can strategically develop this capacity to leverage new information and achieve greater social impact.
  • Case Study

A Recipe Book for Social Finance

  • Source : European Commission
  • July 2015
This guide aims to facilitate access to social finance by encouraging investors and supporting social enterprises. It provides insights into designing and mixing financial products to meet the needs of social enterprises, emphasizing sustainable finance by society for society. The publication highlights various organizational models and social missions, offering a framework for navigating the evolving social finance markets across Europe and ensuring external social finance supports business models without mission drift.
  • Paper / Report

Funder Practices That Strengthen Nonprofits’ Resilience: Lessons From India

  • Source : The Bridgespan Group
  • November 2023
This report identifies effective funder practices that contribute to strengthening the resilience of nonprofit organizations in India. It highlights approaches such as providing unrestricted, multi-year funding, fostering trust-based relationships, and offering non-financial support to enhance organizational capacity. The study draws lessons from Indian philanthropies and their partners, showcasing how flexible and responsive funding can empower nonprofits to innovate, adapt, and sustain their efforts in achieving social impact.
  • Case Study

A Primer on Social Impact Bonds

  • Source : The Economic Commission for Latin America
  • November 2014
This guide outlines practical instruments and market-development tactics to grow social finance in Europe. It emphasizes capacity building, investor readiness, regulation, and instrument diversity to strengthen the social finance ecosystem. The paper also provides a critical evaluation of Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) as innovative pay-for-success mechanisms, noting how they shift financial risk to private investors and can generate political support for social interventions.
  • Case Study

A New Approach to Funding Social Enterprises

  • Source : Harvard Business Review
  • January 2012
This article proposes using traditional capital structures—like bonds, loans, equity—for social enterprises by treating philanthropic capital as impact-seeking. It emphasizes transparent social outcome measurement and supportive policy frameworks so social enterprises can access mainstream investors. The authors argue these steps can significantly expand the scale and sustainability of impact-driven ventures by unbundling societal benefits and financial returns to attract diverse investment.
  • Academic / Journal Article

Results-based financing

  • Source : IDR Online
  • August 2019
This article explores the concept of Results-Based Financing (RBF) and provides insights into whether organizations should adopt this funding model. It delves into the advantages and disadvantages of RBF, discussing how it shifts focus from inputs to outcomes and its potential impact on incentivizing efficiency and accountability in social programs. The piece aims to guide organizations in making informed decisions about integrating RBF into their funding strategies, considering both its opportunities and challenges in achieving measurable social impact.
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