Tim's Library

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/06/education/06oneducation.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Editor’s Note: I really struggle with the whole education thing. Two sisters and a brother are in the system, several of my non-profit heroes are pioneers in education and now I’ve got two daughters-in-law with teaching licenses. If you’re at all like me, you struggle between blaming teachers, unions, parents and students and sometimes – all of the above. So this article really caught my eye as the Peer Assistance Program at least hopes to find a middle ground.

Editor’s Note: For the first time I can remember, I’m passing on an entire website as my case study. I met the people from EDEN while teaching at our foundation and the Osgood Group’s “Revenue U”. RevU is a program to help non-profits identify and develop sustainable revenue streams. As you search around the EDEN website you will see that they are a living, breathing case history for service. I’m proud to know them.

http://www.edeninc.org/

http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/habitat_builds_out_its_vision

Editor’s note: The most interesting part of this article, also from SSIR’s 10th anniversary issue, is that a non-profit as huge as Habitat for Humanity is doing something new while still focusing on its primary mission. The article reminds us they remain focused on “one house at a time” but are collaborating to support selective neighborhood initiatives. Way cool.

Editor’s Note: The founding chair of Big Society Capital explains how the UK’s social investment bank will harness entrepreneurship and capital to solve societal problems.

Case Study: http://www.ronaldcohen.net/sites/default/files/3/Summer%20202012_Big%20Society%20Capital%20Marks%20a%20Paradigm%20Shift.pdf

Editor’s Note: In the video below you will see Candace Klein, founder and CEO of both Bad Girl Ventures and SoMoLend, make the winning pitch for SoMoLend at Finovate, a conference that showcases the best new innovations in financial and banking technology. SoMoLend is a peer-to-peer lending platform that connects business borrowers seeking loans with investors looking to make a return on investment, doing well by doing good. NEO Fund, the CDFI in Ashtabula, plans to partner with SoMoLend in 2013 to make its lending administration process more effective and efficient.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ihbmq2GTfU

Editor’s Note: In the video below you will see Candace Klein, founder and CEO of both Bad Girl Ventures and SoMoLend, make the winning pitch for SoMoLend at Finovate, a conference that showcases the best new innovations in financial and banking technology. SoMoLend is a peer-to-peer lending platform that connects business borrowers seeking loans with investors looking to make a return on investment, doing well by doing good. NEO Fund, the CDFI in Ashtabula, plans to partner with SoMoLend in 2013 to make its lending administration process more effective and efficient.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ihbmq2GTfU

Editor’s Note: The partnership between iMentor and Marsh & McLennan (MMC) has been fruitful for both the nonprofit and the corporate partner. MMC has been able to get employees more engaged and scout talent working with iMentor, while iMentor has continued to expand its programs and mission. TBOGF is working with College Now of Greater Cleveland to facilitate similar corporate partnerships for its fast growing mentoring program, powered by iMentor Interactive.

Article: http://www.fundraisingsuccessmag.com/article/corporate-partnership-case-study-imentor-marsh-mclennan/1#

Editor’s Note: Hope Gibbs does a nice job highlighting this, one of the first peer-to-peer philanthropy site. Donorschoose.org is a cool concept, nicely boot-strapped and then scaled.

Article: http://hopegibbs.com/article/478/supplies-on-demand-costco-connection-august-2012

Editor’s Note: Our foundation only dreams of becoming as effective as Center for Community Self-Help, whose mission is “Creating and protecting ownership and economic opportunity for all.”

Article: http://www.self-help.org/about-us/about-us/our-mission.html

Editor’s Note: Our foundation continuously seeks to narrow its focus, keeping a constant diligence to avoid the natural tendency towards “mission creep.” This case study demonstrates the benefit of being single-mindedly devoted to a focused mission by telling the story of Rural Development Institute. The organization has helped 400 million poor farmers around the world take ownership of some 270 million acres of land – all on a modest budget.

http://www.cmc.edu/kravisprize/documents/2008WI_casestudy_jonker_meehan.pdf