New impact investing forum launched for INGOs

Today, InsideNGO, Pact and Mercy Corps jointly announced the establishment of a new forum for international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs) engaging in impact investing and social enterprise. This emerging space at the intersection of the private and nonprofit sectors allows for new types of organizational forms that blend social missions with financial returns in what is commonly termed the “double bottom line.”

The announcement was made at the annual SOCAP (Social Capital Markets) conference in San Francisco, which brings together entrepreneurs and cross-sector innovators for three days of learning and collaboration.

The new Forum will convene leaders from a wide range of international nonprofits who are engaging the emerging cross-sectoral spaces of impact investing and social enterprise. The Forum will provide a place for INGOs to learn, collaborate, conduct joint research and collectively advocate.

“New opportunities invite collaboration. INGOs are eager to collectively leverage our local presence and global reach to invest in and accelerate entrepreneurial solutions. This Forum will give our peers the opportunity to share what we are working on, learn from each other’s successes and failures, and ultimately be more successful as a group than any one organization could be on its own,” explains Michael MacHarg, Sr. Advisor for Social Ventures at Mercy Corps.

INGOs offer an emerging and unique opportunity for impact investors and social enterprises to generate significant benefits and results with proven, scaled and skilled organizations who are innovating to better apply this capital and leverage social enterprise partnership opportunities to fulfill their missions. Whether through supporting the development of social enterprises in the countries where they work, building their own revenue-generating businesses, or capitalizing impact investment funds, many INGOs have already begun to use for-profit practices for social good.

“We know that the international development sector is changing around us. If INGOs plan to continue being relevant, we have to be married to our missions, not our business models. Pact has invested time and resources, as many of our peer INGOs have as well, in engaging the emerging cross-sector space as one way of creating new impact,” reports Mark Viso, President and CEO of Pact.

The launch at SOCAP has already generated significant excitement among Pact’s and Mercy Corps’ peer organizations. The group hopes to hold its first convening next month in Washington, D.C., and, if early energy is any indication, expects a full house.

Tom Dente, Chief Operating Officer at InsideNGO said, “The scale and reach INGOs bring is a game changer for the social enterprise space. Creating new partnerships and opportunities can bring benefit to all. With the great leadership of Pact and Mercy Corps, I’m excited to see what this group can achieve together.”

For more information about the working group, please contact Stephanie Marienau Turpin, director of social enterprise development, at smarienau@pactworld.org.

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About InsideNGO – InsideNGO is a global membership organization dedicated to strengthening the organizational and operational capacity of the international development and relief sector. InsideNGO provides a range of training, resources, advocacy, benchmarking and broad peer networking opportunities. It is a vibrant community of 330+ organizations who openly share insights and good practices in order to foster collaboration and innovation for greater impact. Learn more at www.insidengo.org.

About Mercy Corps – Mercy Corps is a leading global humanitarian agency saving and improving lives in the world’s toughest places. With a network of experienced professionals in more than 40 countries, we partner with local communities to put bold ideas into action to help people recover, overcome hardship and build better lives. Now, and for the future.  www.mercycorps.org.

About Pact – Pact is a promise of a better tomorrow for all those who are poor and marginalized. Working in partnership to develop local solutions that enable people to own their own future, Pact helps people and communities build their capacity to generate income, improve access to quality health services, and gain lasting benefit from the sustainable use of the natural resources around them. At work in more than 25 countries, Pact is building local promise with an integrated, adaptive approach that is shaping the future of international development. Learn more at www.pactworld.org.