The
Social Return On Investment Tool
Copyright © 2004 by More Than Money. All rights reserved. For permission
to use or reprint articles, please contact More Than Money
at 617-864-8200 or
.
"A lot of people like to know that their
investments are doing measurable good in the world," says
Tim Freundlich, director of strategic development for Calvert
Social Investment Foundation, a nonprofit entity established
with the goal of ending poverty through investment. That's
why Calvert Foundation came up with a userfriendly, online
tool that investors can use to quantify the social good
their money could produce if invested in various types of
community projects in different locations throughout the
world.
To use the Social Return on Investment (SROI)
Tool, you enter the amount of money you would like to invest,
the length of time you want to invest it, the geographic
area-for example, Central America, Africa, or Illinois-and
the sector you want to invest in, such as microcredit, affordable
housing, or community facilities. The tool instantly calculates
the social return your investment will produce, in terms
of number of jobs or small businesses created, number of
homes built, or nonprofits financed.
The calculations are based on actual impact
data that Calvert Foundation has collected from numerous
organizations in the field. Although the true social returns
will likely vary from the calculated results, the tool helps
people develop an understanding of social returns from community
investment.
As Sam Stegeman, Calvert community investor
and More Than Money member, says, "Measuring my community
investment in real terms-jobs created, homes built, and
nonprofits financed- that's the value of these investments
for me. The social return from community investing is so
much more tangible than that offered by any other investment
options I have seen." .
To use the tool yourself, visit
http://calvertfoundation.org/individual/ investment
.
Bang
with a Book: Spreading the Joy
"One of
our goals is to contribute to the happiness of the world,"
says Steve Viglione, founder of The I AM Foundation,* a nonprofit
vehicle through which individuals and organizations can give
or receive inspirational books and music that support literacy,
a positive self-image, and compassionate communication. We
want our products to help people align with their purpose.
That's how I found my true path-through reading books."
The I AM Foundation accepts donations of
new (not used) books, CDs, and audiotapes that are in alignment
with its core values, which include such qualities as integrity,
honesty, compassion, generosity, trust, leadership, joy,
love, harmony, and play. The books and music, donated by
authors, publishers, and musicians, are given by the foundation
to nonprofit organizations worldwide for distribution to
people who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford them. Recipients
include schools, prisons, literacy programs, social service
organizations, religious groups, and other nonprofits.
Individuals, too, may receive free books
by visiting the foundation's website and donating the cost
of shipping and handling.
Since its founding in 1998, The I AM Foundation
has gifted more than 250,000 books globally.
Viglione got the idea for the foundation
when he first started writing books for children. "I got
so much joy from giving them to children. It was so much
more fun than selling, though selling is fun, too. When
someone receives a gift and there is no expectation of anything
in return, there is such a pure energy given back. It made
me want to do more of that."
Individuals can support the foundation's
mission by donating funds outright or by purchasing books
and music directly from The I AM Foundation for themselves
and others. .
For more information, contact The I AM Foundation
at
www.iamfoundation.
org
or 619-296-2400.
*
The foundation is not affiliated with
other organizations having similar names.
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