Our province is grappling with different approaches to recovery and resilience. Federal policy makers are examining potential solutions with a social finance and social enterprise approach. As a sector, we are seeking opportunities to act together in providing capital and capacity support to organizations and enterprises that can lead recovery and regeneration efforts at a local level.
We are proposing a convening between Ontario’s place based impact investing stakeholders to catalyze action. Join us on October 26, 28, and 30 to SEE, LEARN and CATALYZE - all sessions happening right after our global community meets at SOCAP and right before our national community gathers at the Social Finance Forum.
As we shape our individual and sector responses, we need to share and learn from one another, to learn from sector leaders outside Ontario, and to discuss the role of social finance approaches in driving a regenerative recovery.
Together, we will connect current and emerging place-based impact investing funders and intermediaries across Ontario with the following objectives:
- Examine Canadian and US models for place-based investing;
- Identify opportunities for collaboration, recommendations for policy interventions, and barriers to start or scale place-based funds; and
- Provide insight on the experience of Ontario place-based funds to help advance our Impact Response Action Agenda #3, which includes scaling our system of community capital institutions, modelled on similar frameworks in the United States and in the United Kingdom.
We recognize our community is diverse, we are urban and rural, we are place-based and policy advocates, we are gendered and racialized, we are experts and facilitators, we are all coming from different perspectives, with a common goal to support our local communities.
We propose a three (3) part convening in the following progression: SEE each other, provide opportunity to LEARN specific models, and CATALYZE us to move towards action. Each session will be 2 hours and hosted on Zoom.
October 26th, 1-3pm EST - SEE
Intention: Rapid fire showcase presentations (5 minutes) providing an overview of current and emerging models from across Canada.
Impact: Generating awareness of what is already happening, we can leverage our strengths to inform where we’re headed.
October 28th, 1-3pm EST - LEARN
Intention: In-depth case study presentations on Canadian and US place-based impact investing models led by expert presenters, including CDFI infrastructure from the US
Impact: Our community will have an in-depth understanding of how specific models that have successfully been implemented and scaled can be applied in our local context.
October 30th, 1-3pm EST - CATALYZE
Intention: Space to debrief and integrate our learnings, led by initial discussion towards deeper breakout dialogues.
Impact: Our community is able to identify which models, interventions and policies we will prioritize towards action, and who will lead each effort.
Link sent closer to event date.
London, ON
Canada