Impact investors seek to have a positive social impact as well as achieve financial returns. At a time when social problems are large and mounting, a growing group of philanthropists and investors are developing innovative financial approaches to fund critically important work, tackling everything from asthma interventions and early childhood education to affordable housing and the opioid crisis.

Virginia is at the forefront of developing ways for government, private capital, and civil society to work together to solve some of our greatest social, environmental, and economic challenges and ultimately, significantly improve the quality of life for our citizens.

This October, the University of Virginia’s Social Entrepreneurship program, an initiative of the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, will come together with the office of Governor Ralph Northam and the Virginia Impact Investing Forum, to host the Virginia Impact Summit. The event aims to accelerate Virginia’s Impact Economy through catalytic philanthropy, impact investing and cross-sector collaboration, and will take place from Oct. 4-5 at the University of Virginia.

Director of Social Entrepreneurship at UVA Christine Mahoney, noted, “Social Entrepreneurship at the University of Virginia researches and teaches about the most innovative and financially sustainable approaches to solving social problems. We are honored to partner with the Governor’s office to bring investors, philanthropists, and policymakers together, from across Virginia, to forge partnerships that will improve the lives of all Virginians. It is a terrific opportunity for our students to see the creative ways public and private capital can partner for good.”

Paul Martin, a professor of public policy at Batten, who focuses chiefly on philanthropy, said of the event: “As part of the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, I believe these are exactly the kinds of events and stakeholders we would like to convene. We have the chance to highlight the innovative work philanthropists and nonprofits are doing across Virginia, and connect philanthropists with investors to help them scale their impact. It’s going to be an exciting gathering.”

Building off the momentum from the last Governor’s Task Force on Impact Investing and Social Entrepreneurship, the Virginia Impact Investing Forum, and the Virginia Symposium on Philanthropy, representatives from across the Commonwealth have been working to grow Virginia as a thought and action leader in the realms of philanthropy, impact investing, and social entrepreneurship—the three critical components of our impact economy.

For more information please visit: www.VAimpact.org

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About the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy: The University of Virginia Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy is authoring a new model of public policy education. Of the 250-plus schools of public policy and administration in the U.S., the Batten School has the distinction of being the only one explicitly committed to teaching leadership—how it works, why context matters in decision-making and which actions lead to tangible results. The School’s programs inspire students to act vigorously, effectively and ethically on behalf of the common good. Learn more at www.batten.virginia.edu.  

About Social Entrepreneurship at the University of Virginia:  Social Entrepreneurship at the University of Virginia creates opportunities for students to learn about social entrepreneurship through a minor, experiential classes, workshops, speakers, hackathons, concept competitions, Global Field Experiences and internships. We prepare future social entrepreneurs to launch or work within organizations arrayed along the continuum of innovative non-profits to world-changing for-profits and everything in between including public-private partnerships, impact investing and innovative financing. Learn more at: https://seatuva.org/