African American students are more likely to take on debt—and more debt—than white, Latino, and Asian American students. Today, the majority of all college students—at two-year and four-year, private and public institutions—rely on grants and loans to pay tuition but at what cost to their future financial …

A student is admitted to one of the nation’s most prestigious universities and sends an acceptance with pride. Two years later, that same student is planning to drop out because he has no way to make his next tuition payment. Up to 15% of students face this …

The land and seascape owned and managed by Native American tribes and their tribal members encompasses abundant riches, ‘wealth of the land,’ and precious archives of cultural knowledge held in living memory and in current life-ways, within and maintained by the Tribes, their institutions and governmental/political sections, …

This session will explore the relationship between ethical fashion and socially responsible investing and their collective impact on poverty alleviation and economic empowerment. The panel will feature prominent investors, leading advocates in ethical fashion and long-time veterans of the space who will provide insights into how to …

Gender, race and sexual orientation are seen as the key pillars of diversity, but why not disability? People with disabilities represent 15% of the population, but dehumanizing stereotypes and misconceptions influence their potential to be seen as innovators and changemakers. Engage the community to avoid overlooking creative …

By voting with their wallets, millennials are driving the growing trend of “conscious consumerism,” choosing brands that give back over those that don’t. However, as the one-for-one business model becomes more ubiquitous, how can brands that want to do good stand out in the participation economy? This …

For those living in food deserts, choosing to eat healthy is often unrealistic. For people in affluent neighborhoods, overpaying for healthy meals on-the-go is reality. What if there was another way? By taking the first step to educate and support low-income families, while ensuring access to affordable …

New investment structures and first time fund managers are gaining more traction as the broader field of impact investing grows and evolves. But can the larger community ensure the most attractive and vital investment vehicles and best managers rise to the top? How can the development of …

Disruption is “in.” Words like innovation, creativity, and transformation fill the pages of books about breaking all the rules and changing the system. This session unveils the wider story of where we are in the age of “disruptive capitalism,” how we got here, and where we’re headed. …

As more and more entrepreneurs join and build the impact sector today, we often feel that we are tackling important global issues in isolation. Who is there for us to discuss the most important things in our lives? How do we best support social entrepreneurs in meaningful, …

The intersection of social impact and technology can be a difficult road to navigate. Join Presence as we bring together three panelists to discuss how they leveraged web technology to amplify their impact. This panel will dive into which technology and tools have been beneficial as well …

Every entrepreneur has gone through a period in their company’s growth that had the potential to make or break the company. This is a pivotal moment that causes every leader to question their strategy, leadership, decisions and future. Ultimately, they find the solution through focusing on their …

BUILD, a Redwood City-based organization serving high school students in under-resourced school districts, uses entrepreneurship to develop the skills necessary for high school, college and career success. Beginning in 1999 with four students, BUILD now serves more than 1400 students each year in Boston, Washington, DC and …

CONCEPT: In global development, we often think about innovation in terms of new technology or gadgets. While harnessing new technologies can create huge amounts of social good, we see tremendous potential in networking and accelerating the burgeoning global urban tech/social innovation movement to deliver impact at scale. …

10 years ago the fishers’ families of Isla Natividad, Mexico, created a community-based marine reserve. Its benefits have been documented as an example to follow internationally. Fisherwomen are now trained to monitor ecological and oceanographic aspects of the marine reserve. The Monterey Bay Aquarium ranked as “best …

The last year has seen a flurry of activity around quality jobs, much of it centered on enabling investors to pursue a quality jobs approach. From CDFIs to the Department of Labor, several initiatives are successfully tackling this issue. Come hear about the state of the field …

Investor interest in sustainable agriculture is high and there are many ways to deploy capital. Likewise, there are many opportunities for impact with agriculture investments - food system, health and wellness, the environment, rural jobs, and the list goes on! This session brings together experts with hands-on …

Our present economic system prioritizes growth and short-term outcomes, putting humans and ecosystems on a collision course with the finite, physical limitations of the biosphere. There is, however, a new economic movement afoot – one that works to value and regenerate capital assets. The regenerative paradigm draws …

How can investors gain a better understanding of how their investment portfolio is really performing relative to the urgent global issue of climate change? ESG data can reveal relative performance between securities and portfolios, but how does that performance measure against actual, science-based targets that will help …

Every city can be a hub of for-benefit development, but every city has its own unique strengths and opportunities. This panel will discuss three different approaches to supporting and strengthening your local for-benefit ecosystem with lessons learned from New York City, the City of Encinitas, and the …

Rural development and empowering individuals in a growing community to have access to better infrastructure, economic opportunity, and education is of the utmost importance - but how do we effectively make this happen? How will it be made sustainable? This panel will explore how groups in Colombia …

How can the U.S. economy survive the largest group of business owners (baby boomers) retiring within 10 years? This crisis is actually a golden opportunity to democratize the economy and save jobs, one business at a time. We’ll discuss the benefits and methods of transitioning small-to-medium sized …

At the heart of the intersection of money and meaning lies an enlightened negotiation. In this interactive session, you will learn to integrate in business and in life three universal laws of Enlightened Negotiation®: trust, flexibility and strength. Whether you’re an experienced negotiator, entrepreneur, or conscious capitalist, …

As the field of impact investing grows and investors think critically about aligning their strategies with their values, the issue of racial equity at multiple levels in the process is one that must be addressed to ensure sustainable social impact and widening inequality. By thinking more intentionally …

Today, 1 in 6 people in the US is Latino. Many Latinos work under “no-matter-what” circumstances- they strive, endure, and have an uncanny ability to fearlessly navigate bilingual, multicultural settings—an advantage in a global economy. As the number of Americans with Latino roots grows, so does the …