Foundation Grants
Community Vital Signs
About Us
"We are so used to being almost permanently online that we don't really appreciate what we have and do not really know what to do when we're not," Joni Mitchell wrote in her 1970s song "Big Yellow Taxi."
Well, telecom companies "provided the services and products that we have gotten to regard as a basic need: connection," writesjoerd Rozing in an article for the Guardian.
And it's telecom companies that provide that basic service.
In fact, Rozing writes, telecom companies "primarily contribute to the societal transition by facilitating access to key products, services, and markets that broaden opportunities for marginalised groups and individuals to participate in cultural, political, and social spaces."
Examples include providing access to broadband Internet, mobile phones, TV, and so on, as well as "material improvement in their personal financial situation, which enhances their possibilities to participate, when people upgrade from a 3G phone to a very affordable 4G smartphone, as research from Safaricom shows."
In fact, telecom companies "represent one of the least diverse sectors to work in" in emerging markets, but in developed markets, "they are therefore more stable and predictable, as they generate most of their revenues from subscriptions."
They also tend to offer an attractive dividend
Read the Entire Article
Selected Foundation News
A customized collection of news from foundations from around the Web.
The Tampa Bay Innovation Center is kicking off its spring accelerator program, and it's got eight startups on its list. Among them: AgWise, which focuses on the climate impact of agriculture's...more
An 11-acre plot of vacant land in Rome, NY, will soon be transformed into 250 affordable housing units and a community center for veterans and their families. Thanks to a $2.5 million grant from...more
A "first-of-its-kind impact investing network" in the Philippines is putting its money where its mouth is, in the form of collateral-free loans to women-led social and environmental...more
"It is simply not good enough that, for many advisers, their understanding of AI is that information goes into a black box,'magic happens' and something comes out." So said the outgoing director...more
"The future is green, and it's ours to invest in." That's the takeaway from Elysabeth Alfano, CEO of VegTech Invest, who is offering an online course on "Impact Investing with Plant-based...more
"Without actively looking for it, I came across a problem to solve, a powerhouse co-founder and an idea worth pursuing, so I decided to go for it," Alba Forns tellsEquities News. Forns is the...more
It's no secret that Africa's livestock industry plays a big role in the region's economy. In fact, the demand for livestock products is expected to grow by 50% by 2030, notes Business...more
One of the world's richest men is putting his money where his mouth is. At least, that's the hope of the Sustainable Finance Initiative, a group that aims to encourage wealthy families in Asia...more
"In the creative economy, arts administration research and teaching are heavily practice-focused and deeply contextualized," Rachel Shane says. "However, generalized entrepreneurship education...more
Foundation: MacArthur Foundation
The MacArthur Foundation has released its annual list of "genius" grants, and this year's winners have a lot in common with previous winners: They're all men. Among them: Mark Zuckerberg: The...more
Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight
Hong Kong FarmFest 2014: Promoting Social Entrepreneurship
It’s time once again for social enterprises to bring and brandish their products and services at the FarmFest 2014, to be held at the Fa Hui Park in Mong Kok this Lunar New Year shopping season.