Since 2006, Indianapolis-based RecycleForce has paid over $10 million in wages and employed 650 ex-felons to recycle over 20 million pounds of electronic waste. RecycleForce, a non-profit social enterprise, has a dual mission: to help people coming out of prison successfully transition back into civil society, and to keep as much electronic waste as possible out of Indiana’s landfills.
RecycleForce deconstructs electronic waste and other recyclables provided by residents and corporate partners, separates the reusable materials, and disposes of the waste safely and cleanly. The scrap metals and other recyclables collected are sold to help pay for job training programs and employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated men and women.
INSPIRATION
The day he laid off 150 men was Gregg Keesling’s last straw—and the genesis of RecycleForce. For several years Keesling had been running a staffing agency that employed ex-felons. By having the staffing agency be liable for the employees, he was able to get his clients a foot in the door, but finding them steady employment was a struggle. When he lost a big contract because the manufacturer decided to outsource to China, and then had to make those painful layoffs, Keesling decided he’d had enough: “I no longer wanted to be at the mercy of someone who just wanted to make money and throw these people away.”
With his business partner, Tom Gray, Keesling set out to found an operation that would offer steady employment for the ex-felons he was committed to helping re-enter society. He was in the midst of failing negotiations on a prospective opportunity when he stumbled upon a literal gold mine. “The owner of the building we were meeting in took us down to his basement and asked us if we could do something with all of his junk,” Keesling recalls. This “junk,” which filled a 100,000-square-foot warehouse, floor to ceiling, was the remains of a computer refurbishing business. “It turns out there was more gold in a ton of that junk than in 55 tons of ore from the ground.”
INNOVATION
When RecycleForce opened in 2005, employing a marginalized workforce by recycling what most viewed as trash was unexplored territory. Keesling and Gray, building on the foundation of their newfound goldmine, created a new system of working with ex-offenders that would support them in their re-entry and prepare them to succeed in the workforce.
Ex-offenders face a myriad of challenges upon release. They often have no home to return to, no job prospects, and no job skills. When they do find a job, they have to fit work hours around court requirements like drug testing or counseling, and most employers aren’t flexible enough to accommodate that. “They’re faced with tough decisions: go to work or go back to prison,” says Keesling. “It’s a catch-22.”
Minor parole violations, like missing a court appearance or not paying child support, are the primary reason people go back to jail. RecycleForce addresses this issue with a comprehensive program allowing ex-felons to earn a living while complying with strict supervision. Participants receive six months of transitional employment with on-the-job training, plus additional services focused on job skills, character development, and personal counseling.
RecycleForce sources its “trash” through contracts with city and state agencies, public drop-off locations for toxic waste, collection events with local business and churches, and reverse logistics—products that are returned or never make it off retailers’ shelves.
IMPACT
In the fall of 2010, RSF provided crucial financing for RecycleForce to purchase an industrial shredder, affectionately known as “the Beast.” That investment has improved productivity, dramatically increased the amount of material RecycleForce is able to recycle (6.3 million pounds in 2012 versus 3 million pounds in 2010), and opened up new markets. But it almost didn’t happen. “We went to bank after bank after bank,” Keesling says. “RSF offered us a loan when no one else was interested or able to understand our model.”
The Beast is a massive piece of equipment, measuring around 60 feet high by 120 feet long. It allows RecycleForce to disassemble electronics that can’t be broken down by hand. Once the large electronics are shredded, a heavy-duty magnet removes the metals and staff “pickers” sort through the remains, separating the materials they then sell for recycling: copper, aluminum, plastic, steel and precious metals such as gold.
“When you toss out electronics you might as well be throwing away money,” notes Keesling. Electronic waste contains many valuable materials, and countries that don’t have much of them or can’t mine them are eager to purchase the millions of pounds of materials Americans get rid of every year. RecycleForce generates over $50,000 per month in sales of gold and other precious metals.
The Beast has equipped RecycleForce to divert millions of tons of electronic waste from the landfill. The organization quickly surpassed its goal of 600,000 pounds of processed materials per month; its new goal is 1 million pounds per month. That’s an immense positive environmental impact, and RecycleForce is achieving remarkable social benefits as well. The recidivism rate in Marion County, where RecycleForce is based, is 52 percent in the first year following prison release. RecycleForce’s goal is to cut that to 25 percent for the ex-offenders who go through its program, and it’s on track to do much better than that. For the current cohort of 250 ex-offenders, the recidivism rate when results are tabulated in later next year is expected to be well under 20 percent.
“We embrace a labor force on which the rest of the country has turned their backs,” Keesling says. “Without effective support, we can’t expect folks with limited job skills to feed their families and overcome a host of mandates that challenge their ability to improve themselves.”
VITALS
Company name RecycleForce Impact Area Education & the Arts, Ecological Stewardship RSF Relationship Social Enterprise Lending Program HQ Indianapolis, IN Annual Revenue $3.5 million U.S. Employees 250+ Communities Served Marion County, IN (employment opportunities); U.S. (recycling services)
Seventeen years ago, Indigenous co-founders Scott Leonard and Matt Reynolds were picking burs out of hand-knit South American sweaters before delivering them to The Nature Company. Today, their company produces a full line of premium fashion knits sold online and at 500 independent stores, as well as clothing for major brands and private labels hanging on racks at the likes of Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom.
That might not sound like lightning progress, but consider this: Indigenous works with a supply chain of more than 1,500 artisans from small knitting groups around the world; pays fair living wages; and uses organically grown fibers, low-impact dyes, and handmade fabrics. They pioneered Fair Trade certification for apparel and developed the Fair Trace Tool™, which lets consumers see their clothing’s supply chain. And they’ve done all this in an industry where labor conditions cause ongoing protests and “organic” often translates to “unfashionable” or “unaffordable.” Viewed in that light, Indigenous looks like a revolution.
INSPIRATION
The spark was Leonard’s travels in Ecuador. “I had seen firsthand that women were not necessarily being honored for their weaving and knitting skills,” says the Indigenous CEO. “They weren’t being paid the wages that they could have been, or they didn’t have the opportunity to apply those skills to the marketplace.
“We really wanted to make a difference in the world with women in economically marginalized communities,” Leonard says. “We thought that bringing in fair wages and technical assistance, and marrying environmentally friendly fibers with more sophisticated designs, was a way to do that.”
INNOVATION
Indigenous had two major problems: quality control and financing. “How do you elevate a cottage industry’s quality control? When you’re dealing with 1,500 artisans and they’re in pockets of three to 30, how do you aggregate their work and have continuity and consistency that’s truly premium? There were a lot of quality-control glitches, from fibers to knitting, to consistency of sizing and fit, to timing of delivery,” says Leonard, a serial entrepreneur whose past businesses include an environmentally friendly surf shop.
Indigenous President Reynolds, who is a store buyer and has a background in developmental economics, adds that systems integration was a major issue. “We’re dealing with a unique production model—it’s diversified, it’s spread out—and we had to create a new systems model,” he says. “That took a lot of time and collaboration and money.”
Financing was a huge obstacle. “It’s not just that we were a start-up, visionary company trying to do something no one else had done,” Leonard says. “But once we collect an order and give it to an artisan, how does that artisan pay for the fibers, and if they’re the lead, how do they pay the other people in the group? They don’t want terms. They do the work and they want to be paid.”
Looking for a better way to finance its supply chain, Indigenous began engaging with RSF around 2001. “Conventional banking was just not going to work. That our balance sheet was not looking so great was a difficult hurdle,” says Leonard. “RSF provided working capital, helped us to formalize our financial strategies, and helped us attract other socially minded investors.”
RSF encouraged Indigenous to include a section on social returns in the business plan for its Series A funding round. That ended up being the aspect some investors were most impressed with, Reynolds says, adding, “RSF has been a pioneer and supportive spirit in trying to push the social and environmental return aspect into financials and into evaluating the success of a business.”
In 2010, RSF provided Indigenous with a PRI Fund loan to assist in creating standards and procedures for the Fair Trade apparel pilot program and to develop the Fair Trace Tool, which allows shoppers to scan a hang tag QR code to find out where the garment originated, who made it, how the fibers were raised, and what the social impact was.
“We hope that by educating people to actually look into things, they’ll see how clothing can be made responsibly,” Reynolds says.
IMPACT
Indigenous has worked with its longtime suppliers in South America to obtain Fair Trade certification, and the company was the only clothing manufacturer certified in South America as of mid-2012. On top of that, the Fair Trace tool is a breakthrough that could change how organizations verify supply chains and microfinance results, Leonard believes.
Indigenous now runs at a profit and has invested in RSF’s Social Investment Fund as a way to help other social enterprises grow (and earn a competitive return, Reynolds points out). In addition, Leonard and Reynolds have created a donor-advised fund with RSF to support their artisans’ communities through grants.
“We are proud to say that we are now hanging next to mainstream, high-end fashion design brands in stores across the country, and we were able to do that without sacrificing values,” Reynolds says. “The other thing is that even though we still are a small business, we’ve put over $20 million into the artisan and organic supply chain, and that has really affected lives.”
VITALS
Company name INDIGENOUS Impact area Food and agriculture RSF relationship Former working capital borrower, current PRI Fund loan recipient, Social Investment Fund investor, donor-advised fund advisor HQ Santa Rosa, CA Revenue About $6 million annually Employees 15 Communities served Weavers and knitters in South America and elsewhere; U.S. consumers
2012 RSF Seed Fund Grantee Adelante Mujeres is dedicated to providing holistic education and empowerment for low-income Latina women and their families. Located in Forest Grove, Oregon, Adelante Mujeres was founded in 2002 out of the resolve of a small group of Latino immigrants and allies who sought to improve the quality of life for themselves and their community.
Adelante Mujeres offers a number of programs in the areas of education, empowerment and enterprise. One program that RSF staff found particularly compelling was Adelante Agricultura, which provides aspiring Latino immigrant farmers with the training and skills necessary to farm using organic methods and market their products locally. Participants engage in a 12-week sustainable farming class which covers topics like organic farming techniques, land rent/purchase, soil maintenance, crop planning and pest management. Also included in the course are practical workshops at local organic farms such as La Esperanza Farm.
The most significant barrier to success for farmers participating in Adelante Agricultura is access to markets, evidenced by the fact that in 2010 participant farmers were unable to sell up to 50% of particular crops because of lack of markets. Seeking to circumvent the language and cultural barriers faced by immigrant farmers when it comes to selling their products, Adelante Mujeres is launching a social venture called the La Esperanza Distributor and applied to RSF for support of this new initiative. The Distributor is a value-based fresh produce distributor that will sell the produce grown by program participants to local food service institutions and grocery stores. Adelante will provide ongoing technical support and professional development to the farmers and has already made arrangements with five local partners to purchase produce from the Distributor in its pilot year. The goal for the project is to establish a thriving local farming community and local food economy that includes Latino farmers and their families with the hopes that a model will emerge that can be replicated regionally and eventually nationally.
To learn more about the RSF Seed Fund and how you can help support new and inspirational projects like this one, click here.
Catherine Covington is Senior Program Associate, Philanthropic Services at RSF Social Finance.
January 3rd marked the first day that California businesses were able to register as Benefit Corporations! Eager to become official benefit corporations and pave the way for other California businesses, a dozen business leaders traveled to Sacramento on the 3rd to file their documents. Among the first businesses to elect benefit corporation status were Patagonia and long-time RSF office supply vendor, Give Something Back.
Benefit corporations are a new type of corporation required to: a) have a mission to create material positive impact on society and the environment; b) consider non-financial interests when making decisions including employees, community, and the environment; and c) report annually on performance using a recognized third-party.
California became the sixth state to pass benefit corporation legislation in October 2011, joining Maryland, New Jersey, Vermont, Virginia, and Hawaii. New York has since signed a similar law and legislation has been introduced in the District of Columbia, Michigan, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
RSF is delighted to see other states pursuing benefit corporation legislation and businesses embracing the new corporate structure. We believe this momentum represents the beginning of a transformation – one that will lead businesses to achieve deep social and environment impact.
‘Tis the season for conferences, gatherings and events inspired by the desire to improve our communities, our country, and the world through better business practices and meaningful investment opportunities. Social entrepreneurs, impact investors, and local food advocates all take stage this time of year and RSF is geared up for the festivities. We’re hosting, sponsoring and participating in over a dozen events this fall. The following highlights some of the upcoming gatherings. Visit our Where We’ll Be page for the full list of what we’re up to in the coming months.
SOCAP11 kicked-off on Tuesday, Sept 6 and is happening at Fort Mason in San Francisco until Friday evening. SOCAP is a multi-platform organization dedicated to the flow of capital towards social good. It’s an obvious fit for RSF and we’re proud to sponsor the conference. Don Shaffer and Leslie Christian, CEO of Portfolio 21 Investments, are leading a SOCAP Special Session to announce and present a new white paper, A New Foundation for Portfolio Management. Don and Leslie will also be speaking about the paper at a B Lab webinar on September 29.
On Sunday, September 25, RSF is celebrating the life and legacy of Rudolf Steiner at a festival in Golden Gate Club in the Presidio. If you’re in the San Francisco area, join us from 11am – 4pm for organic & biodynamic food & wine, a Marionette show, gardening activities, Dr. Hauschka skin care treatments, a talk with Paul Dolan and so much more. Check out our event page for more information.
In early October we’ll be in New Orleans for SRI in the Rockies (no longer only in the Rockies). 2011 marks the 22nd year SRI in the Rockies has been bringing investors and investment professionals together who are working to direct the flow of investment capital in more positive, healthy, and transformative ways. RSF has been a long time sponsor and participant and thrilled to be involved again. Don Shaffer is moderating a panel titled Innovation and Impact: Investing for a Truly Sustainable Future. If you’re planning to attend the conference Oct 2-5, be sure to check out the discussion!
October 12 -14, we’ll be back at Fort Mason sponsoring Slow Money. The Slow Money National Gathering brings together people who are rebuilding local food systems across the U.S. and around the world. More than 1,000 people attended the first two national gatherings—resulting in more than $4.25 million invested in 16 small food enterprises! Don Shaffer will be joined by Joel Solomon, RSF Entrepreneur in Residence and Leslie Christian, Portfolio21 Investments CEO to discuss place-based strategies and the future of social investing. And Taryn Goodman is on a panel titled Mission-Related Investing: Strategies for foundations to invest in small food enterprises. Find out more and register today.
Later in October we’ll be in Philadelphia for back to back to back events. First, the B Corps Champions Retreat starts October 25. The retreat is for B Corp leaders and includes an annual awards dinner. Last year Don was MVP! Second, Investors’ Circle Fall Venture Fair kicks off on October 26. RSF is again sponsoring Investors’ Circle, an organization committed to catalyzing the flow of capital to early stage companies that address major social and environmental problems. Lastly, the Social Network Venture is hosting Movers, Shakers & Changemakers, their annual fall conference. The conference, being held Oct 27-30, will bring together an influential and diverse network of social entrepreneurs from around the world to explore, inspire and create innovative ways to build a just and sustainable economy.
November 3-5, RSF is excited to sponsor Making Money Make Change. The gathering is hosted by Resource Generation and is for young people with wealth who believe in social change. Resource Generation organizes to transform philanthropy, policy, and institutions, and leverage collective power to make lasting structural change. If you know of a young person with wealth, encourage them to get involved!
Melinda Cheel is Senior Associate, Partnerships and Communications
Assembly Bill 361, the bill that would authorize and regulate the formation and governance of a new form of corporate entity known as a benefit corporation, passed the California Assembly and is now on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk. The governor has 12 days to sign the bill into law or to veto it.
The new entity structure is voluntary, but when a business opts to organize as a benefit corporation they will be expected to follow the provisions set forth in the bill. These provisions include creating a material positive impact on society and the environment and meeting higher standards of accountability and transparency. Benefit corporations are required to report annually on social and environmental performance using third-party standards.
In addition, the bill requires directors to consider all stakeholders, including employees, customers and the environment, when making decisions. One key piece of the bill indicates that in the event of a sale or acquisition, the directors are required to consider the impact on all stakeholders, they are not confined by fiduciary responsibility to the shareholders. In other words, the business can maintain mission and social and environmental commitments without the possibility of being sued by the shareholders for not maximizing financial returns. For an organization working in the impact investing space, this is an extremely important piece of the legislation. RSF offers loans to values-driven social enterprises and wants to see these organizations maintain their mission no matter what changes are made in leadership or ownership.
It’s worth commenting here on the phrase ‘benefit corporation’, as it can be a bit confusing. There is a certification called B Corporation (B for benefit). The B Corporation (generally referred to a B Corp) certification is offered for a fee by B Lab, a non-profit based in Philadelphia. The certification is based on the organization’s B Impact Assessment survey and looks at five impact areas: employees, consumers, community, accountability and environment. AB 361 is modeled after this framework and B Lab has been working with legislators in several states including Hawaii, Virginia, Maryland, Vermont, and New Jersey, where the benefit corporation legislation has successfully passed, and other states that are considering it. To be clear, the certification is not a legal form. A certified B Corp business can be incorporated as a C corporation, LLC, or other for-profit entity. Likewise, a business incorporated as a benefit corporation, is neither assumed nor required to be a certified B Corp. RSF Capital Management, a subsidiary of RSF Social Finance, is a B Corp and Don Shaffer, RSF President & CEO is on the B Corporation Standards Advisory Council.
AB 361 has moved through the legislature swiftly since it was proposed by Assembly Member Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) in February of this year. Don Shaffer, RSF Social Finance President & CEO, testified at the Judiciary Committee hearing in May and again at the Committee on Banking and Finance hearing in July.
Don sent a letter to Governor Brown’s office this week, urging him to sign the AB 361 into law. Outlined in the letter was the fact that the passage of the bill will position California as a leader in the continually emerging green economy and will support many of the businesses RSF offers loans to. Don has chosen to support AB 361 rather than the competing bill, Senate Bill 201. SB 201, known as the Flexible Purpose Corporation Bill, has been making its way through the California legislature alongside AB 361. It has also passed the Assembly and is waiting to be signed or vetoed by Governor Brown. SB 201 allows businesses incorporated as a flexible purpose corporation to choose a special purpose, such as a charitable or public purpose activity. Like benefit corporations, they are required to report annually on the societal benefit of their activities but unlike benefit corporations, the report is only relating to their special purpose, not a review of the whole impact of the business.
Most supporters of AB 361 believe that SB 201 is too soft. Don noted in his letter that it lacks several provisions that are critical to RSF’s role as an impact investor including shareholder protection, director accountability, and has inadequate reporting standards to protect investors and the public. Supporters of SB 201 acknowledge that it’s not as stringent, but believe that this bill is a preferable first step, making it easier for businesses to engage.
Existing corporation law requires businesses to prioritize financial returns. To bring true change to how businesses impact their community and the environment, they need policy that supports and encourages them to do so. As Jared Huffman stated, “Socially responsible businesses, investors and consumers all over California are calling for this type of legislation. They believe this bill is the start of something transformational, that it embodies their forward thinking and entrepreneurship. But most importantly, this bill sends a message to socially minded companies and entrepreneurs that California is open for this emerging form of business.”
Melinda Cheel is Senior Associate, Partnerships and Communications at RSF Social Finance
RSF provided six Community Capital Scholarships for the recent BALLE ‘Place Matters’ Conference held June 14-17 in Bellingham, WA. This is the second year RSF has worked with BALLE to offer scholarships for individuals who are transforming the way their communities work with money. We were again thrilled to assist in making the conference more accessible to people doing exceptional work. Catherine Covington, RSF’s Philanthropic Services Program Associate met with five of the six recipients at the conference to hear more about their projects, passions and what’s ahead. Check out the videos below.
Pam Curry is the CEO of Center for Economic Options and working to create sustainable business opportunities and wealth in rural areas of West Virginia.
Listen in to hear why Bob Leighty from the Economic and Community Development Institute in Ohio is so ecstatic about attending his first BALLE conference.
Learn how Kati Mayfield from the Oregon based Adelante Mujeres is empowering immigrant Latino families in her community.
Joel Moyer from New Hampshire is a recent graduate from Antioch University New England’s MBA in Sustainability program and an RSF Fellow.
Caitlin Quigley is a Bellingham, WA local and works with the Whatcom Investing Network. (Fun fact: At the close of the BALLE conference, Caitlin was announced the winner of the Back-of-the-Napkin Business Plan Competition for her Poo-Op, a worker cooperative offering composting portable toilets for public events. Nice work, Caitlin!)
Melinda Cheel is Senior Associate, Partnerships & Communications at RSF Social Finance.
RSF is dedicated to exploring new economic models that support sustainable food and agriculture. We seek projects and partners who value diversification, region-first approaches, social justice and ecological stewardship.
One such partner is Slow Money, an organization committed to investing in building an economy based on principles of soil fertility, sense of place, care of the commons, and economic, cultural and biological diversity.
We’re proud to sponsor Slow Money Northern California’s Entrepreneur Showcase on June 12, 2011. The Showcase will bring together 200+ investors, sustainable food entrepreneurs and leaders working to rebuild our local food system.
Over the past two years, several million dollars have been invested in small food enterprises who presented at Slow Money showcases. Now is your chance to invest close to home. Join us at Fort Mason in San Francisco to learn about investment opportunities and how you can participate in rebuilding local economies.
Twelve finalists seeking investment in their small food enterprises will present. These enterprises include new businesses seeking start-up capital, existing businesses seeking growth capital, and non-profits seeking philanthropic capital.
You’ll also have the opportunity to network with a variety of active investors, organizational leaders and visionaries in local food and progressive finance. Featured speakers include Woody Tasch, Slow Money founder and Author, and Ari Derfel, Executive Director of the national Slow Money organization.
From left, Assembly member Jared Huffman, Don Shaffer and Adam Lowry at Tuesday's hearing
by Melinda Cheel
RSF is committed to transforming the way the world works with money. Transformation of our economic system is multifaceted and complex so we look to our values to inform our actions for creating such change. We value interdependence and believe that as transformation takes place, economic success will be defined by social and ecological impact, not by financial results alone. Given this, we were excited and proud to participate in the legislative process that is changing how businesses account for impact.
Last Tuesday, California’s Assembly Judiciary Committee approved Assembly Bill 361, which proposes a new corporate structure category known as a Benefit Corporation. Businesses incorporated as Benefit Corporations are required to include environmental and social impact in their decision-making and reporting. Don Shaffer, our President & CEO and Adam Lowry, co-founder of Method, joined Assemblymember Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) to testify at the hearing.
Currently, there are two options for structuring an organization: non-profit or for-profit. Non-profit entities are mission-based and are often focused on alleviating or eradicating social injustice and environmental degradation. For-profit corporations, whatever product or service they offer, are controlled by fiduciary duties and required under the existing corporation law to maximize returns for shareholders.
For several years social enterprises have been blending the two structures by expanding the for-profit model to include social and environmental benefits. California does not have a legal designation for such a model. AB 361 has the potential to change that. If the bill is signed into law, businesses incorporated as Benefit Corporations will be able to create profit and pursue a social mission.
AB 361 outlines specific requirements for Benefit Corporations including a mission to create material positive impact on society and the environment, consideration of non-financial interests when making decisions, and annual reporting on performance using a recognized third-party. In addition, directors will be required to consider the impact of any actions on stakeholders (employees, suppliers, the environment, etc.) and would be allowed to consider how the intention of any person seeking to acquire control of the business would impact these stakeholders.
Maryland was the first state to pass Benefit Corporation legislation in April 2010. Vermont, Virginia, and New Jersey followed and seven other states are considering similar legislation.
Assemblymember Huffman knows that California is ready to move forward with the new entity structure, “A growing number of California businesses and investors believe this legislation is the start of something transformational, that it embodies their vision of businesses that benefit communities, workers and the planet, in addition to just profit. This bill sends a clear message that California is open for this very hopeful new form of business.”
Our friends at B Lab are helping to lead the charge. For more information on Benefit Corporations, check out their public policy page.
The bill moves to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for a hearing later this month. We’ll keep you posted on the progress and hopefully soon be announcing the passage of a transformational law.
Melinda Cheel is Senior Associate, Partnerships and Communications at RSF Social Finance.
Call for Submissions! Deadline is this Friday, April 8th
What if we invested 50% of our money within 50 miles of home?
At RSF Social Finance we know that people develop a sense of shared responsibility when spending time face-to-face in an effort to care for each other and the places where they live. We view the power of place as essential to a thriving economy. In support of our belief in the power of local economies, we are proud to sponsor Slow Money Northern California’s Entrepreneur Showcase, scheduled for Sunday, June 12 in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Slow Money grows investments in local food systems. It is a relatively new non-profit organization dedicated to building local and national networks and catalyzing investment in small-scale food and farming enterprises and local food systems, connecting investors to their local economies, and building the nurture capital industry.
Slow Money Northern California seeks ten food or farming entrepreneurs to present business plans to a wide range of attendees including potential funders and investors, sustainable food and farming organizations, and business development organizations. The Showcase will spark a range of investment conversations, helping to develop funding channels for local and sustainable food enterprises.
Who should apply? Food and farming businesses seeking varied amounts of funding from start-ups to expansions: farms, processors, distributors, marketers, retailers, caterers, composters and support resources.
Slow Money will be hosting another regional showcase in New York on May 16th. Slow Money NYC will be accepting submissions for entrepreneurs in the NY foodshed until April 15th, 2011. Click here to learn more.
Melinda Cheel is Events Coordinator at RSF Social Finance.
INNOVATION
Adelante Mujeres offers a number of 
