New fund aims to help Island non-profits and social enterprises grow
Emeline Le Guen, left, and Kristi Fairholm Mader at Scale Collaborative, which has launched the Thrive Impact Fund to offer funding options for Island social enterprises and non-profit organizations that have had to look beyond traditional financing.
A new Island-focused investment fund has been launched to fill the funding gap for social enterprises and non-profit organizations that want to expand their reach and enact innovative programs that help the community. The Thrive Impact Fund, launched by the Victoria-based Scale Collaborative, which provides non-profit organizations with coaching and consulting services, will offer a variety of funding options for social enterprises and non-profit organizations that have had to look beyond traditional financing options. Thrive’s ultimate goal is to establish a $10-million purse that will fund 10 to 15 projects each year with loans of between $50,000 and $400,000. About $1 million has been secured and Thrive is courting investors. Kristi Fairholm Mader, a director at Scale and lead for the Thrive Impact Fund, said they are looking for institutional investors, foundations, family organizations and high-net-worth individuals looking to make a greater impact with their investments. The fund will pay an annual dividend.
Port Alberni stages Dragon‘s Den-style competition for entrepreneurs
It’s the age of innovation in Port Alberni, where an economic revival has been picking up steam after decades of struggles in the fishing and forestry sectors.
Investment announcements and new products have been rolling out steadily in recent months in the city of about 18,000. Now the city is putting together an angel investor group to stage a Dragon’s Den-style competition for innovative entrepreneurs. A group of promising companies will make presentations to the investors, who will decide as a group or individually whether to put money into their ventures, says Pat Deakin, Port Alberni’s economic development manager. An angel investor is typically a wealthy person who puts their own money into a start-up company and receives an interest in the business. One high-tech businessperson has already committed $50,000 per year for two years toward the angel investor program, Deakin said. The city is advertising for an innovation economy project manager, to be hired at the end of this month. The project manager, working with a consultant, will help businesses access training and mentoring and guide them through challenges, Deakin said. The job starts with a six-month contract that could be extended for a total of two years. Applications are being taken until Wednesday.
China’s top regulators ban crypto trading and mining, sending bitcoin tumbling
Best Hospitality And Hotel Management Schools In The World For 2021
Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) once again ranked No. 1 on the list of the best hospitality and hotel management schools in the world for 2021, according to a new study out by the CEOWORLD magazine, the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University placed second on the list, followed by the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality at the University of Nevada at No. 3.
The 2021 rankings placed the School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State University in fourth ahead of the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida into fifth; while College of Hospitality at Johnson & Wales University ranked sixth; and Oxford School of Hospitality Management seventh.
13 ESSENTIAL THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT COMUNA 13 & WHY YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO VISIT
Every day, dozens of energetic, bilingual paisa tour guides stand beneath vibrant red and blue umbrellas outside the San Javier Metro Station, each collecting a small group of travellers with whom to walk through Comuna 13, share stories of Medellín’s darkest days, and showcase the incredible transformation this city has undergone in just a few decades.
Bullet holes are painted over by vibrant street murals, outdoor escalators connect the barrio to the city below, locals sell handmade wares and tasty local delicacies to flushed gringos, and amidst it all, a palpable feeling of hope hangs over a place once plagued by gang violence and mercilessly presided over by Pablo Escobar and his cartel.
JPMorgan Chase is buying college financial aid platform Frank to deepen ties with students
JPMorgan Chase has acquired college planning platform Frank to deepen relationships with students and their parents, CNBC has learned exclusively.
Frank is an online portal with tools that help students apply for and negotiate financial aid, enroll in online courses and find scholarships. It has served more than 5 million students at 6,000 institutions since it was launched by Charlie Javice in 2017.
JPMorgan, the biggest U.S. bank by assets, has been acquiring start-ups at a steady clip since CEO Jamie Dimon declared last year that he would be “much more aggressive” in searching for takeovers. The firm has bought a string of fintech players to bolt on capabilities in sustainable investing, robo-advising and constructing tax-efficient portfolios.
‘Don’t panic’: business minister bids to calm crisis fears as UK gas prices soar
The government was scrambling on Saturday night to reassure Britons that rising gas prices would not plunge the country into an energy crisis, as ministers held a series of emergency meetings with energy companies and regulators to establish whether the nation could keep the lights and central heating on this winter.
A senior industry insider likened the meetings held between the business secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, and energy industry leaders to the early crisis talks held following the outbreak of Covid-19.
U.S. News and World Report Places Cornell 17th in 2022 Annual Rankings
The 2022 rankings for the U.S. News and World Report have named Cornell the 17th best university in the country, returning it to the rank it held in 2020 after it falling to 18th place last year.
The rankings, released Monday, buck the trend of the University sliding down the list in recent years.
U.S. News and World Report publishes news, opinion, consumer advice and rankings. It serves as an essential source of college information, particularly to prospective applicants. This year marks its 37th report of best colleges and universities, and this year’s list ranked 1,466 U.S. bachelor’s degree-granting institutions.