October 2018 Newsletter
Humility in Grantmaking: A Challenge to do More
This month, we feature a personal reflection from Bobby Thalhimer, LOCUS Advisor and a trustee of the Richmond Memorial Health Foundation and Chair of its Investment Committee. Bobby also served for 16 years as Senior Vice President for Philanthropic Services at the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond . He reflects on the impact that place-focused foundations have using traditional tools and challenges them to consider new ways to achieve impact in communities.
As a nearly lifelong participant in the work of charitable foundations, it is humbling to conclude that on the whole we have not been successful at our work. Yes, we have had many targeted successes with our grants, but intractable societal problems such as poverty, ineffective education, and poor health continue to predominate in our poorest communities. Every city has pockets of marginalized communities, as do rural areas. In this blog, I propose that we should not rationalize our overall performance by claiming victory based on relatively narrow successes, but rather we should endeavor to build upon them with the aim of lifting up and accelerating the work that residents, nonprofits, CDFIs and social enterprises in these communities are doing to bring about catalytic and transformational change... - Read More
LOCUS FOCUS
VCC, Best for the World 2018. B Lab announced its 2018 Best for the World: Changemakers list, and LOCUS parent company, Virginia Community Capital (VCC) , was one of the honored B Corporation. The list recognizes those B Corps that have created significant measurable impact over the last two years. – See the Entire List
Identifying Investment Opportunities. The Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA) released a regional economic assessment of New York’s North Country at its 2018 Annual Meeting. LOCUS Impact Investing conducted the assessment. The report discusses broad economic trends in the North Country but also digs into specific sector opportunities around tourism, crafted manufacturing and local foods. – Read More
Foundation Spotlight
The Chronicle of Philanthropy published a case study showing how the Barry Community Foundation was inspired by an assessment of their county’s transfer of wealth.
Will Wealth Trends Benefit Communities? In a blog on Locavesting , Travis Green , LOCUS Solutions Consultant, discusses the potential for community foundations to become champions of local investing. With $9 trillion expected to change hands between generations by 2028, community foundations, as institutions for local causes, are uniquely placed to capture and apply that wealth for local impact investing. – Read More
The foundation engaged residents in a community dreaming and visioning process. The result: an enrichment center which offers residents access to a variety of social services in one convenient location.

National Transfer of Wealth TM data shows that $860 million will flow between generations in Barry county within the coming years.
The LOCUS Reach.  Recently, LOCUS took stock of its national reach and discovered just how far our national engagements to promote impact have taken us. The below image shows the geographic location of our clients in partnership with the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, and we’re excited as our reach continues to expand.
LOCUS Staff Happenings. Travis Green, Solutions Consultant, was selected as a RSF Social Finance Fellow . He joins 23 other fellows who’ll participate in the Integrated Capital Institute. Adam Northup has joined the LOCUS team as a financial strategist. Congrats to both members of the LOCUS team!
News From the Field
Council on Foundations will host a webinar to explore the role foundations can play on the investing side of Opportunity Zones. A panel of regional philanthropy and CDFI participants will share their thoughts about new tax provision. –   See More
An article from Modern Healthcare examines the social determinants of health and how access to better living conditions can improve health outcomes and prevent the need for hospital care. –   Read More
The Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Fund announced $202.2 million in awards from the CDFI and Native American CDFI Assistance (NACA) Programs to 302 CDFIs, including LOCUS parent company, Virginia Community Capital . – Read More  
Access to fresh food remain a concern for many residents located in “Food Deserts.” This ImpactAlpha article examines the potential for Opportunity Zones, instruments offering tax incentives for investors operating in designated under-served communities, to encourage more grocers to operate in under-resourced areas. – Read More
Virginia Impact Investing Forum released its inaugural Virginia Impact Report . Teri Lovelace and Sydney England contributed to the report, which offers a platform for discussion and learning opportunities about impact investing across Virginia. – Download the Report 
A new report from Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) , " Financing the Sustainable Development Goals: Impact Investing in Action ," collects five case studies that show how sustainable development goals can be woven into the investment cycle. – Download the Report
Where You'll Find the LOCUS Team
Oct. 4-5 Wichita, KS
Deb Markley will participate.
Oct. 4-5 Charlottesville, VA
Teri Lovelace and Jane Henderson are speakers.
Oct. 8-11 Chicago, IL
Teri Lovelace, Dana Williams, Sydney England, and Cathy Dolan will attend. LOCUS will host a discussion with community foundations and CDFIs on the concept of a local impact investing fellowship.
Oct. 14-16 Wichita, KS
LOCUS is a sponsor and session organizer. Deb Markley, Don Macke, Sydney England are speakers. Travis Green will participate.
Oct. 20-21 Emigrant, MT
Travis Green will participate.
Oct. 23-26 San Francisco, CA
Deb Markley will moderate a rural-focused panel session submitted by LOCUS. Sydney England will attend.
Nov. 1-3 Chicago, IL
LOCUS is a sponsor. Teri Lovelace is a speaker.
Nov. 12-13 College Station, TX
Deb Markley will facilitate.
Nov. 12-16 Paicines, CA
Travis Green will participate.
Nov. 14-16 Asilomar, CA
Deb Markley will participate.
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LOCUS Capital, Inc. is a Registered Investment Advisor Firm. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where LOCUS Capital, Inc. and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. LOCUS Capital, Inc. and its representatives do not furnish investment advice or services through this website. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns.