Dana Lanza: Mission-Related Philanthropy and Owning What You Own

Next Economy Now highlights the leaders who are taking a regenerative, bio-regional, equitable, transparent, and whole-systems approach to using business as a force for good. 

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Dana launched Confluence Philanthropy in August of 2009 as a special project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, after serving as the executive director of the Environmental Grantmakers Association (EGA). While at EGA, Dana provided networking services to over 250 grantmaking organizations from across North America and Europe in 15 strategic funding areas. As director, Dana worked with the Rockefeller Family Fund, and led a then 20 year old EGA into an independent 501c3 organization. Dana served as the Program Director and Board Advisor at The Swift Foundation while launching Confluence. 

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In this interview we discuss:

  • How the economic events of 2008 seeded greater interest in values-aligned investments

  • Top challenges investors face in aligning their money with their values

  • The debate about whether or not impact investors should seek market rate returns on investments

  • The trend for philanthropy to focus on mission-related investments rather than offering grants or program-related investing (PRI)

  • The subjectivity of measuring impact and its value versus objectively owning what you own

  • Place-based, regional, localized investing, challenging investment managers to elevate their socially-responsible platform, and being loud and proud about divesting from the fossil fuel industry

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Ryan Honeyman is a Partner at LIFT Economy and author of The B Corp Handbook: How to Use Business as a Force for Good (Berrett-Koehler Publishers). LIFT Economy is an impact consulting firm whose mission is to create, model, and share a locally self-reliant economy that works for the benefit of all life. You can follow Ryan on Twitter @honeymanconsult or email him ryan@lifteconomy.com.