In early 2024, OPUS invested in understanding, measuring, and driving impact within our community and beyond.
Our latest Impact Report marks the culmination of a learning process that began in January, involving extensive outreach, consultation, and critical thinking.
We aimed to grasp the impact OPUS is making and aspires to have. This meant identifying our strengths, areas for improvement, defining success, establishing metrics to measure it, setting bold yet achievable targets and most important spending time listening to our members.
Through this exercise, we gained deeper insights into our members, their motivations, and developed a clear vision of our network's current and future state.
This journey is not top-down. We want to support our members to own their collective impact, both individually and as a group. OPUS is a network built by our community of business builders, for our community.
Below, we present some key highlights, and we will continue to report back on the value our members and community are receiving and creating.
Kerry Fennell Ellen Courtney Tallulah IsraelNiama El Bassunie, CFAHugh ChichesterLyndsay MasonTom HewitsonJames GozneyJames FarnfieldGodfrey AsareNeda SahebelmRafael Guper#ImpactReport#opportunity#community
In 2024, Opus invested in understanding, measuring and driving impact. This report represents the culmination of a learning process that started in January this year. What does success truly look like for others? What metrics can be used to measure that success, and how do we set bold but achievable targets? It has helped us to find out more about our members, what drives them, what inspires them. We want members to feel a sense of ownership of our impact. We our network, both for our community, by our community. And this is only the start of our impact journey. At the heart of Opus are the principles of connectivity and opportunity. A community where the power of diversity is embraced, chance, connections and discoveries create new opportunities, and learning and growth flourish. To measure our impact in these key. Areas we focus on the few quantifiable indicators that were really powerful. More than one in five Oprah members have access, investment, and new job or work as a result of Opus connection or Opus opportunities and would love for you to hear from them directly. After settling my company, I was looking for an African Focus investment role and ended U joining Babab Network as a Managing partner, a relationship that was completely facilitated by Opus. More than 50% of my Angel investments last year were in Opus companies and most of the external partners who are working with are Opus members. They say your network is your net worth and Opus has been a key growth lever for us at Naya since joining in 2022. Really, through the power of meaningful connections. Opus is enabled us to find a killer board member, hire a fantastic CTO who's accelerating the growth of our product, raise capital from investors from within the core and wider network, and it's helped us collaborate with other startups to accelerate the growth of our business. I had never raised money before and despite being experienced in crafting pitches, I had no idea how to build a pitch and investment campaign. That's when I turned to Opus. From the outset, they were instrumental. Connecting me with experienced business builders who diligently guided me in crafting a robust investment strategy, helping to refine my pitch, and preparing my financials. So Opus has been absolutely incredible for general purpose. I mean, the growth of our business has primarily come out of the contacts that we've made through Opus. Are the members referring work to us and Opus itself introducing us to our key partner we work. 65% of Opus members reported that an introduction or an opportunity to another member has been advantageous for their job or business entrepreneurship. Is a hard Rd. but I'm in touch with other members on a weekly basis. We try to help each other out and that time is always worth it. From my side, other members have helped me with talent distribution, general coaching or just lending an ear. 79% of Opus members are getting positive learning outcomes from the network. So I joined Opus at the start of 2024 and the reason I joined was I wanted to be around like minded people, also building out their startups in quite early stages. But as I transitioned through the stage of my business, I've had the opportunity to interact with numerous different startup builders at different stages. I I can't emphasize enough how impactful Opus has been from a business development point of view, but also from a personal development point of view. 76.2% of Opus members are seeing positive impact on their professional profile as a result of being an Opus member. Being part of the Opus community, I'm surrounded by a community of driven. And supportive peers and I found a fantastic platform to share some of that knowledge and also to innovate with others. So for me, I lead or I've LED several financial education seminars within the Opus network. And what that's allowed me to do is to refine my approach and enhance that collective expertise. From a professional standpoint, being an Opus member has been game changing. I'm constantly surrounded by different members who care deeply about. Permission and are looking to diversify the playing field in tech. This is naturally lent itself to incredible conversations and rooms that I otherwise wouldn't have been in and without this I don't think we would be able to propel this mission as quickly. An amazing 88% of opus members have built friendships within the network. I have joined Opus in January 2024 and it's now May 2024 and it really feels like I've been a part of this community for years I have a ton of like minded creative entrepreneurs and. Tech enthusiasts beside me leading the way, disrupting their verticals and I haven't been able to meet this in these malleable connections in a while. The events have been top quality. And lastly, working from Opus HQ and Old Sessions House just makes you feel like you're a part of something bigger really. From a personal standpoint, this is also been really great for me as a founder. By being able to just have a judgment free safe space to talk with other founders and the impact space, I've also been able to move myself forward. As a leader, generate brilliant ideas and come together with others to really make this mission thrive. The opportunity is ours. We believe that this report is more than a collection of data and testimonials, but rather a narrative of shared ambition which has set the stage for the next chapters of our collective story. The path we are on a shaped by every member of this community, and together we will define what success looks like for others in the years to come. So here's two continuing our adventure together with boldness and optimism as we strive to exceed our collective potential.
Former Disney Host Now Helping Gen Z & Founders Build Their Personal Brand| Founder & CEO of Chief Swag Officer| Host of Dare To Be Fearless| Keynote Speaker
🌟 Wise Words from Our Team on Grant Applications & Celebrating Our 2023 Community Impact Award Recipient 🌟
As we dive into the final stretch for this year's Kiwanis Foundation Grant applications, our team has gathered some invaluable advice for all potential applicants. Here's a nugget of wisdom that has guided many to success: "Detail your project's vision with clarity and passion. Remember, it's not just what you're doing, but who you're doing it for and the impact it will have that truly matters."
Reflecting on last year's Community Impact Award, the mission behind our 2023 recipient was nothing short of inspirational. They not only envisioned but enacted a transformative project that resonated deeply with the community's needs, embodying the power of service and dedication.
Want to Learn More?
For those looking to dive deeper and draw inspiration from last year's success, check out our YouTube channel! We have a full presentation detailing the mission behind our 2023 Community Impact Award recipient, Sistema Toronto and their journey, and the profound effect they've had on the community. It's a testament to what passion, innovation, and commitment can achieve.
📺 Visit our YouTube channel https://lnkd.in/ed3ymnrt to watch the full video and see firsthand the remarkable stories behind our grants. Let these stories inspire your applications and remind you of the potential to make a meaningful difference.
#KiwanisFoundationGrants#CommunityImpact#GrantWritingTips
This week I was fortunate enough to attend Taking Steps in BC hosted by Impact United and Richard M. (and MC’d by the lovely Geena Jackson) to bring together Indigenous entrepreneurs, investors and intermediaries to better understand the financing challenges for Indigenous-led enterprises.
Here are my key takeaways that I want to share with you all. All of these ideas came from amazing panelists at the event such as Sage Lacerte, Ryan St. Germaine, Angel Aubichon, Paul Lacerte, Teara Fraser, Julie Williams, and others!
🏦 The current financial systems were built to exclude Indigenous peoples; now we must build up the financial infrastructure to support Indigenous peoples.
✳ We need to increase risk tolerance for impact and Indigenous investing.
💕 To decolonize, we need to 1. Build true long-lasting relationships, spend a year drinking tea with others. 2. Address any power dynamics in the room and provide support. 3. Stand in your integrity and walk the talk, aka do what you said you were going to do. If you are not, reflect on why and course correct.
🏵 Live into your medicine, and if you think of your work or business as medicine, reflect on how this is helping your community. (I really wish there was a medicine wheel emoji for this one!!)
⏳ In the last 100 years we have gone off course as a society, so what are you doing to ensure we get back on course in the next 100 years?
🌟 Wise Words from Our Team on Grant Applications & Celebrating Our 2023 Community Impact Award Recipient 🌟
As we dive into the final stretch for this year's Kiwanis Foundation Grant applications, our team has gathered some invaluable advice for all potential applicants. Here's a nugget of wisdom that has guided many to success: "Detail your project's vision with clarity and passion. Remember, it's not just what you're doing, but who you're doing it for and the impact it will have that truly matters."
Reflecting on last year's Community Impact Award, the mission behind our 2023 recipient was nothing short of inspirational. They not only envisioned but enacted a transformative project that resonated deeply with the community's needs, embodying the power of service and dedication.
Want to Learn More?
For those looking to dive deeper and draw inspiration from last year's success, check out our YouTube channel! We have a full presentation detailing the mission behind our 2023 Community Impact Award recipient, Sistema Toronto and their journey, and the profound effect they've had on the community. It's a testament to what passion, innovation, and commitment can achieve.
📺 Visit our YouTube channel https://lnkd.in/edCVdRhq to watch the full video and see firsthand the remarkable stories behind our grants. Let these stories inspire your applications and remind you of the potential to make a meaningful difference.
#KiwanisFoundationGrants#CommunityImpact#GrantWritingTips
Perhaps a key to successful DEI efforts and Anti-Racist practicies - Building iterative and inclusive structures, which are key components of Social Innovation approaches
We would like to share the special issue of Currents from the National Center for Institutional Diversity:
Are Anti-Racism Efforts Having an Impact in Organizations and Communities?
In this special issue, they invited scholars and practitioners to showcase innovative anti-racist interventions across industries and geographic locations.
One of the issue articles: Deploying Social Innovation Models for Anti-Racist Practices: Lessons from Homelessness Research in Los Angeles, co-authored by Victoria Ciudad-Real (University of Southern California, Sol Price Center for Social Innovation) , Gary Painter (University of Southern California) , Saba Mwine-Chang (she/her) Mwine-Chang (University of Southern California), introduced social innovation models for anti-Racist practices, and shared HPRI's collective impact for homelessness research and solutions.
Read the full article here:
https://lnkd.in/ejigMWuF
It's been a long process but we got there. 🎉
Here you can find the Strategic Framework that will inform our grantmaking, capacity building and research initiatives and activities in 2024-2028: https://lnkd.in/em6YrhmP.
This document was the result of a long process including a review of the work funded so far, scoping the field and capturing the evolution of the European society in these years. We would like to thank all the partner foundations, grantees, and experts that contributed to this.
In the document you will find the guiding principles and objectives of our three sub funds:
📢 Civic Power: strengthening civil society with a focus on security and sustainability
📱 Tech and democracy: addressing the impact of technology on public discourse and democratic practices
📰 Media: supporting independent public interest media in countries where civic space and freedom of the press are endangered
The challenge of defending and strengthening democracy requires a level of ambition and broad thinking that we have tried to capture in these pages.
While at the moment we do not accept unsolicited proposals we will soon launch some targeted open calls and ways of introducing your work to us if we have not been in touch yet.
Join our newsletter (https://lnkd.in/ew23VTNM) and follow this channel to keep updated on our initiatives and the funding opportunities we will launch.
Claudio CesaranoElisa Peter Samuel Sigere Ph.D. Stefan SchäfersWillem LendersOndřej LiškaRogier Van Der WeerdEbru AkgünFlurina WäspiRiccardo RamacciNatacha KazatchkineVeronika MóraJames LoganNadja GrootPeter BihrLaetitia VeriterJanek LasockiAdrian ArenaAntje ScheidlerMelody PatryStephanie ReuterSzilvia KochanowskiHedvig MorvaiPeggy Saïller
Former Congressman Tim Ryan shares insights on our work improving young lives. Take a moment to watch and learn more about the impactful benefits we're achieving. 🙌🏽🙏🏽 Now that we're seeing results, we're eager to expand and impact even more lives! Join us on our journey to make a difference. #MakingADifference#ImpactfulResultshttps://lnkd.in/dmjYuRsG
Introducing WSOS' 2024 Impact Report!
Learn more about WSOS’ impact on Opportunity Scholars, businesses, and the WSOS community. To read, click the "Impact Report" button at the link in our bio.
Feeling invisible online despite your NFP's incredible work? It's time to change that narrative. Rosemint Impact specializes in amplifying the voices of passionate NFPs like yours. Together, let's make waves in the digital space and broaden your reach. Your cause deserves to be heard! #DigitalPresence#ImpactMatters
Talent Partner @ Gravitee (via Canda)
1moAwesome video - it's so great to see the power of this community in action 👏