Social Impact Blog

Anique Russell left her job teaching special education in Columbus Schools to turn to social entrepreneurship dedicated to teaching parents about good nutrition through providing healthy snacks and nutrition education. With her husband she launched Too Good Eats in 2016. Targeted at families and moms in the 25 to 35 age group and operating out […]

Kari Vernon left the security of a steady income and her passion for her decade-long career as a middle school teacher to launch the Family Mentor Foundation in 2013. Over the years, she witnessed the countless struggles children faced in their daily lives that created seemingly insurmountable obstacles to learning and developing to their fullest […]

SocialVentures encourages all enterprising non-profit organizations to apply to Philanthropitch Columbus. Over the past five years, Philanthropitch, the social impact fast pitch competition, has been on a mission to scale innovative nonprofits in communities around the nation. Presented by Kiwanis Club of Columbus & co-hosted by SocialVentures, the first annual Philanthropitch Columbus will take place […]

Fit to Navigate wins crowd favorite at SEA Change Social Enterprise Accelerator Pitch Day – Columbus 2018. Photo courtesy of GIVEBACKHACK Columbus. On August 22, more than 200 individuals gathered to hear eight organizations pitch their social enterprise concepts at SEA Change Social Enterprise Accelerator Pitch Day – Columbus 2018. A total of 15 organizations […]

During SocialVentures’ annual Positioned to Prosper event, which took place on August 7 at the Columbus Museum of Art, Allen Proctor, President & CEO, SocialVentures, announced that SocialVentures will co-host the first annual Philanthropitch in Columbus on March 4, 2019. Philanthropitch is a social impact fast-pitch competition on a mission to scale innovative nonprofits. Presented […]

During the August 7 presentation at SocialVentures’ annual Positioned to Prosper event, Allen Proctor announced that Social Ventures Fund has made its first investment in Roosevelt Coffee Roasters. Social Ventures Fund, LLC lent $50,000 to Roosevelt Coffee, LLC. Kenny Sipes, Founder of The Roosevelt Coffeehouse, came to the stage to talk about his new business […]

Equitas Health (formerly AIDS Resource Center Ohio), is a regional not-for-profit community-based healthcare system and federally qualified community health center. One of the nation’s largest HIV/AIDS, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) healthcare organizations, Equitas Health operates two social enterprises, Equitas Health Pharmacy and PRIZM Magazine. All of the profits from these two ventures […]

Lily Vail leads the Kiva lending program in Columbus. The online platform allows small-business owners to access zero interest, crowdfunded loans that range from a few hundred dollars up to $10,000. In 2005, Kiva started as a platform to connect borrowers and lenders abroad. In the United States, it operates as a direct lending platform […]

YXU is a for-profit clothing company that sells branded shirts and sponsors community events intended to empower and encourage young adults. The company’s name and logo is “YOU” with an X through the “O” representing its tag line, “Leave Your Mark.” Founded in 2016, YXU believes that every individual can make a difference when they […]

Over the past four years, Central Ohio has experienced a rapid expansion of the social enterprise movement. Strong and growing, today it numbers over 100 social enterprises. To continue this momentum, SocialVentures has introduced sponsorship packages as a way to showcase our community’s belief in business as the key to creating significant and lasting social […]