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Announcing our newly powered Forbes' list
THE FORBES OZ 20:
TOP OZ CATALYSTS
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Sorenson Impact Center and Forbes are excited to announce its newest official list: The Forbes OZ 20: Top OZ Catalysts.
WHO WILL BE RECOGNIZED?
The list was created to showcase how investors, both large and small, and rural and urban communities alike, are pioneering dynamic approaches to equitably revitalize distressed communities.
Both Opportunity Investment Funds and community organizations are invited to apply to the Forbes OZ 20. Four winners — one large and one small Opportunity Fund, and one urban and one rural community organization — will be featured in Forbes media channels and announced on the national stage of the Winter Innovation Summit in February 2020.
WHY APPLY?
EXPOSURE
Every applicant will be reviewed by the leading Opportunity Zones experts at the Sorenson Impact Center. All 20 finalists will be highlighted by Forbes in its inaugural OZ list. The four Grand Prize Winners will get wide Forbes coverage and a corresponding Sorenson Impact film.
EXCLUSIVITY
Secure entry into this bold community of change-makers and impact investors. The four grand prize winners will be announced at the Winter Innovation Summit.
LEGITIMACY
In the emerging OZ landscape, immediately raise your profile and validate your project. All applicants will receive a confidential OZ Impact ScoreTM and the 20 finalists will be given a confidential, in-depth OZ Impact ReportTM.
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Check out our newest content
TOP OPPORTUNITY ZONE MYTHS
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America's corporate tax rate is no longer the most controversial part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. A then-little-known provision establishing tax incentives for investment in Opportunity Zones – legally designated, economically distressed census tracts – has generated debate nationwide. Within many of the designated areas, the prospect of fresh capital has greeted with enthusiasm. Opponents of the legislation, however, argue that Opportunity Zones will benefit investors more than communities and pour fuel on the flames of gentrification. We address this discrepancy between local excitement and national concern by challenging some of the most common misconceptions about Opportunity Zones.
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2020 Winter Innovation Summit
CALL FOR PROPOSALS
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Calling all visionaries, innovators, and changemakers! We are now accepting proposals for our Deep Dive and mainstage sessions.
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Funding Innovation
SORENSON IMPACT FOUNDATION REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
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The Sorenson Impact Foundation has launched a Request for Proposals seeking innovative, scalable solutions for expanding and improving the impact investing ecosystem as well as promoting best practices for Opportunity Zone investing. Grants will be in amounts ranging from $50,000 to $500,000. Please see below to download the RFP and read about the specific submission guidelines. All proposals are due by 5:00 pm ET on July 30, 2019.
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Professional Spotlight:
Ellesse Balli
Ellesse recently assumed a new role at Sorenson Impact, becoming Managing Director of Field Building. In this capacity she oversees all communications projects, leads the strategic development of the student program, and spearheads "The Forbes OZ 20: Top Opportunity Zone Catalysts" and other collaborations.
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Student Spotlight:
Kat Guillen
After two years with Sorenson's impact investing team, Kat will be leaving the Center to start work at McKinsey & Co. She says of her experience interviewing at the leading consulting firm, "Every interviewer was curious about this experience — only a third were genuinely curious about my postdoc, in comparison — which I think speaks to the value future employers see in the Sorenson Impact student experience."
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Thank You and Farewell:
CEO HEWSON BALTZELL AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER LISA COX
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After guiding us through a productive year, our CEO Hewson Baltzell will be moving back to New York City to be closer to family and to continue as President and COO of Helios Exchange, an energy efficiency company. We are grateful for his leadership — particularly in helping us build up our Opportunity Zones campaign and student program. We hope you'll join us in wishing him well as he tackles his next undertaking.
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Lisa Cox brought the Center's work to life as Sorenson Impact's dynamic Manager of Communications and Marketing. During her time with us, she mentored a burgeoning cohort of student fellows, managed press outreach for Winter Innovation Summit, and authored articles for Forbes, The Hill, The Economist's Impact Investing Blog, and the Center's Think Tank Blog. Please join us in wishing her well as she returns to Harvard, where she will assume the role of Academic Content Producer for the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative.
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U to You Park City Lecture Series
Park City, Utah, May 8
Sorenson Impact Managing Director Daniel Hadley delivered a keynote address, "The Past, Present, and Future of Using Data for Good" at the U to You Park City Lecture Series on May 8. This series provides an opportunity for community members and alumni alike to hear about the U's work.
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Pennsylvania Housing Finance Forum
Harrisburg, PA, May 8-9
Sorenson Impact Center Manager Abby Ivory gave a keynote speech on housing affordability, the Ivory Prize, and the "The Forbes OZ 20: Top OZ Catalysts" challenge to 800 real estate experts at the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Forum.
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Forbes Opportunity Zones Summit
Newark, NJ, May 21
Jim Sorenson, Marketing Manager Grant Baskerville, and Policy Senior Associate Kyrene Clarke attended the Forbes Opportunity Zones Summit: Investing for Impact, a convening of visionary investors and leaders exploring the challenges and potential of Opportunity Zones. Jim announced "The: Catalysts: Top Opportunity Zone Visionaries" on the Summit main stage.
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Opportunity Alabama Convening
Birmingham, AL, July 9-10
Kyrene Clarke and Data Science Director Gwen Reynolds went to Birmingham, AL to support the discussion around data and Opportunity Zones and engage with key OZ leaders from organization such as the Urban Institute, MasterCard, U.S. Impact Investing Alliance, EIG, and Lumina.
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 YOU'RE IN THE LOOP
Welcome to the inner circle of the social impact space.
Share the scoop!
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From Refugee To Venture Capitalist To Social Impact Pioneer
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The Social Impact Revolution Is Here
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An Entrepreneur Lifts Liberian Women And Children Out Of Poverty
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