L.A.’s Nonprofit version of Shark Tank

The second annual Social Innovation Fast Pitch program is well underway, with 22 non-profit entrepreneurs being trained and mentored on how to succinctly and powerfully “tell their story.”  Only 10 will be selected to make their ‘pitch’ at the event in front of hundreds of attendees and compete for up to $20,000 in funding.

The Social Innovation Fast Pitch and Showcase will be held at the University of Southern California on November 11, 2009 from 4:00 pm – 7:30 pm. For more information and to register, please visit http://www.socialinnovationpitch.org

This event, hosted by Los Angeles Social Venture Partners, the Social Enterprise Institute, and the University of Southern California, will recognize and celebrate innovative Los Angeles nonprofits that are solving urgent social problems, and will serve as a catalyst to engage local business and community support.

Fast Pitch!
The highlight of the formal program includes live, three-minute ‘pitches’ from nonprofit leaders selected for the strength of their innovative strategies and results.  A panel of judges will critique the pitches and select grant award winners!

Fireside chat with Andy Rappaport
Investor * Social Entrepreneur * Change Agent
We are pleased to announce Andy Rappaport as our featured speaker.  Andy wants us to think differently when we endeavor to change the world. As a successful venture capitalist and a leading voice for innovation-oriented, risk-seeking philanthropy, Andy believes the most productive giving should start like an experimental investment – one in which early failures are important and where small initial successes can lead to large global changes able to attract larger pools of capital.  In this discussion with Krisztina “Z” Holly, Vice Provost for Innovation at USC, Andy will describe how he has applied lessons learned from the venture capital world to rethinking the social sector. Despite the magnitude of the challenges facing our world, Andy’s philosophy can inspire us to make a big impact with limited resources.

Networking Reception:
Following the formal program, there will be a mixer where attendees can network with one another and learn more about the mission and activities of the presenting organizations.

Ticket Prices:
$50 for early registrations through October 31, 2009
$65 for late and onsite registration after October 31, 2009
Students: Free with Pre-Registration and Accepted Application
Tax-deductible contributions to support the event are also welcome

Please join us for an exciting evening! You can count on being educated, activated and inspired.

Questions?
For registration or other general questions about the program, contact LASVP at 310.281.7509 or info@lasvp.org.
For media inquiries, contact Elisa Wiefel Schreiber at 213.821.6063 or wiefel@stevens.usc.edu.

Atlanta’s Going Green!

Hey Atlanta, are you interested in participating in your green economy but don’t know where to start? Why not take a class or workshop at the Atlanta Green Expo this weekend to learn more on how YOU can go green!

The Atlanta Green Expo will be held this Saturday, May 30th, 2009 and Sunday, May 31st, 2009 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia.  The expo’s mission is to educate individuals, communities, businesses and policy makers on sustainable living through efficient, renewable energy, and the conservation of water and land resources.

The event will be held 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, and it’s only $5 for adults (free for children).

Check out the classes and workshops being offered! You can’t afford to miss this:

Greening Your Home and Garden:
This track will include workshops that provide products, services and expertise that would be of interest by individuals for use in their homes and gardens. From solar panels and recycled glass countertops for your home to workshops on starting vegetable gardens in your back yard, this track will include a wealth of information for homeowners.

You’ll also learn how to make your yards into more sustainable and fruitful environments. The Atlanta Green Expo will show you how to create beautiful yards and gardens, done in ways that are environmentally friendly. Topics will include composting, conserving water, natural pest abatement and much, much more.

Green Building and Sustainable Development:
Architects, Developers, Builders, City Planners – this is your area! Here you will find seminars dedicated to illustrating the bottom line benefits of “going green” in your planning and development. Working with members of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), this Track will present the latest trends and available products to help you design and build more LEED certified projects.

Energy, Conservation & Recycling:
The focus of this track is on alternative energy, conservation efforts, and the concept of “refuse, reduce, reuse and recycle”. Attendees can see for themselves the products, services and practices that can help them save energy, conserve resources and save money as well. Energy use is one of the areas with the greatest potential to improve one’s ecological footprint. The main goal for the Atlanta Green Expo classes and workshops is to help us learn how we can start making better choices, by using less energy, moving towards the use of renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, and reducing the environmental impacts to our air, water, and land from many of our current practices.

Food & Agriculture:
What’s better – locally grown or organic foods? What are C.S.A.’s? What’s all this talk about “Permaculture”? Come find out about these issues, the state of American agriculture and food production, and how you can help to make it better. A healthy, sustainable lifestyle is driven by choices about food. Making such choices involves answering questions about how our food is grown and how that growing process affects the environment, as well as who grows our food and how far our food travels. The Atlanta Green Expo classes and workshops will offer insights into the importance of how our food choices affect our health, and of discovering ways of raising foods that are less costly to the environment.

Sustainability Education:
What principles should we follow as we make dozens of small decisions each day to reduce our environmental impact? The Atlanta Green Expo seeks to empower families, businesses and communities toward the long-term ideal of sustainability. In addition to having a hands on, educational “Green Kids Zone”, this track consists mostly of Workshops and Seminars in topics ranging from reducing your Carbon Footprint to the importance of Socially Responsible Investing. Here the Expo classes and workshops will illustrate ways in which we can make our lives and our communities more sustainable.

Transportation:
Transportation is one of our society’s largest contributors to local air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the problems associated with our country’s “addiction to oil”. The Atlanta Green Expo classes will highlight more sustainable options in transportation, and encourage us to find alternate ways to get around instead of continuing to rely on our personal, carbon-based vehicles. Bio-diesel, ethanol and electric vehicles are new technologies that are available today. And there are many under-used, yet “green” methods of transportation that need to be re-emphasized, such as car-pooling, public transit and riding bicycles more often.

Community Action & Involvement:
Come and find out how you can get involved with organizations that promote sustainable practices that affect our community. We will have representatives from religious communities, government, activist and non-profit organizations offering many ways to get involved and to help make a difference! The Atlanta Green Expo is also hoping to work with Habitat for Humanity to build a net-zero, green home which will be available for tours before it is given to a deserving family in the community.

Green Lifestyles:
Being green isn’t just about alternative energy and recycling. It’s about adopting and living a life that is in balance with nature. The Atlanta Green Expo seminars will focus on helping you find products, services and practices which will promote ways in which you and your family can live healthier, happier and more sustainable lives.

Visit the official website for more event details, and don’t forget to spread the word about this interactive, informative and inspiring event! Green Buzz depends upon people like YOU sharing the green news in your community!

For questions about the Atlanta Green Expo, call 904.236.9966 or email info@globalgreenup.com.

eat . live . think green