June 10
Seattle Sites of the Day:

Socially Responsible Investing

"Investing and spending our money has, in modern times, become so complex and abstract that people no longer feel a personal connection to what their money is actually doing in society." ...

"The purpose of the SRI area on SCN is to share ideas and tools that can be used to understand and begin to practice a more satisfying investment approach."

Cascadia Revolving Fund

"We are a private, non-profit community development loan fund which provides loans and technical support to small businesses which have been unable to access financing through traditional sources. We lend to women, minority and low-income entrepreneurs; and to businesses which are located in distressed urban and rural communities, have a significant potential for job creation, or act to preserve or restore the environment." ...

"In its fifteen year history Cascadia has lent nearly $12 million to more than 210 businesses, creating or preserving 950 jobs. 71% of our borrowers have been low-income.

"Cascadia is funded by both donations and investments from the philanthropic community. We provide the opportunity for individuals to make high impact socially responsible investments. If you would like to invest in Cascadia, or otherwise support its activities, becoming a member is the first step."

Women's Funding Alliance

"Since 1983 the Women's Funding Alliance has raised and distributed funds to organizations that are providing services and support to women and girls in our community. The Alliance member agencies together serve thousands of women and girls each year." ...

"As abortions become increasingly difficult to obtain, women must travel farther to exercise their right to choose. The NARAL Abortion Access Network, which provides home stay, transportation, and/or emotional support for women traveling to obtain an abortion, needs volunteers. For more information or a new volunteer registration packet, call Katie at 206/624-1990 or e-mail wanaral@earthlink.net."

"The Community Management and Development web site has over a hundred training documents for community mobilizers, and is used by facilitators, coordinators and trainers around the world.

"Training topics include NGO and CBO capacity development, gender strategy, environment, management training, poverty eradication, urban farming, income generation, learning an oral language, brainstorming, monitoring, report and proposal writing, role playing, and many others.

"We are looking for volunteer translators to put the material into French and Spanish.

"The latest news is the start-up of a small electronic discussion group ('loop') on these topics, with participants from around the globe (e.g. Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Ghana, India, Kenya, Malta, Norway, Palestine, Philippines, Singapore, Uganda, South Africa, Tanzania, UK, USA, Vietnam, Zambia, and elsewhere).

"To monitor or join the discussion, write bm038@scn.org and introduce yourself."

- Phil Bartle