Cooperative Economics | "Impact-First" Investing | Transformative Leadership

Can DEI lead to systems change at Foundations?

Once in a while you find a report that validates a bunch of your hunches. In this case, a group of foundations in the Northwest U.S. have come together to wrestle seriously with what racial equity means for their investment committees (& the social mission actualization of their asset stewardship). What emerges is a report […]

Our Economy of Francesco Hub Gathering

We need you.  The cry of the earth, the cry of the poor, the problems of the global economy — we need your most important work.  That’s the invitation of the Economy of Francesco.  We need your boldest leadership unleashed and connected to the people, institutions and centers of power that can make lasting change.  […]

Transition Feelings

I passed the torch at CPA this week. The feelings are wonderful and… remind me of paradox. New invitations, recognition feel simultaneously spacious, and also weighty. Which brings me to mystery and some mystagogy. I start by reflecting on this quote from Rainer Maria Rilke: “In spite of all the farmer’s work and worry, he can’t reach down to where the seed is slowly transmuted into summer. The earth bestows.”

Trust and Co-ops

Trust and Co-ops

Five years ago, I started the Community Purchasing Alliance Cooperative with a Steering Team of church leaders, a community organizer, and a few generous lawyers. Today, we are 75 member-owner community institutions. We collaborate on $15,000,000+ in contracts each year. Yet the most important thing we’ve created doesn’t show up in the numbers. It’s trust. […]