Research Hub for Collaborative Innovation
Today’s major global challenges require coordination action across the non-profit, government and private sectors. The SE@UVA Research Hub for Collaborative Innovation’s mission is to advance our understanding of impactful collaborative models and to provide guidance to social entrepreneurs seeking to build highly functioning and effective cross-sector partnerships. We do this through 4 separate labs including:
PAY FOR SUCCESS LAB
The mission of the University of Virginia Pay for Success Lab is to identify and advance impactful Pay for Success projects in localities across the nation. Pay for Success (PFS) generates social value and cashable savings to government and other community organizations while driving financial resources towards serving local needs and measurably improving lives. Through the structure, a private investor pays upfront for an intervention and an end payor agrees to repay that investment should the intervention meet or exceed its predetermined target outcome measures. PFS allows community-oriented organizations to pay for tangible benefits, transfers the risk of outcome achievement to external funders, and aligns a community towards achieving beneficial outcomes
The Pay for Success Lab is inviting applications for its 2017 team of student Fellows. A limited number of paid positions are available for those interested in leadership opportunities. All UVa students are invited to apply. This is the application link. Please contact Josh Ogburn, PFS Lab Director, at josh.ogburn@virginia.edu, with any additional questions.
NATIONAL POLICY BREAKTHROUGH LAB
Many social entrepreneurs are working in regulated markets from energy to education to healthcare. Innovative, outside-the-box solutions often run up against status quo policy and current regulations can present hurdles to system change. At the same time social entrepreneurs within government are often looking for innovative market-based solutions and public-private partnerships to tackle social problems. The National Policy Breakthrough Lab pairs small teams of students with social entrepreneurs from across the country to unlock scaling opportunities through collective action. This year we have teams working with the U.S. Water Partnership, a public private partnership of over 200 non-profits, corporations and government agencies to advance access to clean water globally. We are also working with the Global Emergency Group, a profit-for-purpose enterprise supporting humanitarian aid organizations including UNOCHA, USAID, WFP, ECHO, among others, to streamline supply chains, innovate financing, and measure impact to improve humanitarian relief worldwide. To work in the National Policy Breakthrough Lab, enroll in the undergraduate (PPOL 4735) or graduate-level (PPOL 6730) spring semester Experiential Social Entrepreneurship courses taught by Christine Mahoney, Director of SE@UVa.
CHARLOTTESVILLE CROSS-SECTOR CONSULTANCY
UVA’s hometown of Charlottesville provides a number of opportunities for students to get involved in social innovation. Students working small teams with local social innovators – including projects on the newly designated Strategic Investment Area and Office of Economic Development projects on Return on Investment calculations for new job readiness programs. SE@UVa is organizing Charlottesville Cross-Sector Consultancy opportunities that will start in the spring.
PHILANTHROPY LAB
The Philanthropy Lab is a for-credit workshop that investigates the role of non-profit organizations in the policy process. Through a partnership with the Adiuvans Foundation and the Once Upon a Time Foundation, the lab has made $405,000 in grants to non-profit organizations since 2012. Students interested in the lab can enroll in PPOL4725 (Martin & McLean), open to all UVA students or PPOL4991 (Martin), limited to Batten majors..