Capital Missions Company's Networks

CapitalMissions.com creates networks of investors, business leaders, social activists and philanthropists to catalyze a globally sustainable economy. Below are short descriptions of the networks Susan Davis has served as either the Founding Organizer or as a key founder over the past 35 years (the last 21 years within CMC). Each network is listed chronologically from the present, indicating the focus of its membership, its current status and major accomplishments. 

• TPN's initial mission was to catalyze a globally sustainable economy by leveraging the silos of sustainability with each other, creating a whole systems approach.  Some 26 tipping point initiatives were identified and funded with this goal, totaling $3 million, mostly from TPN members.
• TPN's initial strategy was to target the funding of philanthropist members on increasing the market share of sustainability from 2% market share to 10%, after which the global economy is expected to fund sustainability directly.   Now that sustainability's market share has reached this 10% tipping point, TPN meets through the good offices of YES! Jams.

• 40 leaders from 40 constituencies of solar target 'making solar happen for the world' by designing, implementing and, occasionally, funding initiatives they prioritize.
• The confidential space that the Solar Circle creates for members to share information and ideas allows the members to provide thought-leadership for solar in academic, policy, research and business communities.
• Members have funded initiatives to create shared priorities for solar trade groups, to launch a solar action website, to support solar legislative priorities in California, to launch a national mobilization internet campaign for solar and to support solar entrepreneurs in the developing world.
• A key initiative that members are currently funding and implementing is a solar "war room" to work with media on getting accurate information about the power of solar solutions into news stories about the failure of conventional energy systems from the BP oil spill to the nuclear plants damaged by the tsunami in Japan.

• Investors, philanthropists and business leaders visited East Troy, WI's Nokomis EcoDairy twice a year to walk/work the farm and learn the dozens of environmental practices that enhanced this biodynamic/organic dairy farm.
• Members discussed how they are 'being the change they want in the world' with their own personal lifestyle changes, while sharing stories of inner work that led to more satisfying and sustainable lives.
• Members helped farmer Walter Moora create a pilot "EarthCare Circle" that could be duplicated on other organic farms to add $50,000/yr in additional income to protect against the costs of global warming to their farms and to thrive.

• CMC conducted a national survey of social venture capital firms to identify "Social Venture Capital Financing Best Practices."
• CMC applied these best practices to a start-up solar technology firm called Solaria, which underwrote the survey.
• Solaria has now raised more than $122 million in Series A, B, C and D financing and its success suggests that using social venture capital best practices to organize an investors' circle around a particular high-potential company may be a better mousetrap for social venture capital, particularly in the early years.

• Institutional investors created 5 simulations of $100 million portfolios for 9 quarters which were 100% invested across all asset classes in 31 social investments.
• The Simulation taught these investors the different types of social investments and showed them which products offered which types of social investments.
• The TBLS demonstrated that institutional investment portfolios can be 100% socially invested and still match the financial benchmarks for returns the investors traditionally use.   See these reports on the TBLS section of this website.

• Brought together leading women financiers with women entrepreneurs for education, networking and the pursuit of mutually beneficial opportunities.

• This Forum created a marketplace for financing the leading African-American-owned businesses.
• It brought together top African-American business owners with leading investors for networking and deal-making.

• This gathering educated institutional investors about social investing.  Each year featured a 3-day program in New York City with 120 speakers and up to 500 attendees and ran for 3 years.
• This conference's sponsors financed CMC to create the network for institutional treasurers called The Triple Bottom Line Simulation (see above), since institutional investors were the bottleneck to the success of social investing.
• The sponsors also serviced and validated the Triple Bottom Line Simulation.

• Identified the leading socially-responsible Nigerian corporations and secured $600,000 in financing to spread microenterprise throughout Nigeria.
• Created microloan programs in 12 local government units in Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
• Created a Donors' Network of Americans interested in microenterprise which met annually as the "Destiny Circle" until 2005.

• Brought together women investors to fund women-led early-stage companies - first such network in U.S. and probably in the world.
• Created educational programming to teach women investors how to do venture investing.
• Launched successful venture fairs and later merged into Investors' Circle.

• First in-depth research to identify the top women in business, finance and economics.
• Attendees created a roadmap to achieve the financial empowerment of women within a healthy society.
• This widely-accepted action plan led to breakthroughs like Springboard Enterprises, a venture capital initiative for women that broke open this field to women for the first time.

• Built an extraordinary risk-taking community of for-profit social entrepreneurs and the investors who provide them with patient capital.
• Facilitated investments of more than $100 million dollars into 163 early stage companies.
• Discerned how angel investors, venture fund managers, foundations and financial institutions can, linked together, become a significant force for social change, and created a marketplace for social venture capital.
• Achieved a total venture portfolio return matching those of funds belonging to the National Venture Capital Association (Harvard Business School/McKinsey analysis). .

• Met for 6 months in 1990 to create a roadmap for the future of sustainable agriculture which was widely distributed by Michael Fields Agricultural Institute of East Troy, WI.

• Created an efficient marketplace for socially responsible CEOs and non-profit executives who operate with triple-bottom-line results.
• SVN and its members have incubated numerous new entities including:
• Businesses for Social Responsibility (BSR.org)
• Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (livingeconomies.org)
• Net Impact (netimpact.org)
• Investors' Circle (investorscircle.net)
• Social Venture Institute (SVN.org)

• Create an efficient marketplace for family offices (no normal curve on Day 1; a normal curve on Day 366).
• Create collaborations among families (international investing; private equity deals; etc.).
• Create regular meetings for wealthy family members separate from the family office professionals.
• Create a deal flow day for co-investing in families' private equity deals.

• At Harris Bank, Susan Davis created the Financial Forum--a ten-week educational program teaching financial principles to wealthy women to empower them to make sound financial decisions.
• More than 1,000 Financial Forum graduates.
• Harris Private Bank sponsored ongoing educational programs for Financial Forum graduates.
• Numerous Financial Forum graduates helped launch:
• Investment clubs which continue to meet today
• The Inaugural Women's Economic Summit
• The first network of women investors in women-led businesses (Capital Circle).

The Committee of 200 (C200) is an international not-for-profit membership association (501(c)6) with a foundation (501(c)3). Association members are pre-eminent businesswomen who collectively control more than $100 billion annually in revenues.

The purpose of C200 is to meet the needs of their membership in the areas of business synergies, leadership advancement, education, mentoring and recognition. Additionally, as an agent of change, C200 wants to improve opportunities for women business leaders, be a source for government representation, and a source for research on issues relevant to women in business.

• CFE brought women in all niches of finance into top finance positions, starting 34 years ago when women were still excluded from finance.
• Runs educational programs in finance and networks its members.

• Catapulted women leaders in all fields into top leadership positions in Chicago, starting 36 years ago.
• Incubated initiatives too numerous to itemize in all arenas of activity.