Articles by Jo-Ann Tan

We are excited to announce the launch of our new online Community and would like to invite you to join us!

As part of the community, you will find more ways to get involved with Acumen Fund than ever before. In the past six months, we have seen so many individuals step up and do more:

• Volunteer groups have formed around the world in New York, San Francisco, London and Dubai.
• Individuals are raising money for Acumen Fund by running races, climbing mountains or by simply sharing their excitement about our work.
• Not to mention, the successful Dignity Benefit that was organized entirely by volunteers in  New York City

Connect with other Acumen Fund supporters and share in our exciting journey to create a world where dignity, not dependence, is the norm.  We’ve only just begun, and with your help, we can do so much more.

How you can get involved:

• Join our community
• Raise funds for Acumen
• Host a book discussion
• Tell a friend

We look forward to seeing you online!

As part of Project 10 to the 100, Google has identified Social Entrepreneurship as one of the top 16 ideas that could change the world.  Now they are asking for you to vote for the idea they should support with up to $10 million in funding.

If you believe in a solution to poverty that works and provides dignity not dependence, I hope you will join us. By taking a few simple actions, you can make a huge difference.

1. Vote for Social Entrepreneurship
2. Nominate Acumen Fund to implement the winning idea
3. Forward this email to at least 5 friends encouraging them to do the same
4. Update your status on Facebook and help us Tweet – “I voted for Social Ent’ship in Google’s 10^100 comp because I believe it can change the world. You can too http://ow.ly/sEK8”

At Acumen Fund, we’ve seen social enterprises transform the lives of individuals, their families and the communities they live in. By taking part in this effort, you can help share how powerful an idea social entrepreneurship truly is.

All votes must be in by Thursday, Oct 8, 2009, so vote today!  And thank you for your support.

A few months ago, Kevin decided that he wanted to train for his first ever Ironman to reportedly counterbalance his consumption of McDonalds. He researched non-profits, found out about Acumen Fund and became the first person to ever raise funds for us on First Giving. Kevin raised over $1,700 for Acumen Fund in less than a month and we heard about his efforts only after we received the check.  Wow.

We reached out to Kevin to understand why he did it and in his own words:

“When I signed up for the Ironman, I was a little curious as to why such a large event doesn’t formally promote charity, so I simply decided to do one on my own. Through a bit of research, I became very interested in infrastructure development in some of the impoverished areas of India and Pakistan. I think that the projects that Acumen Fund is involved in are simply amazing and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your work.”

And on his Ironman:

“The Ironman was pretty sweet - I had a lot of fun even though I got destroyed by the professionals.  The best memory I had of the race was during the run, when a 68 year old lady passed me up - really made me feel like a champion.  But I really just do these things for fun and I get so much enjoyment out of it now when I know that I can raise money towards something I really believe in.”

Kevin demonstrated true generosity in his actions – taking it upon himself to help without a request for recognition or support from Acumen Fund – and for that we are truly appreciative.

We are also really excited by what Kevin did, because these dollars can really add up. All it takes is 60 people like Kevin to help us raise $100,000. Don’t forget that, as a non-profit, Acumen Fund relies on donors and fundraisers – many of whom aren’t too different from Kevin. You could really make a difference in our mission to end poverty.

Are you up for being one of the 60? If so, here are some easy ways that you as an individual can help:

• FirstGiving – an easy-to-use fundraising site where you can leverage just about any activity – like triathlons, trekking, skydiving, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries – to raise funds for Acumen Fund.

• Facebook birthdays – instead of a present, ask your friends and family to support Acumen Fund.  Several of our own staff have already jumped on this.

• Set up a Squidoo Lens – link your lens to our official lens and we’ll watch the dollars roll in. Seriously.

• Join/Start an Acumen Chapter – Is there a group of Acumen Fund supporters in your city ready to jump into action? If so, we’d love to have a Chapter there. We’re actively seeking leaders for a SF Chapter right now – do apply if you’re in the Bay Area, or flag your interest for us to come to your city and we’ll get back to you by the end of September!

These are just a few of ideas, but there are many more out there - we’d love to hear from you.

Over the past year, a group of young professionals in New York has taken their support for Acumen Fund to a whole new level. The group was merely an idea when co-founders Erica Dhawan and Farhat Umar approached us wanting to do more. It has since grown to over 800 individuals with an expanded leadership team and committed volunteers that step up time and again to organize events and help spread the word about Acumen Fund. Most recently, the group’s efforts culminated in a stylish photo auction and party, co-organized with the Nuru Project, that brought over 250 supporters together and raised almost $25,000 for Acumen Fund.

We have heard interest in starting an Acumen Chapter in the San Francisco Bay Area, but first we need to find leaders! The leadership of several key volunteers in New York has been critical to the group’s success, and we believe that it will be no different on the West Coast.

What is a Chapter?
A Chapter is essentially what we’re calling an Acumen Fund volunteer group – a group of like-minded individuals who share a passion and interest in Acumen Fund’s work and our sector. The objectives of each Chapter are to educate their communities on patient capital and raise funds in support of Acumen Fund.

What if I’m not a young professional – is a Chapter for me?
Absolutely! Everyone is welcome! The NY group started out as a young professional’s organization but has continued to grow and attract an increasingly diverse membership. The leadership team continues to refine its strategic direction and plan activities that cater to different needs, so watch this space!

As a Chapter volunteer will I go overseas or work on projects for Acumen Fund’s investments?
We get inundated with requests from individuals who want to travel to and work with our investees, and at this stage it is simply not possible. Many of our investees are fully focused with running their businesses, and are unable to cope with volunteers. That said as opportunities arise, we will definitely make them known to all Chapter volunteers. Interested parties should also apply to be an Acumen Fellow.

What’s in it for the Chapter leaders and volunteers?
Yes, we recognize that these are volunteer positions and it takes extraordinary people to step up and give their time so generously. Rather than tell you what we think is in it for them, hear what some of our NY volunteers have to say:

“Being the founder and leader of the NY young professionals was a big time commitment, but an extremely worthwhile one. I got to work with like-minded talented young professionals, who share a similar vision to use our skills to create social change, build my own leadership and organizational skills with support from Acumen Fund staff, and develop lifelong relationships with a community of people who seek to build a movement for social enterprise and patient capital.” – Erica Dhawan

“I volunteered with the NY young professionals to help organize the Dignity event.  I met an incredible group of motivated, passionate, and inspiring people.  On a personal level, I feel that the New York young professionals are that rare networking group that actually makes an impact, creates a movement, and enables everyone involved to learn and grow from our experiences working together. I can’t wait to get going on our next endeavor!” - Nina Sharma West

Ok, how do I flag my interest to get involved?
Read more about Chapters and our application process here. Or dive straight in:
•    If you are in the SF Bay Area and would like to be a Chapter leader – apply here.
•    If you are in the SF Bay Area and would like to be a volunteer – fill out your info here.
•    If you’re not in the SF Bay Area and think we should start a Chapter there – tell us why!

Thank you for all your support. We look forward to getting an amazing Chapter going on the West Coast, and we are definitely planning to start Chapters elsewhere. So watch this space!