A Note on COVID-19
At Heron, we try to champion people, places, and enterprises who challenge broken conventions and dare to change. In light of COVID-19, we remain committed to our work in communities across the United States.
The Heron Blog
A Tale of Two Tools: Financing Housing in the San Joaquin Valley
At Heron, we try to use all the tools in our toolkit to finance organizations who are serving the people and communities we care about. Recently, we used two different tools to provide financing to Self Help Enterprises (SHE), an organization offering homeownership opportunities in the San Joaquin Valley.
Heron Presidential Podcast Ep. 2
We are back with another episode of our Presidential Podcast, where we talk to Dana K. Bezerra about what Heron is doing, thinking, and learning. In this episode, we discuss how Heron is placing community agency and wisdom front and center in the next phase of our work.
Heron Presidential Podcast Ep. 2: The Key Takeaways
We've published another episode of our Presidential Podcast, where we talk to Dana K. Bezerra about what Heron is doing, thinking, and learning. In this blog post, we outline the key takeaways.
Questions We’re Asking This Week: The Maine Edition
Heron has had partnerships in Maine since our early days as a foundation. Now, we're reexamining Maine as a community in transition. Here are some of the inquiries we're chasing.
Jun 5, 2014
Field Notes: Who's Teaching Whom Philanthropy
Does a five-figure cash pot make it easier for universities to teach philanthropy as a “practical philosophy?” A novel grant from a Texas hedge fund manager provokes debate.
Jun 4, 2014
Better Know A Deal: SASB Says ‘That’s Material’
Heron investee SASB offers a solution to the lack of comparable, material social and environmental data from public companies.
Jun 3, 2014
Field Notes: Why the 'Strategic Model of Philanthropy' Fails
Could an emergent strategy in philanthropy bring a “brave new world” to complex social problems? A Foundation Strategy Group team suggests a new approach.
Jun 1, 2014
Field Notes: Debate Over 'No Strings Attached' Philanthropy
As more philanthropists explore giving cash directly to the poor, some advocates argue the method works and creates better outcomes
May 31, 2014
In Case You Missed It: While We Work in the New Millennium
In this issue, thinking on what wages mean for the economy, the “bad business” of banking and inequality, the green jobs trend, and the social impact of Millennials.
May 27, 2014
Field Notes: Everything's Coming Up Impact
This week we’re reading about how impact investing continues to grow on Main Street, among millennials and in philanthropy.
May 24, 2014
In Case You Missed It: The Topsy-Turvy View of Poverty
In this issue, debate on views of the poor and the policy challenge, how to think about and use financial capital to improve society, and our greatest hits.
May 22, 2014
Thinking On: Divestment and the Conscious Investor
Heron’s Buzz Schmidt responds to Stanford’s divestment from fossil fuels and says it offers lessons for reevaluating all investments for social impact.
May 21, 2014
Better Know a Deal: Aseptia Reheats Food Jobs
Heron investee Aseptia brings job opportunities back to a rural North Carolina county via food processing.
May 20, 2014
Field Notes: Household Debt and the Recovery
Why was the Great Recession so Great? On The Upshot, two professors argue that it was a lack of attention to household debt.