Latest news with #UBSOptimusFoundation
Finextra
04-07-2025
- Business
- Finextra
UBS SDG fund reaches $100m, gaining commitment from EU
UBS Optimus Foundation and Bridges Outcomes Partnerships today announced the successful final closing of the SDG Outcomes Fund at the 4th UN International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) in Sevilla. 0 This content is provided by an external author without editing by Finextra. It expresses the views and opinions of the author. Through the new anchor commitment from the European Union, the fund reached its subscription target of USD 100 million. This Luxembourg-based SFDR Article 9 fund is a pioneering blended finance initiative designed to accelerate progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by supporting outcomes-focused programs in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Africa and Asia. European Union joins fund with new anchor commitment The fund was created as a partnership between UBS Optimus Foundation, which provides first-loss capital, and Bridges Outcomes Partnerships (BOP), a not-for-profit impact specialist which acts as a portfolio and delivery manager. Mezzanine and senior capital have been committed by the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and British International Investment (BII), alongside private investors including Legatum, family offices such as the Tsao Family Office, Ferd, and high net worth individuals. The European Investment Bank recently completed a USD 18 million commitment to the fund through funding from the European Commission via the ACP Trust Fund, enabling it to reach its USD 100 million target. This investment will contribute to the Africa-EU Global Gateway Investment Package objectives. This operation is fully in line with the European Commission's priority to promote impact investments and find innovative ways to finance programs in low- and middle-income countries, including in fragile countries. A transformational way of achieving better outcomes for underserved people SDG Outcomes is the first fund specifically designed to support outcomes-based programs in low- and middle-income countries, with a focus on health, education, women's economic empowerment, and the environment. For each program, BOP brings together like-minded partners to find innovative solutions that can achieve measurable impact. Expert local partners are identified to deliver the program, with the SDG Outcomes Fund covering the up-front costs. Funders – typically local or national governments, donors, foundations, corporates, NGOs, or even individuals themselves – only pay if successful, verifiable outcomes are achieved. The focus on outcomes, instead of on the traditional approach of paying for activities or inputs, allows delivery consortia to adjust and tailor their programs as they go along, learning from real-time impact data about how to achieve the best possible results in each context. As a result, nearly USD 13.5 million of outcome payments have already been achieved. Proven track record of impact The SDG Outcomes Fund aims to have a broader systemic impact by developing completely new delivery models, building the capacity of high-impact local organizations, and transforming the way local governments and donors fund services for underserved populations. This collaborative and flexible approach to delivering critical programs is already helping hundreds of thousands of people to improve their lives, including: Supporting 50,000+ schools in India and 100,000+ children in Sierra Leone and Ghana. Delivering 1.5+ million sexual and reproductive health services to 700,000+ girls aged 15-19 in Kenya. Collecting 3,000 tons of plastic waste for recycling in Nigeria. Providing IT upskilling and employment opportunities for 800+ long term unemployed young adults in Türkiye. Tom Hall, Global Head of Social Impact and Philanthropy and CEO, UBS Optimus Foundation Network, says: 'The SDG Outcomes Fund is a ground-breaking initiative that shows how different forms of capital can come together to deliver outcomes for people who need it most. Reaching the USD 100 million milestone demonstrates the powerful potential of outcomes-based funding programs and their role in shaping future impact investment models.' Mila Lukic OBE, CEO of Bridges Outcomes Partnerships, says: 'The results achieved by the SDG Outcomes Fund already show that by bringing together a range of partners, and critically, by learning from the data about what works best and adjusting our programs accordingly, we can achieve better outcomes for individuals and better value for our funders. This more flexible, more collaborative approach has already helped to improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, and we are hugely grateful to all our investors for supporting this fund, which will ensure impact-seeking capital catalyzes high-impact programs in some of the areas of greatest need.' Ambroise Fayolle, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank, says: 'Our commitment is more than just financing – it's investing in a future where every investment delivers tangible, measured impact. This fund is already bringing advancements in health, education, and climate action to vulnerable communities around the world, with a strong focus on Africa and emerging markets.' European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela says: 'New opportunities — better education, impactful training, quality jobs. That is one of the core goals of the Global Gateway. That's why I appreciate the ACP Trust Fund, which enables us to invest in high-impact programs across Africa. It will help us deliver on our goals. Improve education, create jobs, or build stronger health systems.' Leslie Maasdorp, CEO, British International Investment, says: 'BII is proud to support the SDG Outcomes Fund which is dedicated to achieving better outcomes for underserved communities. This initiative exemplifies the power of mobilizing like-minded partners to unlock innovative solutions that deliver significant and tangible results, and we are grateful for EIB's support to get this impactful fund to the target size. We look forward to the fund's continued success in improving livelihoods and supporting high-impact projects.'
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Durability Collective launches to measure and improve social outcomes
New global community brings together funders, practitioners, and researchers committed to creating and measuring change that lasts WASHINGTON, May 29, 2025 /CNW/ -- Today marks the launch of The Durability Collective – a new global community dedicated to transforming how social-impact organizations design, measure, and deliver lasting impact. Contrary to conventional wisdom, The Durability Collective believes medium and long-term outcomes measurement can be feasible and low-cost. Too often, funders and practitioners alike feel overwhelmed by the cost and resources required to undertake long-term, intensive impact measurement through traditional methods like RCTs. The Collective believes there are other ways to approach measurement that can complement more formal methods and provide valuable insights that shape sustained impact. The Durability Collective is convening a global community of stakeholders – including funders, non-profits, multilaterals, and government agencies – committed to measuring and advancing 'durability' outcomes. Focusing initially on organizations in the livelihood space, this shift will allow stakeholders to focus on the activities that most advance employment, income, and well-being over time. The community is launching with a set of inaugural members that includes Autodesk Foundation, Clayton Dubilier & Rice Foundation, Generation, GitLab Foundation, Livelihood Impact Fund, and UBS Optimus Foundation. Together, they will work to: Make the question "does the change last?" a point of mainstream discussion across the sector Transform sector standards in medium and long-term outcomes measurement Provide deep expertise openly and collaboratively so we can all learn together To engage a wider network and achieve these goals, The Durability Collective will undertake a set of activities: Durability Academy: Launching in June 2025, the Academy will be a two-year program to equip nonprofits, funders, and government agencies with practical tools and training to adopt effective medium- and long-term measurement practices. Research Partnerships: Collaborating with academic and research institutions to identify interventions that accelerate sustained outcomes and to create an open-source repository of effective approaches. Thought Leadership: Publishing insights, case studies, and best practices to make durability measurement a mainstream component of social impact evaluation. Community Building: Growing a global community where members can come together to exchange challenges, ideas, and innovations. Ishita Jain, Impact Measurement and Management Lead, Autodesk Foundation, said: "At the Autodesk Foundation, we are constantly seeking to deepen our understanding of impact. The Durability Collective offers a unique opportunity to strengthen our own strategy and contribute to advance the practice as a whole. This initiative represents a shift from merely counting the number of learners served to truly understand what matters – the long term impact on learners' employment and income." Randy Moore, CD&R Foundation President said: "We're proud to support an initiative focused on long-term outcomes for both talent and the organizations that serve them. Generation's global track record and the Durability Collective's practical approach to measuring impact offer an auspicious opportunity for lasting, transformative change." Dr. Mona Mourshed, Founding CEO of Generation, said: "At Generation, we believe in the power of employment to change lives, and we define impact along three pillars: Breadth, Depth, and Durability. Breadth is the number of learners and employers we reach with our programs. Depth covers employment and income outcomes soon after program completion. And Durability measures whether these gains are sustained, two to five years later. Durability is often overlooked in our field and across the social sector. The Durability Collective exists to change that. We believe lasting change is the true measure of success – and that measuring it can be both feasible and cost-effective." Spencer MacColl, Director of Impact at GitLab Foundation, said: "GitLab Foundation is committed to creating lasting, systemic change, and The Durability Collective reflects our belief that measuring long-term impact is essential. By bringing together global funders, practitioners, and researchers, we're building a shared infrastructure for learning and accountability that drives enduring progress." Jeremy Hockenstein, Managing Director, Livelihood Impact Fund, said: "The mission of the Livelihood Impact Fund is to meaningfully and durably improve the lives of the global poor – and to do that we need to understand how the programs and leaders we support create change over the course of years, not months. The Durability Collective will help us, our partners, and the sector do this more effectively." Nalini Tarakeshwar, Deputy CEO, UBS Optimus Foundation, said: "We are pleased to support the launch of The Durability Collective in partnership with Generation and the other founding members. The Collective's aim – to mainstream the importance of measuring lasting change – aligns closely to the UBS Optimus Foundation's approach of driving systemic and catalytic change, underpinned by a focus on measuring outcomes. We believe it can be part of a scalable solution to the global employment crisis created by the mismatch between skills and decent work, a crisis which disproportionately affects young women from the most marginalized backgrounds." If you are interested in joining The Durability Collective or learning more, you can visit About The Durability Collective The Durability Collective is a global community of funders, practitioners, and researchers who are building our collective capability to measure social impact and create change that lasts. Contrary to conventional wisdom, we believe medium and long-term outcomes measurement can be feasible and cost effective. For more, visit View original content: SOURCE The Durability Collective View original content: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
