Capital and the Common Good: How Innovative Finance Is Tackling the World's Most Urgent Problems (Columbia Business School Publishing)

Despite social and economic advances around the world, poverty and disease persist, exacerbated by the mounting challenges of climate change, natural disasters, political conflict, mass migration, and economic inequality. While governments commit to addressing these challenges, traditional public and philanthropic dollars are not enough. Here, innovative finance has shown a way forward: by borrowing techniques from the world of finance, we can raise capital for social investments today. Innovative finance has provided polio vaccines to children in the DRC, crop insurance to farmers in India, pay-as-you-go solar electricity to Kenyans, and affordable housing and transportation to New Yorkers. It has helped governmental, commercial, and philanthropic resources meet the needs of the poor and underserved and build a more sustainable and inclusive prosperity. __Capital and the Common Good__ shows how market failure in one context can be solved with market solutions from another: an expert in securitization bundles future development aid into bonds to pay for vaccines today; an entrepreneur turns a mobile phone into an array of financial services for the unbanked; and policy makers adapt pay-for-success models from the world of infrastructure to human services like early childhood education, maternal health, and job training. Revisiting the successes and missteps of these efforts, Georgia Levenson Keohane argues that innovative finance is as much about incentives and sound decision-making as it is about money. When it works, innovative finance gives us the tools, motivation, and security to invest in our shared future. Despite Social And Economic Advances Around The World, Poverty And Disease Persist, Exacerbated By The Mounting Challenges Of Climate Change, Natural Disasters, Political Conflict, Mass Migration, And Economic Inequality. While Governments Have Committed To Addressing These Challenges-- With Such Efforts As The Paris Agreement On Climate Change Or The Millennium Development Goals-- Our Aspirations Run Deeper Than Our Pockets. Traditional Public And Philanthropic Dollars Are Not Enough. Innovative Finance Brings Governmental, Commercial, And Philanthropic Resources To Bear On The Common Good: Meeting The Needs Of The Poor And Underserved, Solving Global Problems, And Building A More Sustainable And Inclusive Prosperity. Innovative Finance Has Provided Polio Vaccines To Children In The Drc, Crop Insurance To Farmers In India, Pay-as-you-go Solar Electricity To Kenyans, And Affordable Housing And Transportation To New Yorkers. Capital And The Common Good Shows How Market Failure In One Context Can Be Solved With Market Solutions From Another: An Expert In Securitization Bundles Future Development Aid Into Bonds To Pay For Vaccines Today; An Entrepreneur Turns A Mobile Phone Into An Array Of Financial Services For The Unbanked; And Policy Makers Adapt Pay-for-success Models From The World Of Infrastructure To Human Services Like Early Childhood Education, Maternal Health, And Job Training. Surveying The Successes And Missteps Of These Efforts, Keohane Argues That Innovative Finance Is As Much About Incentives And Sound Decision Making As It Is About Money. When It Works, Innovative Finance Gives Us The Tools, Motivation, And Security To Invest In Our Shared Future. Introduction: Innovative Finance And The Visible Hand -- Climate Change: Redd Forests, Green Bonds, And The Price Of Climate Finance -- Health Care: Medicine For Market Failure -- Financial Inclusion And Access To Capital -- Redefining Risk, Response, And Resilience Towards A New Disaster Finance -- Us Community And Economic Development -- Conclusion: Financing The Future: Innovative Finance And The Ties That Bind -- Epilogue: The Road Ahead. Georgia Levenson Keohane. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "Despite social and economic advances around the world, poverty and disease persist, exacerbated by the mounting challenges of climate change, natural disasters, political conflict, mass migration, and economic inequality. While governments commit to addressing these challenges, traditional public and philanthropic dollars are not enough. Here, innovative finance has shown a way forward: by borrowing techniques from the world of finance, we can raise capital for social investments today. Innovative finance has provided polio vaccines to children in the DRC, crop insurance to farmers in India, pay-as-you-go solar electricity to Kenyans, and affordable housing and transportation to New Yorkers. It has helped governmental, commercial, and philanthropic resources meet the needs of the poor and underserved and build a more sustainable and inclusive prosperity. Capital and the Common Good shows how market failure in one context can be solved with market solutions from another: an expert in securitization bundles future development aid into bonds to pay for vaccines today; an entrepreneur turns a mobile phone into an array of financial services for the unbanked; and policy makers adapt pay-for-success models from the world of infrastructure to human services like early childhood education, maternal health, and job training. Revisiting the successes and missteps of these efforts, Georgia Levenson Keohane argues that innovative finance is as much about incentives and sound decision-making as it is about money. When it works, innovative finance gives us the tools, motivation, and security to invest in our shared future"--Publisher's website Revolutionizing the way we approach international development, poverty, disease, and disaster relief.