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Opportunity Collaboration
Topher Wilkins, CEO
T: 303-956-8431
Based in the United States
Global Memberships
Annual Conference in Mexico
Additional Contacts:
: 303-905-1424
: 602-647-9121

Opportunity Collaboration

Mission:

Opportunity Collaboration is an international network of nonprofit leaders, for-profit social entrepreneurs, grant-makers and impact investors engaged in economic justice enterprises anchored by our annual four-day problem-solving, strategic retreat. On World Poverty Day, we break down the silos of unproductive competition and go beyond the boundaries of conventional poverty alleviation. The gathering leverages resources, shares innovations, enlists allies, builds coalitions and creates force multipliers.

Brief:

Launched in 2009 by our Founder, Jonathan Lewis, Opportunity Collaboration was originally conceived of as a way to build partnerships and collaborations between Jonathan's vast network of leaders in the social sector.

What Makes Us Different:
  1. Delegates are diversified and balanced among 300 foundation trustees and executives, social impact investors, innovative nonprofit leaders, policy thought leaders and social entrepreneurs.
  2. Laser-focused meeting on poverty reduction. This working business meeting is an event unlike any other that you have attended. No panels, no plenary speeches, no powerpoints.
  3. A networking event. No synthetic admonitions against touting your own passion, work, institutional priority or partnership opportunity.
  4. We are agnostic about domestic vs. international poverty alleviation models, for-profit vs. nonprofit, policy vs. entrepreneurship, but we are fervent about wanting Delegates who are strong leaders with records of accomplishment, who appreciate leverage and sustainability, and who are unafraid to think outside traditional silos and their own operating models.
  5. The Opportunity Collaboration is a platform predicated on the powerful idea that out of fragmentation can come collaboration, from diversity can come unity and from cross-fertilization can come innovation. The power of collaboration does not presume a single outcome. Rather, it draws its power from the conviction that people of good will forge their own solutions, directions and alliances and uncover new ways to combine and leverage resources.
More info:

The design of the Opportunity Collaboration fosters and promotes the straightforward exploration of tangible projects, partnerships, co-planning and funding. The Opportunity Collaboration is about the nitty-gritty of getting to work, but doing so with a strategic focus -- more efficiently and with more impact.

Inspirational Stories:

"High powered networking, problem solving - not your usual conference."

"A collection of doers, funders and thinkers brought together to have real talks about how to do more and how to do things better. All done in a place and with a spirit that invites relaxation and connection."

"I've been a delegate at the Clinton Global Initiative, Skoll World Forum, and Global Philanthropy Forum. Over time, I have become increasingly critical about the quality of content and number of backroom deals. Opportunity Collaboration is the very BEST conference I have ever attended. Today, I no longer attend the high profile conferences. Opportunity Collaboration is the sole focus of my ongoing social education."

"The best conference on the circuit. Participant-led content raises the level of accountability for leader and listener."

"I have been extremely fortunate to be a delegate at many of the high profile, social enterprise conferences over the years, including the Clinton Global Initiative, Skoll World Forum, Global Philanthropy Forum, et al. Over time, I have become increasingly critical about the quality of the content and the number of backroom deals that keep industry leaders out of many of the mainstream discussions. Two years ago, I was invited to the Opportunity Collaboration. As fate would have it, the Opportunity Collaboration turned out to be the very BEST conference I had ever attended. Today, I no longer attend the high profile conferences. Opportunity Collaboration is the sole focus of my ongoing social education."

– Darlene Daggett, retired CEO of QVC

"Opportunity Collaboration brings together a diverse and insightful group of dedicated social innovators. It allowed me to interact with like-minded actors and gain from the plethora of voices. I was definitely inspired by my various encounters during the course of the convening. Thank you for this wonderful effort!"

– Deepali Khanna, Director of Youth Learning, The MasterCard Foundation

"At Bamboo Finance, we are careful with our travel budget and this event was well worth the investment of time and money. The Opportunity Collaboration sparked an immediate $1 million investment in our Mexican education portfolio company, FINAE. This is a very special event. It successfully created a relaxing and reflective environment for fueling my personal inspiration, developing my knowledge of new ideas in the field of poverty alleviation, supporting our private equity fund's fundraising goals, providing opportunities for us to invest in social ventures...and I even found a dance buddy! Bamboo Finance looks forward to being there in 2011 ...the best conference I have ever attended."

– Keely Stevenson, Chief Executive Officer, Bamboo Finance, Switzerland & USA.

Success Stories:

Innumerable quantitative outcomes ~ i.e. this funder supported this social entrepreneur to the tune of $X ~ AND qualitative outcomes ~ i.e. Delegates re-configured their organizations and/or their leadership styles, Delegates formed life-long relationships, etc.


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