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Adam Spence

Adam Spence ... Manager, Special Projects at the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing ... Toronto, Canada Area ... Civic & Social Organization

Burgess COMMENTARY
I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn. I very much like where you have positioned yourself in society and the economy. My own interest in this space is concerned with the metrics in both the social space and the money profit space! - Peter Burgess
Peter Burgess

Adam Spence
Manager, Special Projects at the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing
Toronto, Canada Area
Civic & Social Organization
Current MaRS Centre for Impact Investing, Social Venture Exchange Project
Previous Ontario Association of Food Banks, Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA), Industry-Education Council of Hamilton
Education McMaster University
500+ connections
ca.linkedin.com/in/adampjspence Contact Info

Background

Summary

For over ten years in the nonprofit sector, Adam has focused his work on community development, education, social finance, social innovation, and public policy change. He was Executive Director of the Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB) for five years, a community animator for the skilled trades in Hamilton, and led the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA). In these positions, he successfully grew revenues, developed enterprise programs, and successfully advocated for public policy change including low-income grants for post-secondary students and Ontario’s Poverty Reduction Strategy. Adam was born in Glasgow, Scotland, grew up on the Canadian prairies, and came of age in Hamilton, graduating from McMaster University with a degree in geography.

Specialties:Social finance, post-secondary education, social justice issues, public policy, business development, research and research design, communications, government relations, media relations, program development, grant writing, fundraising, graphic design, accounting, and web project management.

A Primer on Impact Investing Social Finance Applications: Case Studies for Affordable Housing Trajectory and Opportunity of Social Finance Markets for Good Building public benefit and shared value into business B Corporation Backgrounder Social Finance for Social Housing National Summit: Day One Summary for Financing Track Exploring Social Finance & Social Enterprise SEE LESS Experience Manager, Special Projects MaRS Centre for Impact Investing August 2010 – Present (2 years 9 months)Toronto, Canada Area Responsibilities include: • Social Venture Exchange (SVX): Manage the development of the SVX project from feasibility to pilot phase; • Strategy and Business Development: Support the development of free and fee-for-service impact investing strategies and products • Communications and Outreach: Conduct research, deliver presentations, and write content in support of the Centre's strategic objectives; • Sustainability and business development: Support the ongoing sustainability and business development of the Centre through partnership building with foundations, corporations, and others; and • Other: Provide other program support at MaRS including advisory services for impact entrepreneurs, participate as a member on the SSE-O Advisory Committee. Accomplishments include: • developing the business plan for the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing and obtained $4+ million in start-up funding and in-kind supports for the launch of the Centre; • supported the development of YWCA Elm Centre's $1 million community housing bond; and • co-developed the business plan and secured $500k in start-up funding for the School for Social Entrepreneurs - Ontario. Founder Social Venture Exchange Project July 2007 – Present (5 years 10 months) Responsible for developing the Social Venture Exchange (SVX) project, a local, impact-first market connecting social ventures, impact funds, and impact investors in order to catalyze new investment capital geared towards improved social and environmental outcomes. Accomplishments include: • founding the project in mid-2007; • completing the feasibility study and business plan for the SVX; • successfully receiving endorsement from the provincial government in its Poverty Reduction Strategy and subsequent funding for the feasibility study and pilot; • building the base of partners including the Government of Ontario, the TMX Group Inc., MaRS, Torys LLP, Imagine Canada, TD Waterhouse, and others; and • growing the leadership and support team to include a highly skilled full-time and volunteer staff around the world. Executive Director Ontario Association of Food Banks June 2005 – August 2010 (5 years 3 months) Served as chief executive officer, supervisor, and budget manager of a non-profit corporation with nine office staff and four field staff. Responsibilities included: • providing strategic board direction and coordinate short and long-term planning; • ensuring that the organization meets its key success measures in terms of fundraising, foodraising, member satisfaction, media activities, and public policy change; • building relationships with agricultural partners, funding partners, member food banks, partner organizations, Members of Provincial Parliament, and senior political staff in order to meet OAFB’s goals; and • building the public profile of hunger and poverty and the OAFB in Ontario. Accomplishments included: • re-branded the organization including a new logo, revised vision and mission statements, a new online presence, and improved communications tools through Convio; • developed strategic planning framework for the OAFB, including the organization’s first strategic plan in 2005, and second strategic plan in 2009; • grew organization from two staff positions to fourteen staff positions, while moving the office location twice to accommodate growth; • built the donor base from a very small number of individual and corporate donors to a large contingent of individual, corporate, and foundation supporters; • increased revenues from $580,000 to over $9 million annually between 2005 and 2009 while achieving an administration rating of less than five (5) per cent; • successfully lobbied for investments in poverty reduction including the Ontario Child Benefit ($2.1 billion over five years), and a poverty reduction strategy; • increased media coverage of the OAFB five-fold between 2005 and 2009; and • received Imagine Canada’s Canadian Business & Community Partnership Award in 2008 for Drive Away Hunger partnership with Farm Credit Canada (FCC). Executive Director Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) 2003 – 2005 (2 years) Responsibilities included: • served as chief executive officer, supervisor and budget manager of a non-profit corporation with three office staff; • met with Members of Provincial Parliament, political staff, sector stakeholders, and senior level public servants on a regular basis; • directed consultants and third-party service providers; • developed short and long-term planning framework for the organization; • provided research and policy solutions to the provincial government; • developed partnerships with other organizations in order to meet OUSA’s goals; and • maintained and built the public profile of post-secondary education and the organization in the province. Accomplishments included: • successfully recruited two new member schools to the organization, resulting in a net membership growth of 40 per cent, or 40,000 new members, from the University of Ottawa and Queen’s University; • increased organizational revenue by 36 per cent between 2003 and 2005; • coordinated substantive research and communications activities for OUSA’s response to Ontario’s Postsecondary Review, including the publication of our 185-page submission, the development of www.abrightfuture.ca, and campaign materials; • developed an organizational planning process that has resulted in a new vision and mission, & goals, as well as an annual action plan and annual report; • spearheaded a provincial election awareness campaign in 2003 involving outreach efforts to university, college and high school students in the province that included a significant web presence, campaign materials and campus visits; • successfully lobbied the provincial government for the introduction of low-income grants, tuition freeze and associated funding, early intervention funding, and student financial aid reforms; and • tripled media coverage during tenure at OUSA. Skilled Trades Specialist Industry-Education Council of Hamilton 2003 – 2003 (less than a year) Responsibilities included: • helped transition a federally-funded project from complete government subsidy to community ownership; • conducted research, wrote reports, and researched articles for publications; and • led meetings and delivered presentations for skilled trades stakeholders. Accomplishments included: • created the organizational plan for the skilled trades alliance – an alliance of stakeholders including educational institutions, employers, unions and trade associations; • developed financial models for annual cash flow projections and future budgets; and • developed a corporate sponsorship and membership recruitment strategy. Vice-President Education & Corporate Director McMaster Student Union 2002 – 2003 (1 year) Responsibilities included: • full-time executive and director of an organization with an annual operating budget of over $5 million, over 30 full-time staff and over 300 part-time staff. Accomplishments included: • successfully lobbied the City of Hamilton along with other stakeholders for the continuation of funding to ensure high levels of service for public transportation in the McMaster area; • created the MSU’s First Year Council, providing a voice for first year students at McMaster; • created the Student Community Support Network, a service of the MSU which provides off-campus students and organizations with important information and resources; • created the Horizons leadership conference for incoming first year students, which was the first of its kind in Canada; • co-developed The Green Plan, which successfully created the first student union run Campus Sustainability Office in Canada • developed policy on university financial accountability and enrolment, with many recommendations adopted by the University; and • established a new plan for McMaster University as a Member of McMaster’s Refining Directions Steering Committee on long-term academic and overall direction, 2002/03. Special Projects Leader Industry-Education Council of Hamilton 2000 – 2002 (2 years) Responsibilities included: • recruited local businesses and organizations for student work experience programs; • designed and provided content for organization’s website; • Executive Editor for the Skilled Trades Source, a monthly magazine for the skilled trades industry with a circulation of 2,000; • recruited contributors, edited content, directed design team, and conducted research and interviews for individual news stories for the Source. Accomplishments included: • recruited over 100 local companies for student work experience programs in Hamilton; • conducted presentations at Rotary Clubs and met with hundreds of local employers; • developed partnerships with representatives at local school boards and Mohawk College; and • founded the Skilled Trades Source. Certifications Canadian Securities Course (CSC) Canadian Securities Institute January 2013 – Present Skills & Expertise Most endorsed for... 22Non-profits 14Community Development 7Program Development 6Impact Investing 5Fundraising 5Social Entrepreneurship 4Public Policy 4Strategic Planning 3Grant Writing 3Research Adam also knows about... 3Social Enterprise 2Media Relations 2Report Writing 1Capital Raising Publications Social Finance Census 2010(Link) Social Venture Exchange (SVX), Ontario Nonprofit Network (ONN) and MaRS December 2010 A collaborative research initiative to build the first-ever detailed sector profile and understand the demand for capital and barriers faced by social ventures in Ontario, from nonprofits to social purpose businesses. A total of 250 social ventures were profiled, generating vital data on age, revenues, assets, access to capital, capital need, resource needs and barriers to achieving their mission. 3 authors Adam Spence Manager, Special Projects at the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing Annie Malhotra Independent Consultant Heather Laird Our Choice for a Better Ontario: A Plan to Cut Poverty in Half by 2020.(Link) Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB) August 2008 A plan to reduce poverty by 50 per cent in Ontario by 2020, submitted to the Ontario government for their poverty reduction strategy development. A Gathering Storm: The Rising Price of Food, Fuel, Energy and Changing Economic Conditions in Ontario(Link) Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB) June 2008 The pending impact of rising food, fuel and energy prices, coupled with economic transition for Ontarians living in poverty. Hungry for Change: A New Vision for Reducing Hunger and Poverty in Ontario(Link) Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB) December 2006 A three volume compendium of research focusing on reducing poverty for Ontario's children, Ontarians with disabilities and working Ontarians. 3 authors Adam Spence Manager, Special Projects at the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing Graeme Stewart Higher education research, policy, and communications Leora Sas Our Bright Future: A Vision for Higher Education in Ontario(Link) Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) November 2004 Three volume compendium of papers outlining a vision for higher education in Ontario, focused on funding, tuition and financial assistance, advancement and opportunity, as well as governance, accountability and assessment. This was prepared in the context of the provincial government's Postsecondary Review. 2 authors Adam Spence Manager, Special Projects at the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing Graeme Stewart Higher education research, policy, and communications The Cost of Poverty: An Analysis of the Economic Cost of Poverty in Ontario(Link) Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB) November 2008 The Cost of Poverty was the first ever analysis of the economic cost of poverty (public and private) in Canada. The research was supported by a team of expert reviewers including: Don Drummond (Senior Economist, TD Economics), Dr. Mark Stabile (Head, U of T School of Public Policy and Governance), Judith Maxwell (Former CPRN President), John Stapleton (Principal, Open Policy Ontario), and Jim...more 2 authors Adam Spence Manager, Special Projects at the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing Nathan Laurie Fighting Poverty: The Best Way to Beat the Recession(Link) Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB) March 2009 A comparative economic analysis of the best bang for the buck in terms of stimulus spending, examining transfers to low-income Ontarians as a means of advancing economic growth. 2 authors Adam Spence Manager, Special Projects at the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing Nathan Laurie Ontario Hunger Report 2009: Living with Hunger(Link) Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB) November 2009 An examination of the trends related to hunger in Ontario, including food bank usage at a provincial and community level, as well as household profiles derived from a Survey of Living Conditions. Research support provided by Kathryn Kram. Facilitating Effective Change to Improve Access and Quality: Response Paper to the Proposed Plan to Review Higher Education in Ontario Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) March 2004 A policy paper for the provincial government outlining the recommended framework for the provincial government's proposed Postsecondary Review. Ontario Hunger Report 2008: The Leading Edge of the Storm(Link) Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB) December 2008 An analysis of hunger, food bank trends, and factors influencing food bank usage in Ontario. Education McMaster University Geography 1999 – 2003 Activities and Societies: McMaster Students Union (MSU) Honors & Awards Arch Award for McMaster's most recent graduates for their unique and interesting contributions to society, their local community, and to McMaster University, 2010. Honour M Award for outstanding leadership, volunteer service, contribution and/or special achievement in extra-curricular activities by a member of the McMaster community, 2003. Rudy Heinzl Award of Excellence for an outstanding one-year achievement which improved the lives of McMaster students, 2003. Queen’s Jubilee Gold Medal for Canadians who have made a significant contribution to their fellow citizens, their community, or to Canada. 2002. Recommendations Given (1) Renee Beneteau, CFRE Development Manager Renee is a remarkably creative and forward-thinking fundraising executive with wonderful team management and relationship management skills. I had the good fortune of working with her for over three years at the Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB). She provided a strong foundation for growth for the organization by building relationships from the ground up, growing...more April 3, 2011, Adam managed Renee at Ontario Association of Food Banks See More ConnectionsShared (2) Steve Rocco1st Former Co-founder, Mission Markets Arthur Wood1st Founding Partner Total Impact Advisors & Chair World Sanitation Financing Facility PREVIOUSNEXT Groups Canadian Impact Funds Join Community & Corporate Social Responsibility (CCSR) Forum Join Credentials for Financial Professionals - By the Canadian Securities Institute Join CrowdSourcing & CrowdFunding Join ELNstudio Join Global Cleantech Cluster Association: 'The Global Voice of Cleantech' Join MaRS Discovery District Join See 8 more Following Nonprofit Management 140,272 followers Follow MaRS Discovery District Professional Training & Coaching Follow Social Venture Exchange Project Nonprofit Organization Management