Slow Money
Encyclopedia
Slow Money is a movement
to organize investors and donors
to steer new sources of capital
to small food enterprises, organic farms, and local food
systems. Slow Money takes its name from the Slow Food
movement. Slow Money aims to develop the relationship between capital markets and place, including social capital and soil fertility. Slow Money is supporting the grass-roots mobilization through network building, convening, publishing, and incubating intermediary strategies and structures of funding. It is a 501(c)3 non-profit based in Brookline, Massachusetts
.
ists, foundations, family offices and others. The idea to initiate the Slow Money movement came to Woody Tasch while he was writing his book Inquiries Into the Nature of Slow Money– Investing as if Food, Farms and Fertility Mattered. The non-profit, Slow Money, was founded in November, 2008, following the publication of Mr. Tasch’s book. The movement gained significant momentum from a number of local and regional meetings, and press coverage during the first half of 2009 leading to an Inaugural National Gathering.
at the Farmer’s Market in September, 2009. 450 entrepreneurs, farmers, investors, and interested people traveled from over 34 states and 6 countries to attend. A second national gathering, attended by about 600 people, was held at Shelburne Farms
in Vermont
, June 9–11, 2010.
Slow Money's third National Gathering is planned for October 12-14th, 2011 in San Francisco, CA at Fort Mason. Over 1000 people are expected to attend.
and publishing newsletters and blogging. Slow Money has been named by BusinessWeek
as one of the Big Ideas for 2010. Mr. Tasch’s book “Inquiries Into the Nature of Slow Money– Investing as if Food, Farms and Fertility Mattered” has been published in Italian, is due out in Japanese shortly, and rights have been bought in Korea.
Social movement
Social movements are a type of group action. They are large informal groupings of individuals or organizations focused on specific political or social issues, in other words, on carrying out, resisting or undoing a social change....
to organize investors and donors
Donation
A donation is a gift given by physical or legal persons, typically for charitable purposes and/or to benefit a cause. A donation may take various forms, including cash, services, new or used goods including clothing, toys, food, and vehicles...
to steer new sources of capital
Financial capital
Financial capital can refer to money used by entrepreneurs and businesses to buy what they need to make their products or provide their services or to that sector of the economy based on its operation, i.e. retail, corporate, investment banking, etc....
to small food enterprises, organic farms, and local food
Local food
Local food or the local food movement is a "collaborative effort to build more locally based, self-reliant food economies - one in which sustainable food production, processing, distribution, and consumption is integrated to enhance the economic, environmental and social health of a particular...
systems. Slow Money takes its name from the Slow Food
Slow Food
Slow Food is an international movement founded by Carlo Petrini in 1986. Promoted as an alternative to fast food, it strives to preserve traditional and regional cuisine and encourages farming of plants, seeds and livestock characteristic of the local ecosystem. It was the first established part of...
movement. Slow Money aims to develop the relationship between capital markets and place, including social capital and soil fertility. Slow Money is supporting the grass-roots mobilization through network building, convening, publishing, and incubating intermediary strategies and structures of funding. It is a 501(c)3 non-profit based in Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
.
History
Slow Money was started by Woody Tasch, former chairman of Investors’ Circle — a nonprofit network of over 200 angel investors, professional venture capitalVenture capital
Venture capital is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growth startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as...
ists, foundations, family offices and others. The idea to initiate the Slow Money movement came to Woody Tasch while he was writing his book Inquiries Into the Nature of Slow Money– Investing as if Food, Farms and Fertility Mattered. The non-profit, Slow Money, was founded in November, 2008, following the publication of Mr. Tasch’s book. The movement gained significant momentum from a number of local and regional meetings, and press coverage during the first half of 2009 leading to an Inaugural National Gathering.
National Gathering
The Inaugural National Gathering of Slow Money took place in Santa Fe, New MexicoSanta Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
at the Farmer’s Market in September, 2009. 450 entrepreneurs, farmers, investors, and interested people traveled from over 34 states and 6 countries to attend. A second national gathering, attended by about 600 people, was held at Shelburne Farms
Shelburne Farms
Shelburne Farms is a nonprofit environmental education center and National Historic Landmark on the shores of Lake Champlain in Shelburne, Vermont. It is also one of the principal concert sites for the Vermont Mozart Festival....
in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, June 9–11, 2010.
Slow Money's third National Gathering is planned for October 12-14th, 2011 in San Francisco, CA at Fort Mason. Over 1000 people are expected to attend.
Principles
In September, 2009, a campaign was launched to get one million people to sign the Slow Money Principles that advocate for cultural, ecological and economic diversity in an economy based on healthy people in healthy places.Current Development
The national gathering has resulted in people starting local and regional chapters of Slow Money. Slow Money will continue its leadership by conducting researchResearch
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
and publishing newsletters and blogging. Slow Money has been named by BusinessWeek
BusinessWeek
Bloomberg Businessweek, commonly and formerly known as BusinessWeek, is a weekly business magazine published by Bloomberg L.P. It is currently headquartered in New York City.- History :...
as one of the Big Ideas for 2010. Mr. Tasch’s book “Inquiries Into the Nature of Slow Money– Investing as if Food, Farms and Fertility Mattered” has been published in Italian, is due out in Japanese shortly, and rights have been bought in Korea.
Incubating New Intermediaries
Slow Money’s long-term objective is for one million investors to commit 1% of their assets to local food systems. Slow Money is incubating new intermediaries. One strategy is the I. Fund, with “I.” standing for “integral,” in which a new foundation charter mandates investment of assets that are consistent with charitable purposes. Another strategy is Slow Munis or tax-exempt bonds dedicated to local food systems. New funds dedicated to organic farmland are being organized. Food funds and “clubs” are being developed locally in many regions.See also
- CittaslowCittaslowCittaslow is a movement founded in Italy in October 1999. The inspiration of Cittaslow was the Slow Food organization. Cittaslow's goals include improving the quality of life in towns by slowing down its overall pace, especially in a city's use of spaces and the flow of life and traffic through them...
- Eco-syndicalism
- Local foodLocal foodLocal food or the local food movement is a "collaborative effort to build more locally based, self-reliant food economies - one in which sustainable food production, processing, distribution, and consumption is integrated to enhance the economic, environmental and social health of a particular...
- Low carbon dietLow carbon dietA low carbon diet refers to making lifestyle choices to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from energy use. It is estimated that the U.S. food system is responsible for at least 20 percent of U.S. greenhouse gases. This estimate may be low, as it counts only direct sources of GHGe....
- NutritionNutritionNutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with a healthy diet....
- Slow MovementSlow MovementThe Slow Movement advocates a cultural shift toward slowing down life's pace. It began with Carlo Petrini's protest against the opening of a McDonald's restaurant in Piazza di Spagna, Rome in 1986 that sparked the creation of the Slow Food organization...
- Terra MadreTerra MadreTerra Madre is a network of food communities, each committed to producing quality food in a responsible, sustainable way. Terra Madre also refers to a major bi-annual conference held in Torino, Italy intended to foster discussion and introduce innovative concepts in the field of food, gastronomy,...
- Socially-responsible investing