June 2020 monthly policy briefing

This is our monthly policy briefing for June 2020. Each week we gather all the news, commentary and events from across the sector, then tie it all together each month. If you would like to get this in your inbox each week you can sign up to Tiny Letter.

GO Lab 

Resource Adapting social services to Covid-19 in lower and middle-income countries. Can impact bonds help? – Tanyah Hameed and Clare FitzGerald, researchers at the GO Lab look at whether and how impact bonds may help when adapting social services for low- and middle-income countries. They offer three useful improvements for the future. GO Lab

Online Event ERGO Peer Support Open Session – On 10th June at 3.30-5pm the GO Lab are hosting an open session to provide an opportunity for those involved in the implementation of outcomes based projects to get together to discuss the challenges and learn from others. This is part of the Emergency Responses and Government Outcomes (ERGO) Peers Learning Group that has recently been set up. GO Lab
 
News June 2020 Impact Bond Landscape – We have compiled the latest on impact bonds around the world from our Impact Bond Dataset. Here is a snapshot of the leading countries on impact bonds, the different policy areas impact bonds are present in as well as the different kinds of impact bond contracts across the world. GO Lab

Conference Programme announced for the Social Outcomes Conference 2020 – On 1-4th September we’re hosting the online Social Outcomes Conference. We’re excited to announce the programme, including big picture sessions, as well as deep dive and peer learning sessions. It will be a highly interactive and engaging four days. You can register here.

Online event INDIGO Peer Learning Group first quarterly meeting – We have now launched the International Network for Data on Impact and Government Outcomes (INDIGO). Our first quarterly meeting will be on 25th June, 3pm (London). The focus of INDIGO is to help policymakers describe their data needs, share data, encourage the community around using data for social outcomes and more. GO Lab

Event INDIGO Hack and Learn Sessions 2020 – Last week we held the first INDIGO peer learning session (INDIGO is the International Network for Data and Impact on Government Outcomes). If you’re keen to learn more read about the Hack and Learn Sessions in August and September. GO Lab

Opinion Will this SIB ‘be the change’ that keeps commissioners committed to contracting for outcomes? Sam Magne, Knowledge and Learning Manager for the National Lottery Community Fund’s work on social investment, reflects on early indications from Mayday Trust’s ‘Be the Change’ project. This is funded through a social impact bond under the Commissioning Better Outcomes Fund (CBO) programme.  GO Lab

Covid-19 reflection and response 

Report What happens in an outcome-based financing model when a major crisis hits? In this piece, Emily Gustafsson-Wright, Fellow for Global Economy and Development at Brookings, explores the impact of the pandemic on social services that are funded through impact bonds. She considers how impact bonds fare relative to traditionally based financed projects. Brookings

Opinion Education in the time of Covid-19: Reflection from the Charcha 2020 Forum – On 15th May, the Education in the Times of Covid-19: Challenges and the Way Forward’ panel discussion went ahead, as part of the Charcha 2020 Forum. This piece reflects on the session, the use of blended finance, development impact bonds and impact investing in these uncertain times. You can view the PowerPoint presentation from the session. Brookings 

Impact investing and outsourcing 

Opinion Impact investing today and tomorrow – Between 2017-2019 impact investing has grown by 34%, reaching $30.7 trillion last year. The Stanford Social Innovation Review have put together a series sharing perspectives from the US, Latin America, South Korea, Europe and elsewhere. It will share data driven analysis, lessons from history, predictions and surprising observations. SSIR

Report Impact investments in India: towards sustainable development – This report is by the Observer Research Foundation. It discusses the ideas of impact investments and social enterprises, and outlines India’s impact investment landscape. It offers the challenges and recommendations for the impact investment ecosystem. Observer Research Foundation

Opinion Five ways impact investors can deal with the Covid-19 dilemma – The pandemic is affecting everyone, including those who invest in charities and social businesses, as they may face a reduced income and uncertain pipeline. This piece looks at how they can best respond in a way that lives up to their role as impact investors. Pioneers Post  

Opinion Renationalising outsourced services could improve quality and reliability – A report from the Institute for Government encouraging the government to re-examine contracts comes as MoJ plans to bring probation services back in house. You can read the report here Civil Service World