Common Impact

CONTACT:

215 First Street Suite 25
Cambridge, MA 02142
617.492.3105
www.commonimpact.org

Theresa Ellis, Founder and Executive Director

DESCRIPTION:

Founded in 2000 as Harbinger Partners, its goal has been to close the gap in technological capacity between the commercial and philanthropic sectors. It has done this by recruiting employees from companies like BEA Systems, Cisco Systems, Flagship Ventures, State Street Corp., et al., and pairing them as volunteer consultants with selected charities who have applied for grants of in-kind technical assistance. Since its founding, the $720,000 invested in Harbinger has generated $5 million in new resources for those that it serves. It has also resonated with its corporate recruits: 31% of volunteers continue their involvement with a charity after the engagement project is complete. In mid-2006, the organization merged with the Corporate Volunteer Network — which connects HR and marketing professionals with charities needing expertise in those areas — and changed its name to Common Impact. The newly-combined group hopes to build and nurture cross-sector interactions, and take its successful model further afield, into New York City. Your support will have a deep impact on its developments.

(2003: PROMOTING PHILANTHROPY: Charities Helping Charities)