Networks
Associations and networks have a significant role to play in the development of guidelines as well as the boundaries for this industry. They offer market data as well as recommendations on the best practices, and offer suggestions to bridge the gap between decision makers as well as the practitioners. They also provide advice on how to improve the practice of policy making. European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA) is among the longest-running and most influential organisations. It was founded in 2004 to serve the growing venture philanthropy industry and has since expanded its scope to encompass what is known as investors for impact.
In the G8 Social Impact Investment Forum in June 2013, the Prime Secretary David Cameron of the United Kingdom announced the Social Impact Investment Taskforce with the goal of creating markets for social investments across the globe. The taskforce was responsible for the formation of National Advisory Boards (NABs) for each G8 country, which would take on the task within their boundaries. Two years after was it was the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment ( GSG) succeeded the taskforce.
A number of European nations, including Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, Sweden, Portugal, and Spain have set up NABs. EVPA along with the European NABs share their best methods so that lessons learned from one country may be applied to other countries. In the case of France, for instance. French Solidarity Investment Fund regulation is an example. It has some possibilities for replication.
Education
Academia plays a crucial role to play in establishing and expanding its future in European impacts investing. It should begin by looking at the data of associations to gain a better understanding of what works and what is not working.
Business schools have been and are in the forefront of acquiring the necessary skills needed by Impact investment managers. The courses they offer provide insight to business strategies that can be financially sustainable, create positive social impacts and place individuals at the heart of the solutions. Said Business School at the University Oxford, INSEAD in France along with ESADE from Spain have been pioneers in social education and social entrepreneurship. Financially strong universities, like the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, Stockholm School of Economics, Maastricht University, and the Luxembourg University have created a student's expertise in sustainable financial management. It is still necessary to collaborate with career services in order to help students get into the job market for impact investing.