Expert in venture philanthropy speaks at Memphis luncheon

(From left) Bryan Jordan, CEO of First Horizon and Youth Villages national board member, Patrick Lawler, Youth Villages CEO, Mario Morino and Matt Morino

Youth Villages was honored to welcome Mario Morino, one of the nation’s leading experts on venture philanthropy, as the guest speaker at a luncheon Oct. 26 at the Youth Villages Operations Center.

Nonprofit leaders from around the Mid-South heard Morino speak on the critical importance for nonprofits to measure their impact through documented outcomes.

“Mario sparks the kinds of critical conversations that every nonprofit board and leadership team should have in this era of austerity,” said Patrick W. Lawler, Youth Villages CEO.

Leap of Reason

After a 30-year entrepreneurial career in the computer software industry, Morino founded the Morino Institute, a charitable organization that explores and promotes ways for internet companies to advance positive social change. He is the author of the recently published “Leap of Reason – Managing to Outcomes in an Era of Scarcity” and a co-founder and chairman of Venture Philanthropy Partners. VPP seeks to benefit the lives of children from low-income neighborhoods by strengthening the nonprofit organizations that serve them. Venture philanthropy uses the principles of venture capitalism to boost high-achieving nonprofit organizations.

Youth Villages is highlighted in the book as one of the nonprofit organizations that has focused on collecting data and improving outcomes for children in its programs.