Place Based
Impact Academy

Place-based impact investing is crucial for tackling unique local challenges and regional issues. Through the PBII Academy, professionals learn to understand local needs, empower investors to create sustainable added value, and build a place-based impact coalition.

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The Academy

Place-based impact investing is an approach that uses a powerful impact system to address urban and societal challenges. It starts with impact entrepreneurs and committed policymakers and grows into broad collaborations that strengthen regions. Place-based impact investing focuses on challenges, opportunities, and resources at the local level. This context often has unique aspects that must be addressed. This robust approach is gaining momentum, as more and more people recognize the importance of local solutions for complex challenges. Thriving in a local impact landscape requires a specific set of skills. With a place-based approach, people understand, feel, and see what creates sustainable added value in a city or region.

Plant Based Impact Academy

Every journey begins with an introductory day, where you are introduced to the world of place-based impact. If you decide to continue, we always start with the PBII in a Day module. The other modules are completely optional—you don’t have to take them all, and you can choose them in any order. Each module lasts 6 months with monthly in-person sessions. This flexibility allows participants to focus on their own goals and pace while still forming a full-fledged academy together.

PBII in a day

A one-day accessible introduction track, with no obligations to continue. This day is dedicated to exploring and understanding the power of Place-Based Impact Investing (PBII). We dive into urgency, best practices, and actionable perspectives for practical follow-up steps. We aim to spark inspiration and encourage participants to go deeper into PBII. By demonstrating its feasibility and potential for impact, we not only inform but also empower. This day is the starting point for engagement, empowerment, and collaboration—focused on creating sustainable positive change in the region.

Introductory module

This module enriches knowledge and identifies the building blocks for PBII implementation in your city. It begins with recognizing urgency, followed by exploring best practices and inspiring stories of successful implementations elsewhere. We then move to operational functioning: how an impact coalition works, supported by research, analysis, partnerships, and network management. Finally, we focus on setting goals and measuring impact.

PBII in a day

This module centers on developing a concrete action plan for establishing a place-based impact coalition. Together with diverse partners, we explore priorities, urgent issues, and strategic interventions. Professionals create a realistic timeline, examine financing options, and define measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). This equips professionals to build coalitions that create sustainable positive change in their communities.

Throughout the module, we will explore key themes, including how to identify and engage relevant partners both within and outside the municipality. Together, we will set priorities by determining which issues within the impact area are the most urgent.

A crucial part of the module is developing a realistic timeline and plan. In doing so, we take into account the resources and expertise needed to achieve the defined goals. Funding—an essential element for success—will also be discussed to explore various opportunities and support the initiatives.

Defining measurable indicators, or Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), will help us evaluate the coalition’s progress and impact. By exploring these themes within a cohesive narrative, professionals will not only develop the skills needed to build an impactful coalition, but also one that creates sustainable positive change within the community.

This module focuses on the start-up procedure. Together, we will explore what is specifically needed and what works effectively within your context. The emphasis is on carrying out targeted steps and conducting the initial measurements to assess the impact.

In this module, we will dive deeper into key themes. We begin by defining the governance structure and responsibilities, establishing a solid foundation for the start-up phase. This is followed by developing a detailed operational plan in which we carefully outline the implementation of activities and interventions.

An essential part of the module is seamlessly integrating the start-up procedure into existing policies, ensuring a coherent approach. We will go through the first phase of implementation, focusing on practical execution, followed by a second phase that places special emphasis on coaching and further optimization.

Another important aspect we will explore is the development of effective communication strategies. This is essential for increasing engagement and fostering understanding within the organization.

Throughout the module, professionals will not only develop the necessary steps for a successful start-up procedure, but also practical skills to seamlessly integrate these procedures into their professional environment. The focus is on achieving tangible results and measuring the initial impact of the start-up phase, ensuring that professionals are well-prepared for effective implementation in practice.

This module dives into how individual projects can fit within a broader strategy or program. Participants critically evaluate ongoing projects, identify untapped opportunities, and develop a strategic project portfolio. Through evaluation, quality analysis, and optimization, participants build a portfolio that not only manages projects but also develops strategic pathways for long-term impact.

We begin by critically evaluating ongoing projects. Our aim is to understand their impact and assess how effective they are. We then look for untapped opportunities and possibilities that may have gone unnoticed until now.

An important step in this process is the quality analysis of ongoing and potential projects. We want to understand what works well and what can be improved. This leads to the process of building our project portfolio. The first phase involves assembling a portfolio that closely aligns with the needs and goals of the community.

As the portfolio takes shape, we continue by optimizing and expanding it to achieve maximum impact. Our goal is not only to manage projects, but also to develop strategic lines. These strategic lines will serve as powerful connectors within the coalition.

This module not only provides theoretical insights into project portfolios but also offers practical tools to identify opportunities and maximize impact. It is a journey of evaluation and discovery, in which we move beyond traditional project management and explore strategic approaches to building a coherent and powerful portfolio.

In this module, we take the step toward scaling up. Our goal is not only to create impact, but to expand it and achieve sustainable positive change in collaboration with additional partners.

We begin by exploring the capacity needed to increase our impact. This includes not only resources, but also the skills and potential of our team. Our aim is to establish a solid foundation for achieving greater influence.

An important aspect of this phase is welcoming new partners. We aim to expand our network and collaborate with like-minded organizations that share our mission. This not only brings more hands on deck, but also introduces a wider range of perspectives and ideas.

As we deepen our partnerships, we continue building our portfolio. This includes not only expanding existing projects, but also exploring new initiatives that can further increase our impact.

As our portfolio grows, we shift our focus to evaluation. We want not only to understand what we are achieving, but also how we can improve it. This involves measuring and articulating our impact in a way that enables us to become more effective and create more sustainable positive change.

This phase of scaling up is not only about quantitative growth, but also about a qualitative deepening of our work. It is an invitation to new partners to collaborate in building a portfolio that is impressive not only in size, but also in the depth of its impact on our communities.

In this module, we take on the challenging path toward optimization. It is not just a matter of growth, but above all about increasing our effectiveness and continuously generating positive impact.

Our journey begins with an in-depth analysis of what we have achieved. We want to understand what works well, what is less effective, and where the opportunities lie for further improvement. It is a moment of self-reflection and honest evaluation.

With a clear understanding of our performance in mind, we turn our focus to setting new goals. These goals go beyond quantitative growth; they involve refining our approach and creating a sustainable pathway toward continued positive impact.

In this pursuit of optimization, we aim not only to be effective but also to be recognized as a “best practice” in creating impact. This means that we strive not only for internal success, but also to share our experiences and insights with others, becoming a point of reference for effective impact initiatives.

A key theme in this phase is communication. It is important not only to share our successes, but also to be open about our challenges and what we have learned from them. Formulating our own best practices is an essential part of this process.

As we continue our optimization journey, we turn our gaze toward the future. What trends and challenges can we anticipate? How can we continue to adapt and improve our approach?

Results & Impact

Making impact

A focus on real outcomes—plans and ambitions always serve tangible, measurable impact.

Unlocking knowledge

Harnessing insights from science, local experts, policymakers, and practitioners—knowledge that too often remains unused.

Empowering the changemaker

Impact is driven by people: their courage, skills, and willingness to act. That’s why professional development is at the core.

Place Based

Effective impact requires solutions tailored to each specific context: there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

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