Meet Dr. Josh Yates

Scholar. Social Entrepreneur. Builder of Thriving Communities.

Josh Yates is a strategist, social entrepreneur, and scholar whose work focuses on cultivating innovation ecosystems that enable people, organizations, and places to thrive. He currently serves as Vice President for Strategy and Innovation at Belmont University.

He is founder of Belmont Innovation Labs, a national platform that accelerates social innovation through leadership development, applied research, and cross-sector collaboration. He works with executives, investors, and civic leaders to design scalable solutions to complex social challenges, positioning Belmont University as a launchpad for values-driven innovation.

Josh is also the founder and President of Thriving Cities Group, a national consulting and design firm supporting collective impact ecosystems, and member of the Transformational Business Network Global Alliance, which mobilizes faith-driven capital and enterprise-based solutions to poverty. His work equips mission-aligned leaders with actionable frameworks to move from intention to impact—and from isolated efforts to systems-level change.

A Life Committed to Human Flourishing

Josh’s career has been animated by one driving question: What conditions allow people and places to truly flourish?

As a sociologist, his research explores the cultural, institutional, and civic dynamics that shape community well-being. His work challenges organizations—especially universities, congregations, and enterprises—to rethink their roles as agents of thriving.

From urban centers to rural towns, Josh has been privileged to partner with inspiring stakeholders across the globe to align ideas with action, scholarship with strategy, and vision with measurable impact.

From Research to Real-World Change

Dr. Josh Yates is a rare hybrid: a deep-thinking academic who’s equally at home in boardrooms, classrooms, and community centers. Motivated by a deep care for the common good, his work spans rigorous scholarship, innovative field guides, and catalytic social ventures—each aimed at one purpose: helping communities thrive.

Signature Publications & Translational Research

Equipping Social Impact Leaders: Translating Insight into Action Across Sectors

  • Map of the eastern United States showing various locations marked with blue and red pins.

    Field Guide for University-Community Partnerships

    A pioneering tool for colleges and universities seeking to redefine their civic missions through deep, reciprocal community partnerships. (2019)

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  • Circular diagram illustrating strategies for reducing poverty, including empowerment, policy, capital, and business, with arrows showing their interconnections

    The Enterprise Solutions to Poverty Field Guide

    A first-of-its-kind mapping of the faith-based impact investing ecosystem, highlighting scalable enterprise models advancing economic justice. (2022)

    Visit Website
  • A pie chart divided into five segments labeled Ecological Significance, Community Demographics, Economic Viability, Governance and Legal Framework, Stakeholder Engagement, with icons representing each category.

    CARE Playbook: From Insight to Impact

    The CARE model playbook guides sustainable investment into regions where nature and community need it most. (2025)

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  • Diagram with interconnected nodes, many labeled 'TN,' connected by lines to a central node and other clusters, some containing colorful segments and icons.

    Foster Care Landscape Study & Foster Care Impact Case

    Groundbreaking new research exploring systemic transformation opportunities in the U.S. foster care system. (forthcoming)

    Coming Soon

Projects & Resources

  • The CARE (Conservation and Rural Enterprise) model, supported by Templeton Religion Trust and led by Belmont University, combines ecological restoration with community-based enterprise and data-driven investment to simultaneously advance environmental conservation and economic opportunity. It partners with local stakeholders and uses satellite imagery, baseline impact metrics, and adaptive management to scale sustainable impact in biodiversity hotspots afflicted by poverty.

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  • Conservation And Rural Enterprise (CARE) champions a model where conservation and economic development or empowerment go hand in hand. Through collaboration, data-driven insights, and sustainable enterprises, CARE helps protect biodiversity while creating pathways for local business opportunities.

    Explore CARE.

  • A teaching curriculum that enables leaders to craft more effective civic responses to the needs and opportunities of 21st Century communities using the six endowments framework.

    Learn more.

  • A collaborative initiative that leverages data and community intelligence to connect leaders and innovators dedicated to systemic social impact and equitable community development.

    Discover Roundtable

Portfolio of Media & Talks

  • Panel discussion with three speakers seated in front of an audience, one man speaking and gesturing, two others listening attentively.

    Unlocking the Benefits of Venture Philanthropy

    A provocative talk on how venture philanthropy can unlock strategic, long-term capital to tackle systemic social and environmental challenges beyond the reach of traditional philanthropy and government spending.

    Watch It
  • A middle-aged man with glasses, a beard, and brown hair, wearing a purplecheckered shirt, stands inside a building with large windows and a staircase behind him, speaking to the camera.

    Human Flourishing and Urban Futures

    A signature talk exploring what it means to design cities for our grandchildren's thriving.

    Watch It
  • A man with glasses and a beard in a plaid shirt is sitting indoors near windows with a view of green trees outside.

    The Power of Proximity in a Crisis

    A conversation on civic responsibility and resilience during moments of social upheaval.

    Watch It
  • A colorful infographic illustrating the significance of data, with characters and speech bubbles discussing data's value, connectivity, and sustainability, and a fact box noting that more data will be generated in the next four years than in human history.

    Thriving Cities, Faith, and Civic Imagination

    Josh discusses how faith institutions can be catalysts for equitable urban transformation.

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  • Two men in suits holding microphones sit on stage during a panel discussion or presentation, with dark curtains in the background.

    Call to Shalom Interview

    While charity meets urgent needs, only impact investing drives lasting, systemic transformation.

    Watch It
  • A man wearing a gray suit and glasses giving a presentation on a stage with a large red and black TED sign in the background.

    New Civic Imaginations

    A look at the emerging role of civic institutions in reimagining the public square.

    Watch It
  • A man in a suit and tie standing at a podium, giving a presentation with a slide about urban and suburban household growth over several decades, showing bar charts of household growth share from 1970 to 2010.

    Thriving Cities and Next-Gen Leadership

    Capturing the energy and promise of grassroots entrepreneurship and ecosystem-building.

    Watch It

Portfolio of Media & Talks

  • Josh Yates

    Rethinking Generosity

    A presentation about the challenges of generosity require a new strategy rooted in dignity, enterprise, and character.

    Watch It
  • How to Seek the Good of Your City

    How to Seek the Good of YOur city

    A practical guide to moving beyond good intentions and becoming an active force for flourishing in your own community.

    Watch It
  • Three people sitting on chairs in front of an audience, with the man in the middle gesturing while speaking. The woman on the left and the man on the right are listening, with the man on the right holding a tablet.

    Unlocking the Benefits of Venture Philanthropy

    A provocative talk on how venture philanthropy unlocks strategic capital to tackle systemic challenges beyond the reach of traditional giving.

    Watch It
  • Man with glasses and a beard speaking in front of a staircase in a well-lit interior

    Human Flourishing and Urban Futures

    A signature talk exploring what it means to design cities for our grandchildren's thriving.

    Watch It
  • Two men in suits speaking into microphones during a panel discussion or interview, with dark curtains in the background.

    Call to Shalom Interview

    While charity meets urgent needs, only impact investing drives lasting, systemic transformation.

    Watch It
  • Man giving a presentation on stage with a red theme and large TED logo in the background.

    New Civic Imaginations

    A look at the emerging role of civic institutions in reimagining the public square.

    Watch It
  • A man in a suit giving a presentation on sprawl margins in urban, suburban, and rural areas, with a slide showing bar graphs from 1970 to 2010.

    Thriving Cities and Next-Gen Leadership

    Capturing the energy and promise of grassroots entrepreneurship and ecosystem-building.

    Watch It

A Trusted Voice Across Sectors

Josh has has led incredible teams at the University of Virginia, Duke University, and the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. His cross-disciplinary work brings together civic leaders, academics, investors, and entrepreneurs to co-create innovative models for impact.

Through his writing, public speaking, and convening, he brings a rare blend of intellectual depth and on-the-ground pragmatism that resonates with global audiences seeking scalable, justice-oriented solutions.

Josh’s work is grounded in the conviction that meaningful change is never a solo effort—he draws deeply on the wisdom, lived experience, and insight of others to shape every idea and initiative. He is known for building diverse teams, cross-sector collaboratives, and coalitions that turn shared vision into sustained impact.

Man in blue checkered suit giving a presentation with a microphone, standing in front of a large screen with a cityscape and the word 'Marketplace' on it.

Join the Work of Thriving

Whether you’re an impact investor, a civic innovator, or a changemaker in your local community, Josh Yates, and the organizations he leads, offers both the wisdom and the toolkit to help you turn vision into impact. His work invites us into a deeper conversation about what it means to build societies where all people—and the places they call home—can flourish.

Explore. Collaborate. Flourish.