Making everyone into a social enterprise
At the Centre for Social Innovation last week, a unique event took place designed to match people looking for services with people who could offer them.
“Who wants to learn yoga?” “I’ve got Indian cooking over here!” “Can you teach my kid how to play drums?” People ring out with their requests at this “Skills Drive” organized by social enterprise and MaRS client, Well of Change.
Lucy Bernholz, author of Philanthropy2173
So says Lucy Bernholz, author of Philanthropy2173. This popular blog was named the best blog in its category by Fast Company and if you’re like me, you have the blog updating automatically on your iGoogle page. Understanding the changing world of philanthropy and the nature of giving is a quest for many foundations and charitable organizations. The need to understand is only amplified by the increasing demand on people’s generosity.
Referred to often as the “global threat set,” climate change, drought, food shortage, population growth and aging will draw on human and financial resources with increasing intensity. Keeping pace with this threat set is vital. Lucy Bernholz is at the vanguard of these changing times.
Thanks to everyone who attended my session last Wednesday. I tried to provide practical advice for entrepreneurs launching or participating in social enterprises. I talked about the space and my top 10 lessons learned. If you haven’t seen the lecture you can view it here.
I believe we had around 70 people in attendance – which speaks to the momentum building in the social enterprise sector. And it seemed like my messages resonated – the number of questions after the presentation and offers of people volunteering (for Better The World) were overwhelming.
I would like to comment on a few questions that were brought up repeatedly.
Pitching for a cause
You’ve got a business. It pursues social and community goals. The environment. Arts. Culture. Maybe you’re generating some money to support a parent organization whose goals are similarly benevolent. And you’re a Canadian non-profit, charity or non-share cooperative. And – gasp! – you need some funds?
Come chase some cash and get some media attention for your Canadian social enterprise at the Third Canadian Conference on Social Enterprise in Toronto. As part of this conference, (November 18-20, 2009, hosted by SECC – Social Enterprise Council of Canada) Toronto’s Social Venture Partners are hosting Social Enterprise Angels: Social Investing in Action.
Inspired by the CBC series The Dragon’s Den, social entrepreneurs will pitch their ideas to a panel of investors in hopes of securing funding.
Three pillars of social enterprise
Investors, social entrepreneurs and policy makers along with advocates of the social enterprise movement are busy moving Canada towards a new marketplace for blended value enterprises (BVE). Such enterprises have a social and/or environmental objective in combination with a financial return as an integral part of their business mission.
For a Canadian landscape to grow, we need three essential pillars to support the success of social enterprise. One of them — policy — is a hot topic being discussed at the upcoming Canadian Conference on Social Enterprise.
