Background

Social enterprises – non-profit and for-profit organizations that create positive social change within the context of sustainable business models – are developing new and powerful solutions to society’s most challenging social issues. Social enterprises are not traditional non-profit organizations that depend on charitable giving for sustainability, nor are they simply socially responsible for-profit companies. Rather, they represent a powerful new breed of organizations that create sustainable societal change by combining the passion of social mission and the efficiency of a market-based approach.

Launching, managing and growing a social enterprise require a unique set of skills, experience and networks. Social enterprisers often find they are working in isolation, on the edge of both the traditional charitable and market-driven cultures, each with their own set of norms.

The Social Enterprise Institute

“Leaders Supporting Leaders”
The Social Enterprise Institute is a not-for-profit organization which offers social sector leaders unique opportunities to develop the skills and networks needed for implementing successful social enterprises. The Institute not only helps organizations develop “triple bottom line” income streams but supports the ”shift in paradigm” which is often necessary to get and deploy new resources.

The Institute accomplishes its’ mission by:

• Creating partnerships with local, national and international organizations
• Convening monthly regional peer-to-peer Leadership Forums and educational events
• Connecting social enterprisers to vital resources and networks
• Promoting awareness and understanding of social enterprise best practices

The Institute’s core program is the development of peer-to-peer leadership forums that significantly improve the “triple bottom line” performance of all participants. Monthly meetings are used to train participants in business concepts and practices and to do practical problem solving around the issues that they are dealing with. Participants learn from others mistakes, uncover flaws in their planning, and are supported in taking the calculated risks that are necessary to growing a business. The Institute also organizes local “Social Enterprise Academies”, where social entrepreneurs can present their business ideas to potential investors or private sector partners.

The staff of the Institute draws from a combined total of fifty-five years experience in both for-profit and nonprofit professional leadership development, and over twenty years of practical experience launching and managing successful social enterprises. In each new market, the Institute generally serves as a convener and catalyst by recruiting Strategic Partners from among trade/community associations and management support organizations, including local foundations and funding groups, volunteer centers, SCORE, Executive Service Corps, social investors, business groups and university business schools. Working with such partners leverages what is already available in the way of technical assistance and training, and prevents duplication of effort. One Strategic Partner serves as the Lead Partner in each market.

The Institute had ten Forums underway in California by the end of 2007and intends to enter other states in 2008. The Institute’s goal is a vibrant network of Leadership Forums and social entrepreneurs who are creating more revenue and more program growth for philanthropic ventures.