Social Enterprise (Social Entrepreneurship)

Assembled by Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD


"Nonprofits have to recognize that they're businesses, not just causes. There's a way to combine the very best of the not-for-profit, philanthropic world with the very best of the for-profit, enterprising world. This hybrid is the wave of the future for both profit and nonprofit companies."
-- From "Genius At Work" - an interview with Bill Strickland, CEO of the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild and the Bidwell Training Center Inc.

The nonprofit environment has changed.
Community needs are growing in size and diversity. 
More nonprofits are competing for government and philanthropic funds. 
Traditional forms of funding are becoming smaller and less reliable. 
New for-profit businesses are competing with nonprofits to serve community needs. 
Funders and donors are demanding more accountability. 

"In the face of this new reality, an increasing number of forward-looking nonprofits are beginning to appreciate the increased revenue, focus and effectiveness that can come from adopting "for profit" business approaches. Increasingly, they are reinventing themselves as social entrepreneurs, combining "the passion of a social mission with an image of business-like discipline, innovation, and determination."
-- From "The Meaning of Social Entrepreneurship" by J. Gregory Dees.