Social Enterprises

Background Information
Case Studies
Joint Ventures with a Private Sector Partner

Background Information

• Canadian Centre for Social Entrepreneurship
  The Canadian Centre for Social Entrepreneurship site contains links to reports on strategic alliances and social entrepreneurship.

• The Partnership on Nonprofit Ventures provides educational and financial support for nonprofit enterprise. The Partnership offers business planning assistance, cash awards, and access to the investment community through its National Business Plan Competition for Nonprofit Organizations. Information and guidance on launching nonprofit ventures are available through an Online Resource Center.

• Unlocking Profit Potential: Your Organization's Guide to Social Entrepreneurship
  This short book presents the approach developed by Community Wealth Ventures to help nonprofits discover how to take a proactive approach to generating revenue through social entrepreneurship. It covers the concepts of social entrepreneurship, available options (partnership or business?), key issues, the role of board members, and guidelines for determining the best business venture for the organization. From BoardSource, (Publication #286), 64 pages, 2002. $31.50 members; $42.00 non-members.

Case Studies

• The Social Enterprise Sourcebook
  Jerr Boschee's most recent book contains journalistic profiles of 14 nonprofits that have successfully started business ventures.

• The Roberts Enterprise Development Fund 2002 Portfolio of Nonprofit Organizations
  While REDF is a philanthropic program of The Roberts Foundation, REDF views all of its grants as investments. This link will take you to the a group of social enterprise examples.

Joint Ventures with a Private Sector Partner

• A "How-To" for Joint Ventures: Marion R. Fremont-Smith of the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Harvard University
  An overview of different types of nonprofit and business joint venture arrangements with particular attention paid to legal and tax implications. Mrs. Fremont-Smith includes helpful advice on "dos" and "don'ts" for establishing and managing a joint venture agreement.

• Strategic Alliance, Beware The Pitfalls
  A set of questions to ask when embarking upon a joint venture. The questions are designed for small businesses but are equally relevant for nonprofits.

• A Guidance Note for Public Sector Bodies Forming Joint Venture Companies with the Private Sector (PDF Format)
  A lengthy "how to" note for government bodies planning to establish a joint venture with a for-profit company. Notes related to business planning and management are relevant for all types of cross-sector joint ventures.