Archive for October 28th, 2009
Ten Nonprofit Funding Models
In the non-profit world, the talk of funding is ever present. Since their methods of operation are different from the for-profit world, raising money to fund programs necessitates a dedicated method to bring in money. This often leads to several creative operating and funding models. However often the models developed do not adequately answer questions of long-term stability, or financial viability. What works for one non-profit does not necessarily work for another.
In their article for the Standford Social Innovation Review, “Ten Non-Profit Funding Models,” authors William Landes Foster, Peter Kim and Barbera Christiansen identify 10 non-profit funding models commonly used in the U.S. Through the article they highlight how non-profits can identify different sources of funding, and build partnerships. They also discuss the associated limitations and benefits of each model.
Read the entire article here.
Social Entrepreneurship Revisited
The word social enterprise has been in vogue for some time now. The use of the term by U.S President Barack Obama’s administration has lent the sector added visibility (and perhaps credibility). But what does social entrepreneurship mean?
This is the question that Paul C. Light, a professor at New York University’s Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service addresses in his essay, Social Entrepreneurship Revisited.
Light points out that while there is consensus on the general definition of the term, the specifics are grainy. While some empahsize the role of the individual – the changemaker – others focus on the idea, the opportunity and the system that enables them.
The article points to key insights that Light gained through his three year study of the sector. Among the key insights he puts forward are: social entrepreneurs are not like other achievers, socially entrepreneurial ideas are big, opportunities for grand change comes in waves, socially entrepreneurial organizations are built for change.
Read more of Light’s findings here.