Is social enterprise right for you?

Suddenly everyone wants to be - or everyone wants you to be - a social enterprise. But a social enterprise approach isn't right for every organisation - whatever some people may be saying to you.

If you're an exisiting voluntary organisation, it may be worth having a look at this questionnaire which has been developed by the National Center for Social Entrepreneurs in the USA.

The questionnaire asks 22 questions of your organisation, from your attitude to risk to your financial management skills. It could be a good exercise to stimulate discussion at a Board meeting.

Comments

[Rodney Schwartz]

Rob
I am sure not everyone should be or wants to be a social entrepreneur. The Government is pushing this concept for its own purposes. What is true is that the old model of annual grant applications is just making people despair. As social enterprises there is at least a chance of becoming sustainable and thus able to focus more on the causes and less on fundraising.

Rodney Schwartz
4 June 2007

[Rob Greenland]

Thanks for your comment Rodney. I think it's always good to be wary of Government agendas, but I think the core of what it means to be socially enterprising - channeling all your entrepreneurial energy into achieving social aims - is here to stay.

But not every individual will be a social entrepreneur - and not every organisation will be a social enterprise. The questionnaire above provides some food for thought.