Connecting Leaders, Skills, Networks, and Capital
“The Social Innovation Forum process exceeded my expectations and that of the entire Building Impact Board. The support, structure, and rigor that are the foundation of the process have provided clarity and direction for both our Executive Director, Lisa Guyon, and the organization as a whole. The Social Innovation Forum selected Building Impact at a critical point in its life and, as a result, we are well prepared for the next phase of growth.”
Kevin McCall, President & CEO, Paradigm Properties, LLC
“The Social Innovation Forum helped us craft a great presentation that has served as a wonderful communication tool to attract new funders and partners. The Executive Coaching has provided additional support and insight into our capacity building efforts. The Social Innovation Forum has prepared us to move to the next level.”
Phil Hillman, Board Chair, Boston Urban Youth Foundation
WHO ARE SOCIAL INNOVATORS?
Social Innovators and the organizations they lead are innovative, resourceful and results oriented. They are bold, inspired and visionary—people who are not content to give a fish or to teach someone how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the fishing industry.
WHAT IS THE SOCIAL IMPACT INVESTMENT COMMUNITY?
The Social Impact Investment Community include those individuals, government officials and foundation directors who value a combination of innovation, accountability and operational stability to support the best-performing nonprofits. They seek to contribute not only with money, but with their skills, experiences and relationships in ways that contribute to building stronger organizations.
WHO IS ORGANIZING THE SOCIAL INNOVATION FORUM?
The Social Innovation Forum began as a pilot project in 2003, organized by a volunteer collaborative of ten leading organizations from the Boston nonprofit sector providing expertise in a range of areas:
- High Engagement Grant making: New Profit Inc., Social Venture Partners,
Trefler Foundation, and United Way of Massachusetts Bay
- Leadership Development: Eureka-Boston and Root Cause
- Promotion of Philanthropy: Catalogue for Philanthropy, Merrill Lynch,
More Than Money, and Giving Network at Associated Grant Makers
Due to the overwhelming success of the first Forum, the collaborative chose to spin off the Forum as a separate initiative.
One of the original collaborative members, Root Cause, has adopted the Social Innovation Forum as a part of its Social Sector Incubator.
Root Cause promotes entrepreneurial social sector leadership through consulting, training, research, education, and public policy initiatives.
You can learn more about Root Cause by visiting their website at www.rootcause.org.
HOW ARE NONPROFITS SELECTED FOR THE SOCIAL INNOVATION FORUM?
The Social Innovation Forum recruits, screens and selects social entrepreneurs to participate in the training program and event. An Evaluation Committee made up leading individuals from the private, nonprofit and government sectors selects...
Organizations that:
- Have annual operating budgets up to $2 million
- Are focused on solving the core problems of an identified social need
- Are working primarily in the greater Boston area (inside Rt. 128)
- Are a registered 501-c-3, use a fiscal agent, or are an initiative within a larger organization with a budget above $2 million.
Leaders who:
- Have a social vision and want to build a stronger organization
- Are innovative, resourceful and results-oriented in solving a specific social problem
- Know their core programs and competencies well
- Exemplify innovation, adaptation, listening and learning
- Are willing to work with a team to prepare a professional presentation, executive summary, and identify a capacity building project that promotes and strengthens their organization
- Want to learn how to expand their network and build relationships with social investors
- Want to draw upon the best thinking in the business, non-profit and public policy worlds to maximize their social impact
WHAT KIND OF TRAINING DO THE SOCIAL INNOVATORS RECEIVE?
Though the Social Innovation Forum event itself is only a few hours in length, the entire engagement involves twelve months of training, preparation, and coaching. The process of selection and training includes the following four elements:
- Application Process: There are two parts to the application process, both of which are designed to be useful to the applicants
even if they are not selected as finalists. The first phase focuses on the entrepreneur’s experience, approach and vision for social change, as well as the
organization’s performance. The second phase begins the process of getting the entrepreneurs ready to present to social investors. All semi-finalists attend
a workshop where they learn strategies to improve organizational sustainability and start to identify a capacity building project.
- Workshops: Finalists participate in a series of workshops designed to prepare them to present to social investors at the venture fair and provide them with a set of transferable skills that they can use to plan, market and generate resources for future capacity-building projects.
- Coaching: Finalist organizations are matched with volunteer coaches from
the private and nonprofit sectors with proven track records of success in
their fields of expertise to work on projects such as earned income
strategies, program growth, and leadership and staff development.
- Presentation Development: Volunteer coaches work with each finalist to develop and deliver a professional presentation relevant to the organization's vision and project.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN AT THE SOCIAL INNOVATION FORUM EVENT?
The event will be a dynamic learning opportunity for all attendees. Structured to both highlight finalists and facilitate engaged discussion, the event focuses on learning, exchange of ideas, and making connections. It will be a fun night! Attendees of the Social Innovation Forum will:
- Connect with entrepreneurial nonprofit leaders and learn how they are working in novel ways to address issues that are of importance to a social investor
- Meet and network with other social investors
- Learn first hand how high-engagement philanthropy
is building more effective organizations
- Consider how to best leverage their money, skills and relationships with confidence
WHO SHOULD ATTEND THE SOCIAL INNOVATION FORUM?
- Individual Donors: Individuals who have the capacity to give $1000 or more the evening of the forum
- Foundations: Directors and staff of public, private,
and family foundations
- Government Officials: City, Regional or State Officials committed to supporting social entrepreneurs
Attendees may simply listen, learn, and exchange ideas with peers and nonprofit leaders or may choose to invest in a presenting organization, contributing both social and financial resources.
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