Nonprofit Business Development

• Articles
• Reports
• Books and Workbooks

Articles

Social Entrepreneurship Basics: How Your Nonprofit Can Enhance Capacity, Impact and Sustainability
by Andy Horsnell and John Pepin, Front & Centre (published by the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy), July 2002, Volume 9, Number 4. In this article, Horsnell and Pepin will help you make an informed decision about if and how you should explore social entrepreneurship as a strategy to enhance your organizational capacity, mission impact and financial sustainability. They accomplish this by: describing the basis for any entrepreneurial strategy -- a sound business opportunity; presenting a range of specific entrepreneurial strategies and practical considerations; and exploring how you can reduce the risks and maximize the impact of your chosen strategy.

Enterprising Nonprofits: What Do You Do When Traditional Sources of Funding Fall Short?
by J. Gregory Dees, Harvard Business Review, January/February 1998, 55-67. 12 pages.
"Because they face rising costs, more competition for fewer donations and grants, and increased rivalry from for-profit companies entering the social sector, many nonprofit organizations are looking for commercial ways to raise more funds. For example, San Francisco's Delaney Street program for addicts has opened a restaurant staffed by clients, which helps pay the bills while providing on-the-job training. There are many such opportunities but also many pitfalls in this approach. Professor J. Gregory Dees of the Harvard Business School offers a framework to help nonprofit leaders figure out when commercial activities will or will not work."

The Meaning of 'Social Entrepreneurship'
by J. Gregory Dees, October 31, 1998.
Available for free at Stanford's Graduate School of Business website

Sources of Financing for New Nonprofit Ventures
by J. Gregory Dees and Nadine Dolby, Harvard Business Review, July 1996. 11 pages.
"Designed to help nonprofit entrepreneurs design fund-raising strategies that are appropriate for their specific organizations. Discusses the major fund-raising alternatives, including foundations, corporations, government sources, wealthy individuals, and the public, and provides references for further research."

The Social Enterprise Spectrum: Philanthropy to Commerce.
by J. Gregory Dees, Harvard Business Review, May 1996. Seven pages.
"With the boundaries between philanthropy and commerce blurring, this note briefly gives nonprofit managers and social entrepreneurs a framework (the Social Enterprise Spectrum) for thinking creatively about structural options in the social sector. Teaching Purpose: To help students understand the economic diversity of the social sector as it ranges from philanthropic to commercial enterprise."

Genius at Work
"With his potter's hands, Bill Strickland is reshaping the business of social change. His Pittsburgh-based program offers a national model for education, training - and hope."
by Sara Terry, Fast Company issue 17, page 170.

The New Landscape for Nonprofits
"The entry of for-profits into social services raises fundamental questions about the mission and future of nonprofits."
by William P. Ryan. Published by Harvard Business School, January 1999. Ten pages.

Merging Mission and Money: A Board Member's Guide to Social Entrepreneurship
by the National Center for Social Entrepreneurs
Available from the National Center for Social Entrepreneurs

Unlocking Profit Potential: Your Organization's Guide to Social Entrepreneurship
by the Board Source (formerly the National Center for Nonprofit Boards). 64 pages

Discussion Paper #1: Social Entrepreneurship
This paper provides a scan on some of the issues surrounding the emerging interest in social entrepreneurship. Can this new way of thinking lead to incredible new opportunities for change and innovation or is it a threat to the traditional expectations that we have about the “Canadian of life”? The paper concludes with a series of questions for discussion to stimulate further discussion and debate.
published by The Canadian Centre for Social Entrepreneurship

Return to top

Reports

Literature Review on Social Entrepreneurship
The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of existing literature in this emerging area, and to examine social entrepreneurship in light of growing expectations that it will generate and support radically new and effective ways of dealing with pressing social problems.
by Sherrill Johnson
published by The Canadian Centre for Social Entrepreneurship

New Social Entrepreneurs: The Success, Challenge and Lessons of Nonprofit Enterprise Creation
by Emerson, Jed and Fay Twersky, editors, The Roberts Foundation, Homeless Economic Development Fund, San Francisco. September 1996. "The Roberts Enterprise Development Fund produced New Social Entrepreneurs: The Success, Challenge, and Lessons of Non-Profit Enterprise Creation in 1996. The book was written to provide an up-to-date report to the growing number of people interested in nonprofit business development. Not intended as a definitive statement, but as a 'report from the trenches' it is offered in contribution to what has fast become a major national dialogue."

REDF Box Set - Social Purpose Enterprises and Venture Philanthropy in the New Millennium
"The Roberts Enterprise Development Fund and its Portfolio members produced this three volume set to answer three questions. First, practitioners within social purpose enterprises were asked: If you were starting out again, what would you be interested in learning about and what do you wish you had known? (Volume 1: Practitioner Perspectives) Then, REDF staff and partners provided candid answers to the question: What is REDF's approach to venture philanthropy? (Volume 2: Investor Perspectives) Lastly, Teresa Moore tackled the critical question: Who is the successful social entrepreneur? (Volume 3: Practitioner Profiles)"

Holding the Center: America's Nonprofit Sector at a Crossroads
by Lester Salamon, Nathan Cummings Foundation, New York, 1997. An excellent overview of the challenges and opportunities that are driving nonprofit leaders to consider new ways of operating their organizations.

Unleashing New Resources and Entrepreneurship for the Common Good: A Scan, Synthesis, and Scenario for Action
by Tom Reis. Battle Creek, Michigan: W.K. Kellogg Foundation, 1999. "This scan presents and overview of changes and corresponding opportunities related to how philanthropy and social change organizations and leaders are integrating market concepts into their work, value sets, and organizational structures. This paper makes the case that a critical mass of organizations and leaders is engaging in these opportunities, resulting in a perceptible demand for new learning environments and related services, actions and solutions, and spaces for convening."
Available for free from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Venture Philanthropy 2002: Advancing Nonprofit Performance Through High-Engagement Grantmaking
"Venture Philanthropy 2002: Advancing Nonprofit Performance Through High-Engagement Grantmaking is Venture Philanthropy Partners' third annual report on this emerging field. Prepared for VPP by Community Wealth Ventures, the report is a useful resource for those working in venture philanthropy and other forms of high-engagement grantmaking as well as those interested in learning more about the field. The report emphasizes valuable lessons learned and features a series of essays from funders, recipients, and leaders in the field. It also includes comprehensive profiles of 50 national and international organizations involved in high-engagement grantmaking, as well as a detailed analysis of survey data tracking trends in the field. The report illustrates that despite the downturn in the economy, the field of high-engagement grantmaking has continued to grow in 2001. Both new and established foundations alike are experimenting with innovative approaches. As a result, more highly evolved and adapted forms of high-engagement grantmaking are emerging today."

Effective Capacity Building in Nonprofit Organizations Effective Capacity Building in Nonprofit Organizations
Prepared by McKinsey & Company
"Effective Capacity Building in Nonprofit Organizations, published in August 2001 by Venture Philanthropy Partners, brings some common language to the discussion of capacity building and offers insights and examples of how nonprofits have pursued building up their organizational muscle. The report contributes to the growing national conversation about how to help nonprofits become stronger, more sustainable and better able to serve their communities. McKinsey & Company prepared the study at the request of VPP. McKinsey also developed a practical assessment tool for this report that nonprofits can use to measure their own organizational capacity. We hope that nonprofits and funders alike find value in this report."

Venture Philanthropy 2001: The Changing Landscape
Prepared by Community Wealth Ventures, Inc.
"Venture Philanthropy 2001: The Changing Landscape provides a comprehensive look at the state of venture philanthropy in the U.S. today. This report seeks to understand what venture philanthropy is, who is involved, what impact has it had so far. The report is presented here in three sections. The first section features a lead article that outlines the promises and challenges of venture philanthropy as well as a series of essays written by leading practitioners in this field. The second and third sections feature detailed information on the 37 venture philanthropy funds surveyed for the report."

Venture Philanthropy 2000: Landscape and Expectations
Prepared by Community Wealth Ventures, Inc.
"The Morino Institute asked Community Wealth Ventures, Inc. to survey social venture fund efforts around the country to determine how the best practices of venture capital can be applied to funding nonprofit organizations seeking to make positive social change. This report describes the venture philanthropy landscape today and outlines some of the opportunities and challenges of this alternative philanthropic approach."

The Nonprofit Sector and Business and The Nonprofit Sector and the Market
Both available for free from the Aspen Institute.

Return to top

Books and Workbooks

The Nonprofit Entrepreneur: Creating Ventures to Earn Income
by Edward Skloot, ed. Foundation Center, New York, New York, 1988.
"In a relatively brief number of pages, Skloot presents information on legal concerns, organizational development, and a number of other issues of interest to the social entrepreneur. A great overview document…" ~ Jed Emerson
Available for $19.95 from www.amazon.com

Enterprising Nonprofits: A Toolkit for Social Entrepreneurs
by Jed Emerson, J. Gregory Dees, and Peter Economy. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, NY. 2001. From the book jacket: "…offers concise and engaging explanations of the most successful business tools being used by nonprofits today. The authors clearly describe all the concepts so you'll be able to embrace the methods of social enterprise for your organization."
Available for $27.96 from www.amazon.com

Strategic Tools for Social Entrepreneurs: Enhancing the Performance of Your Enterprising Nonprofit
by Jed Emerson, J. Gregory Dees, and Peter Economy. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, NY. 2002. "Strategic Tools for Social Entrepreneurs is a toolkit for nonprofit organizations on developing real-world strategies for value creation, income generation, and growth." This is a follow-up to Enterprising Nonprofits (see above).
Available for $24.46 from www.amazon.com

Social Entrepreneurship: The Art of Mission-Based Venture Development
by Peter C. Brinckerhoff. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, NY. 2000. From the author: "This cutting-edge book focuses readers on the key parts of becoming a social entrepreneur including risk taking, idea generation, and complete guides to feasibility studies and business planning. Financing strategies, UBIT and corporate structures are also thoroughly covered."
Available for $44.95 from www.amazon.com

Venture Forth! The Essential Guide to Starting a Money-Making Business in Your Nonprofit Organization
by Rolfe Larson, Fieldstone Alliance, Saint Paul, MN. 2001. From the author: "Venture Forth is a practical, step-by-step guide specifically for nonprofits. It presents what nonprofits need to decide how (and if) venture development fits into their organization, where to look for good venture ideas, how to determine if they're feasible, and how to write a realistic business plan for the venture." Available for $30 plus shipping from the Authenticity Consulting, LLC.

The Complete Guide to Money-Making Ventures for Nonprofit Organizations
by Peter C. Brown, The Taft Group, Washington, D.C. 1986. From the author: "This book will help you through the formative stages of identifying and structuring money-making ventures, organizing agency resources and commitment, avoiding costly mistakes, and generating the most earned income for the least cost while contributing directly to the nonprofit mission of the agency."
Out of print, but used copies may be available on www.amazon.com

Managing for Profit in the Nonprofit World
by Paul B. Firstenberg. New York: The Foundation Center, 1986.
Out of print, but used copies may be available on www.amazon.com

Exploring the Climate for Earned Income Development
by Andrew (Andy) Horsnell. Minneapolis: Authenticity Consulting, LLC, 2000. From the author: "This practical, fill-in-the blanks workbook is designed to help you explore the support and challenges that are that are present for developing earned income in your nonprofit organization."
Download for free (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Taking Stock of Your Earned Income Assets
by Andrew (Andy) Horsnell. Minneapolis: Authenticity Consulting, LLC, 2000. From the author: "This practical, fill-in-the blanks workbook is designed to help you take stock of all the various assets and resources you have to develop earned income."
Download for free (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Identifying Your Earned Income Opportunities
by Andrew (Andy) Horsnell. Minneapolis: Authenticity Consulting, LLC, 2000. From the author: "This practical, fill-in-the blanks workbook is designed to help you identify, rank, and select your best earned income opportunities."
Download for free (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Return to top