BC Centre for Social Enterprise

The BC Centre for Social Enterprise fosters and advances the culture of social entrepreneurship by building a community of knowledge sharing, education, advocacy, and business modelling.

Social enterprises are revenue-generating businesses with a twist. Whether operated by a non-profit organization or by a for-profit company, a social enterprise has two goals: to achieve social, cultural, community economic or environmental outcomes; and, to earn revenue. On the surface, many social enterprises look, feel, and even operate like traditional businesses. But looking more deeply, one discovers the defining characteristics of the social enterprise: mission is at the centre of business, with income generation playing an important supporting role (2008 definition from the Centre for Community Enterprise).

Features:

  • Social enterprise is a business;
  • The business profits are often used to fund the organization's social mission;
  • Can offer training or employment for the marginalized;
  • Can fill a community need not being met by traditional business;
  • A possible solution for long-term organizational sustainability (not a quick fix);
  • Offers good or service into the market place;
  • Requires full Board, staff, and decision-maker buy-in.

Benefits:

  • Create and sustain a revenue generating business;
  • Lessen reliance on grants and government funding;
  • Provide employment to people not participating in the traditional work force, and lessen their reliance on the social safety net;
  • Control the services that are offered to constituents, instead of following funders' mandates;
  • Become a self reliant, more self-sustainable organization.

For a more expansive explanation of social enterprise, click here.

The BC Centre for Social Enterprise is a resource for knowledge exchange, education, and professional development, offering social enterprise workshops, feasibility study and business plan preparation, advice regarding social enterprise grants, specialized one-on-one technical assistance, plus the hosting of an onsite and online library related to social enterprise and the social economy.

Enter the website of the Centre here. Once online, don't forget to register for the free online social enterprise newsletter, to remain updated on news and local events.

The BC Centre for Social Enterprise is spearheaded by Community Futures South Fraser, and was launched with the organizational support of MCC Employment and Community Development, and the financial support of Western Economic Diversification.

For more information, contact Centre Director Stacey Corriveau at stacey@centreforsocialenterprise.com

To learn more, click on these links:

Other important social economy involvement:


   Top