Scarcity can be a very nasty thing. People war over scarce resources: oil, water, investment capital. For social entrepreneurs and impact investors, the war is not life-or-death, but it often does have a profound effect on one’s livelihood. When people think there is not enough to go around, self-interest kicks in, as does short-term thinking. [...]
Two months ago, I introduced you to Mark Moore and Bret Raymond, founders of Mother Administrative Nutritive Aid (MANA), an organization that aims to be a fully sustainable producer of ready-to-use-therapeutic-food by 2012. Last time, we took a look at the importance of owning an authentic mission, making sure it is measurable and concrete. MANA [...]
My organization, Sparkseed, recently ran a successful grassroots fundraising campaign. Most of the legwork was done in just three weeks and we raised over $20,000. After crossing the fundraising finish line I reflected on the experience and realized that a great question to ask at the start of any campaign is, “How can we use [...]
With only one week left for nominations the Minnesota Community Foundation and Social Venture Partners Minnesota are wrapping up their search for the top philanthropist in Minnesota. The honor of being the top giver in the land of 10,000 lakes is in the form of the Engaged Philanthropist Award and honors exemplary social investors. Keep [...]
The following post is from the beautifully articulated TBD email by All Day Buffet. Throughout the decades, one word has lasted to describe the unadulterated creative capacity of humanity: awesome. In a world increasingly overrun by the mundane, ordinary, and co-opted, who will defend the legacy of this essential quality? The Awesome Foundation for Arts [...]
The Global Social Benefit Incubator (GSBI™) is exactly as it sounds, an incubator for social entrepreneurs. The four-month online and two-week intensive residence program costs approximately $25,000, which is why it would save you quite a bit of cash to apply for this amazing scholarship. Think of it as over a semester’s worth of social [...]
Some say that the art of storytelling is lost. I think you just need to know where to look — and Changents.com is the perfect place to lend your eyes. Changents is an Internet platform that connects people changing the world with people who help them. They understand that stories can explain complex situations, pictures [...]
Hang in there, college kids, your much-deserved winter break is almost here, but your homework isn’t over yet. The wrath of your professors might momentarily cease, but the challenges that face our world never sleep. If you’re feeling out of energy, tap into your compassion, but either way, find a way to upload your profile [...]
Youth Service America recently launched the first annual Gladys Marinelli Coccia Awards to recognize two young female social entrepreneurs, ages 14 to 17, whose initiatives serve the common good. The awards are created in memory of Gladys Coccia, who began her entrepreneurial career when she was a young girl in West Virginia and later became [...]
A program of the Starbucks Foundation, the Starbucks Shared Planet Youth Action Grants program is designed to help young people realize their natural potential to reinvent their local communities. The program is the primary vehicle through which the Starbucks Foundation invests in communities globally as part of the Starbucks Shared Planet commitment to communities. Since [...]
In the second part of my interview with Marian Moore, Senior Advisor in Business Development for the social investment fund, Renewal 2, and philanthropic coach, Marian discusses how to move your mission forward as well as the different degrees of activism that come with managing your money. She references Renewal’s Play BIG, a series of [...]
As we try to expand the scope of Social Earth and our ability to deliver you quality content, it is my personal goal to start posting more videos and interviews. I am not a videographer by any means, but I have been blessed with a fairly steady hand and I have a lot of amazing [...]
If you haven’t joined the hottest online community for social change, now is a better time than ever. BetterTheWorld.com, a Web site/community that allows users to donate to nonprofits by surfing the Web, recently launched their Final 4 Contest where members can earn $4,000 for their choice charity and an extra $2,000 for their school. [...]
