Synopses & Reviews
"If anything, social enterprises today are learning that the universe of possible opportunities for introducing entrepreneurial activity into their organizations is limited only by their imaginations."
The idea of social entrepreneurship is becoming increasingly popular. Many nonprofit leaders are initially drawn to this concept as they search for new ways to generate funds for their organizations. But once they delve deeper, they find that being entrepreneurial is about much more than funding. It involves operating your organization with a fresh mind-set and a set of management tools that can have powerful and positive effects on how you serve your mission. True social entrepreneurs are innovative and resourceful; they mix passion with businesslike discipline; they take risks but know how to manage them; they are mission-driven but market savvy; and they are intensely focused on creating sustainable social impact. Effective social entrepreneurship is hard work but absolutely crucial to the health of the communities in which we live. This book can make it easier for you to develop your entrepreneurial skills.
Written by leading experts in the field, Enterprising Nonprofits introduces you to key elements of social entrepreneurship and equips you to become more effective as a social entrepreneur. In each chapter, you will find concise explanations of core concepts, as well as practical tools for applying the concepts. Youll also find exercises and action steps to guide you as you put the concepts and tools into practice. Throughout the book, youll learn from the experiences of successful social entrepreneurs ranging from Bill Strickland, head of the Manchester Craftsmens Guild in Pittsburgh, to Muhammed Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. Youll also uncover the strategies of some of todays most enterprising nonprofits and determine their relevance to your organization.
In addition to contributions from the three lead authors, youll benefit from advice offered by some of the best and brightest thinkers in the field, including:
- Bruce Hopkins, Polsinelli, Shalton & White
- Rob Johnston, Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management
- Jerry Kitzi, Social Venture Partners of Greater Kansas City
- Kristin Majeska, Common Good: Investments in Nonprofit Solutions
- Tom McLaughlin, BDO Seidman, LLP
- Jeanne Rooney, UMB Bank Nonprofit Financial & Advisory Services
Whether you are a nonprofit CEO, board member, staff member, or volunteer, Enterprising Nonprofits will open the door to new opportunities for you and your nonprofit organization. The more you use the skills described in this book, the better youll get at them, and the more effective your organization will become.
Review
'\"...concise explanations...\" (Oxfam Review of Journals)'
Review
"...concise explanations..." (Oxfam Review of Journals)
Synopsis
A hands-on resource that shows nonprofits how to adopt entrepreneurial behaviors and techniques
The rising spirit of social entrepreneurship has created all kinds of new opportunities for nonprofit organizations. But at the same time, many are discovering more than their share of challenges as well. This essential book will help anyone in the field gain the necessary skills to meet these challenges. Written by the leading thinkers and practitioners in the field, Enterprising Nonprofits offers concise and engaging explanations of the most successful business tools being used by nonprofits today. The authors clearly describe all the concepts so youll be able to embrace the methods of social enterprise for your organization. With this book, youll learn how to use practical business techniques to dramatically improve the performance of your nonprofit.
Praise for Enterprising Nonprofits
"I cant imagine a better team to bring powerful insights and practical guidance to social entrepreneurs. Readers will be inspired by the examples, and then they will roll up their sleeves to apply the many useful management tools in this engaging book."Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Harvard Business School, Author of Evolve!: Succeeding in the Digital Culture of Tomorrow
"In one book, Enterprising Nonprofits does for social entrepreneurs what countless volumes have done for entrepreneurs in the business sector. A wonderful mixture of analysis, practical advice, and inspiration."Paul Brest, President, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
All of the royalties from this book will be used by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to support continuing work on social entrepreneurship.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 313-318) and index.
About the Author
J. GREGORY DEES is the Miriam and Peter Haas Centennial Professor in Public Service at Stanford University and codirector of the Center for Social Innovation at Stanford's Graduate School of Business. He also serves as an entrepreneur-in-residence at the Kauffman Foundation's Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership.
JED EMERSON is president of the Roberts Enterprise Development Fund and the Bloomberg Senior Research Fellow at Harvard Business School.
PETER ECONOMY is the bestselling business author of Managing for Dummies, Consulting for Dummies, and At the Helm: Business Lessons for Navigating Rough Waters.
Table of Contents
Preface.
Editor's Introduction.
Social Entrepreneurship (J. Dees & P. Economy).
Defining Your Mission (R. Johnston).
Recognizing and Assessing New Opportunities (J. Kitzi).
Mobilizing Resources (J. Dees).
The Accountable Social Entrepreneur (J. Emerson).
Understanding Risk: The Social Entrepreneur, and Risk Management (J. Emerson).
Mastering the Art of Innovation (J. Dees).
Understanding and Attracting Your "Customers" (K. Majeska).
Financial Management (T. McLaughlin).
Planning for the Social Enterprise (J. Rooney).
Appendix A: Social Entrepreneurs' Brief Guide to the Law.
Appendix B: For Further Reading.
Index.