Institute for Social Entrepreneurs

The Institute for Social Entrepreneurs is a for-profit consulting company founded in 1999 by Jerr Boschee, who served for the previous eight years as President and CEO of The National Center for Social Entrepreneurs. Among the National Center’s major accomplishments during Boschee’s tenure were creation of The National Gathering for Social Entrepreneurs (now known as the Social Enterprise Alliance) and The Affirmative Business Alliance of North America (now known as the Americas Group of Workability International), the first two membership organizations for entrepreneurs in the field of social enterprise. Under his leadership, the National Center also mounted demonstration projects in nine cities that helped more than 60 nonprofits change their organizational cultures and begin adopting entrepreneurial strategies.

Seed Initiative

The Seed Initiative inspires, supports and researches exceptional, entrepreneurial, nascent, multi-stakeholder partnerships for locally-led sustainable development.

innovative ideas, with good scope for expansion, adaptation, and replication elsewhere

with potential to become engines of sustainable growth, tenacious and creative in improving incomes and livelihoods

in the early stages of their development and in need of capacity building and technical assistance to move from “idea” to “implementation”

social entrepreneurs, communities, women’s groups, companies and others, holding a common vision and pooling their resources to achieve it

fermenting ideas and actions which bring direct benefits to people on the ground and are more suited to local circumstances

finding new ways of simultaneously
- improving incomes and strengthening livelihoods,
- tackling poverty and marginalisation
- managing and conserving natural resources

Skoll Foundation

The Skoll Foundation was created by Jeff Skoll in 1999 to pursue his vision of a world where all people, regardless of geography, background or economic status, enjoy and employ the full range of their talents and abilities. Skoll, who was the first employee and first President of eBay, believes that strategic investments in the right people can lead to lasting social change.

The Skoll Foundation’s mission is to advance systemic change to benefit communities around the world by investing in, connecting and celebrating social entrepreneurs. Social entrepreneurs are proven leaders whose approaches and solutions to social problems are helping to better the lives and circumstances of countless underserved or disadvantaged individuals. By identifying the people and programs already bringing positive changes to communities throughout the world, the Skoll Foundation empowers them to extend their reach, deepen their impact and fundamentally improve society.

Social Edge

Social Edge launched in June 2003 with the mission to:
• Connect social entrepreneurs, their partners and allies to discuss cutting-edge issues shaping the field
• Foster frank dialogue, mutual respect and a sense of community among all in the sector
• Promote learning from the best, promising and disastrous practices

Social Edge has become a site where social entrepreneurs, philanthropists and other practitioners of the social benefit sector connect to network, learn, inspire and share resources. The site strikes a balance between the visionary and the practical, with its spirited discussions and online workshops and features.

Social Edge has an audience of tens of thousands of social entrepreneurs around the world; it is particularly targeted at social entrepreneurs with limited access to other local resources and practitioners due to the nature of their work (e.g., international development) or their location (e.g., developing countries or in rural areas).

The New Heros

The New Heroes tells the dramatic stories of 14 daring people from all corners of the globe who, against all odds, are successfully alleviating poverty and illness, combating unemployment and violence, and bringing education, light, opportunity and freedom to poor and marginalized people around the world.

Also known as “social entrepreneurs,” they develop innovations that bring life-changing tools and resources to people desperate for viable solutions. What is possible? You’d be surprised. Take a journey into a world where people take action to make a big difference.  PBS