FINANCING THE SOCIAL ENTERPRISE: SUSTAINABLE GROWTH THROUGH SUSTAINABLE GIVING

Abstract

A social enterprise is a business with specific social objectives. Like every business endeavor, it is built on a commercial framework, yet the social enterprise aims to make – besides its money-making purpose - a powerful social, and environmental impact on the populace which it serves. Nowadays profit-making shareholders-only, mantra makes it challenging to fund a social enterprise. On the same token, the current volatile economic climate is calling for more such adaptable, and dynamic structures, which provide a solid vehicle for sustaining change, as well as strengthening the fabric of their communities, fostering socio-economic innovation, and sustainable growth. In financing such a bold and complex undertaking, we aim to find sustainable ways of funding a social enterprise, in order to make them attractive to investors, by looking at financial and non-financial return of investment. In analyzing the donor-investor model, we posit that sustainable growth can be fueled by sustainable giving, which in turn nourishes deep brain structures of fulfillment. We aim to escape the profit-loss dualistic paradigm, and expand to the plurality of multiple capitals, hence multiple returns of investment, by promoting business structures acting as pillars of socio-economic stability, in times of rapid business change, by adding new essential business skills such as social entrepreneurship (and intrapreneurship) into today’s economic enterprise, as steps towards a more sustainable business, and socio-economic future.

Keywords

• social enterprise
• financing
• social entrepreneurship
• multiple capitals
• sustainable growth
• sustainable giving