cities and social entrepreneurship

8/29/2014

Cities across the country -- and the world -- are booming with social entrepreneurs. Stretching from the Eastern Seaboard through the Rust Belt and to the Northwest, social innovators and entrepreneurs are changing the face and feel of cities.

Urban social entrepreneurs share a passion for making their cities better for people -- whether they are techies, artists, or foodies, they want to combine livelihood with livability.

BALTIMORE CITY is a hotbed of social innovation -- Baltimore Social Enterprise, the Social Innovation Lab, Social Innovation Journal, and, of course, CityLab. Video production libraries for film makers, community gardens for food deserts, maker spaces for inventors, and collaborative kitchens for foodies make Baltimore's eclectic collection of Downtown, Charles Street Corridor, and Harbor Waterfront neighborhoods a mecca for creative, enterprising people.

One of the coolest new Baltimore social innovations is Section 1, Richard Best's public art park in Station North underneath the Jones Falls Expressway.

What is social enterprise?
Not everyone is on the same page about social enterprise -- or "social entrepreneurship" and "social innovation" -- there are various terms and definitions for the activities people undertake to create social good. Some people define social entrepreneurship within the domain of strictly nonprofit philanthropy; others look to for-profit businesses with a social mission as exemplars; others reject narrow definitions.

While many are impatient with the traditional model of philanthropy, others are not so quick to marketize good will and social enterprise. See the The Atlantic for a critical look at the for-profit trend in philanthropy in "Is For-Profit the Future of Philanthropy?"

How do you define social enterprise? Social entrepreneurship? Social innovation?
What kind of social enterprise is going on in your neighborhood?

4 Comments

Patrick Dunn

9/14/2014 14:12:49

Interesting read on the rise of social enterprise/entrepreneurship in Washington, DC. Enjoy!

http://inthecapital.streetwise.co/2012/03/19/dc-is-fifth-best-city-for-social-enterprise-jobs-infographic/

Beth Houser

9/15/2014 09:33:45

That's a really interesting read, Patrick - thanks for sharing! I like how they've summed it up: "social enterprises use a sustainable business model to solve a social and/or environmental issue. The value placed on profit varies, but impact is never sacrificed for profit." If you ask me, that's what I think of when I hear "business with humanity in mind" (the JHU Carey mission statement). In a social enterprise, impact (i.e., the social or environmental root issue) is the principal driver, which is what distinguishes it from capital-driven businesses that focus on shareholder value and bottom lines.

Kenneth Snell

9/22/2014 05:38:02

After reading this my question is whether a “for-profit” Social
Enterprise is the correct business model to solve social and
environmental issues. I am on the fence but many will argue in favor
of “for-profit enterprise” based on several false assumptions, such as
for-profits are the only sustainable revenue model and non-profs
(philanthropic revenue) are far less reliable. My question to Mr.
Pierre, the author of the article, is what is the metric for
determining if the “impact” is or is not sacrificed for profit?
In the previously posted article, Is For-Profit the Future of
Non-Profit?, the author addresses “marketized philanthropy” which is
another way of describing for-profit social enterprise. The author
goes on to say that for-profits, or consumption philanthropy,
“corrupts the very behavior that should expand our capacity of
empathy…” I realize that we live thrive on capitalism, but is social
enterprise really the most suitable venue for realizing a profit?
Should we shun businesses that generate revenue off the misfortunes of
others, or do we support those endeavors since it encourages
participation and involvement from those who would otherwise never
donate money to good causes? As stated before, I am still on the
fence but would be interested to know what others think.

Nate Byer

10/5/2014 03:11:05

Detroit is home to so many amazing individuals and organizations dedicated to creating a strong "place" around communities that have been written off by most of America. Recycle Here!, run by Matt Naimi, is one of these organizations.

http://placemaking.mml.org/recycle-here/

Started in 2005, Recycle Here! has grown and is an amazing community anchor and resounding success. To pull directly from the link above:

"Rapidly growing recycling drop-off program with over 65,000 visits in 2012, both at their main facility at 1331 Holden Street and at mobile and neighborhood drop-off stations around the city. Green Living Science educational nonprofit has educated over 50,000 school children through a partnership with Detroit Public Schools. The for-profit arm of the operation, GreenSafe, is now providing cups for the Detroit Lions and had over $2 million in sales in 2012. Lincoln Street Art Park hosts frequent community events and showcases the work of many local muralists, sculptors and musicians."

As someone who spent time at this amazing complex in the heart of the city, I feel comfortable saying Naimi's work is a powerful example for how non-profit and for-profit can combine to deliver community good in a tangible, trackable, and integrated way.

CITYNOTES