SRI, Social Entrepreneurship, New Tools

Thanks to lots of people for commenting on the social investing posts (and for taking the poll). If you haven't already voted, please do so - its one multiple choice question about how foundations think about their investments - click here to take the poll.

Sandra Dickinson, among others, have commented as follows:

"This is the same question that social entrepreneurs have been wrestling with for years. Foundations spend 95% of their money to make money, and 5% to do social good. Why not evolve a strategy of investment for ALL of that money that generates both financial and a social return?"

I agree. And I see social entrepreneurism, foundation investment policies, and social capital markets as all parts of the same system - how do we use financial resources for social good, what role does the market play, what role does independent sector play, where is the public sector in all this?

I'm working on an article/posts to pull this all together. I will also create another poll about ways to more fully integrate the actions and assets of an organization to provide both financial and social returns. In the meantime, please vote on the poll we've got - I could add an option for "other" - if you think that's worth it.

And please, keep the comments coming - any input on how these pieces of the financial and social return puzzle can go together, are parts of the same systems are welcome. Most important, remember to check out the work over at blendedvalue.org - particularly the Capitalism 3.0 and articles on Investors' Tool kits.

Tags: philanthropy, socialentrepreneurs