Where can I find complete information about Social
Venture Institute (SVI)?
SOCIAL FUSION FACT SHEET
What is Social Fusion?
Social Fusion is a social purpose incubator that builds the community, capital and credibility that social entrepreneurs need to build and expand sustainable social enterprises. Social Fusion's philosophy rests on the premise that sustainable innovation requires an ecosystem of support that links business expertise, proactive investment, and a professional network of social entrepreneurs that are advancing new methods for systematic social change.
Accepted ventures usually participate in the program for 1-2 years. Venture acceptance is highly selective to ensure a high fit among participants. Both in-house residency and service only options are available for local and global social entrepreneurs.
^ back to top
Who does Social Fusion serve?
Social Fusion works with local and global social entrepreneurs that have created exceptional hybrid businesses, both nonprofit and for-profit, that deliver large-scale social impact through a strong business model.
The leaders we serve have developed business solutions that deliver transformative social change solutions that are innovative and distinct from existing efforts; that can be scaled and/or replicated to serve other communities and geographies; and that produce integrated financial and social/environmental returns by serving large and growing underserved markets.
Social Fusion also serves the investors, philanthropists and business leaders that are creating the support social entrepreneurs require to ensure a healthy, wealthy and sustainable planet.
^ back to top
What is a Social Entrepreneur?
Professor Gregory Dees has written a powerful vision and definition of a social entrepreneur:
Social entrepreneurs play the role of change agents in the social sector, by:
- Adopting a mission to create and sustain social value (not just private value)
- Recognizing and relentlessly pursuing new opportunities to serve that mission
- Engaging in a process of continuous innovation, adaptation, and learning
- Acting boldly without being limited by resources currently in hand
- Exhibiting a heightened sense of accountability to the constituencies served and for the outcomes created
^ back to top
What stage of organization does Social Fusion serve?
Social Fusion focuses on early and transitional stage ventures that are poised for strong growth. The primary question an interested venture should examine in determining whether it is at the stage where it would fit with Social Fusion's programs is whether it is "funding ready" and at or near the point of substantial expansion. In other words, do the strong leaders of this venture have a robust business model and demonstrated traction behind them to move forward on creating and expanding financially sustainable social impact. Please refer to the acceptance criteria for each program more details. more information »
^ back to top
Who are Social Fusion's Partners and Supporters?
Social Fusion is committed to high value partnerships that create ripple impact to ensure that small amounts of resources deliver disproportionate impact. Core to Social Fusion's support of social entrepreneurs is a robust network of peers, business leaders and innovative philanthropists and investors that support one another in practicing both business and philanthropy in a new way. This distinctive group understands that in order to make innovation sustainable, we must build communities of support locally that are connected across borders. more information »
^ back to top
What are Social Fusion's 2005 Programs?
Social Fusion's programs are designed to help both for-profit and nonprofit social ventures launch and grow their organizations. The programs extend the success of Social Fusion's incubator services to a broader audience of social entrepreneurs, and emphasize partnership and resource sharing to enable high-potential ventures to grow more efficiently. Social Fusion offers three annual programs focused on building networks, capital and knowledge.
(1) Networks: Conversations in Social Enterprise is a leading Speakers Series that provides an excellent opportunity for social ventures to share Best Practices with peers, investors, industry leaders. more information »
(2) Capital: Social Fusion offered in 2003 the first Nonprofit Venture Series and first ever Boot Camp and curriculum for social entrepreneurs. In 2004 Social Fusion partnered with Investor's Circle and worked with Springboard Enterprises to co-host two successful for-profit social venture forums to bring Venture investing discipline and capital opportunities to social entrepreneurs. In 2005 Social Fusion will partner again with Investor's Circle and with the Women's Technology Cluster to support two social venture forums on both the west coast and east coast in the U.S.
(3) Knowledge: Social Venture Institute (SVI) Executive Forum is a senior level opportunity for for-profit and nonprofit social ventures to meet with a select group of social, foundation and business innovators to discuss and create high-potential partnerships to address social entrepreneurial sector growth and challenges. more information »
Social Fusion also offers an International Gateway that provides select global social ventures with unique access to U.S. networks and development resources, to bridge global divides and deliver large-scale social impact.
^ back to top
Are there fees for Social Fusion services?
Social Fusion is a social enterprise. It is a nonprofit organization that serves public benefit by leveraging its resources through income generation that includes client fees and other mission relevant activities. The social entrepreneurs we serve are provided highly subsidized access to resources and services.
^ back to top
Can I order workshop materials from Social Fusion's programs?
In response to strong demand, the sessions from our 2005 Conversations in Social Enterprise Speakers Series will be available by direct order. Please inquire in-person at the first event in April, or online beginning in May. We also hope to offer limited online video feed for sessions on a test-basis beginning in May, 2005. Unfortunately, Social Fusion is not able to provide written materials from our programs.
^ back to top
How do I get more information?
We hope that the comprehensive online information and additional PDF files that you can download from this site offer you full information about who we are, what we do and how you may get further involved. We also invite you to join us in person for a once every other month Social Fusion Salon, an informational session open to the public to learn more about social entrepreneurs and Social Fusion. You may join this session in person, or by conference phone. For further information and to RSVP to this session, please email info@socialfusion.org
^ back to top
How can I get involved?
There are several ways to become more engaged with Social Fusion:
^ back to top
CONVERSATIONS IN SOCIAL ENTEPRISE FAQ
What is the Conversations in Social Enterprise Speakers Series?
Conversations in Social Enterprise is an excellent opportunity for you to share Best Practices and network with industry leaders and fellow social entrepreneurs. Each session addresses a critical growth challenge for social entrepreneurs. Both for-profit and nonprofit ventures will increase their exposure to successful models of using business and "double bottom line" approaches for growing social ventures. Collectively we will push social enterprises practices to the next level. more information »
^ back to top
What are the 2005 Best Practices Lunch Series dates and topics?
5/27/05 Media Mavens: The Art and Compromise of Selling Good News
6/24/05 Social Change - for Profit? I: Capital Shakers and Market Makers
7/29/05 Social Change - for Profit? II: Hybrid Capital and Sustainability
8/26/05 Supersizing Good: Lessons from the Trenches in Going Corporate
9/23/05 Generation Next: Empowering the Youth of Today
10/21/05 Taking it to Scale: An Entrepreneur’s Journey from Seed to Success
^ back to top
SVI FAQ
What is the Social Venture Institute (SVI)?
The Social Venture Institute (SVI) is an opportunity for social entrepreneurs to meet with a select group of social, foundation and business innovators to discuss and create high-potential partnerships to address social entrepreneurial sector growth and challenges. Industry expert panelists and established social entrepreneurs will share leading practices in social entrepreneurism. Funders (both nonprofit and for-profit) with a high interest in social enterprise will participate in all sessions. more information »
^ back to top
When are the Social Venture Institute (SVI) sessions?
SVI San Francisco Feb 28 - Mar 1 2005
SVI Boston Nov 17 -18 2005
Who are the organizers of the Social Venture Institute (SVI)?
Social Fusion and Social Venture Network
Where can I find complete information about Social Venture Institutes (SVI)?
Please visit Social Venture Network.
^ back to top
