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Four Key Challenges Facing India’s Local Energy Enterprises During COVID-19 – And 16 Ways Funders Can Help
COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on last-mile energy companies. SELCO Foundation recently conducted surveys and conversations with 33 local Indian energy enterprises about the challenges they're facing. Sarah Alexander explores what these businesses shared about how governments, investors, philanthropies and other stakeholders can support them.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Energy, Finance, Social Enterprise
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Innovating on the Pay for Success Model: How ‘Social Derivatives’ Can Unlock Everyday Giving to Incentivize Greater Impact
Pay-for-success models have generated considerable excitement in the social finance sector. But according to Akhil Pawar and Geet Kalra at Yunus Social Business, the approach presents several challenges, mainly around the question of who will pay, and how to ensure an economical structure. They share a potential solution that leverages retail giving, substituting large donors with small ones by using "social derivatives."
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing, Social Enterprise
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Leading a Social Impact Organization During COVID-19: Eight Ways to Navigate the Current Crisis
Leading a social impact-focused organization during a crisis like COVID-19 isn't easy. Alex Counts, the founder of Grameen Foundation and author of two recent books on mission-driven leadership, shares some of the top lessons he has learned from his decades in the sector, to help leaders guide their non-profits and social enterprises through this time of national and global crisis.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Social Enterprise
- Tags
- COVID-19, nonprofits
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No Light at the End of the Tunnel: Why Social Entrepreneurs Are Susceptible to Burnout – And How They Can Prevent It
Starting a business is hard – whether it's a tech company or a social enterprise. Both technology and social startups face an endless set of problems and long, grueling work hours. But as Sam Alhadeff at Finding Impact points out, social enterprises lack the "light at the end of the tunnel" of a large potential pay-out from an acquisition or IPO. He shares several ways social entrepreneurs can avoid burnout and achieve long-term personal and professional fulfillment.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
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Unicorns vs. Camels: Three Lessons for Building Resilient Businesses – Despite the COVID-19 Crisis
As COVID-19 continues to transform the global economy, many businesses are shifting towards safety and longer-term thinking. But as Alex Lazarow at Cathay Innovation points out, many social entrepreneurs have been building sustainability and resilience into their business models from day one. He contrasts the approach of these "camels" to the growth-at-all-costs model common among "unicorns."
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Social Enterprise
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From Student to Entrepreneur: 18 Tips for Starting a Career in Social Impact
Each year, hundreds (if not thousands) of engaged students eagerly learn the art of social change. But does a career in social impact really begin in the classroom, or out in the “real world?” Long-term social entrepreneur Ken Banks shares a few of the lessons he has learned in practice, which could help students and others start their careers in social innovation.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
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Moving Past Traditional Philanthropy: A Q&A with Enterprise Development Pioneer Frank Giustra
Earlier this year, the Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership announced that it was spinning off from the Clinton Foundation, where it had been an initiative since its founding in 2007. The independent organization, now called Acceso, works to build businesses and connect them to the broader marketplace – particularly in Latin America. Its founder, Frank Giustra, discusses its new focus and ongoing work in this Q&A.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Investing, Social Enterprise
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Revenue Over Rounds: Why We Should Encourage Entrepreneurs to Focus on Revenue Before Fundraising
Before the fallout from coronavirus, 2019 was a banner year for startup investment in Latin America. But Daniel Cossio at Village Capital cautions that Silicon Valley-levels of funding could incentivize startups to scale too big, too fast — leading to high-profile failures. He urges investors and entrepreneurs to resist the growth-at-all costs mentality and come up with an alternative definition of startup success.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
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