Supporting Social Entrepreneurs

There’s a new organization in Phoenix, Arizona called SEED SPOT that caught my attention and drew me deeper into the arena of social entrepreneurship.  

SEED SPOT describes themselves as “an incubator in Phoenix, Arizona that supports early stage social entrepreneurs that are launching ventures that create a positive impact in the lives of people and communities on a local, national, or global scale.”

What’s so intriguing about SEED SPOT?

– their clear focus on supporting individuals and organizations who are committed to making a difference;

– their collaboration with “partners” in the area who are each bringing something unique and valuable to the model;

– their comprehensive array of support including training, mentors, service providers, resources and space to work together with like-minded individuals who are making a difference.

After learning about SEED SPOT, I started digging in a little deeper into this arena. There are a number of sites and a strong and growing community of people investing their time, talent and funding in support of social entrepreneurship.

Social Edge, a program of the Skoll Foundation, provides a valuable platform for discussions about social entrepreneurship.  There, I learned about Social Actions, ” the global online community where social entrepreneurs and other practitioners of the social benefit sector connect to network, learn, inspire and share resources.”

Social Actions’ tagline, “You make a difference, we make it easy” reminds me of the Philanthropegie approach to support of philanthropic efforts.  Much like Philanthropegie’s collection of resources, Social Actions provides a great selection of Action Sources, Action Packs and Action Apps for use by those interested in this arena.

I also found a great article by Erica Swallow that identifies and describes foundations that are dedicated to support of social entrepreneurship.  In her October, 2011 article, “5 Foundations Supporting Social Good Entrepreneurship,” Erica introduces readers to: