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Obama White House Wishlist: 'Office of Social Entrepreneurship'
Published November 14, 2008 @ 02:01PM PST
The Chronicle of Philanthropy reported yesterday that influential progressive think tanks New Democracy Fund and the Center for American Progress are advocating for the creation of a White House Office for Social Entrepreneurship.
While Obama had advocated for a Social Entrepreneurship Agency on the campaign trail, his stated proposal would have it in the Corporation for National and Community Service. A White House placement could signal that nonprofits and social enterprises will have a more important role partnering to enact change than in the past.
The proposals also articulate several ideas for promoting social entrepreneurship and nonprofit action, including creating funding programs that reward innovation, tax incentives for partnerships between nonprofits and businesses, new development aid that better mirrors the private sector investment model of the Acumen Fund.
All of these things would be incredible, and are high on my White House wishlist, but when it comes to government, the emphasis has to be on building a sustainable infrastructure for social innovation. In my mind, this means:
Updated tax code. Nonprofit tax code needs to be made simpler and more concise. We need to revisit the question of nonprofit lobbying (I'm not sure where I stand, but the discussion needs to happen). We need to explore ideas like those advocated above that reward corporate-nonprofit partnerships. Perhaps most of all, we need a tax structure that accommodates social enterprises and social businesses. L3C-type efforts need to become a national conversation.
Financial support for early stage markets and innovations. I love the idea behind the innovation competitions that folks are proposing, and think the emphasis should be supporting research and development and experimentation in arenas where there's simply too little for-profit capital available to spark innovation. At the same time, it would be important to maximize the comparative advantage of the government's more "patient capital" (i.e. less pressure for immediate profit maximization) and minimize unnecessary interference in more developed markets.
Support for quality standards for sustainability. As more companies tout their "green," "sustainable," and "socially-responsible," a new generation of independent certifiers and watchdogs are emerging to minimize "green-washing" and make sure companies are living up to their promises. I'm not sure what the proper role for the government in these efforts is - perhaps its nothing more than convening the various actors to try to create cross-sector momentum for standards - but I believe it has a role to play.
Unleashing the power of a new generation of change agents. The Millennial Generation so excited about Obama's presidency are incredibly progressive in their approach to social change. As I've argued before, their focus is on impact, and tend to believe that government, businesses, and the nonprofit sector all have important roles to play in tackling society's most pressing issues. Not only should the Obama administration enact a national service plan, the opportunites and training the program provides should full incorporate social enterprise, social business in order to help the generation fully understand the options they have to create change over the course of their lifetimes.
What's on your wishlist?
Comments
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Author
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Nathaniel Whittemore
- Evanston, IL
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Nathaniel is the founding Director of the Center for Global Engagement at Northwestern University, which works annually with hundreds of students in dozens of countries around the world through curricular programs and student project incubation.
The Case Foundation, a partner of Change.org, is running a campaign called "Change Begins With Me," which
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Good to see that the new administration has the right focus. I am looking forward to seeing these plans in action...
Posted by Marc Dangeard on 11/14/2008 @ 02:38PM PST
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I love it. Action is finally being taken. I will wait for the results.
Verlia
Posted by Verlia Caldwell on 11/14/2008 @ 04:47PM PST
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Pretty impressive
Posted by Oz Omoluabi on 11/14/2008 @ 07:31PM PST
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I have long wanted an email address so the citizens from the whole U.S. could answer a question from the Whitehouse or the congress yes or no on a certain question of national importance. I hope this is such a service of he Obama Administration. Thenak you
Posted by Leonard Mincks on 11/14/2008 @ 09:01PM PST
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Dear President to be Obama,
In my view it is of vital importance that the Federal Government go all out on stem cell research. Remember how Nancy Reagan and her family were urging so strongly that this be done, My family feels that way too. So please.....
Martin H. Gingold
Warwick, Pa. 18974
Posted by Martin Gingold on 11/15/2008 @ 11:27AM PST
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im very happy for you, wonderfull man, wonderfull president.
im italian
Posted by raffaele fardella on 11/15/2008 @ 04:16PM PST
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I would like to see something which moves toward the profit for purpose model of social enterprise we leveraged in Russia following their 1998 economic collapse, it's a model that treats development aid funding as if it were investment capital.
With an initial stake of $6 million in 2001 the Tomsk Microfinance Bank funded 10,000 new businesses with > 99% repayment and survival rate over 4 years.
http://www.p-ced.com/projects/russia/
Jeff Mowatt
Posted by Jeff Mowatt on 11/18/2008 @ 12:55PM PST
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I wish there was a way to keep the IRS from taxing us thousands of dollars from 2006. We lost our business and everything we own, due to the economy crisis. And now we are very low income and on food stamps. The IRS expects us to pay them taxes on the income we made in 2006 and all the money was roled over into the properties we owned and no longer own anymore due to foreclosure.
Our family budjet only allows us to pay rent, utilities and some cosmetics. How can we possibly pay the IRS? If they detach our wages we could become homeless. My children have been through enough. Is there a way out of this mess? Please help!
Sincerly,
Mechelle Sanders
Posted by Mechelle Sanders on 11/26/2008 @ 08:52AM PST
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Mechelle,
All I can do from a long way away is to point you to a group where a lot of others are in similar situations. They want to co-create new business. There are more than 2000 now.
http://kossacksnetworking.ning.com
Jeff
Posted by Jeff Mowatt on 11/26/2008 @ 01:43PM PST
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This whole idea of social entreprenuership sound like lobbying in a different package. I object to any group for or not for profit having any more access to the government than afforded the individual by the Constitution. The government can not nor should not try to solve our social problems.
Posted by Daniel Ford on 12/12/2008 @ 02:06PM PST
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I am also a member of your moveon.org I am proud to be an American with you at the helm soon! I have fibromyalgia and am on disability. I would like to see the stem cell research put back on track. I have read that you already have the papers ready to sign on Jan 20th! Hurrah! Maybe one day I can get past the constant pain that I am in with new research. I would so love to be able to be a part of your Change America! Anything that I am able to do I will. I have donated what I can afford as I can. I also support donors choice which is for poor schools.
Betty
Posted by Betty Baum on 12/16/2008 @ 05:10PM PST
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