The Artha Venture Challenge is a nationwide competition that aims to provide high risk, patient capital for early stage social ventures. Up to 15 winners will get the opportunity to apply for up to INR 25 lakh funding, if matched by at least the same amount in co-investment as well as several other non-financial resources to scale their enterprises.

Applications are only open until June 17th .

Carrotmob has teamed up with the investment vehicle Greenstart, which has invested $150,000 and design services into the project.

Carrotmobs are like cash mobs, except community members earmark their spending at a store or restaurant for a specific social improvement like environmentally friendly lighting, bike racks or sustainably produced menu items. Many businesses want to make these positive changes but are limited by cash to get started, says co-founder Brent Schulkin. More than 100,000 Carrotmobbers have now engaged communities to encourage social change for 260 businesses to the tune of $1 million in 20 different countries.

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One Today is an app that brings together people and nonprofits through the simple act of giving $1.

It’s currently available on Android as a limited pilot in the U.S.  You can visit their site to request an invite.

Heads up, here’s an interesting conference coming up:

Social Entrepreneurs, Policymakers, Students, Academics and Business Leaders to converge in conference to explore maximizing the impact of social enterprises for economic development Providence to host second annual SEEED (Social Enterprise Ecosystem for Economic Development) Summit April 26-27, 2013

PROVIDENCE, RI (February 27, 2013): Brown University and Social Venture Partners Rhode Island (SVPRI) will host the Social Enterprise Ecosystem for Economic Development (SEEED) Summit April 26-27, bringing together stakeholders from the social enterprise ecosystem to share best practices for economic development. SEEED (www.seeed.org) is the first national conference that focuses on building an effective social enterprise ecosystem to drive economic development. Over 500 ecosystem stakeholders will convene to share best practices for maximizing the impact of social enterprises on economic development.

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I just started reading this book and I think it’s one that all of you would appreciate too.  In CREATING GOOD WORK, experts and experienced social entrepreneurs tell their different perspectives and points of views.  Aspiring social entrepreneurs can use these as a blueprint to get started on their entrepreneurial paths.

Featuring contributions from some of the world’s most successful social ventures such as: Benetech, Brac-USA, Root Capital, Second Muse, Share Our Strength, and YouthBuild, the guidance offered in CREATING GOOD WORK is an asset to any social entrepreneur searching for the best way to make their vision into a reality.

I think it’s critical that experienced social entrepreneurs share their stories because the combined lessons and knowledge is so helpful for future leaders to build on.

Here’s a link to the book’s page on Amazon.

Every year, in honor of International Women’s Day, Women Deliver highlights the global progress being made for girls and women. This year, voters selected from a list of 25 social enterprises that are changing the lives of girls and women around the world by addressing issues of health, gender equality, education, environmental sustainability, and more. Women Deliver worked in partnership with Echoing Green, a global nonprofit that provides seed funding and technical assistance to emerging social entrepreneurs, to select these 25 social enterprises from the semifinalists of the Echoing Green Fellowship Program.

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The Sullivan Foundation Summer Institute in Social Entrepreneurship will be held in Panama and Costa Rica from June 19 – August 14, 2013, earning 9 credit hours. Join us and students from around the world for a transformative 8-week program that shapes future leaders and change agents! From June 19 until July 17 students will study in Panama City while engaging in service based learning. From July 18 through August 14, the students will live and learn in the rain forest community of Monteverde, Costa Rica, working in teams to assist social programs and applying social entrepreneurship skills. Students may qualify for partial tuition scholarships. Go to http://www.sullivanfdn.org/social-entrepreneurs/summer-institute/ for more information and to apply.

Ennovent and WWF Switzerland are thrilled to announce that Runa (www.runa.org) was selected as the winner of the company category. The other finalists within this category were EcoPlanet Bamboo,
Wildlife Works, Rainforest Expeditions, and CHICZA.

The winners are endorsed by WWF Switzerland as best solution providers and are awarded global visibility, networking and capacity building opportunities from the challenge partners such as, Good Company, Sustainatopia and Thomson Reuters Foundations’. These Challenge rewards are important as many early-stage entrepreneurs face resource gaps – such as networks and training – that inhibit their ability to scale high potential ventures.

More details here.

Philanthropy is taking its cues from Wall Street and Silicon Valley. The language of finance is so common that it is sometimes hard to tell the difference between an investment conference and a fund-raiser. Grants are referred to as investments, and public-private partnerships as innovations. Money used to buy vans, computers and buildings is called growth capital.

NY Times

Here’s a guest piece from Social Spark:

Our society is continuing to face challenges. Yet, when it comes to developing solutions, youth are often overlooked despite being curious, resourceful, and passionate. Young people have the potential to not only be leaders of the future, but also change-makers of the present if empowered through appropriate training and guidance.

Presenting Social Spark
Social Spark is a non-profit that aims to spark change by cultivating a socially conscious and entrepreneurial spirit in youth. Through our various
programs, we are:
• Promoting the pursuit of sustainable solutions to complex social issues
• Engaging youth through hands-on opportunities to exercise their creativity, knowledge, and passion
• Training the next generation of promising social entrepreneurs and leaders

For 2012, we have partnered with the University of Toronto, Ryerson University and Western University to deliver our program through hubs on their respective campuses. Guided by a central managing team, each of our hubs will provide Social Spark members the following:

A monthly speaker series to inspire members on the topics of shared value, and social innovation and entrepreneurship. Our online platform will also provide resources to allow Canadian students to learn about what it takes to create social change.

Case competitions and relevant job postings will be made available to all members. The case competition will allow members to apply critical thinking and social innovation to existing business problems. Internships will also provide members the opportunity to work closely with our partners.

Our Social Venture Challenge (SVC) will feature 9 teams, 3 at each hub, participating in an intensive 8-month program with the goal of creating thriving social ventures. Participants will be provided with over 90 hours of hands-on mentorship and education from experienced professors and practitioners, as well as access to funding and the opportunity to pitch to investors.