One of the greatest needs we encounter on the field is the lack of reliable funding. This year in the Loom office we have been discussing the idea of capacity building, asking questions like: What is the role of business in a vulnerable community? What would it look like if Local Experts created sustainable businesses to support their ministries and provide needed jobs or resources in their communities?
“Social entrepreneurs share the same opportunity-seeking orientation, imagination, and determination as conventional entrepreneurs. However, they measure success in a fundamentally different way: by assessing social impact….Unlike traditional non-profit organizations, social enterprises develop business models that free them from grant dependency” (The Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship).
Social enterprise has enormous potential to not only provide sustainable funding, but meet the key needs in a community by providing jobs, leadership opportunities, and access to education and healthcare.
We’re excited about the idea of assessing and tapping into the already existing potential of these communities. Our Local Experts and their friends and families have a wealth of knowledge and skills that can be harnessed for lasting and sustainable change. One area we’re pursuing opportunities of partnership with like-minded business investors is in solar energy.
As we grow in our understanding of this area through continued research, we want to learn to think like God thinks about this topic so we can act like He acts, discovering what He is already doing in the world of social enterprise for His Kingdom, and how we can join in the movement.
If you have skills or knowledge you would like to invest into a social enterprise, we’d love to talk with you further about what that could look like.
