The Social Sector often uses basic tools, like hammers and nails to change the world. Instead, we need power tools. Our weekly blog, Social TrendSpotter provides you with the latest trends and ideas within the social sector. It merges current thinking with the edge of innovation to inspire, to motivate and to take action so we can all ultimately create a better sector. Social TrendSpotter includes original analysis, but also highlights the latest sector-wide thinking into a user-friendly resource where social sector professionals and students alike can draw inspiration, share ideas and develop new thinking on best practices.
We love when the best “Social TrendSpotters” – you – share your experiences, observations and suggestions with us. Share your ideas here, and follow us on Facebook (@socialimpactarchitects), LinkedIn (@social-impact-architects),Twitter (@socialtrendspot) or Instagram (@socialtrendspot) for our latest posts and other insights.
Social Impact Exchange LIVE
The Social Impact Exchange launched its Annual Conference on Scaling Impact in New York City this week, with all due fanfare. The Conference opened with the business plan competition on Monday and ended Thursday. It is a unique cross-disciplinary event...
Impact Investing Series 2 of 2: 3 Greatest Opportunities to Bring the Movement Mainstream
In order to start and grow social enterprise, capital is a critical part of the equation. In part one of this series, we discussed the basics of impact investing and greatest challenges to bringing the movement mainstream. While there are challenges, there are also...
Impact Investing Series 1 of 2: 3 Greatest Challenges to Bring the Movement Mainstream
There has been an enormous amount of content created in the last six months related to the many components of the burgeoning field of impact investing. While the coverage serves as a poignant signal of the traction the newly defined asset class has achieved, the...
Social Enterprise Alliance Summit LIVE
“Purpose will supplant information as the core of our economy.” – Aaron Hurst When we reflect on the 2013 Social Enterprise Alliance (SEA) Summit in Minneapolis, two concepts will endure. First, the Summit coined the term "purpose economy" as the defining element of...
Duke – The Fuqua School of Business Alumni Q&A with Suzanne Smith
Reprinted from Fuqua Alumni Newsletter Alumni Q&A: Suzanne Smith, 04.15.13 April 15, 2013 Daytime MBA 2008 Founder and Managing Director, Social Impact Architects What do you do professionally? I'm a serial social entrepreneur who is driven to help the social...
“In the Know” – Skoll World Forum 2013
Jeff Skoll, after creating eBay, started his next entrepreneurial venture – the Skoll Foundation (Skoll). Skoll was started in 1999 and became the largest and most influential foundation supporting social entrepreneurship through grants ($358 million in 13 years) and...
Impact Measurement Series 2 of 4: Measure What Matters
One of our favorite company mantras (we even use it on our website) is the Albert Einstein quote - “not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.” In the for-profit sector, measurement is more straightforward because all...
Five Strategies for Rethinking Revenue & Development
The last few years have been a rollercoaster for nonprofits nationwide, and to thrive, a certain evolution has taken place when it comes to the pursuit of revenue and overall operational IQ. Social TrendSpotter is pleased to showcase the recent results of a research...
Impact vs. Outcomes
The 21st century has brought a lot of change to the social sector. One of the most notable is the demand for measuring results. With this demand has come many new words — output, outcome, and impact. How are these measured, and how can you tell the difference? It can...
