A number of policy recommendations have been made to help evolve the nonprofit sector to its 2.0 version. What is most intriguing about these ideas is the vision to think differently about how we solve some of the biggest challenges facing our society by strengthening, leveraging and holding the sector accountable. To see a more comprehensive list of recommendations that will further such a transformation; see post on Social Entrepreneurs Engage.
However, there are two important recommendations that are extremely relative and exciting to help advance the work of the Social Venture Partner model. Imagine each Social Venture Partnership positioning their Social Investment Portfolio in a way that they could draw down a blend of matching dollars through federal grants and funding networks of public/private dollars that would ensure increased social impact.
Specifically:
A Nonprofit Capacity Building Initiative - A federal resourcing strategy to build the capacity, engage cross-sector leadership, and move local solutions to scale.
Acting as a grant making program of the Commission on Cross-Sector Solutions, the initiative would fund efforts to increase the skills, leadership and infrastructure to move good ideas to scale; and, build from the on-the-ground efforts by providing matching grants to the efforts of private and community foundations, businesses and local/state governments. This policy concept is being advanced by the National Council for Nonprofits.
A Community Solutions Fund Network - A network of funds targeted to bring together public and private dollars to help seed and nurture along (build capacity) proven on the ground solutions.
Each community is facing their own unique issues and targeted solutions. By creating a network of local and state funds that can attract a blend of corporate, governmental, and foundation grants, communities can develop a portfolio of solutions that make sense to address their unique needs. This concept is being advanced by America Forward.
The 25 Social Venture Partnerships are uniquely poised to take advantaged of these ideas. Each of us are funding a portfolio of community based organizations who we feel can have the greatest social impact when resourced with a blend of our financial, human and intellectual capital. As we think about the policy work that is relative to our individual portfolios, the question becomes, what bigger ideas can we promote that are powerful for us as a network.
