SVI Alberta’s lead organizers, the Social Enterprise Fund and Thrive (an initiative of Momentum) and SVI Hollyhock are deeply grateful for our generous sponsors who have stepped up to make the first SVI Alberta possible. SVI Alberta will take place at the Banff Centre October 15/16.
Our latest edition of Portfolio sports a whole new look, as SEF updates our brand after ten years. Take a look and find out more about the great work being done by our clients across Alberta. And stay tuned for a whole new website very soon! SEF Portfolio Summer 2018
There are a number of ideas I find myself returning to over and over again in my work with SEF’s clients – a few simple basics that may help in your thinking about working in the world of social enterprise. Income must be bigger than outgo, or you don’t get to play.
Just over a year ago, I was asked to speak on the topic “The Secret of Financing for Social Entrepreneurs.” I recently came across the notes for that talk, and realized they’re still relevant – and thought I should share them here. If you have ever tried to launch any kind of enterprise or business, you will know that access to money at the right time can be key to your success.
SEF has always believed that big impact can be created if you look at the opportunities in your own community. Lately, we have partnered in several interesting conversations and projects using community economic development to improve the lives of Albertans. If you would like to read more about community economic development and what it can do, take a look at two new publications in The Library on this site.
Yes, it has been a while, but you can find a new Spring 2016 edition of Portfolio in The Library on this site. Check out some of SEF’s newest investments — more than $25 million to over forty enterprises since we launched in 2008. And stay tuned for more great impact investments to be finalized in the coming weeks.
2014 was an important year of growth for the Social Enterprise Fund, as we passed total investments of $19m, to more than thirty clients doing good in communities across Alberta. We are grateful to all our partners for the work they do, including the City of Edmonton, the United Way, and our biggest investor, the Edmonton Community Foundation.
I am delighted to welcome Gail Yakemchuk to the SEF team as our Administrative Associate. You can read Gail’s bio on the About us page, and I hope many of you have the opportunity to meet her in person soon. I know you will give Gail the same warm welcome to the social enterprise world that you gave to me.
With the cool fall weather comes lots of new learning opportunities for social entrepreneurs. Here’s a few that caught our eye. enp-ab is teaming up with Innoweave.ca to present an “Introduction to Social Enterprise” workshop in Calgary on 18 September 2014, plus a “Social Enterprise Feasibility Workshop” on 16 October 2014, also in Calgary.
Make Something Edmonton is launching a new breakfast series, and the first topic on offer is social entrepreneurship. On 14 July 2014, you can hear three great Edmonton social entrepreneurs tell their stories. Featured are Meghan Dear of Localize, Kyle Dubé of Verto Labour Services, and Antoine Palmer of Sustainival.
