Written by Justin Chan, Founder of The Community Company.

Published on May 9, 2022. Opinion article written for the Guelph Mercury. 5 Minute Read.

It used to be that for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations had their places: one existed to make money and the other existed to make our community better.

But have you noticed that more for-profit businesses are creating social impact? And more nonprofits and charities are selling products? At the intersection of business and nonprofit is Social Enterprise, and I believe nonprofits are in the perfect position to become the leaders in this growing space.

Nonprofits understand what works and what’s broken with our system because they live it day in and day out. They are already creating new and innovative projects because of resource and funding constraints.

And by definition, they are legally mandated to prioritize our community.

For those unfamiliar with the term, a Social Enterprise is an organization that uses business principles to achieve a social objective. It can be as broad as solving food insecurity in Canada, or as narrow as providing opportunities for people experiencing homelessness in Guelph. There are approximately 10,000 Social Enterprises in Ontario and 67% of them are less than 3 years old.

Through my journey both studying Social Enterprises and creating them for nonprofits,

If we equipped nonprofits with the right business tools and knowledge, they’re in the best position to design a better system that addresses our most pressing social issues.

A well developed Social Enterprise shows our community a better way of doing business. It proves without a doubt that their purchases can make a difference in both the short and long term.

With charitable giving down 12% over the past two years and the younger generation giving differently, I believe Social Enterprise needs to be considered by every nonprofit. It can be the key to sustaining their social impact, while inviting the community in to be part of the change.

I started The Community Company in 2018 as a passion project to build a better community. We partnered with nonprofits to create products like holiday cards and tote bags that invited people to be part of the change. Now, we’re equipping and working alongside nonprofits to develop and launch their dream Social Enterprise.

I believe Social Enterprise is the future for nonprofits because it combines their existing social impact and expertise, with the efficiencies of business.

It’s not an either-or anymore, it's both.

Do you have any partnership ideas, questions, or want to learn more?

Feel free to send me a direct message by filling out the form! You can also visit our Social Enterprise Development page by clicking the button below.