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  Project Information

Sustainable Financing for the Social Economy, Phases 1 and 2

Last Updated on August 12th, 2008
 

Project Title: Sustainable Financing for the Social Economy, Phases 1 and 2

Project Number: CL2-01-MB and CL2-02

Term of Project: January 2007 to January 2008

Status: Completed

Academic Researcher:

Student Researcher:

Community Researcher:

Community Partners:

Project Summary:

This 2 phase project intends to assist organizations involved in financing social enterprises to develop and deliver financial products and services that meet the various long- and short-term financing needs of this client group.

Specific Project-Level Research Objectives:

PHASE 1

  • Identify and describe the providers and types of financing instruments available to social enterprises in the study region: Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Northern Ontario

PHASE 2

  • examine sustainably financed social enterprise models currently operating
  • identify and/or develop practical tools/models that will assist financing bodies in providing funds to the social economy

The ultimate goal is to assist organizations involved in financing social enterprises to develop and deliver financial products and services that meet the various long- and short-term financing needs of this client group.

Expected Deliverables:

  1. Final reports
  2. Articles in stakeholder publications/newsletters
  3. Information on websites
  4. Presentations at public forums and conferences
  5. Working paper
  6. Add to the examples of successfully financed social economy organizations

Findings:

Organizations identified in phase 1 included government-backed loan guarantee programs, credit unions and banks, and community-based and private funds. The methodology included telephone/email surveys supplemented with key informant interviews, email and in-person interviews, and Internet research. Sixteen of the forty-six agencies approached provided information to researchers. Survey results, a discussion of the social enterprise finance environment, and finance agency profiles are included in the final report.

Phase 2 focuses on financing from the social enterprise perspective, including an examination of financing strategies as they change throughout the life of the enterprise.

The final report includes a discussion of the role of finance for social enterprises, outlines the “Five Stage Enterprise Development Path,” and concludes with four case studies of independent social enterprises in Winnipeg, highlighting key elements in their history and strategies.

Project Poster: Poster (pdf)

Final Reports: Final Report - Phase 1 (pdf) and Final Report - Phase 2 (pdf)

Projected Expenditures: Phase 1 - $5,000 (internship) / Phase 2 - $11,000 (scholarship)

In-Kind Contributions:

Publicity:

Dissemination Activities:

Additional Notes:

Phase 1 of this project was funded by WIRA, which provided an internship.  Phase 2 was funded by Cluster 2: Financing Social Enterprise, which provided a scholarship.