Social Innovation Forum

WHO WE ARE 

The Social Innovation Forum is the strategic philanthropy program of Root Cause. Each year, the Social Innovation Forum partners with leading local funders to select four to six innovative, effective nonprofit organizations, or Social Innovators, that are working on the most pressing social issues in Greater Boston. We offer our Social Innovators consulting and executive coaching support and introduce them to our network of social impact investors interested in supporting outstanding organizations with cash donations, volunteer time, in-kind resources,  and personal referrals or connections.

OUR HISTORY

The Social Innovation Forum began as a pilot project in 2003, organized by a volunteer collaborative of ten leading organizations from the Boston nonprofit sector providing expertise in a range of areas:

  • High Engagement Grantmaking: New Profit Inc., Social Venture Partners, Trefler Foundation, and United Way of Massachusetts Bay
  • Leadership Development: Eureka-Boston and Root Cause
  • Promotion of Philanthropy: Catalogue for Philanthropy, Merrill Lynch, More Than Money, and Giving Network at Associated Grant Makers

Due to the overwhelming success of the first Forum, the collaborative chose to spin off the Forum as a separate initiative. One of the original collaborative members, Root Cause, adopted the Social Innovation Forum as one of its initiatives.

A RIGOROUS PROCESS FOR IDENTIFYING TOP SOCIAL INNOVATORS

Through a rigorous selection process involving social issue experts, philanthropists, and leading practitioners, the Social Innovation Forum identifies four to six innovative, results-oriented nonprofits poised for growth and increased social impact. Based on outside evaluators' input and the Social Innovation Forum's own due diligence process, we are able to assure social impact investors and pro-bono partners that an investment in the Social Innovation Forum or in one of our portfolio organizations will return significant social impact.

Our selection criteria for nonprofit organizations are:

  • Are focused on meeting a specific social need described in one or more of our social issue tracks
  • Are working primarily in the greater Boston area
  • Are a registered 501(c)(3) or use a fiscal agent
  • Have been operating for at least one cycle (usually a year) and have a proven concept
  • Have a minimum of 1.5 FTE’s
  • Have an annual operating budget of $100,000 - $2 million*
  • Have or are developing a diversified funding portfolio

Our desired traits of Social Innovators are:

  • Have a vision of the social change their work will achieve and are committed to driving toward that vision
  • Are innovative, resourceful, and results-oriented
  • Know their core programs and competencies well
  • Are adaptive, good listeners, and good learners
  • Are willing to work with a team of consultants and coaches on fundraising, presentation, and leadership skills
  • Are eager to draw upon best practices from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to maximize social impact
  • Plan to continue leading their organizations for at least the next two to three years

A PROVEN APPROACH FOR SUPPORTING SOCIAL INNOVATORS

Once selected, Social Innovators receive twelves months of intensive support from the Social Innovation Forum, including:

  • Consulting: identification of Social Impact Model and growth plan, preparation of a presentation for investors, and a mini-prospectus
  • Executive Coaching: a year of guidance from an experienced business executive
  • Presentation Advising: presentation and messaging support from high-level business executives
  • Graphic Design Support: creation of a professional look for investment presentations and design of operating model
  • Relationship Building Support: advice on funding strategies, and events to raise organizational profile
  • Performance Measurement Support: selection of key targets, quarterly progress reporting, and presentation back to the Social Impact Investment Community of successes and lessons learned
  • In-Kind Services: connections to in-kind service providers, including media and marketing services, legal services, research analysis, technology development, and leadership development
  • Access to New Networks: exposure to a community of Social Impact Investors – investors of time, talent, and resources interested in matching dollars to impact

THE SHOWCASE EVENT

Modeled on a venture capital forum, our annual Showcase gives Innovators the opportunity to pitch their organizations to an audience of Social Impact Investors – business leaders, foundations, government officials, and philanthropists. Attendees will:

  • Listen to the Innovators' pitch presentations learn how each organization is tackling an important social issue that affects communities in greater Boston.
  • Meet and network with other social impact investors
  • Learn firsthand how high-engagement philanthropy builds effective organizations that generate long-term solutions
  • Learn how best to leverage their time, talent, relationships, and personal contributions with confidence

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