Spreading Social Innovation

Social innovation often starts with an individual idea, but it takes a vast community of stakeholders to spread the ideas that work. Nonprofits, foundations, businesses, and government agencies are most successful in creating lasting social impact when they work together to advance social innovations through the stages of early development, proliferation, proven outcomes, and widespread impact.

A student of Future Chefs at an event for a local food magazine. Future Chefs is a 2011 Social Innovator that prepares motivated, Boston-area youth for quality early employment and post-secondary education in the culinary

Books

Business Planning For Enduring Social Impact: A How-to Guide
by Andrew Wolk and Kelley Kreitz

Building a Performance Measurement System: A How-to Guide
by Andrew Wolk, Anand Dholakia, and Kelley Kreitz

Articles

“Government and Social Innovation: Current State and Local Models”
by Andrew Wolk and Colleen Ebinger in MIT Innovations Journal

An analysis of current government initiatives to advance social innovation and spread working solutions featured in MIT Innovations Journal

“The Business of Social Change: Root Cause’s Social Innovation Forum Models a New Approach to Funding Nonprofits Locally”

Perspectives: Related Posts from Our Blog

“End-of-Year Reflections on Social Innovation and Investing in What Works”

Collaborations to Achieve Social Impact: How to Balance a Three-Legged Stool”

“Reinventing Our Image: The Art of Social Innovation”

“Social Innovation: The Next Chapter”

“Observing the Growth of a Field”

Webinar

"Social Innovation: From Demonstrating Effectiveness to Scaling Impact"

Andrew Wolk leads a conversation with social innovators about their successes, challenges, and advice to others. Doreen Treacy and Karen Van Unen share how Dotwell collected and used performance data about the Fiscal Health Vital Signs project, an early stage innovation to move people from poverty to self-sufficiency. Bob Giannino-Racine discusses how ACCESS, a college access initiative, took on the challenges of scaling a successful innovation, from raising funds to partnering for high quality service delivery.