Welcome to the Social Enterprise Success Series: A Non-Profit Leader’s Guide. Let's walk together through what it takes to turn an idea into a thriving social enterprise—from choosing the right model and testing your concept to writing a business plan, marketing with impact, and avoiding common pitfalls. Each article is designed to give non-profit leaders practical tools, fresh insights, and the confidence to build a sustainable enterprise that grows both revenue and comm

Money is tight in non-profits. We get that! Starting a social enterprise is an exciting way for non-profits to generate sustainable revenue while creating community impact. But where do you start, and how do you avoid costly mistakes? Follow this practical roadmap and steps for non-profit leaders.

Starting a social enterprise is a powerful way for non-profits to diversify revenue, strengthen impact, and reduce reliance on grants. But let’s be honest — launching one isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. Many organizations underestimate the complexity, and that can lead to costly mistakes. As a non-profit strategist for over 20 years, I’ve seen it. I’ve seen non-profits dive in before they’ve done their homework, only to find themselves failing, with no concrete plan to

You know the non-profit world. You know how to market your organization to move your mission and vision forward. Marketing a social enterprise is different. Marketing a social enterprise balances your mission with market. To succeed, non-profit leaders must showcase your organizations social, cultural, or environmental impact while attracting, serving, and retaining paying customers. This quick guide shares our insights into successfully marketing a social enterprise.

Choosing to start a social enterprise can feel like a daunting task at first, one filled with uncertainty and risk. A thriving and successful social enterprise is built on passion – and a solid business plan. The questions included in this checklist help non-profit leaders reflect on and consider the many aspects of what launching a social enterprise involves and how to set it up for long-term success.

Many non-profit leaders ask about the difference between a social enterprise and a for-profit business. Here is our take on the situation: At its core, the differences are found in their purpose, accountability, and how success is measured.

This blog post is part of five articles on organizational sustainability. Related articles are noted at the end of the post. Stage 4: Aspirations, Results, and Strategic Goals & Objectives When considering sustainability, where you are going and the results you want to deliver are a key component of creating a sustainable organization. If you don’t know what you are working towards or the results you want to achieve, it is difficult to set a direction and move towards it.

This blog post is part of five articles on organizational sustainability. Related articles are noted at the end of the post. Stage Two: Risk Assessment The Risk Assessment component of improving sustainability builds on what was learned during the Organizational Audits and requires that the Board determine what is “acceptable” risk in several areas. As noted above, how you break out the areas that you assess or the concerns you examine depends on your current Board, what ha

When choosing KPIs and performance metrics for your non-profit strategic plan, start by asking your management team what they already track. Use existing data wherever possible, then add a few simple, measurable indicators that help your Board and Executive Director track progress, measure results, and strengthen accountability.

A good non-profit strategic plan needs goals people can actually understand and use. By getting clear on what’s behind each goal, Boards can turn big ideas into SMART goals, measurable objectives and KPIs that support accountability, guide implementation, and keep the plan moving forward—even when leadership changes.