Research guides: Entrepreneurship: Resources for Social Entrepreneurs

Resources for Social Entrepreneurs

The resources on this page link to a variety of organizations engaged with social entrepreneurship. Most content is free and open.

Canadian Social Entrepreneurship Foundation (CSEF)
CSEF is a Not For Profit, is registered in British Columbia, Canada. The foundation invests in Canadian social enterprises in the fields of Youth Development, Environment, Social Technology and Social Inventions.
Centre for Social Innovation
CSI is a Toronto-based incubator, co-working space and community hub supporting "oftentimes small, early stage, emerging and often marginalized people, nonprofits and social ventures that are working to solve a social or environmental challenge."
MaRS Library - Social Innovation
As part of the MaRS Startup Toolkit, the resources cover how to start a social enterprise or social purpose business. It includes steps on selecting the right corporate structure and relevant legislative considerations.
Social Innovation Generation
Social Innovation Generation (SiG) was a collaborative partnership founded by The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, the University of Waterloo, the MaRS Discovery District, and the PLAN Institute. The website stands as an archive to social innovation resources and programs.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership.

Becoming a Social Entrepreneur by Michael Gordon
ISBN: 0429512902
Publication Date: 2019-11-27
What's it like to be a social entrepreneur - not a textbook social entrepreneur but one on the ground?
Getting Beyond Better by Roger L. Martin; Sally Osberg; Arianna Huffington (Foreword by)
ISBN: 9781633690684
Publication Date: 2015-10-06
Who drives transformation in society? How do they do it? In this compelling book, strategy guru Roger L. Martin and Skoll Foundation President and CEO Sally R. Osberg describe how social entrepreneurs target systems that exist in a stable but unjust equilibrium and transform them into entirely new, superior, and sustainable equilibria.
In the Business of Change by Elisa Birnbaum
ISBN: 1550926640
Publication Date: 2018-05-29
Meet the social entrepreneurs who are using business to disrupt the status quo and rebuild their communities

Futurpreneur - Social Purpose Business Resources
A collection of resources curated by Futurpreneur Canada, who offers education and development opportunities, online resources and in-house experts.
Imagine Canada - Resources and Tools
From the Ontario Nonprofit Network (ONN). Including legislation, social enterprise showcases, and strategic updates from the provincial government.
Urban Institute - Nonprofits and Philanthropy research
Resources include 501(c)(3) e-filing, community sharing platform, and performance management tools.
Sustainability Disclosure Database
A sustainability report is a report published by a company or organization about the economic, environmental and social impacts caused by its everyday activities. It enables organizations to be more transparent about the risks and opportunities they face and take smart strategic decisions.

U.S. Small Business Administration
The business structure you choose influences everything from day-to-day operations, to taxes, to how much of your personal assets are at risk.
Futurpreneur - Social Purpose Business Resources
Futurpreneur Canada has been fueling the entrepreneurial passions of Canada’s young enterprise for two decades.
Federal corporations, Canada
Incorporating or making changes to a business corporation, not-for-profit, cooperative or board of trade.

Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship (University of Oxford) - Blog
A blog collection of Oxford’s students, alumni, and the local community to catalyse ventures that accelerate positive systemic change.
Social Enterprise Ontario
The SEontario website is a community-driven showcase and resources of social enterprise (SE) and the social economy in Ontario.
Ashoka Canada
Ashoka Canada is a social-profit company activating a nation of changemakers to build a more just and sustainable society.
Social Innovation Canada
Social Innovation Canada (SI Canada) is an initiative to connect social innovation practitioners, build the capacity of the sector, and to elevate this work in Canada and beyond.