Chris Allwood: August 2008 Archives
It seems a strange question, but lots of social enterprises sell
something to customers who have little interest in the social outputs
created by the business. Auction My Stuff is a prime
example - very few of our customers buy because of who we are (they
might check our feedback to make sure the gizmo they bought will turn
up, but that's about it). Should we be paid by the public purse
for the social benefits we provide?
Obviously it's attractive to have another income stream, but would it divert our attention from building a successful business? Also who would evaluate the social benefit?
One idea I’m toying with is for local authorities not to commission any community or regeneration work, but tender for specific social change. That way anyone, charity, social enterprise or business could bid to provide that change. They would be paid on the basis of the amount of change they could create. You’ve still got the evaluation problem, but it’s always seemed strange to me that any funder of social change wants the charity or social enterprise to do the evaluation, rather than do it themselves or get an independent third party in on it.
I’d be interested to know your thoughts and ideas.
Obviously it's attractive to have another income stream, but would it divert our attention from building a successful business? Also who would evaluate the social benefit?
One idea I’m toying with is for local authorities not to commission any community or regeneration work, but tender for specific social change. That way anyone, charity, social enterprise or business could bid to provide that change. They would be paid on the basis of the amount of change they could create. You’ve still got the evaluation problem, but it’s always seemed strange to me that any funder of social change wants the charity or social enterprise to do the evaluation, rather than do it themselves or get an independent third party in on it.
I’d be interested to know your thoughts and ideas.
