Social Delta has access to a wide array of resources and information, but the links below are valuable introductions to social enterprise design, partnerships, forms of incorporation, financing, social purchasing, and some recommended introductory reading.
Free business planning resources:
- The Social Journal is a site that offers a very well maintained set of resources to support the social entrepreneur.
- City of Ottawa business services can be accessed here.
- The Startup Library maintained by MaRS offers a compilation of useful resources for social entrepreneurs (and others) in Canada.
- The Federal Government operates the Canada Business Network, which links to a wide array of planning resources and financial assistance programs
- The Government of Ontario offers the ONe-Source for Business portal.
- A business Planning Guide to Developing a Social Enterprise (UK)
Networks and Collaborators:
- Social Enterprise Council of Canada (SECC)
- HUB Ottawa
- Ontario Non Profit Network (ONN)
- The Centre for Social Enterprise Development (CSED)
- Canadian Community Economic Development Network, Ontario Region (CCEDNET)
- Invest Ottawa
- FuturePreneur (formerly Canadian Youth Business Development Foundation)
- Start Up Canada
- Centre for Social Innovation, Toronto (CSI)
Incorporation Models and Resources:
- What are BCorps?
- What is GIIRS?
- Provincial Registration (Ontario)
- Federal Registration
- Canadian Cooperatives Act
- NUANS (Business Name) search
Guidance for Charities
- What is a “related business” for a charity?
- Social enterprise business structures for charities.
- On Community Economic Development activities allowed for charities
- What is the fourth head of charity?
Social Finance and (possible) Funding Partners:
- Vancity Community Impact Bank (full service banking services for social enterprises and social purpose businesses)
- Startup Capital introductory summary worth reading.
- Just Change Ottawa (micro grants for local social enterprises)
- Innoweave Social Enterprise Module
- Awesome Ottawa (micro grants for “awesome” ideas in Ottawa)
- Ottawa Community Loan Fund (OCLF)
Social Purchasing:
Recommended Reading:
- Business Planning for Social Impact is published by Root Cause, in the US, but it is a wonderful resource to introduce social enterprise ideas and business planning methodology.
- More reflections on legal structures for social enterprise, 2010, Canadian Resource
- Why non profits remain important for social causes, 2013, Harvard Business Review
- Start your social enterprise, 2012, UK publication worth reading