One of the largest and best known organizations uniting and supporting social enterprises in the United States is the Social Enterprises Alliance (SEA).
The Alliance (SEA) defines itself as “a membership organization whose purpose is to create a social enterprise movement aimed at mobilizing the community of non-profit organizations and donors to promote profit-making strategies. The Alliance was formed in 2002 after the merger of two organizations: The National Gathering for Social Entrepreneurs (founded 1998) and SeaChange (founded 2000).
Today, the Alliance is governed by a Board of Directors that includes leading experts in social entrepreneurship, academia, law, and management.
The Alliance provides a toolkit for improving the work of social enterprises. For example, SEA can provide its members with a database of scholarly articles, business plans, and templates for creating and organizing social enterprises. The website and social network page also play an important role in the structure of information support for Association members.
The unifying meaning of SEA is to expand the members of the community at the national level, introducing representatives of one direction of social entrepreneurship from different states. For this purpose, SEA chapters are created all over the United States.
On the local level, SEA’s work is especially visible. Each chapter organizes at least four educational projects a year, takes an active part in lawmaking at the local level. As of January 1, 2014, there are 16 chapters in 14 states across the United States.
Membership is based on annual dues proportional to the organization’s income. Membership is possible at a discounted rate if there is no corporate profit.
The main types of interaction with social entrepreneurs are made through:
- Monthly webinars
- Educational courses and seminars
- Annual Social Entrepreneur Summit
One of SEA’s major projects is organizing and hosting a Social Entrepreneurship Summit.
The first meeting was held in Seattle in 1998 and was attended by 182 representatives of social enterprises and donor organizations. It was initiated by six master social entrepreneurs (Jerr Boschee, Jed Emerson, Gary Mulhaire, John Riggan, Billy Shore, and Richard Steckel). On August 13, 1997, they decided to organize a similar convention. The reason for the first Summit was the lack of communication between social entrepreneurs even within one state.
Since 1998, the Summit has been held every year or every two years in different cities in the United States.
The Summit lasts two or three days during which speeches are held by specialists in various fields, which are an integral part of the quality of social enterprise, master classes, round tables (exchange of experiences, discussion of current issues), educational programs, presentations of social projects of the Summit participants.
Such a way of interaction between individuals and legal entities interested in the development of social entrepreneurship, according to statements of the SEA leadership and feedback from SEA members, is productive. On this basis, since 2008 the World Social Entrepreneurship Forum has been held all over the world together with the sister organizations. In 2010 the Forum gathered 730 representatives from 31 countries.
There are also many other associations, unions and alliances in the United States aimed at supporting social entrepreneurship. Below are some of the most prominent foundations and associations supporting social entrepreneurs.