Posts Tagged EPCON
Social Entrepreneurs & Social Change
From the Desk of Brad Brown, SVP MN Executive Director
Social Venture Partners exists to fund and support the growth of innovative social entrepreneurs because we believe in the transformative power of entrepreneurship for social change. We’ve built our signature event, EPCON, around the two sides of the social entrepreneurship equation – the Mosaic Social Entrepreneurs Cup to recognize the social entrepreneur and the Engaged Philanthropist Award for the exemplary social investor.
The social entrepreneur and commercial entrepreneur have many characteristics in common: they are innovative, creatively destructive, thrive in environments of disequilibrium, and possess a high level of intrinsic motivation to succeed. But what sets them apart? The profit motive is what drives the commercial entrepreneur to create new technologies and even whole new markets. In distinction to the commercial entrepreneur, the social entrepreneur’s driving motivation is a social cause. The social entrepreneur, either through personal experience, or a refined sensitivity to the needs of others, has discovered a social problem that they find intolerable and have dedicated themselves to alleviating it.
As innovators, entrepreneurs fuel the engine of economic growth and social well-being. Social innovation is as old as the American Republic. The abolitionist movement was driven by civic and religious organizations and eventually found its way to public policy, as did the later American Civil Rights Movement. Today, many talk about education as the civil rights issue of our time. Social Venture Partners believes that the innovation of social entrepreneurs is just what is needed to bring about the broad and deep change required for all our children to receive the education they deserve. Dr. Tim Knowles, our keynote speaker at EPCON, will talk about the education innovation environment we must build here to re-invent our education system. Building on Dr. Knowle’s talk we will use EPCON to announce an emerging collaboration of education funders committed to bringing innovation to Minnesota education.
I invite you to join our community of engaged philanthropists at EPCON 2012 to take part in a celebration of the spirit of the social entrepreneur.
2010 Social Entrepreneur’s Cup Winners
Springboard for the Arts Named 2010 SEC Winner
Springboard for the Arts won this year’s cup, receiving a $20,000 general operating grant and 40 hours of consulting services from Social Venture Partners Minnesota. Springboard’s Artists’ Access to Healthcare program strives to connect artists to accessible and affordable healthcare. 
Pictured from left to right: Springboard’s Laura Zabel, Betsy McDermott Altheimer, Noah Keesecker, Genesys Works and Social Venture Partners Minnesota’s Jeff Tollefson.
Bright New Ideas was first runner-up, receiving a $5,000 general operating grant and 20 hours of consulting services. Bright New Ideas improves health and education in the developing world by replacing dangerous kerosene lanterns with solar lamps using sustainable commercial means.
Arca Institute and Mind Body Solutions were awarded honorable mentions.
Social Venture Partners Minnesota is excited to work with the social entrepreneurs from Springboard and Bright New Ideas in the upcoming year!
EPCON 2010 Keynote Speaker Majora Carter
“When you see people’s lives change in a big way and you realize they’ve changed themselves; it’s powerful.” ~ Majora Carter
At EPCON 2010, Keynote speaker Majora Carter brought her pioneering green collar job training and placement models from the South Bronx to the Twin Cities. Carter championed a model of engaged social innovation that requires building reciprocal relationships through sustainable economies to address issues instead of merely giving financial assistance.
Majora is pictured here with panelist LaDarius Holmes of Xcel Energy and Genesys Works Twin Cities.
First Engaged Philanthropist Award
Mr. Winston Wallin Named First Annual Winner
Social Venture Partners Minnesota and Minnesota Community Foundation and The St. Paul Foundation were proud to co-sponsor and award Mr. Winston Wallin the new Engaged Philanthropist Award, an award given to Minnesota’s most effective and innovative philanthropists.
Mr. Wallin founded Wallin Education Partners, a nonprofit that has provided over $26.0 million worth of scholarships to over 3,000 highly capable students with financial need. Executive Director Rebecca Wallin, pictured here, accepted the award on her father’s behalf.
Engaging the Next Generation
At EPCON 2010, Social Venture Partners Minnesota Teens awarded their 2010 grant to RESOURCE, Inc. The $5,000 general operating grant will develop programs that seek to help pregnant teens through education and assistance. Sustaining patron sponsor Best Buy and Students Today Leaders Forever helped youth to become active participants in this year’s conference.
The youth wrote a poem they wanted to share with conference attendees:
Today I Learned
Today I learned to listen first.
Today I learned that there are more people interested in my ideas than I give them credit for.
Today I learned to lead by example.
Today I learned the importance of community involvement.
Today I learned to communicate and be inclusive to achieve success.
Today I learned food brings everyone together.
Today I learned to try new things.
Today I learned better networking skills.
Today I learned youth are engaged!
Today I learned a monumental experience.
