This Week in Social Entrepreneurship

• In New York on April 3rd, General Assembly is hosting the first in a series of sessions throughout April on Building High Impact Organizations for Social Enterprises and Non-Profits. Produced by Shana Dressler, co-founder of Social Innovators Collective, this series addresses building healthy social businesses and non-profits and the key issues faced by start-ups in the first five years, when over 50% of small businesses fail. 
• The Bluhm/Helfand Social Innovation Fellowship gives three young innovators the chance to present their ventures at Chicago Ideas Week in front of an audience of innovative entrepreneurs and thought leaders. They also receive $10,000 in support, access to the speakers at Chicago Ideas week and a growing network of innovators, meetings with potential funders and mentors, and access to a private concert by Weezer! Apply for yourself or nominate someone you believe deserves this prestigious award by May 21st.
• Starting or growing a green business? Have you considered the Green Business BASE CAMP? It provides a custom curriculum that addresses how to break down the barriers to success for early stage entrepreneurs. It also connects you with potential funding, consultants, employees, and customers in addition to providing access to a huge network of alumni. The workshop will take place in Los Angeles on May 31st-June 3rd and applications are due by April 1st. 
• Nominations are drawing to a close for the 2012 PopTech Social Innovation Fellows Program.  PopTech is looking for individuals working on “highly disruptive” innovations, have 3-5 years experience, and are in organizations that are positioned to grow.  They will participate in a program that fosters their potential to create sustainable impact and gain access to a network of alumni and mentors.  Nominations must be placed by April 3.
• Nominations for Encore’s Purpose Prize are due today. Unlike most awards that focus on finding young up-and-coming entrepreneurs, the Purpose Prize looks to invest in people over the age of 60 who are changing the world. The 2012 Purpose Prize awards 5 people with $100,000 each to help advance their work improving communities and the world. This prize was created in 2005 by Civic Ventures to showcase the value of experience and disprove that innovation is solely tied to the young. 
• As you probably know, the Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship is wrapping up today. Each year in Oxford, the forum brings together 900 distinguished delegates in the social, finance, private, and public sectors for three days of debates, discussions, and work sessions in an attempt at coming up with action plans on how to innovate and scale solutions to the toughest social issues. It also is a platform to announce the year’s Skoll Awardees for Social Entrepreneurship. Check out this video of the latest awardees and draw some inspiration to become part of this distinguished list in the future.

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Social entrepreneurs, have you been inspired to start your own good?  Do you have a social enterprise, a non-profit, or an amazing idea that needs some momentum to take off?  Visit our site to find out how to start your own campaign today.  Still have questions?  We have answers—check out our FAQ section.