This Week in Social Entrepreneurship

• Tom Dawkins, our co-founder here at StartSomeGood, will be speaking at Social Traders’ Crowdfunding for Social Impact Workshop on October 12th in Melbourne from 10 AM to 1PM. Tom, along with Kyle Gussett, a successful crowdfunder for Ton of Wool, will be facilitating this workshop geared towards individuals with an idea for social enterprise who are ready to engage in conversation and receive feedback on their ideas so they can begin a successful crowdfunding campaign. So join Tom and Kyle for an afternoon of learning and collaboration—come ready with a developed idea so you can start developing you crowdfunding campaign with them.
• Are you a data hacker looking to increase global integrity? Testing123:Global Integrity Innovation Fund is looking for new ideas that align with their mission and have the resources to back it up: could your idea benefit from a $10,000 grant? If all this sounds appealing to you, apply by November 16th—still plenty of time!
• Social Impact Exchange is holding a business plan competition and looking to identify organizations that demonstrate impact and want to start good through new initiatives. This competition is open to US-based non-profits with a focus in education, youth development, health, poverty alleviation or community development. Participants will receive training and feedback on their plans and access to resources to help them achieve the next step successfully.
• If you’re searching for networking, resource, and support opportunities that will help make your social enterprise dreams a reality, then look no further—#SocEnt Weekend has everything that you are looking for. This Seattle meet up provides an opportunity for social entrepreneurship newbies and the experts of the field to come together and build ideas. Don’t miss this great opportunity and join other social innovators at the Seattle center this Columbus Day weekend.
• Happy Birthday Kiva! Celebrate 7 great years with the Kiva New York Lending Team this October 20th. Kiva is proud to be a support group, empowering social entrepreneurs around world. Kiva will be celebrating on the second floor of The Central Bar and you are invited to join—buy tickets to support Kivaonline or at the door!
• So you want to be a Changemaker. Are you a Starbucks Partner or university student with an idea to create change in your community? Then join Ashoka Canada for Be A Changemaker Bootcamp on Saturday, October 13th in Vancouver for a chance to learn about social entrepreneurship, become a changemaker in your community, and compete to win $1,000 in seed funding to start implementing your change. This event is free, but you must RSVP by tomorrow, October 6th, to participate.

Rachael Casagrande

I am currently working towards a BS in Information Design and Corporate Communication at Bentley University. Before college, I hadn’t any idea where I wanted life to take me so I decided to just let the wind blow me around a bit. The following summer, I shipped myself off to Romania through Learning Enterprises where I volunteered running English camps. The children I met there made me realize how much just one hello, one meal, or one hug can really grow change in someone’s life. After coming back to the US I’ve been keeping myself busy working odd jobs, studying and taking every opportunity I can to mesh my business degree with my love for positive change.