Giving Compass' Take:

• Carla Javits, President & CEO of Coalition organization REDF discusses the accomplishments of REDF, one primary being the Social Innovation Fund which helped local communities work on economic opportunity, youth development and school support.

• Unfortunately,  the federal government decided to defund the Social Innovation Fund and it was not integrated into larger federal programs.  How can public and private sectors collaborate to make sure effective practices can sustain funding?

• Learn more about how social enterprises can work in other contexts and be part of circular social innovation models. 

Every day social innovators and social innovation organizations across the country are measurably impacting communities and individuals. This Practice to Policy blog series lifts up the voices of the more than 70 organizations that make up the America Forward Coalition and our broader social innovation network by highlighting outcomes-based solutions to our country’s most pressing social problems and why these solutions must be reflected in our federal policies.

We will hear from Carla Javits, President & CEO of Coalition organization REDF about the history and growth of social enterprise and why it is critical now, more than ever to double down on social innovation:

Ten years ago, the visionary leaders of the nascent America Forward Coalition invited REDF to join them in organizing results-oriented social entrepreneurs across the US as a non-partisan force for change in social policy. I enthusiastically accepted although I was uncertain, given the political climate and constrained resources, if America Forward was going to make the investment to have a real impact on national policy.

A signature accomplishment was the establishment of the Social Innovation Fund (SIF) – one of the most visionary and effective programs of the federal government. The program’s design benefited greatly from the input of the America Forward membership, rooted in their daily experience on the ground.

REDF successfully competed for the SIF resources and invested in a promising approach known as social enterprise that was pioneered and developed by local business and social sector leaders. It helps striving men and women develop a work history, gain skills and confidence, get employed, stay employed, and build a better future.

Although the SIF was an effective initiative, it was a tiny part of the federal budget and was not integrated into larger government programs.

Read the full article about doubling down on social innovation by at America Forward