For some Indian non-profits, one of the biggest impediments to reaching many more constituents in need is the scarcity of people who have the right skills for the job. For example, in a country where one out of five primary school teachers is unqualified, it can be challenging for education non-profits to recruit master educators who can effectively instruct disadvantaged children and their teachers.

Some non-profits have responded by embracing an innovative hiring mindset, where they search for potential staffers in hidden-but-promising corners of the talent pool. To make this approach work, these organizations create win-win value propositions: They attract and train staff who come from the same communities they serve.

One twist on the innovative hiring mindset is to launch and establish a project, and then recruit other actors, such as community groups or other NGOs, to take over. The advantage: The organization has a bigger opportunity to seed more projects. Plus, other stakeholders, because they have “pride of ownership,” are more invested in the effort.

Read the full article about hiring practices and social change at Stanford Social Innovation Review.