Case Studies in Social Enterprise

Counterpart International's Experience
Kim Alter

Cover pageCase Studies in Social Enterprise: Counterpart International's Experience explains: (1) social enterprise, (2) its importance as a developmental tool in emerging economies around the world, and (3) through four in-depth case studies in Ukraine, highlights the beneficial impact of social enterprises on the non-profit sector, families and communities. These projects were developed and implemented by Counterpart under a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development between 1997 and 2002.

Counterpart's experience demonstrates that social enterprises have high potential as a nonprofit sustainability strategy in emerging economies where markets are underdeveloped and entry barriers are low. Comprehensive and well-structured programs like the Counterpart Alliance for Partnership, which complements business training with loans, advocacy and legal advice and networking increase the likelihood of NGOs' successful creation of sustainable social enterprises that will achieve both financial viability and social impact in the long term. Counterpart's social enterprise methodologies provide the tools and inputs that assist their NGO participants in their business activities. With Counterpart's assistance, NGOs have successfully established or expanded their income-generating activities and, at the same time, are meeting their organizational mission.

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