REDF | Training


Training Upcoming Training Events	Training “It’s a pleasure to be in the same field with REDF. The integrity and high caliber of their work has helped pave the way for others to join this style of philanthropy.” — Paul Shoemaker, Executive Director, Social Venture Partners Seattle Poverty and homelessness are not limited to REDF’s geographic area — they affect communities throughout the U.S. and around the globe. We launched our training program in 2006 in response to the growing demand for improved approaches to alleviating these widespread problems. Our website alone receives, on average, more than 3,300 visitors each month and we received over 100 requests for guidance from nonprofit practitioners and foundations last year alone. REDF’s solutions can help non-portfolio organizations improve their poverty reduction initiatives. REDF has found that organizations locally and nationally are interested in developing social enterprises, but lack the appropriate supports to analyze whether a social enterprise is the appropriate strategy for their organization — and if so, how to evaluate the feasibility of an individual opportunity. As well, organizations operating social enterprises lack support in how to manage it most effectively. REDF has significant knowledge and experience that to date has been available primarily to our portfolio of nonprofit organizations. Our approach is taught at more than a dozen universities, including Harvard Business School, Stanford’s Graduate School of Business and Oxford University in the U.K. The REDF training program provides access to our lessons and best practices for a wider audience through targeted workshops. Training will be offered at introductory, intermediate and advanced levels. Trainings are conducted on such topics as: Introduction to Measurement Practices Social Enterprise 101 Financial Planning and the Nonprofit/For-Profit Mix Fundraising for Social Enterprise Development Industry Specific Topics REDF’s training program will lead to: A wider understanding of social enterprise best practices throughout the nonprofit sector Increased learnings for REDF due to exposure to a wider number of nonprofits Increased impact on poverty reduction, due to Stronger, healthier social enterprises, operated by Nonprofits that have integrated key business principles into their operations for increased effectiveness Organizations which will find our trainings beneficial vary: Introductory: Organizations that are considering starting a social enterprise or incorporating business practices, new staff of portfolio social enterprises, others looking for background on the field of social enterprise. Intermediate: Organizations that have a social enterprise or earned income strategy in place and wish to refine practices. Advanced: Organizations that own and operate mature, established social enterprises. Please visit our upcoming training events page for information about future training opportunities. ^ Top of page		Thanks to Our Partners Our thanks to the following organizations with which REDF partnered in providing trainings during 2006: CompassPoint Nonprofit Services A leading nonprofit training center Craigslist Foundation Producing events and online resources that help emerging nonprofit leaders Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center A San Francisco-based small business training center