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Provoking Innovation and Building Capacity in Social Entrepreneurship

Transforming the Community Impact of Campus Space: Bow Valley College and WINS Open a Social Enterprise Thrift Store

Bow Valley College and Women In Need Society (WINS) have partnered to launch a new on-campus thrift store that combines affordability, sustainability, and hands-on learning. The initiative gives students access to low-cost essentials while creating real-world learning opportunities in social enterprise and community impact.

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What is social entrepreneurship?

We define social entrepreneurship as using business models (selling a good or service) to enhance social impact. This reflects most Canadian definitions.

Beyond balance

Many see the social and the entrepreneurial as being in opposition, like two sides of a scale that needs to be balanced. Instead, we see the social and the entrepreneurial as partners in progress.

Aspirational

We support a social entrepreneurship movement that dares to ask, “How far could we go in solving the world’s problems, and even fulfilling our potential as human beings, if we fully harnessed the power of business models to enhance social impact?”

In 2013 We Asked Social Enterprise Leaders “Three Things Public Policy Needs to do for Social Enterprise to Thrive in 2023”

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October 17, 2023

In November 2013 Trico Charitable Foundation was honoured to host the Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF), bringing it to Canada for the 1st time ever. As fate would have it, one session was titled “Three Things Public Policy Needs to do for Social Enterprise to Thrive in 2023.” The session was an all-star affair, moderated by Peter Holbrook, CEO of Social Enterprise UK, and featuring eight social enterprise policy leaders from Canada and across the world. We thought the ten year anniversary of the panel would be an interesting time to revisit it.

Spotlight on IRP Recipients: Earthware

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October 10, 2023

Calgary social enterprise Earthware is offering people the opportunity to affect real change by using a return-for-reuse zero waste takeout container program. Founder John MacInnes discusses IRP funding, a plethora of learnings, and overcoming challenges.

Spotlight on IRP Recipients: Taproot Publishing Inc.

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September 26, 2023

Taproot Publishing Inc. sees a future in which communities are served by sustainably funded acts of journalism facilitated by technology. They equip individuals and organizations with the information they need to contribute to their community, make good decisions, and stay engaged with others. Co-Founder Mack Male discusses IRP funding, implementing sales, & building a thriving team.

Spotlight on IRP Recipients: Ethically Aligned AI

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September 12, 2023

Ethically Aligned AI is a tech start-up and social enterprise that is on a mission to help organizations build better AI systems and help people to make sound choices in selecting trustworthy AI-enabled products or services. Founder & CEO Katrina Ingram, discusses IRP funding, a plethora of learnings, and reimagining the future.