not for profit organisations

• what is the definition of a social enterprise ?

  Social enterprises include for-profit and not-for-profit businesses (e.g. cooperatives) with primarily social objectives, trading for social and environmental purposes, whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners.
• aims of social enterprise

  • Social enterprise businesses will seek to survive, make profit and wish to grow and in this sense they are not essentially different from private enterprise businesses.
  • Social enterprises are distinctive because their social and/or environmental purpose is absolutely central to what they do – their profits are reinvested to sustain and further their mission for positive change.
  • A social enterprise's main purpose is to fulfil its social and/or environmental goals.
• definition of charities

  A non-profit-making organisation established with the aim of collecting money from individuals and spending it on a cause, which is usually specified in its title. not established to make profits but they can earn surpluses

  • Charities can often have a narrow focus (single issue) in what they are trying to achieve.
  • Charities raise the majority of their finances through voluntary donations, but more and more charities now operate retail outlets as well.
• what is a cooperative ?

  A co-operative is an organisation owned by its members. Employees of co-operatives automatically become members after a short probationary period, and shoppers at co-operative shops such as ‘the Co-op’, can apply to become members: acceptance is automatic.  Members benefit through the payment of a dividend (their share of the co-operatives profits) in the form of money-off vouchers.
• social enterprises

  Social impact + business

  Trading income, grants

  Business-like

  Reinvested in mission
• charities

  Social welfare

  Donations, grants

  Board of trustees

  No profit distribution
• cooperative

  Member mutual benefit

  Member contributions, trading

  Democratic voting

  Shared among members