Business is good at execution. But philanthropy can be a wellspring of innovation for social progress. So I think everything has its place.
While I am a passionate advocate for social enterprise and using the market to drive change, the market won’t and can’t solve every social issue. It’s very hard to find a business model that’ll support gay rights in Uganda… the Civil Rights movement in the US wasn’t won by market forces…. It was won by citizens standing up independently and claiming the rights that they were due: Marching on Washington, Rosa Parks sitting steadfast on a bus. That’s where philanthropy comes in. One of philanthropy’s best uses is as risk capital, on funding for ideas that haven’t taken to the mainstream yet – be that scientific research or citizen action. Business is good at execution. But philanthropy can be a wellspring of innovation for social progress. So I think everything has its place.
Sarah Teacher, Consultant, Sancroft
On Purpose Fellow
Humans on Purpose 