Resources
We hope that every participant leaves the Irish Impact Social Entrepreneurship Conference inspired and with the conviction that YOU can effect change. Whether in a for-profit or nonprofit environment, a small organization or a multinational corporation, as an employee or leader of your own startup, YOUR VISION can impact the human community for the better.
What are your next steps? Here are some resources to help answer that “what’s next” question.
Take advantage of the curricular and non-curricular programs through the Gigot Center for Entrepreneurship. Here are some particular suggestions:
- Enroll in entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship courses, and/or the Social Entrepreneurship Certificate Program. There is a new minor in entrepreneurship for undergraduate business students, and several other classes are open to non-business majors as well, and may offer a paid internship opportunity in a domestic or developing country setting. For details, visit http://business.nd.edu/gigot_center/Social_Entrepreneurship
- Enter a team in the McCloskey Business Plan Competition! The annual Notre Dame New Venture Competition provides a tremendous opportunity for entrepreneurial-minded members of the Notre Dame community to foster new business development, while networking with members of the Irish Angels, the Irish Entrepreneurs Network, alumni and friends. The competition awards nearly $300,000 in cash and prizes in categories for for-profits and not-for-profits. Visit the competition website at http://gigot.nd.edu/mccloskey-business-plan/
Get in touch with Brendan Maher of FISH at Innovation Park
The Fellow Irish Social Hub or FISH offers incubation services to social entrepreneurs ready to launch their ventures. Check out FISH’s website at http://www.ndfish.org/index.php. In partnership with Innovation Park at Notre Dame, FISH provides world-class facilities and critical occupational services, as well as valuable research and development tools. Its nine-month business incubator program is designed for each client to launch a social enterprise and to maximize its social impact. FISH clients often work in tandem with the Gigot Center and its resources, including the McCloskey Business Plan Competition.
Looking for an internship with a social enterprise?
The Career Center’s Global Internship Initiative Funding Programs
The Global Internship Initiative Funding Programs offers a variety of funding opportunities for sophomore and junior students from a range of majors. Students must have an internship secured to apply for funds. Visit the Career Center website for details: http://careercenter.nd.edu/
The Kellogg Institute of International Studies
The Kellogg Institute of International Studies was founded to promote research, provide exceptional educational opportunities and build linkages to support the University’s strategic goals on internationalization, offers undergraduate and graduate studentsinternship and fellowship opportunities. Visit their website for more information: http://kellogg.nd.edu/students/index.shtml
The Center for Social Concerns
The Center for Social Concerns (CSC) at Notre Dame offers international and domestic internship opportunities to undergraduate students through its Summer Service Learning Program (SSLP) and International Service Learning Program (ISSLP). Several of these opportunities are offered in partnership with the Gigot Center for Entrepreneurship, including Social Enterprise and Microfinance Internships (SEMI). For more information from the CSC, visit: http://socialconcerns.nd.edu/content/semi-application-interview-and-placement-process
Want to examine other curricular opportunities at Notre Dame? Think about peace studies, poverty studies, international development studies, sustainability, or other opportunities on campus!
Interested in opportunites outside of Notre Dame? Don’t hesitate to follow up with the practitioners you met at an Irish Impact Conference or On The Road event, but also consider research via the following organizations:
Solutions Journalism Network
The Solutions Journalism Network legitimizes and spreads the practice of solutions journalism: rigorous and compelling reporting about responses to social problems. Started by former Irish Impact Conference Keynote, David Bornstein, their website is http://solutionsjournalism.org
Ashoka U
Ashoka U is an initiative of Ashoka that is focused exclusively on universities seeking to engage students in the kind of work that will be necessary to confront current and future social challenges. For more information, visit Ashoka U’s website: www.ashokau.org
Acumen Fund
Through the use of philanthropic capital to make disciplined investments, the Acumen Fund supports pionnering entrepreneurs focused on finding soluations to poverty by offering critical services at affordable prices. Check out their website: www.acumenfund.org
Skoll Foundation
Jeff Skoll, the first full-time employee and first president of eBay, created the Skoll Foundation in 1999. Skoll has awarded more than $315 million, including investments in 91 social entrepreneurs and 74 organization on five continents. Skoll’s website: www.skollfoundation.org
B-lab
B-Lab certifies B-Corporations-organization meeting comprehensive and transparent social and environmental performance measures, as well as higher legal accountability standards among other criteria. Learn more about B-Lab and B corporations at www.bcorporation.net
Social Entrepreneurship Corps
Social Entrepreneur Corps, a sister organization to CE Solutions, is a social enterprise that leads innovative and dynamic international internships programs throughout Latin America. Co-founded by Ashoka Fellow Greg Van Kirk and George Glickley, Notre Dame students have been participating in SE Corps programs for the last decade. Learn more at www.socialentrepreneurcorps.com
Global Brigades
Global Brigades offers university students and professionals nine skills-based international volunteer programs, which facilitate sustainable solutions in under resources communities while fostering local cultures. Read more about what Global Brigades do for communities in need at www.globalbrigades.org
HANDS
Interested in traveling to an exotic country while givingback? HANDS is offering affordable, impact-driven programs in Guatemala and El Salvador. Spend your vacation exploring new lands while volunteering. Check out THEIR PROGRAMS and APPLY NOW!
Not ready to start your own enterprise? No problem! Join one of the following student clubs on campus and get involved with one of their projects:
Base ND (Business Action in Social Entrepreneurship)
The purpose of BaseND is to build a firm business foundation for members and partners through solving real business problems for local and global nonprofits and for profits. Additionally, they aim to create positive social change for the community and provide career resources and mentorship to members.
Design for America
Entrepreneurship Society
The Society for Entrepreneurship was founded at the University of Notre Dame to bring together a community of student entrepreneurs dedicated to the practice of experiential learning related to innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship. The club seeks to serve both the local and global community by actively pursuing projects pertaining to both traditional and social entrepreneurship. They work closely with the Gigot Center to connect student entrepreneurs with like-minded people, mentors, and sources of funding to facilitate the development of their startup ideas.
Net Impact
Net Impact opens doors to participation in global case challenges such as the Hult Case Challenge, where student members can gain experience in handling real world problems with sustainability in business. A membership with Net Impact allows students not only to participate in a community of other Net Impact student chapters, but also connects the student member with a network of companies who have joined Net Impact under professional profiles. The MBA Net Impact chapter specifically aims at networking and job placement with Net Impact companies.
SIBC-Student International Business Council
SIBC-Global Development Division creates social awareness and promotes development in impoverished communities around the world through projects that deliver innovative business solutions to communities’ most fundamental problems.
Unleashed
Unleashed is Notre Dame's impact investing initiative with the aim of having a student-run fund dedicated to this new and exciting field.Their main goal for the club is to secure funds, which they can use to make actual investments. The idea is that students (along with a board of advisors) research and decide which investments to make, and then all of the return on our investments would get put back into the club funds and be used for new investments.
Finally, stay in touch with us through Irish Impact!
This is not just a conference, but a virtual opportunity to connect with us and others through our FACEBOOK, TWITTER, BLOG, and WEBSITE - not just once a year but all year long! Check back in for profiles of social entrepreneurs (ND and others), calendar events at Notre Dame or elsewhere, new information, or better yet, feel free to send information to us about noteworthy socialenterprise happenings and we’ll post for you!