Social Enterprise and Special Events

During the past twenty years, the field of nonprofit management has grown significantly in terms of the number of nonprofit organizations, number of people employed, and amount of funds raised. A key activity of nonprofit organizations has been organizing events.

Their purpose is often twofold: to raise funds that will go toward programs and activities which advance their mission, and increasing awareness of their cause and, ultimately, "raising friends" who will support it as members, volunteers, donors, and advocates. In addition, government agencies, particularly at the local level, are increasingly involved in the creation, management and support of events in their communities. A key aspect of events in the modern era is that their management and funding often occur in a collaborative manner across the nonprofit, public and private sectors. The local government, may provide the venue, and public safety including police, fire and ambulance services. Corporations and business may provide financial support and technical expertise in areas such as branding, marketing and social media. We can understand more about the collaborative, cross-sectorial quality of events by looking at it through the lens of social enterprise which involves, at its core, multiple goals and sectors.

Social enterprise has been defined by as "an organization or venture that advances its primary social or environmental mission using business methods. This book will help readers explore and understand modern events primarily through the lens of social enterprise. Social Enterprise and Special Events focuses on events that are nonprofit, public and cross-sectorial in nature. Examining these types of events using relevant concepts such as social enterprise, public-private partnerships, collaborative governance, social capital, community building, diversity and advocacy.

Julie Cencula Olberding is Director of and Associate Professor in the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program at Northern Kentucky University, USA.