Lately, in this magazine, there was an article that said that social entrepreneurship was the next big thing. I’d be the last on earth to disagree since I’m editor in chief of the Dutch online platform Sociaal Ondernemen Nu!, a platform that focuses on social entrepreneurs. But being the next big thing doesn’t mean things go fluently. Social entrepreneurs suffer as much as all other entrepreneurs during any recession.

At the end of March 2009 the world's largest conference on social entrepreneurship - the Skoll World Forum - was held in Oxford. One of the main topics under discussion was finance and -in particular- the present difficulty for all social entrepreneurs seeking funding. Whether the social enterprise is a for profit or not for profit, all are reporting funding struggles.

Shari Berenbach, president and CEO of Calvert Foundation, painted a gloomy picture of the funding challenges faced by social enterprises. Nowadays it is very hard for them to find money as they have no track record, and since so few funds are available investors are looking for such evidence of previous success. To avoid depending on such funds, Berenbach suggested companies apply for philanthropic money, ensure they have sound business models and investigate other ways of attracting capital. In this interview she talks about challenges and changes of social entrepreneurs.

Shari Berenbach on financing social entreprises from sociaal ondernemen on Vimeo.

This article was written by Petra Kroon, a social entrepreneur. In 2006 she founded GoedfGeefs, an organisation that helps social entrepreneurs achieve social change.  As a journalist for over 20 years, she will be writing about social entrepreneurs all over the world at TheNextWomen. Petra Kroon is also member of the board of CSR Chicks, a network of women who are closely interested in or closely in Corporate Social Responsibility.