Engage by Role

Non-Profits

There are many opportunities for engagement in the Fourth Sector by non-profits:

• Consider partnering with social enterprises where there’s mission correlation.
• Non-profits that are engaged in commercial activity might consider adopting additional attributes of the For-Benefit archetype such as continuous improvement of their environmental footprint.
• If appropriate, consider adopting an earned-income strategy to support your mission.
• Dedicate more resources to outcome measurement where it enhances the ability to deliver on your mission.
• If you operate a business, share your experience with other Fourth Sector organizations.
• Advocate for better public policy vis-a-vis non-profits engaging in Fourth Sector activity.

The Fourth Sector and For-Benefit model deliver multiple benefits to non-profits as well:

• For non-profits that are pursuing earned-income strategies, a robust Fourth Sector can provide support infrastructure for Fourth Sector activities such as measuring social impact and providing access to growth capital.
• They can help them diversify their revenue stream in a manner consistent with their values and mission.
• It encourages and supports the spirit of entrepreneurship.
• It can remove regulatory barriers.
• Can provide tax incentives and other favorable treatment by government agencies.
• If actualized, the For-Benefit model would facilitate collaboration and cross-sectoral partnership. It would also enable them to achieve their goals more efficiently, for instance, by making it easier to recruit high-quality employees.