Participate

Fourth Sector Networks

A critical mass of organizations is gathering within, or transitioning toward, the emerging fourth sector. But this activity is sustained mostly by the support infrastructure of the public, private, and social sectors. In order for fourth sector organizations to thrive and grow, there is a clear need to develop a supportive ecosystem that is tailored particularly to their needs. This includes elements like financial markets, common standards, legal structures, tax policy, support services, assessment and reporting protocols, and education and training.

For the fourth sector to mature, collaboration and coordination among a vast and diverse set of constituents will be required. Fourth Sector Networks (FSN’s) are being formed in response to this need. A FSN is a cross-sectoral, cross-disciplinary network of networks, enterprises, supportive organizations and individuals who come together to coordinate their efforts in advancing the fourth sector. Participation in a FSN is a statement of intention, and should be open to all who share that intention, regardless of the discipline or sector in which they are engaged.

Stated differently, a FSN is:

A network of networks, enterprises, entrepreneurs, individuals and supportive organizations…
...co-creating a shared infrastructure of mutual support and activity…
...identifying points of consensus while embracing diversity of all kinds…
...aiding the ability of an emerging set of enterprises and institutions to organize themselves and to accelerate their individual and collective growth and evolution…
...to more fully integrate a wide array of human values into our economic system.