Introduction: Mark Pomerantz, Seattle Strategic Planning Office

Career: Urban Planning

Community: NJ-PA, Boston, Seattle
Organizational History: Seven Years with City of Seattle, Office of Housing (ex-DHHS) and Strategic
Planning Office.
Purpose: A primary goal of the Strategic Planning Office (SPO) Human Services section is to develop the
capacity of Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to deliver quality human services to the residents of
Seattle. This effort is recognized as the Capacity Building Initiative. Several strategies are employed to
support this effort, one being the Capacity Building Social Enterprise Track.
The expectations for nonprofit agencies to provide services at larger scale and higher levels dictate a need
to creatively diversify funding resources. A Fourth Sector of hybrid organizations is coming into
existence consisting of nonprofits that operate more like for profits and for profits that are driven by a
social mission. The new organizational models that are being created require new perspectives and
responses from traditional philanthropy and funders.
The SPO Human Services section has collaborated with 9 other nonprofit practitioners and funders to
develop the Seattle Social Enterprise Consortium. The Seattle Social Enterprise Consortium is a gathering
place for individuals; organizations, businesses, investors and practitioners interested in capacity building
issues focused on nonprofit entrepreneurism.
Programs & Current Initiatives: The centerpiece of the Seattle Social Enterprise Consortiums activities is
the development of the Seattle Social Investors Forum. This event is a collaboration between the
Consortium (with the City and the United Way taking the lead) and the Seattle Social Venture Partners
(SVP.) Social Venture Partners is a group funded by retired software industry executives to give time,
money and expertise to create partnerships with not-for-profit organizations. The vision of the founders is
to build a philanthropic organization where Partners actively nurture their financial investments with
guidance and resources.
The First Seattle Social Investors Forum was held May 13, 1999 at Town Hall, 8th and Seneca. The
purpose of the forum was to broker the development of supporting relationships and investments between
"venture philanthropists" and nonprofit social entrepreneurs. Thirty-Five investors from the local
philanthropic community hear presentations from 5 start up social enterprise businesses picked by the
Consortium, with breakout sessions for more in-depth discussion. A total of $335,000 in grants and lowinterest loans was raised and a number of mentorships and partnering also ensued. Another Forum has been
scheduled for November 28, 2000.
Another event sponsored by the Seattle Social Enterprise Consortium is New Philanthropies (see attached
draft agenda) a free event for the nonprofit community on Sept. 26.
Pilot project in social enterprise are Safeco Field Youth Employment Project where SPO brought The
Boys and Girls Clubs of King County, the Citys Summer Youth Employment Program, the Central Area
Motivation Program (CAMP), and Emerald City Jobs together with Ivars to employ approximately 20-30
youth who are trained by and work under the supervision of Ivars employees throughout the Mariners
season. We also found a private foundation to provide funding for wage supplementation and evaluation.
Also Youth Tile Project where SPO helped Friends of Youth with concept development and business
planning and brought them together with the production consultant/supervisor.

Best Practice: Social Investors Forum

Lessons Learned: Philanthropists are looking for targeted impacts on social problems. Venture
Philanthropy may expand the pie of scarce resources by generating more and new kinds of support from
a new generation of philanthropists.
National trends coming to Seattle: Conference of National Society of Fund-Raising Executives (keying on
Venture Philanthropy----Sept. 2000. Investors Circle National Conference (expanding into venture
philanthropy)----October 2000. Pacific NW Grant Makers Forum Annual Conference (Covering venture
philanthropy and social enterprise for the first time) ----October 2000. 3rd Natl Gathering of Social
Entrepreneurs----September 2001. SEAChange (Social Entrepreneurs Alliance for Change) Local Office
opening 2000.