"Social Entrepreneurship Herald"

September 2025

Social Entrepreneurship Herald

September 2025 Newsletter

Communities That Thrive: Social Enterprises at the Local Level.

Dear Social Entrepreneurship Enthusiasts,

welcome to the September 2025 edition of The Social Entrepreneurship Herald! This month, we’re celebrating the theme Communities That Thrive: Social Enterprises at the Local Level, highlighting the powerful role grassroots innovation plays in shaping resilient, inclusive neighborhoods.

Across the globe, community-driven social ventures are transforming local realities revitalizing economies, fostering social cohesion, and addressing everyday challenges with creativity and care. These initiatives prove that meaningful change often begins right where people live and work.

In a feature article, “How Grassroots Ventures Are Transforming Neighborhoods,” compelling stories are presented of local leadership, collective action, and entrepreneurial spirit that are breathing new life into communities and redefining what it means to thrive.

How Grassroots Ventures Are Transforming Neighborhoods🏘️

Neighborhood change is often thought to come from top-down policies or large institutional investment but increasingly, the real transformation stems from the bottom up. Grassroots ventures driven by locals, fueled by community needs, and built on empathy and creativity, are quietly reshaping neighborhoods around the world. These initiatives are more than projects; they are lifelines that foster belonging, sustainability, economic vitality, and pride.

Greening Urban Alleys in Britain.

In Britain, groups of residents have taken neglected alleyways, often fly-tipped and stigmatized, and turned them into verdant community oases. In Manchester’s Moss Side, “Reflective Passage” emerged organically when a resident began planting pots of flowers and vegetables in an overlooked ginnel. The effort snowballed; today, dozens of alleys host mosaics, poetry, community gardens, and vegetable plots. Similarly, in Cloudy Alley, raised beds and public art foster community pride and biodiversity.

These “paradise passages” defy the stereotype of inner-city decay, improving both physical and mental well-being while strengthening communal ties. Challenges like fly-tipping, watering logistics, and vandalism persist, but city funds (e.g., a neighborhood investment fund providing ~£20,000 per ward) and shared compost programs help sustain momentum.

The impact goes beyond beautification. Locals report better hygiene, improved drainage, wildlife returning, and a renewed sense of pride. These grassroots projects underscore how even micro-spaces when cared for by residents can yield macro outcomes.

Community Currencies: Sarafu‑Credit in Kenya.

In Kenya, the Grassroots Economics Foundation introduces Sarafu-Credit, a community currency circulating alongside the national shilling in informal settlements. Since its launch in 2018, this paper-based currency has encouraged local exchange, enabling businesses and schools to trade during cash shortages.

Adoption has led to tangible benefits. Participating businesses report a 22% average increase in income, and about 10% of local food purchases are made using Sarafu‑Credit. Far from undermining the formal economy, Sarafu‑Credit revitalizes local commerce, empowers underserved communities, and enhances resilience.

Urban Farming & Mobile Markets: Urban Growers Collective, Chicago.

In Chicago, Urban Growers Collective (UGC), founded in 2017 by Erika Allen, brings urban farming and fresh food access to the South and West Sides, areas historically impacted by food deserts and structural inequalities.

UGC’s eight urban farms deliver produce to schools, health centers, senior hubs, and via “Fresh Moves” mobile markets. CTA buses retrofitted as mobile farmers’ markets accepting SNAP, cash, and cards. As of mid-2018, they had moved over 10,000 produce items.

Programs extend beyond food. Job-readiness training, youth camps, paid internships, and “Grounds for Peace,” a collaboration with the city to turn vacant lots into gardens while training at-risk young men to landscape and reduce crime through beautification.

These initiatives tackle interlocking challenges of food access, youth unemployment, trauma, and violence through agriculture, education, and community stewardship.

Community Banking: Banco Palmas, Brazil.

Banco Palmas, established in 1998 in Fortaleza, Brazil, is a pioneering community development bank run entirely by local volunteers and residents. The bank offers micro-loans without requiring credit history, collateral, or guarantors instead, community members vouch for borrowers.

This solidarity-based model increases access to finance, supports local production and consumption, and circulates money within the community. As of today, Banco Palmas has inspired 52 similar institutions across Brazil, strengthening the solidarity economy and bolstering self-reliance in underserved areas.

Inclusive Retail: CAP Markets in Germany.

In Germany, CAP Märkte are neighborhood supermarkets that are part of a social enterprise model run by disabled person associations and cooperatives. These shops stock 7,000 lines, turnover between €750,000 and €2 million yearly, and employ 5–20 people, about two-thirds of whom have disabilities.

The goals of CAP Markets are multifold, provide accessible grocery services where large chains have moved out, give meaningful employment to people with disabilities in real-world environments, and deliver community services such as meal delivery or postal services. By 2017, there were over 100 such shops, weaving disability inclusion into daily life resiliently and sustainably.

Community-Owned Cultural Hubs: Bridgend Farmhouse, Scotland.

In Edinburgh, the Bridgend Farmhouse Community Project restored an 18th-century farmhouse into a community-run hub featuring a café, workshop spaces, offices, gardens, and event rooms. Since its founding in 2010, it has provided opportunities for active citizenship, volunteering, lifelong learning, and arts engagement in a formerly detached urban area.

As one of Scotland’s earliest urban community-owned facilities, the Farmhouse has become a site for skill-building classes, local governance, and creative expression rooting community pride in heritage while opening new pathways for inclusive livelihoods.

Repair Cafés, Tool Libraries & Co‑Working Hubs.

Grassroots ventures extend into sustainability and entrepreneurship not just through farming or finance, but by creating communal spaces and resource-sharing models:

Repair cafés: volunteers help neighbors fix items, from electronics to clothing, reducing waste and empowering local repair skills (exemplified by Amsterdam’s “Fix‑It Hub”).

Tool libraries: programs like “ToolShare” in Portland let residents borrow tools affordably, enabling DIY projects without the cost of ownership, promoting both frugality and creativity.

Co-working spaces: ventures like London’s “The Hive” turn unused buildings into collaborative hubs for freelancers, offering affordable desks, communal areas, and cafés fostering connection and innovation.

These models nurture local resilience and collective problem‑solving by pooling resources, knowledge, and infrastructure.

Heritage-Led Regeneration: Shimizusawa, Japan.

In rural Japan, Shimizusawa, a former coal-mining district, faced population decline, economic stagnation, and social disintegration. Starting in 2008, local residents and stakeholders launched a revitalization plan based on industrial heritage tourism. By 2016, the Shimizusawa Social Enterprise (SSE) was officially founded to steward industrial sites, run an ecomuseum, host art festivals, and operate a multifunctional exchange center.

SSE’s governance includes government officials, community members, social organizations, and businesses, ensuring co-governance and alignment of economic and social value. Funding comes from a mix of membership fees, public grants, and business income; in the event of surpluses, all funds are reinvested into community welfare and heritage conservation.

This model preserves cultural memory, fosters local pride, attracts tourism, and builds long-term sustainability, all through local control and collective vision.

Waste‑to‑Value: Conceptos Plásticos in Haiti.

In Haiti, Conceptos Plásticos recycles plastic waste into durable interlocking bricks, creating low-cost, eco-friendly housing and schools without cement or skilled labor. Each modular brick is fire‑, water‑, and earthquake-resistant. Their lifespan spans centuries.

Beyond innovation, the enterprise deeply engages the local community, women and youth are trained and employed in plastic collection, sorting, brick production, and construction. UNICEF and other partners have supported the building of over 30 classrooms and 50 homes, providing dignified, resilient infrastructure alongside livelihoods and environmental cleanup.

Common threads running through these examples:

Local ownership: whether it’s alleyways in Manchester, a community bank in Brazil, or an enterprise in rural Japan, community members drive change from within.

Intersectionality of benefit: these ventures tackle multiple issues including environment, poverty, exclusion, health, heritage, and opportunity, through integrated interventions.

Low entry thresholds, high impact: minimal infrastructure (a path, a tool library, a mobile bus) can unlock major social and economic transformation.

Resilience through adaptation: many initiatives emerged in response to crises, industrial collapse, food deserts, lack of services, and turned adversity into opportunity.

Networked learning and support: even informal peer exchanges (e.g., gardeners sharing watering hacks) or formal funding (e.g., Brazil’s solidarity banks) help scale and sustain grassroots impact.

Policy Implications and Pathways Forward:

Governments and funders should prioritize micro-level innovation, offering flexible support tailored to grassroots contexts.

Corporations and NGOs can partner effectively by offering resources including land, expertise, and volunteers without imposing rigid blueprints.

Grassroots ventures need visibility and legitimacy. Media coverage, research recognition, and peer learning forums can strengthen these efforts.

Upcoming Events📅:

19-20 September

International Conference on Social Entrepreneurship

and Innovation (ICSEI).

- York University, Toronto, Canada

24 September

Changemakers for a Better World:

Social Entrepreneurs and the SDGs.

- Bristol, UK

25-26 September

International Conference on Social Entrepreneurship

and Innovation (ICSEI).

- Dublin, Ireland

30 September - 2 October

ANDE’s Global Annual Conference 2025:

Building Tomorrow’s Ecosystems

- Quintana Roo, Mexico

News Briefs📰:

On 2 September, the Social Enterprise Summit Scotland 2025 took place. Organised by Social Enterprise Scotland, the event focused on the importance of democratic business models for social enterprises to prioritise inclusivity, equity, and community voice. Social entrepreneurs, impact investors, and policymakers from across Scotland gathered in Stirling to engage in meaningful discussions and strengthen the social enterprise ecosystem.

On 4–5 September, the Social Outcomes Conference 2025 (SOC25) took place. Organised by the Government Outcomes Lab, the event brought together leading researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and impact investors to discuss the latest research and emerging practices aimed at improving social outcomes across various geographies, disciplines, and policy areas. Held both in-person in Oxford and online, SOC25 provided a dynamic platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing in the field of social outcomes.

On 10 September 2025, the VSE Label Award Ceremony took place in Vienna, Austria, celebrating social enterprises that received the VSE Label, a mark of strong social impact, economic responsibility, and societal value. Hosted at Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH and supported by the Federal Ministry for Economy, Energy and Tourism (BMWET), SENA, aws, and the Austrian Economic Chamber (WKÖ), the event brought together pioneers, policymakers, funders, and changemakers from across the ecosystem. Attendees experienced inspiring video portraits of certified enterprises, engaged in meaningful dialogue with key stakeholders, and enjoyed a vibrant exchange of ideas. The evening concluded with regional catering and informal networking, reinforcing community ties and spotlighting the growing momentum of Austria’s social enterprise sector.

On 9–11 September, the AVPN Global Conference 2025 was held in Hong Kong. This annual gathering of AVPN’s network of Asian impact investors, hosted in partnership with the Hong Kong Jockey Club, featured insightful talks, valuable networking opportunities, and rich cultural experiences. Impact investors, philanthropists, and members of the social impact investing community came together to connect and collaborate.
On 11–12 September 2025, the Eighth ASEAN Inclusive Business Forum was held at the Sunway Resort Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Organised by the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development (MECD) Malaysia, along with ESCAP, OECD, the ASEAN-Japan Centre, and Shopee, the forum brought together thought leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and practitioners from across the region. The event focused on the integration of inclusivity and sustainability within Inclusive Business (IB) and Social Enterprise (SE) models, highlighting their role in creating long-term social and economic impact. Participants explored strategies for scaling inclusive and sustainable business models, addressed key challenges, and shared best practices particularly from women-led enterprises. The forum also marked the launch of the Capacity Building and Talent Development Framework for Inclusive Business in ASEAN, reinforcing a regional commitment to more equitable and resilient economies.
On 15–18 September, the EU Social Economy Week took place in Murcia, Spain.This annual event showcased the diversity and impact of the social economy across the EU, bringing together social entrepreneurs, investors, and key stakeholders. A highlight of the week was the European Social Economy Awards 2025, celebrating outstanding initiatives driving positive change across Europe.

On 16–17 September 2025, the Rural Pact Conference titled "From Vision to Action: Empowering Rural Areas for the Future" took place at Château du Biez near Kortrijk, Belgium. Organised by the Rural Pact Support Office, the two-day in-person event brought together 250 participants from across Europe including policymakers, local stakeholders, civil society organisations, and researchers, to reflect on the progress of the EU Rural Action Plan and co-create ideas for its future. Through networking sessions, interactive discussions, and shared experiences, the conference focused on strengthening rural communities by promoting more connected, resilient, and prosperous rural areas in line with the EU's long-term rural vision for 2040.

*Our Book Club📚:

This September, we recommend ‘’Building Social Business: The New Kind of Capitalism that Serves Humanity’s Most Pressing Needs’’ by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus. A powerful manifesto for reimagining capitalism with community at its core. Through compelling case studies and clear principles, Yunus shows how businesses can be designed not just to generate profit, but to solve real social problems in sustainable, scalable ways. For anyone working to strengthen local communities through social enterprise, this book offers both inspiration and practical guidance on building ventures that uplift, empower, and create lasting impact from the ground up.

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Writing from the heart of the community where real change begins,

Dr. Agatha K. Rokicki, D.B.A., B.S.