PROBLEM: The “achievement gap” in education is one of the most pressing equal rights issues in the United States: all over the country, public schools students in low-income, largely minority communities are consistently performing at lower levels than their middle-class, largely white counterparts. ...
PROBLEM: In 2009, the co-founder of Anza Technologies, a startup that designs and delivers high-quality, income-generating products to African farmers, was confronted with one of the biggest obstacles facing most nascent organizations: hiring a superstar team. Not only was Drew Durbin competing against ...
PROBLEM: In 2006, residents of Arlington, VA were close to losing an after-school program that taught kids how to fix bikes. Community Spokes, as the program was known then, recruited economically disadvantaged students to learn bicycle mechanics, at once offering an after-school activity ...
PROBLEM: While some applaud the power of social media to create social change, others doubt that information and discussion moves users to action. This fall, Malcolm Gladwell took a strong stand against the role of social media in changemaking, stating that connections formed ...
PROBLEM: People generally want to volunteer in some capacity; social change organizations generally need volunteers. Soup kitchens and Habitat for Humanity seldom have a shortage of volunteers, because most anyone can do it. But, for a professional who wants to use their specialized ...
Social innovators can learn from each others' successes and failures. That's the idea behind Dowser's Mini Case Studies, real-world stories showing how changemakers confront practical challenges. PROBLEM: The environmental advocacy group Heal the Bay has identified marine debris as a core problem – ...
PROBLEM: VolunteerMatch, an online service that matches volunteers and organizations, had operated for about a year when it faced a wrenching choice: either become a for-profit business, which would allow the organization to grow quickly by accepting investment from venture investors, or remain ...
Social innovators can learn from each others' successes and failures. That's the idea behind Dowser's Mini Case Studies, real-world stories showing how changemakers confront practical challenges. From time to time, we'll add to the mix great studies from around the web. Here's one ...
PROBLEM: When Kim Fortunato joined Operation Warm as president in 2006, she was impressed by its vision and reach. The Pennsylvania-based organization provides new winter coats to kids who can't afford them—to keep them warm and boost their general sense of well-being. At ...
PROBLEM: Idealist is a leading online portal for social organizations, job seekers and volunteers to connect with causes, resources and employment opportunities. Despite its well-established brand and loyal user base, Idealist came close to going under earlier this year after its revenues from ...