How to encourage social entrepreneurism worldwide?

Bill Drayton, social entrepreneur himself
Harvard grad
Oxford (economics)
JD Yale Law School
worked in management consulting for McKinsey & Co.

*"he chose to specialize in economics, law, and management because he saw each discipline as a key tool to effect social change" (14)
former adminstrator for EPA

asked:  Was it possible to create a system that would, with high reliability, spot major pattern-changing ideas and first-class entrepreneurs before either were proven?" (15)

Founded Ashoka:  Innovators for the Public

Started with $50,000 from friends with foundations and his own money
Set out around the world to interview people committed to change
3 x 5 cards

For five years, Ashoka could not attract funding from a single public foundation
but in 1984 was awarded a $200,000 MacArthur Fellowship

Then got support from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund                            ons

First fellow was Gloria de Souza, 45-year old elementary school teacher
Jesuit school in Bombay

1971 attended a workshop on experiential learning
Dream was to transform education in India
from rote learning (colonialism, colonial mind set) to experiential and environmental education

Concerned that 70% of kids in Bombay want to emigrate

Began using techiques in her school

Then, received a 4-year living stipend, $10,000, to devote herself to spreading the model throughout India

She formed a foundation, Parisar Asha ("hope for the environment")
Showed that EVS (environmental Studies) approach worked - studens scored higher on reading comprehension, mastered writing and math more quickly)

By 1985, persuaded Bombay's school board to conduct pilot programs in 1700 schools

Withink 3 years, almost a million students

By end of 1980s, Indian government had adopted EVS into national curriculum
Its the standard of instruction in grades 1-3

Still working today; has influenced an entire generation of teachers
 

Today, Ashoka operates in 46 countries
has assisten 1400 social entrepreneurs
$40 million in funding
analyzing their strategies
offering professional services
lending credibility to their efforts

Works like a venture capital firm
"search and selection" process

Criteria:
1) creativity
2) entrepreneurial quality (the knockout test:  does the candidate have a new and potentially pattern-setting idea?")
3) social impact of the idea
4) ethical fiber