TechSoup Canada launches today!

My friend Evelyn reminded me that TechSoup Global, or the Technology Place for Non-profits, launches today its Canada branch, in partnership with the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Centre for Social Innovation, and the Information Technology Association of Canada.

They have various programs:

TechSoup
TechSoup is a trusted technology resource that offers a variety of information and services for the benefit of the nonprofit sector. TechSoup provides instructional articles and worksheets for nonprofit staff members who utilize information technologies, as well as technology planning information for executives and other decision makers. Our introductory articles and message board support are aimed at those who do not have much experience using technology, but we also provide more advanced information.

TechSoup Stock
TechSoup Stock is the technology product philanthropy service just for nonprofits and distributes multiple product philanthropy programs in a centralized, Web-based platform. The TechSoup Stock program has served more than 83,000 organizations and distributed over 4 million products as of June 2008.

TechSoup Global Network
TechSoup Global Network helps social benefit organizations and charities outside the U.S. and Canada obtain donations of essential technology products, information and services. It currently serves the United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, South Africa, Botswana, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Hungary, India, Hong Kong, France, Chile, and Taiwan as of June 2008, is projected to expand to 60 countries by 2012.

NetSquared
NetSquared is an initiative of TechSoup Global which enables social benefit organizations to leverage the tools of the social Web.

If you are a Canadian charity, non-profit organization or a public library and you would like to register for the TechSoup Canada Product Donations Program, please fill out the Register Your Interest page. Good luck!

Non-profit, For-profit or For-Change?

This question is still haunting us, even after our readers’ great insights. As found on Futureshifters, an article from Entrepreneur brings an interesting light and many answers to our dilemma.

After all, social enterprises traditionally lean toward the nonprofit model because of the perks they can receive from the business’s perceived “aura of goodness,” says William T. Hutton, a nonprofit attorney and longtime law professor in San Francisco. “Particularly in the educational sphere,” says Hutton, there’s “an innate suspicion that [nonprofits] are much more inclined to be selfless.” This perception, as well as the generous tax breaks that nonprofits typically provide to donors, make it significantly easier for social enterprises to raise funds and land government grants.

Of course, it isn’t just about the ability to reap charitable donations; there are plenty of other reasons to launch a nonprofit social enterprise. The confusing thing is there are just as many reasons — if not more — for social entrepreneurs to set up a for-profit business as well.

To help you figure out which model makes more sense, we weigh the pros and cons… (Read more)

One thing the article does not consider though, is the possibility for non-profits to have revenue-generating activities/products to insure their sustainability without having to rely on grants, donors and philanthropy. A good example is the Albany Free School, which owns several apartments that provide an income helping to lower tuition for its students.