Beyond Grants: how non-financial supports enhance social entrepreneurship. The case of CRT Foundation

The paper explores the social impact investment landscape focusing in deep on the venture philanthropy approach and the non-financial support. The methodological approach of the research entails the analysis of a case study: the E4SC (Entrepreneurs for Social Change) project promoted by CRT Foundation and UNAOC (United Nations Alliance of Civilizations). The program allows social entrepreneurs to boost their “business idea” into a “business opportunity” through non-financial support, referred to training and mentoring. This kind of non-financial support could enhance managerial skills and encourage social business initiatives, as a result of an increase in social impact. Through the assessment of this project, the paper contributes by highlighting the relevance on the assessment of non-financial supports that perform and uplift decision-making system. Moreover, the paper explains the analysis of the added value of non-financial resources offered to the social sector that could be meaningfully replicable.