Disclaimer: These Articles were originally published on DNF Newsletter Substack and now merged as one.

Dear Founder,

How are you doing? It’s almost that time when year-end reviews become an anthem. While it might sound cliché, I firmly believe that introspection is crucial for forging ahead. A Hebrew belief captures this well: the future is behind us. To comprehend what lies ahead, we must look at the past, which is in front of us.

The aim of this letter isn’t to present novel thoughts or suggestions, but to ask you the same questions I’ve raised at various points this year. Shall we?

• What is the vision for your organisation?
• Did you create a plan for your organisation this year? How much progress were you able to make? Any challenges or detours?
• Have you taken intentional action towards the development of your volunteers?
• Have you followed up on the projects or beneficiaries of your concluded projects?
• Did you volunteer, take a course, read books, or invest in your personal development as a social impact leader this year?
• Have you adopted any new content strategy?
• Have there been any strategic collaborations with another non-profit?

And considering the current living conditions and their impact on various aspects of life:

• Are there any new or peculiar needs among your target beneficiaries?
• Is it time for new approaches, projects, or structures?

“Strategy is not the enemy of a non-profit.” 

So, I leave you with this last question: Next year, do you want to continue activities as usual, or do you aim to be a step closer to achieving the big picture?

This act of introspection naturally leads to a strategic consideration of the model itself. Is the traditional non-profit structure the only way to achieve your mission? Perhaps, for some, the answer lies in a different direction.

Maybe You Should Build A Social Enterprise.

I want to address anyone planning to build, rebuild, or start a second organisation. Firstly, it’s crucial to acknowledge that social entrepreneurship alone won’t solve Nigeria’s problems, nor will charities. Good governance is pivotal. However, this doesn’t diminish the importance of CSR activities, social enterprises, or charities. We need all three: charity projects, socially-driven businesses, and increased CSR initiatives.

So, what is social entrepreneurship? Specifically, it’s a for-profit business model aiming to positively impact social issues or the environment. It stands on three pillars: innovative and sustainable solutions, a social mission, and entrepreneurial strategies.

Why consider this path? It’s about sustainable funding. Raising funds is challenging, especially without a product or service. A social enterprise employs people to do work they care about (a win against unemployment), customers get a product or service (a win for them), investors get returns (another win), and social good is done (the major win).

The benefits extend further—social enterprises offer scalability, flexibility, innovative solutions, and measure impact using business metrics. Check out examples like Wecyclers and Renewdrive from Nigeria.

Have you heard of impact investing? These are investments made into companies aiming to generate a measurable, beneficial social or environmental impact alongside a financial return. Does Nigeria have impact investors? Yes, it does. I’m aware of Impact Investors Foundation; you can find them on Instagram here.

Dear founder, if you’re willing to take the risk and you have a compelling vision and solution, your contribution to social good isn’t limited to the charity model. Wondering if a transition is possible? I know of companies outside Nigeria, like Love Your Melon, that were originally registered as NGOs. For such a significant shift, consulting a lawyer for legal advice is essential.

We’ve come to the end of today’s letter. See you next time as we continue to wrap up the year.

Disclaimer: These Articles were originally published on DNF Newsletter Substack and now merged as one.