MIT has just released the latest edition of its journal innovations: Technology, Governance, Globalization, which features an article by Andrew Wolk and Colleen Gross Ebinger on "Government and Social Innovation".

Root Cause's latest thought piece on government and social innovation, this article begins creating a framework through which to analyze early stage efforts by governments and cross-sector partnerships trying to create systemic solutions to pressing problems. Interviews were conducted with government leaders at all levels from the White House to state and city government and with thought leaders across sectors. 

The article profiles several such initiatives, breaking them down into the following categories:

21inc director Tim Coates is urging the New Brunswick government to look to innovative solutions to social problems, saying:

"Given the convergence of challenges facing New Brunswick — from poverty and illiteracy to demographic shifts and limited economic opportunities — whoever forms our next government should make the province fertile ground for social innovation. Moreover, with the era of constrained public spending upon us, social innovation can increase our impact against these challenges eve with limited resources."

The article appeared on the cbcnews.ca website.

One year ago, President Obama officially announced the upcoming launch of a Social Innovation Fund (SIF) that would call on “foundations, philanthropists, and others in the private sector to partner with the government to find and invest in innovative, high-impact solutions.” He went on, “Now more than ever, we need to build cross-sector partnerships to transform our schools, improve the health of Americans, and employ more people in clean energy and other emerging industries. These community solutions will help build the new foundation for the economy and the nation.” For more in depth information about this White House announcement read our blog post.

We hope you’ll take a look at the newest feature on the Public Innovators site: PI Profiles. It is our chance to highlight the amazing work of public innovators around the country like:

This week Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) introduced “The Nonprofit Sector and Community Solutions Act” (H.R. 5533). The purpose of this bill is to improve coordination between the nonprofit sector and the federal government by establishing a bipartisan, 16-member U.S. Council on Nonprofit Organizations and Community Solutions, as well as the Interagency Working Group on Nonprofit Organizations and the Federal Government. It would also compile data on the health of the nonprofit sector.

Currently no federal agency or congressional committee has responsibility for evaluating, building, or maintaining the capacity of the nonprofit sector.

According to Diana Aviv, CEO and President of Independent Sector, the federal legislation would: “produce annual reports and recommendations and convene summits; create interagency coordination by being located in the White House (e.g. similar to the Social Innovation Fund); and require the Department of Commerce to collect the kind of data it compiles about the for-profit sector and make it available to the nonprofit sector.” Data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics would include nonprofits as a distinct category of employer.

Yesterday, the bigBANG! event in Dallas’ Union Station convened a community of over 300 social entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, investors, philanthropists, and others to spark social innovation in Texas and catalyze impact. The event included 20 microsponsors, 17 corporate sponsors, 14 socially conscious businesses, and 7 innovators. Dallas Social Venture Partners (DSVP) organized the first of its kind in Texas with the hopes of maximizing the knowledge and expertise of the participants to advance the best solutions to North Texas’ social problems. The ultimate message -- “do good better”.

The event featured a “pitch stage” from which the seven innovators selected by the Texas Social Innovation Initiative (TSI) presented their business model and vision, as well as their resource needs to a full room of “impact investors”.

One week ago Michelle Obama and Patrick Corvington, the CEO of the Corporation for National & Community Service, announced the initial phase of philanthropic commitments to the Social Innovation Fund (SIF) at a White House event.

The SIF will fund innovative results oriented solutions to the country’s most pressing social problems. It has three areas of focus: Economic Opportunity, Youth Development/School Support, and Healthy Futures.

The following private foundations and philanthropists are committing a total of $45 million over the next two years to match SIF grants or invest in other innovative community solutions:

• The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation ($10 million over 2 years)

• John and Ann Doerr's Family Foundation ($5 million over 2 years)

• Omidyar Network ($10 million over 2 years)

• The Open Society Foundations’ Special Fund for Poverty Alleviation ($10 million over 1 year)

• The Skoll Foundation ($10 million over 2 years)

Additionally, Mrs. Obama announced that more than 130 community foundations around the country signed a letter in support of the SIF and the Administration’s commitment to social innovation.

Former chair of the Corporation for National and Community Service and former Indianapolis mayor Stephen Goldsmith was appointed New York City’s Deputy Mayor for Operations last month. With extensive experience both in government and social innovation, Goldsmith has been in the news recently for the publication of his latest book, The Power of Social Innovation: How Civic Entrepreneurs Ignite Community Networks for Good.