Editor's Note: On November 5th @ 2:00 EST, Care2 will be joined by BBMG on a free webinar: Cause Marketing - Getting the Message Right for the New Consumer. You can pre-register here, and enjoy a sneak peak into the genius of BBMG with this thought-provoking whitepaper featured below, written by guestblogger Mirm Kriegel of BBMG.

The new economy has created a reset moment that’s changing how we live and work. And it has profound consequences for philanthropy.

Over the past several months, some of the nation’s most iconic nonprofit brands—Nature Conservancy, AmeriCares, Red Cross and the Boys and Girls Club—announced sizeable layoffs and service cuts, while smaller, more nimble organizations like charity: water and Stand Up to Cancer tweeted their way into prominence, mobilizing tens of thousands of people in cities around the world.

This single snapshot speaks volumes about the challenges facing the philanthropic landscape in a world that’s adapting to radical social and economic change. Trust in our institutions has eroded while a spirit of entrepreneurship has soared.

Today, organizations are forced to re-imagine how to do more with less. To survive in this new economy and restore public confidence, they have no choice but to innovate and ask: How do we reduce costs, increase our reach and multiply our impact? Innovation is no longer the exception; it’s the new imperative.
From its roots in academic enclaves like Stanford Business School, social innovation has gone mainstream, moving into the halls of power under an administration that understands the value of collaboration and partnership.

Social entrepreneurs are breaking boundaries and blurring lines between nonprofits and for-profits, combining social purpose with financial promise as they look to create innovative, sustainable revenue streams.

To read the rest of this white paper, you may download it here.

Mirm Kriegel is Director of Philanthropy and Social Enterprise at BBMG, a nationally recognized branding and integrated marketing firm dedicated to creating innovative brands that engage and inspire today’s increasingly conscious consumers.