As part of our shared commitment to highlighting exemplary practice, the Social Enterprise Alliance is pleased to announce the 2010 Social Enterprise Awards, to be presented at the Social Enterprise Summit in April 2010. These prestigious awards honor superior achievement, visionary leadership and high-impact innovation in social enterprise, and provide inspiring examples for the field.

What is a "social enterprise"?
A social enterprise is an organization or venture that achieves its primary social or environmental mission using business methods.

Social enterprise includes both nonprofits and for-profits that operate businesses to address critical problems in the areas of education, environment, health, human rights, at-risk youth, employment and workforce development, women's economic empowerment, and many others.

What awards are being presented?
Awards will be made in the following categories:

• The Social Enterprise Leadership award will be presented to the nominee who most clearly demonstrates the core characteristics of a leader, including vision, courage, the ability to inspire others, make good judgments and stay the course over time in leading and building an effective social enterprise.

• The Social Enterprise Innovation award will be presented to the nominee who has introduced a method of advancing his or her primary social or environmental mission through entrepreneurial strategies that is effective and genuinely unique, either not done before or not previously applied to social enterprise.

• The Next Generation Social Entrepreneur award will recognize the outstanding work of a leading social entrepreneur in the United States, aged 35 or under. The selected individual will be a successful practitioner whose contributions to the field of social enterprise has had far reaching impact and is helping to define a new generation of social entrepreneurs.

Who is eligible?
Any Social Enterprise Alliance member at the Enterpriser level or above who is in good standing is eligible to receive an award. Members of the Board of Directors of Social Enterprise Alliance are not eligible.

How can I nominate someone?
Click on the award name above for the nomination form. Nominations will be accepted online from December 15, 2009 - January 31, 2010.

Leadership Award Selection Committee
This committee, which will include up to 7 SEA members of diverse perspectives from the field, will be convened in January 2010 to review the nominations for our Social Enterprise Awards. The winners will be honored during the Banquet Dinner on April 29, 2010 at the Social Enterprise Summit. You must be a current SEA member to serve on this committee.

2009 Award Winners

Social Enterprise Innovation Award
Kevin McDonald
Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, (TROSA)

Kevin McDonald is the President & CEO of Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, (TROSA), a nationally recognized non-profi t, two-year, residential recovery program located in Durham, NC. Kevin came to Durham in 1994 to establish TROSA and has shaped TROSA into a unique 501(c)(3) entrepreneurial organization dedicated to helping substance abusers change their lives.

Under Kevin's leadership, TROSA has become an outstanding example of social entrepreneurship. With the goal of becoming self-supporting, Kevin created a variety of business enterprises that serve a dual function of educational venues as well as revenue generators. The vocational training businesses include moving, lawn care, Christmas tree sales, used furniture store, picture framing, and catering.

Key elements of the program include vocational training, education, communication development and mentoring. In addition, TROSA's aftercare program offers low-cost housing, affordable transportation and ongoing support to graduates.

Kevin has received many awards for his efforts. In 2001 he was selected from a pool of over 3000 nominees for the Leadership of a Changing World Award. Kevin is also a past recipient of the Edna B. Spaulding Founder's Award. At the 5th Gathering of the Social Enterprise Alliance in San Francisco, TROSA received the fi rst place funder's award in the mature enterprise category.

Kevin is married to Sue McDonald and has two sons, James and Joseph.

Social Enterprise Leadership Award
David H. Carleton
Kitchens With Mission

David H. Carleton is the Founder and Director of Kitchens With Mission, a nonprofit organization working to build and sustain communities that provide food-service based training and employment for individuals facing barriers to employment.

David works as a national catalyst for the replication, integration and growth of food-service based training and employment models rooted in social enterprise.

Prior to launching Kitchens With Mission, David directed FareStart's Communications, Community Relations and Business Development efforts. With the launch of Kitchens With Mission in 2006, David successfully achieved a top strategic priority of FareStart: to impact more lives by helping other organizations replicate the FareStart model.

David has applied over 14 years of broad management, business development and communications experience to the growth of FareStart, Kitchens With Mission and all KWM Partner Programs nationwide. His experience in publishing, media and Internet related fields has been well adapted to developing social enterprise and positive social outcomes for individuals facing barriers to employment.

Born in New York City, David has lived in the Seattle area since 1995. He has a BA from McGill University and a Masters in Communications from Northwestern University.