Partner Organization: Charity School
Project Duration: Dec 2019 – Dec 2020
Project Status: Ongoing
Yifang Foundation has been supporting this project since it began in 2018. It aims to address the issue of underutilisation of theoretical concepts in practical applications within the public welfare sector. Furthermore, public welfare organizations often lack the knowledge and learning opportunities, and overlook using scientific standards, methods and tools to guide them in daily operations and project management. This was the result of a lack of dissemination of the relevant knowledge across the industry.
The project consolidated material from a wide range of resources like publications, research thesis, recommended book lists, work handbooks, traditional media and internet content into a sample library. At the same time, adopting the concept of offline book circulation – resources in the library are donated by users and used together with a “circulation” card – encouraging the sharing of resources, knowledge and accelerating the development of public welfare research. Ultimately closing the gap between theory and practice.
Partner Organization: China Agricultural University, NGOCN Weekly Publication Team
Project Duration: Nov 2019 – Oct 2020
Project Status: Ongoing
On the back of the success of the last three years’, the fourth edition of the China Public Welfare Commentary Award was organized in 2020. The award was organized in collaboration with NGOCN’s weekly charity publication, drawing on its strengths as a platform that provides introspective and critical columns and commentary which aids the development of the public welfare industry in China. At the same time, adding value and influence to the weekly publication, increasing its importance as a platform within the industry. By focusing on key industry issues, the publication hopes to launch a series of articles to ignite further discussion across the industry. Frontline leaders of the industry were invited to select the ten most valuable articles for the award.
• The First Social Entrepreneurship Forum for Young Scholars (2019)
Partner Organization: The Beijing Happy Family Development Center, Charity School
Project Duration: Jun 2019 - Dec 2021
Project Status: In progress (annual event)
In recent years, social enterprises and impact investment in China have entered a new stage of rapid and substantial development. Certification and policies supporting the development of social entrepreneurship and impact investment were introduced in several cities. At the same time, research surrounding social entrepreneurship intensified across a breadth and depth of perspectives and topics. Despite the progress, there lacked a local forum that catered specifically to social entrepreneurship. The fragmented academic community resulted in inefficiencies, limiting research standards and academic influence which in turn hindered the growth of domestic social enterprises and prevented international high-level dialogue and co-operation. Ultimately inhibiting the growth of the industry. With this in mind, the Charity School, together with scholars from various universities organized the first “Social Entrepreneurship Forum for Young Scholars” with the aim of providing intellectual support in the field of social entrepreneurship in China.
The forum hopes to build an in-depth knowledge base across the industry by bringing together interested young scholars and a team of experts. In addition, the forum established channels to publish quality research and papers to attract Chinese journals to pay attention to and support research on social entrepreneurship. In doing so, creating an ecosystem of social entrepreneurship within the country.