12th Annual Economic Self–Reliance Conference

Self–Reliance Through Social Entrepreneurship

5–6 November 2009

The 2009 Economic Self–Reliance (ESR) Conference will highlight leading research and practices of social entrepreneurship that are creating positive change both domestically and internationally.

This year’s conference will provide a forum for participants to discuss how social entrepreneurship is creating new approaches for addressing the complex problems of poverty and economic development.

Sessions at this year’s conference will focus on four areas of social entrepreneurship:

• Business and Social Entrepreneurship — Social ventures are a developing tool that lifts many out poverty. This conference track will highlight business solutions for development, including new research about microfranchising and new innovative ideas leading social entrepreneurship.
• Education and Social Entrepreneurship — Forward–thinking social entrepreneurs are changing education around the world to meet the needs of those in poverty. This conference track will highlight new innovations in education that are helping those in developing countries gain ideas about how to succeed economically.
• Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship — Technical solutions are often critical to advancing the work of social entrepreneurship. Designing innovative products for developing countries is a complex task that is playing a key role in alleviating poverty. Come find out how engineers are becoming change agents around the world.
• Financing Social Entrepreneurs — As social entrepreneurship spreads, the need to understand how to effectively invest in social ventures increases. Social entrepreneurship spans across for profit and nonprofit boundaries creating complex funding opportunities. This track will highlight how to effectively meet these financing challenges.

We look forward to seeing you at this year’s conference!

Hear the innovative ideas that come from the ESR Conference by listening to highlights of past sessions.

For additional information about Brigham Young University’s efforts in the field of social entrepreneurship, please visit www.selfreliance.byu.edu.