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How Shared Spaces are Changing the World
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the centre for Social innovation catalyzes and
supports social innovation in toronto and around the
world. we create community workspaces, incubate
emerging enterprises, and develop new models and
methods with world-changing potential.
We believe that society is facing
unprecedented economic, environmental,
social and cultural challenges.
We also believe that new innovations
are the key to turning these challenges into
opportunities to improve our communities
and our planet. We are working together to
fix our future.
{
WANT
TO HELP?

the Centre for Social Innovation opened its doors
in June 2004. At that time, we had incredible pas-
sion, extraordinary vision, and only an inkling of how
we would make it all work. It was, needless to say, an
adventurous start. At the time, we weren’t aware of any
other similar models. It felt like everything we were do-
ing was new. We were making it up as we went along,
and through hard work, clear vision, and a fair amount
of good fortune, we made it work. Our model and our
team proved their mettle and within a few short years
we were running a 23,000 square foot facility that was
home to over 180 members representing missions from
arts to environment to education to social justice.
Slowly, as our model grew, we began to attract the at-
tention of others who were interested in what we were
accomplishing. Some were at the idea stage and inter-
ested to know ‘how we did what we did’. Others were
already building shared spaces and wondered what
they could borrow and adapt to their community. Still
others were asking if we would come to their city to
establish a Centre for Social Innovation.
What began as an occasional trickle began to gain
steam. By our fourth year we were overwhelmed with
requests and inquiries about our model. We were, and
continue to be, absolutely delighted and honoured by
this attention. But we struggled with our own capacity.
We are a small social enterprise that has been stretched
to the limits evolving our own community and programs.
We tried to share as much information as we could, as
frequently as we could, but we began to realize that we
needed another strategy to meet the growing interest
in creating shared spaces for social innovation...
...So we created this series.
Shared Spaces for Social Innovation is about sharing our
story and empowering others to learn from our expe-
rience. The Centre for Social Innovation (CSI) has al-
ways been open with its model. We’ve long preached
the benefits of shared spaces and we’ve been doing
our best to encourage as many new spaces as possible.
We figured that the best way to open our model – to
reveal everything we’ve learned in hopes of supporting
the emergence of new and better spaces – was to docu-
ment what we’ve done and make it available to anyone
who was interested.
It has taken a fair amount of courage for us to let it all
hang out and give it all away! Many people advised
us that we should be franchising, licensing, and hold-
ing our knowledge close to our chests. But this went
against our values. Instead, we are putting this whole
series into the creative commons for others to benefit
from and contribute to.
We believe that good ideas scale when they are open.
We also believe that ideas get better when we share.
We look forward to working with you on this journey to
create and grow new strategies for social innovation.
foreword

8 9
a work in progreSS
Of course, the story of the Centre for Social Innovation
is still unfolding. And yet the challenge with writing a
book is the finality of it all. We therefore invite you to
participate in our online space. At first, we’ll have pdf
versions of the series publications and a set of tem-
plates and tools available for download. In time, we’ll
make amendments to these books, release additions
to the series and create a platform for a community of
practice.
open Sourcing our Model
Shared Spaces for Social Innovation reveals just about
everything we’ve learned about creating and growing
shared workspaces. We’re telling our story, sharing our
research, and offering the tools and templates we’ve
created along the way.
But sharing is a two-way
street. Actually, it’s more like a
highway interchange!
While it is truly our pleasure to provide this material,
our hope is that you will embrace the Creative Com-
mons spirit. This means recognizing our contribu-
tion and letting us know what you’ve used, adapted,
and developed. More importantly, it means sharing
your experiences and tools with other shared spaces.
By contributing to a shared body of knowledge, we’re
empowering others to be even more successful, build-
ing this field and advancing our own spaces in the pro-
cess.
We’re not yet sure what it will look like, and we’re very
sure that it won’t be up to us alone to determine. But
we’re hoping this effort starts us along a path to an
open community of practice that is creating the spaces
where people change the world.
The Shared Spaces for Social Innovation Series is made up of
three books:
emergence: the Story of the centre for Social innovation.
In this book we weave a narrative around our genesis and de-
velopment. Starting back when the Centre was just a glimmer
in the eyes of a few social entrepreneurs, Emergence follows
our growth from concept to operation to scale.
rigour: How to create world-changing Shared Spaces.
This book is a manual for those planning or operating a shared
space. It reveals the accumulated knowledge of six years of
experience and offers a ton of tips, lessons and tools for devel-
oping a strong organization and vibrant community.
proof: How Shared Spaces are changing the world.
This report shares our most recent research on the impact of
the Centre for Social Innovation in order to demonstrate just
what shared spaces for social innovation can accomplish.
Each book can be read on its own. Together they provide a
comprehensive picture of the Centre for Social Innovation.
Looking to build or grow your own
shared space for social innovation?
CSI offers tailored consulting, training, and speaking services to
help you with challenges from start-up to scale. Get in touch by
sending a note to sssi@socialinnovation.ca.
@
Access new releases and
supporting materials.
socialinnovation.ca/sssi
Identify yourself as part of
this growing community.
Download all of our
templates and tools.

10 11
looking forward
This series starts with the Centre for Social Innovation. But
we know there are dozens of like-minded spaces around the
world, and we hope to add other stories, experiences, tem-
plates and tools over time.
Our vision is a vibrant, shared platform that includes the expe-
riences of shared spaces dedicated to social innovation around
the world – your experiences. We’re hoping to work with a
community of likeminded people that is sharing ideas, strate-
gies and… who knows?
Just imagine a network where we can share promising prac-
tices, collaborate on joint projects and infrastructure, replicate
good ideas and leverage investments from community to com-
munity.
Let’s work together to support each other, our members and to
build this exciting field!
thank you
We would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to
the many people who have made the Centre for So-
cial Innovation and this series possible. First, a thanks
to the CSI Staff and Board team, whose vision and in-
dustry have made the Centre what it is today. Second,
a special thanks to our incredible network of partners
and supporters, including Urbanspace Property Group,
Canadian Heritage, The Ontario Trillium Foundation,
Canadian Alternative Investment Co-Operative, Asho-
ka, Harbinger Foundation and the Province of Ontario,
Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration.
A publication like this only comes together with incred-
ible dedication. Eli Malinsky has played author, editor,
project manager and overall superhero on this project;
Shared Spaces for Social Innovation provides only a
glimpse of the value that Eli brings to CSI and to this
emerging field.
Hamutal Dotan deserves special recognition for her
writing on Emergence and Proof – her effortless style
perfectly captures the tone of the Centre for Social In-
novation. For turning beautiful words into compelling
publications, The Movement continues to mesmerize
and engage. We’d also like to recognize Margot Smart,
who meticulously designed and analyzed the 2008
member survey, which forms the basis of our statistics.
Finally, we would like to recognize our members. They
are the reason we do what we do. They inspire us,
they motivate us, they ground us and they challenge
us. Their passion, commitment and creativity are what
make it all worthwhile, and it is truly our honour to sup-
port their work.
Now let’s change the world together!
Tonya Surman
executiVe director

12 13
conclusion
64
Table of
contents
2
1 3
impact
38
collaboration
52
mission
40
networks
44
money
56
happiness
60
ideas
48
forew0rd
6
context t
14
introduction
28

14 15
Creating the spaces
where change
happens
1
C H APTER
context

16 17
Co-location refers to spaces that are
shared among a number of separate
organizations. Multi-Tenant Nonprofit
Centers are types of co-location
spaces that focus on the nonprofit
sector.
Coworking refers to the sharing of
workspace among freelancers and
other independent workers. Co-
working spaces provide workspace
and community to people who are
often working on their own.
Community Hubs are shared spaces
that provide direct services to the
geographic community in which they
are situated. Community Hubs co-
locate service providers that offer a
range of supports such as language
instruction, job training, after school
programs and drop-in groups.
a shared spaCes
glossary
Hot Desks are temporary, shared
workspaces that are typically found
in coworking spaces.
Incubators provide programmatic,
strategic, administrative and/or fi-
nancial support to small projects and
organizations.
Social Innovation refers to new
ideas that resolve social, cultural,
economic and environmental chal-
lenges for the benefit of people and
planet.
Even more simply, a social innova-
tion is an idea that works for the
public good.
SI
C
context
C

18 19
The incentives for cost sharing have
been growing. Nonprofits and chari-
ties are enduring ongoing cutbacks in
administrative budgets while facing
increasing demands from communities
and individuals.
For-profit and nonprofit strategies are
blending together. Shared spaces – and
frequently their members – are exam-
ples of how mission-based and market-
based approaches can coincide.
There is increasing recognition that
the problems we face are too com-
plex to be addressed by any single
player. Shared spaces connect diverse
organizations and individuals, giving
them the chance to collaborate, share
knowledge and develop systemic solu-
tions to the issues they are trying to
address.
why are shared spaCes emerging?
Shared workspaces are themselves a social innovation
– an entirely new way of working. The dominant work-
place model has been separate organizations working
separately. That may have made perfect sense at one
time and it may still make perfect sense in many instanc-
es. But it is by no means a universal or desirable ap-
proach. The nature of work is changing – and with it the
workplace. These changes offer incredible potential for
economic, social, cultural, and environmental progress
in the coming years.
Real estate prices are soaring world-
wide, making it increasingly difficult
for small groups and individuals to find
affordable workspace.
why are shared spaCes emerging?
The pendulum is swinging from global
back to local. While the 90’s promised
‘virtual work’, the new millennium is
reinforcing the importance of space.
Alongside new technologies has been
the rise of ‘independents’ who work
with several clients but who are not
bound by the restrictions of any one
physical space.
context
C C

20 21
C
S
our theory of Change
as we’ve built and expanded CSI over the past few
years, we’ve developed our theory of change—
it’s our way of capturing how the Centre for Social In-
novation creates the conditions for social innovation to
emerge.
S
Serving as the foundation is the physical space,
the environment which our members see and
feel and touch and inhabit every day. It’s at the very base
of the pyramid because it’s what sets the tone for every-
thing else: our members want to come to work simply
to enjoy the space. The physical space is the container
for everything that occurs at the Centre.
I
C
The physical space sets the conditions for com-
munity. Community develops as people start to
feel comfortable in a space, are happy to spend time in
it, and develop relationships with other members doing
the same. A kitchen, for instance, isn’t just a place to
eat; it can also allow for shared meals and impromptu
gatherings, and those, in turn, are the basis of the re-
lationships which lead to a real sense of kinship among
the members. With some delicate animation, the bonds
of community are forged and strengthened, building
social capital and a network of relationships.
I
Community relationships allow members to ex-
change ideas, to collaborate easily, to find ser-
vices and access knowledge that might otherwise be
hard to come by. In short, community is what leads to
innovation, because a community of other creative, en-
gaged people is what blows away the cobwebs, allows
you to see an old problem in a new light, and helps
you find creative ways of implementing solutions you
might not otherwise have considered. And that—all the
myriad ways in which space and community foster social
innovation—well, that’s the whole purpose of the Cen-
tre for Social Innovation.
context
C C

22 23
We have witnessed the birth and growth of three dis-
tinct but related movements. The first is a movement
toward co-location. Co-location generally refers to the
more-or-less permanent sharing of space among orga-
nizations. Within this field, there is a particular trend
toward co-location of nonprofit organization within a
single facility, often known as a Multi-Tenant Nonprofit
Centre. The members in these centres are individual
organizations who have decided to share space, often
an entire building, as a strategy to save costs and ad-
vance their missions. The Nonprofit Centers Network in
San Francisco (nonprofitcenters.org), a project of Tides
Shared Spaces, is the primary organizing body for a
network of over 200 such shared spaces, mostly in the
United States, and is leading the charge in developing
and connecting the field. CSI is a proud member of the
Nonprofit Centers Network.
Sierra Health Nonprofit Innovation Center in the
Sacramento area (sierrahealth.org)
a three-pronged
movement
the shared spaces movement is exploding. While
various forms of shared workspace have been
around for decades, the idea of shared space as a
unique field of practice is more recent, and the past few
years have seen a dramatic rise in the number of shared
spaces and in the interconnections among them.
The second movement is often referred to as cowork-
ing. Born of ‘independents’ (freelancers, sole practitio-
ners, consultants, etc.) primarily in the tech and design
sectors, coworking spaces are generally more informal
and of smaller scale than co-locations. Many members
are motivated by opportunities for social connect-
edness; as independents, they are too often working
alone.
Coworking spaces provide shared space for part-time
members and are popping up all over the globe. This
movement, more ad-hoc than the co-location move-
ment, is being loosely connected and organized through
the Coworking Wiki (blog.coworking.info). While most
coworking spaces do not apply a ‘social change’ lens to
their work, one notable exception is The Hub (the-hub.
net), a global network of coworking spaces now reach-
ing into over 20 countries around the world. CSI is an
affiliate of The Hub Network.
The third movement is a movement toward incubation
of social change projects. Although it’s a fuzzy term,
incubation generally refers to support given to early-
stage projects and organizations. This support can in-
clude programming, trusteeship, shared services, in-
vestment and financial back-end services. The past few
years have seen an increase in the application of tra-
ditional incubation strategies for commercialization to
social enterprises.
The Hub, a coworking space, also applies a social
change lens to their work (the-hub.net)
National Community Development Institute builds
capacity for social change in communities (ncdinet.org)
context
C C

24 25
the Csi twist
the Centre for Social Innovation is a hybrid of
these movements. Like co-locations we provide
permanent, stable office rental to organizations. Like
coworking spaces, we provide part-time desk spaces
to ‘independents’. Like an incubator, CSI provides pro-
gramming and shared services to its members, and of-
fers a handful of projects support ranging from strate-
gic advice to back-end financial services.
This makes us unique. In fact, there are a few other
unique characteristics of the CSI model.
< 5
S
[D]
A*
a Social cHange lenS
The Centre for Social Innovation is designed to support and
foster social innovation. All of our members are selected based
on their commitment to that goal, and all of our programming
is designed to increase the capacity of social enterprises, non-
profits, charities, green businesses, artists, designers, creators,
and activists to improve the well-being of people and our
planet.
a focuS on SMall
We focus on groups with five or fewer staff. The vast major-
ity of our members are one- and two-person operations. It is
these small groups that are in the greatest need of shared fa-
cilities and administration; it is also these groups that are best
positioned to collaborate and connect with others.
pHySical deSign
We understand the critical role of physical design in setting
the tone of a space and the behaviour of its users. We have
developed a very specific approach to physical design that has
been a key ingredient in our success and in the ‘experience’ of
the Centre for Social Innovation.
aniMation aS practice
Community animation is what turns “a place to work” to a
space of social innovation. We’ve been building the practice
of animation and developing its role as a central feature of suc-
cessful shared spaces.
context
C C

26 27
52% of members describe themselves as working on
the environment, 39% in culture, 31% in social justice,
and 25% in technology (respondents were allowed to
select multiple sectors).
Incorporated for-profit and incorporated nonprofits are
equally represented among our members, at 23% each.
25% of members are registered charities, and 24% are
unincorporated.
We are a community of the small but mighty: 94% of CSI
members have three or fewer full-time equivalent staff.
Two-thirds of members are under the age of 40, doing
their best to keep the other third feeling young! Thirty-
seven percent of members bicycle to work every day
(fewer in Toronto winters!).
So, just who are the members of CSI? It’s an eclectic mix
that cuts across sectors and organizational types, ages
and skill sets, and it’s an altogether glorious jumble.
Recreation
Professional Association
Public Space
Health & Disability
Law / Advocacy / Politics
Other
Social Services
Community Economic Development
Technology
Capacity Builder
Social Justice
Culture
Arts
Environment
8
10
15
15
17
18
18
21
25
30
31
39
39
52
Sector %
Bike
D
rive
T
r
a
n
s
i
t
Walk
O
t
h
e
r
10%
3
7
%
8
%
41%
4
%
Getting
Here
6
23
23
24
25
Don't Know
Incorporated For-Profit
Incorporated Non-Profit
Unicorporated
Registered Charity
Legal Form
%
<4
member snapshot
in November 2008 we conducted a comprehensive
member survey. The survey comprised more than
one hundred questions, investigating everything
from customer service to the effect of membership
on organizational revenues. The results include, in
addition to quantitative measures, more than 2,000
submitted comments, anecdotes, and suggestions.
We are honoured and grateful that so many of our
members were willing to share their thoughts and
insights with us, and thrilled to now be sharing them
with you1
.
[1] Throughout this report, unless otherwise noted, any statistics
or feedback attributed to CSI members refers to the informa-
tion gathered from the 80 respondents to our November 2008
survey, who represent about 30% of our membership.
Download the survey and a
report of the results:
context
C C

28 29
the summary
version is:
it’s working
2
C H APTER
introduction

30 31
In 2004 a small group of social entre-
preneurs launched the Centre for So-
cial Innovation in the heart of downtown
Toronto. We did so in the belief that sus-
tainable design, thoughtful community-
building, and responsive programming
could foster social innovation, and that
working collaboratively was more pow-
erful than working alone. We created
an open-concept space in a beautiful
heritage building and selected a diverse
group of social mission organizations
with which to fill it. We didn’t entirely
know what would happen next, but we
had no doubt that it was worth finding out.
CSI housed thirty-five people working in
fourteen organizations when we opened.
We’ve had several growth spurts since
then, and we now provide shared space
and services to over 180 social mission
organizations and projects. Our mem-
bers are nonprofits, activists, artists,
tech wizards, and all manner of socially-
minded entrepreneurs, and they work in
sectors ranging from the environment to
social services to arts and culture.
CSI members generate an estimated
$25 million per year in revenues. It’s a
lot of activity to pack into 23,000 square
feet, and a testament to the value CSI
and its members create. After just a few
years of existence CSI is a vibrant mini-
economy, dynamic and constantly evolv-
ing. We have been recognized (we can’t
help but be a little proud to say) at the
local, national, and international levels
for our work, and have been honoured
with, among others, the Toronto Com-
munity Foundation Vital Idea Award, the
Canadian Urban Institute City Innovation
Award, and the Ashoka Global Fellow-
ship for executive director Tonya Surman.
introduction
Our aim, in building CSI, was to catalyze
social innovation. A social innovation is a
new idea, or a new application of an old
idea, that resolves social, cultural, eco-
nomic, and environmental challenges for
the benefit of people and planet. More
simply, a social innovation is an idea that
works for the public good. Social inno-
vation is about doing things differently,
and social innovation happens when
people re-examine assumptions about
how things ought to be done.
More simply, a social
innovation is an idea that
works for the public good.
space + community = innovation

32 33
How does social innovation emerge?
Well, it can’t be neatly pinned
down or reduced to a formula, but we
can say for certain that it requires the
freedom to explore and the opportunity
to collaborate across silos. Social inno-
vation can emerge in the for-profit, non-
profit, and public sectors and, increas-
ingly, it is happening in the intersections
between the three. It requires energy,
practical smarts, the ability to do a lot
with few resources—and perhaps most
of all, it requires a community of sup-
port. That is why, around the world, we
are witnessing the emergence of shared
spaces designed to foster social innova-
tion.
Now, more than six years after we first
opened our doors, we finally have the
time, the experience, and the body of
evidence to help us answer these ques-
tions. In the pages that follow you will
find a summary and analysis of our find-
ings—our internal report card, in a man-
ner of speaking—based on the member
survey we conducted in November 2008.
We have, under one roof, the collected
wisdom of nearly two hundred member
organizations: it’s an unprecedented op-
portunity for reflection, evaluation, and
learning, and we didn’t want to let too
much longer pass before making the
most of it.
The detailed discussion of CSI’s impact
unfolds over the following chapters,
but the summary version is: it’s working.
Turnover is low, the waiting list is per-
manent, and CSI is only going to keep
growing over the next few years to keep
up with demand. Members have made
new connections, shared knowledge,
improved their bottom lines, and in-
creased satisfaction in their work. They
are fulfilling their missions, fulfilling them
better, and developing a much deeper
understanding of and engagement with
the social mission sector of which they
are a part. Quite simply, CSI both fosters
social innovation and is a social innova-
tion—a new model for how individuals
and organizations committed to social
and environmental progress can com-
bine their energies to both create a more
humane working environment and do more
effective work.
introduction
Social innovation is happening in
the intersections between sectors.
Organizations, governments, and
businesses must explore beyond
traditional divides.
Community support is required
to foster this innovation.
When we created CSI we had more
questions than answers:
Would members
benefit from
exposure to others
who were like-
minded?
Would they be
able to work more
efficiently?
Would
organizations that
came to work in the
same place end up
working together?
Would social
innovation actually
emerge?
public sector
nonprofit
for-profit

We believed in our theory of change
from the very day we decided to open
CSI: we were convinced that if we cre-
ated the right kind of space that com-
munity would emerge, and if we sup-
ported the right kind of community that
innovation would emerge. What we
didn’t know back then was just how that
innovation would manifest itself—we
didn’t know what shape it would take.
We started to get a sense of this as CSI
and its members flourished and grew,
but it didn’t fully come into view until we
conducted our member survey. By then
we had a substantial population with a
significant amount of experience in the
space, all of whom were very generous
in sharing their experiences and insights
with us, and we were able to draw out
a more nuanced sense of the ways in
which space and community were con-
tributing to social innovation.
introduction
+ =
What we’d been after, what the
survey crystallized and what we
detail in the chapters that follow,
are the ways in which membership
in CSI catalyzes social innovation.

MISSION
NETWORKS
IDEAS
COLLABORATION
MONEY
HAPPINESS
COMMUNITY
SOCIAL
INNOVATION
SPACE
36 37
introduction
These six impacts
are key to catalyzing
social innovation in a
shared space.
We wanted to understand just
how space and community
creates the conditions for social
innovation to emerge.
We found that
membership at
CSI produces six
key impacts.

38 39
Each of these six
impacts plays a
role in catalyzing
social innovation
3
C H APTER
impact

40 41
76%
At first glance, you might think that or-
ganizations opt for a shared workspace
in order to save on expenses. That is cer-
tainly the case sometimes, but not actu-
ally the general rule at CSI. Most of our
members came out of home offices and
they spend more on rent here than they
did previously. These are organizations
running, for the most part, on shoestring
budgets, and as congenial as they may
find the atmosphere at CSI they also
need to see real practical benefits. The
first and most basic of these is that mov-
ing to CSI frees up an organization to
focus on its mission, rather than having
to regularly tend to administrative, main-
tenance, and other routine office tasks.
Simply: the space we provide, the very
foundation of our theory of change
pyramid, aids innovation because we
take all kinds of mundane operations
off our members’ plates. Organizations
are better able to attract and retain top-
notch staff because of the amenities and
working environment we provide com-
pared to other, lower-cost options, and
organizations are better able to benefit
from their staff’s expertise because they
are focused on program delivery rather
than clearing photocopy jams. We pro-
vide space, but also take care of all the
work that goes along with it: we deal
with everything from office cleaning to
phone line maintenance, which means
our members don’t have to.
76% of organizational leaders say
that membership has enabled their
organization to access better facilities
than they had previously. “It is wonderful to work…
where so much is done for
you in terms of amenities so
that you can get down to
business.”
“CSI has provided efficiencies
and services that took a huge
administrative burden from
our small overworked staff.”
“It has allowed our
organization to focus its
limited human and financial
resources on mission.”
“CSI has enabled
our organization to
concentrate its juices.”
73%
76%
73% of organizational
leaders at CSI say that
membership in the shared
space has enabled their
organization to improve its
professional reputation.
76% believe that member-
ship has improved their
organization’s image in the
community.
97%
Essentially all of CSI’s
members (97%) say
they are proud to bring
funders, partners and
clients to their workplace.
An additional benefit of having access
to better facilities is increased profes-
sionalism. CSI provides facilities that are
more conducive to professional activity
than many organizations’ previous loca-
tions. This boosts staff energy, and al-
lows members to put a polished face on
their operations. According to the sur-
vey, 71% of organizational leaders feel
that membership at CSI has improved
the professionalism of their organization
and 70% of individual members feel that
working in the shared space has enabled
them to do their job more effectively.
Moreover, 73% of organizational leaders
at CSI say that membership in the shared
space has enabled their organization to
improve its professional reputation, and
76% believe that membership has im-
proved their organization’s image in the
community. Essentially all of CSI’s mem-
bers (97%) say they are proud to bring
funders, partners and clients to their
workplace.
Impact
Mission
71%
70%
71% of organizational
leaders at CSI say the
shared space has enabled
their organization to work
more efficiently.
70% of individual tenants
say that working in the
them to do their job more
effectively.

42 43
Supporting Youth
Workers Across
Toronto
How a Focus on
Mission Catalyzes
Social Innovation
They come together regularly to support
each other in dealing with the effects of
gun violence, oppression, and hatred.
Through workshops and training, discus-
sion groups, and information sharing,
FPYN connects and empowers individu-
als that are working in an otherwise iso-
lating and often traumatic field.
Now in its third year at CSI, FPYN attri-
butes much of its success to the services
and infrastructure available to its staff.
The core CSI staff team eliminates ba-
sic office management duties, such as
coping with photocopiers, phone lines,
and printers. Without those burden-
some tasks, FPYN staff can concentrate
on developing the organization’s pro-
grams and advocating for policy change.
Equally, FPYN staff benefit from ongoing
support and mentoring from a diverse
group of business experts and innova-
tors within CSI environment.
The facilities offered to members at CSI
also lend a sense of permanence and
professionalism to FPYN that is crucial
for attracting and retaining their network
of workers. Having regular access to
meeting rooms for get-togethers helps
to bind the network together, and cre-
ates a space of trust and openness. As
one worker notes, “The [CSI] space does
physically what youth workers do person-
ally,” alluding to the sense of connectiv-
ity and intimacy that CSI embodies. Hav-
ing the necessary facilities, equipment,
and technology provided by CSI means
FPYN staff can dedicate their time to
meet the needs of these workers. This
stability and sense of community encour-
age the workers to take chances, discuss
challenges, and collaboratively come up
with solutions to any challenges they are
facing in their work.
The Frontline Partners with
Youth Network (FPYN)
brings together more than
1,000 youth workers from all
sectors across the Greater
Toronto Area.
impact
Mission
And as for its successes? FPYN’s net-
works have flourished from 200 to 1,100
members who represent hundreds of or-
ganizations. The network facilitates the
exchange of over 2,000 youth-related
information items every year and has
held over 40 trainings and facilitations to
youth workers. Last year, FPYN complet-
ed a research study on Grief and Trauma
impacts on Frontline Workers - the first
and only study of its kind.
Jenny Katz sums up the story neatly: “It’s
like these reverberating circles of impact.
The infrastructure support we receive at
CSI allows us to focus on our mission and
to be creative about our work. We’re do-
ing things we imagined years ago but
never had the means to achieve – and
it’s making a real different in the lives of
youth workers in Toronto.”
The core CSI staff team
eliminates basic office
management duties.
“The [CSI] space does
physically what youth workers
do personally...”

44 45
79%
Moving to CSI doesn’t just give an orga-
nization access to new facilities—it pro-
vides access to a whole new community
of fellow members. As we all become
increasingly aware of the power of social
networks, the advantages this confers
are ever clearer.
The most reliable way to find a new ser-
vice provider, collaborator, or colleague
is often to ask for recommendations
from people you already know, and the
best way to expand and deepen your
work is by engaging with others who
have similar interests and have experi-
ences and insights to share. This is one
way that community creates innovation:
it brings people together to learn from
each other, mutually aid and reinforce
one another, and introduces members to
other organizations who may have skills
or experiences that can enhance their
own work.
Small organizations such as the ones that
take up residency in CSI often start out in
someone’s basement: they generally ex-
ist in isolation until they come here. This
can not only be dispiriting, it poses prac-
tical limits on the ease of learning about,
pursuing, or implementing anything out
of an organization’s base skill-set: that
is, isolation creates barriers to innova-
tion. Because CSI members have been
intentionally chosen from a mix of sec-
tors—arts, environment, social services,
“The most important thing
that tenancy at CSI has done
for me is to expand my
networks and horizons.”
“It seems like every time
I need a contact for a job,
somebody [in the shared
space] knows exactly who
to contact.”
“Being a part of CSI has
expanded my knowledge of
the social sector and vastly
built up my network as well.”
“...the knowledge sharing,
contacts, and general
profession interaction have
been invaluable.”
technology, and others—members have,
immediately on joining, ready access to
a vastly expanded network, with a wide
variety of skills, experience, and knowl-
edge bases, on which they can easily
draw.
This network expansion happens both
organically, as a natural outcome of shar-
ing common space, and as a result of
community animation.
Impact
Networks
79% of members indicate that
services, programs, events, and
other CSI initiatives have helped
them exchange contacts with other
members.
92%
92% of members indicate
that membership at
CSI has expanded their
professional networks.
82% of members indicate
that membership at
CSI has expanded their
personal networks.
82%
“Tenancy in this shared
space has plugged me into
a whole new network of
friendly, interesting people.”

46 47
a movement
begins with
a brisk walk
Shortly after Jane Jacob’s death, a CSI
member named Chris Winter, of the
Conservation Council of Ontario, at-
tended a meeting at CSI hosted by the
Ontario Smart Growth Network. The pur-
pose of the meeting was to explore how
to promote more walking in neighbour-
hoods. Chris proposed the idea of hav-
ing neighbourhood walks to celebrate
Jane Jacobs. Each walk would be locally
led and would encourage an explora-
tion of the urban environment and the
relationship citizens have with the spaces
they inhabit.
Chris shared his idea with CSI co-found-
ers Mary Rowe and Margie Zeidler. Using
their collective social networks and the
support of the Jane Jacobs’ Award at the
Maytree Foundation, the idea went viral.
On Jane Jacob’s birthday, six weeks af-
ter the idea was first hatched, 27 neigh-
bourhood walks were held in Toronto to
explore and celebrate peoples’ relation-
ship with urban spaces and with each
other.
Jane’s Walk is a social innovation for its
unique approach of getting citizens en-
gaged with their local urban environ-
ments. In a brilliant yet simple way, Jane’s
Walk starts a conversation and rekindles
the powerful relationship between city
design and citizens. Jane’s Walk is predi-
cated on an open, decentralized and
self-organizing model whereby anyone
can offer to lead a walk by proposing a
tour idea. Using a light-touch, a single
staff person supports the leaders and
creates buzz that raises awareness of all
the walks across the city.
“It’s a story born and bred on networks,”
confirms Jane Farrow, the Executive Di-
rector of Jane’s Walk world-wide. “Our
genesis was based on a web of connec-
tions formed and fostered through the
Centre for Social Innovation’s extended
family. And our success is based on our
ability to leverage these and additional
networks, reaching into all corners of the
city.”
In the spring of 2006, Jane Jacobs – an
urban planning icon – passed away. Her
death affected many members of the CSI
community; she had been an incredibly
influential voice and thinker, especially in
Toronto.
Three years later, Jane’s Walk is operating
neighbourhood walks in 68 cities around
the world, boasting more than 400 walks
with over 12,000 walkers. It’s the story of
the city by the city, led through civic ac-
tion…and fuelled by networks.
3
years
68
cities
400
walks
12,000
walkers
impact
Networks
How Expanded
Networks Catalyze
Social Innovation

48 49
Ideas are at the heart of social innova-
tion: the ability to reimagine a situation,
problem, or challenge, and to bring
fresh approaches is what innovation is
all about. Ideas require initial inspiration,
and then they require refinement based
on knowledge and experience if they are
to be implemented effectively. The sin-
gle biggest catalyst for a new idea is be-
ing exposed to other people, their work,
their knowledge, and their experiences.
An innovation is never created new out
of whole cloth: it always owes debts, and
always has catalyzing influences. And
this is another crucial way in which com-
munity aids innovation: it provides cata-
lyzing inspiration.
Becoming a member of a community,
because it expands the network of peo-
ple with whom you engage, also multi-
plies the number of ideas to which you
are exposed, and thereby expands your
capacity to generate, expand on, or find
new applications for ideas yourself. New
ideas don’t emerge in a vacuum—they
need oxygen, and that is what CSI pro-
vides. By constantly meeting and engag-
ing with other members and learning
about their work, an organization can
always find fresh sources of inspiration,
learn about the latest developments in
other sectors, accelerate learning curves,
and become more intellectually, strategi-
cally, and practically robust.
CSI is an environment rich in communi-
cation and sharing: this is both due to
its space and to its community. In this
atmosphere, information and ideas flow
among members, and between mem-
bers and their expanded networks of
contacts outside the space, and when
increasing numbers of creative, pas-
sionate people connect and communi-
cate, what emerges are new ideas for
social change. Members view this open
exchange of ideas as one of the most
valuable aspects of participation in CSI’s
shared space community.
of CSI members say the
them to exchange ideas
with other social innovators.
86%
67%
of members say that
membership has
enabled them to learn
about new ideas, trends,
information, techniques
and/or audiences
that have helped
them become better
positioned in their work.
Impact
Ideas
“By being surrounded by so many wonderful
and socially responsible people, I have
certainly raised my own awareness...
I attribute this success to CSI and the social
net we have, as interaction is a constantly
inspiring and illuminating experience.”
“I have learned
a lot more about
trends in the
sustainability
world that
I would not
otherwise know
about.”
“Connection to the
‘meme stream’ of ideas
around social innovation,
social entrepreneurial
initiatives, and the whole
‘getting to maybe’
concept, have all
impacted my work over
the last few years.”

50 51
bringing green
ideas to life
Chris Winter – inspirer
of Jane’s Walk – isn’t just
churning out bright ideas
for others; he’s been
able to advance his own
organization as a result of
membership in CSI.
Established in 1951, the Conservation
Council of Ontario is a leader in environ-
mental awareness across the province.
After its nearly sixty years, the CCO still
continues to improve its practices in vir-
tue of the intellectual stimulation it finds
at CSI.
Chris admits that when he first came to
CSI he felt a hint of scepticism about
how the member mix, including many
organizations working outside of the
CCO’s environmental sector, might ben-
efit the organization. However, it didn’t
take long for him to discover the wealth
of knowledge that was available to him,
and the creative ways he could apply this
knowledge to his work. “You may or may
not know what you want from someone,”
he says “but as you encounter bumps
along the way, someone is always there
with a solution.”
Creative Trust and Community Cultural
Impresarios are two other CSI mem-
bers—both arts rather than environ-
mental organizations—that have offered
tremendous informal fundraising guid-
ance to CCO over the years. With their
experience in managing large sums of
money, Chris says they have been instru-
mental in helping with grant proposals
and organizing budgets. CCO has also
bounced around ideas with the Chinese
Canadian National Council of Toronto
(CCNCTO) to enhance its understanding
of social marketing. Since having some
conversations with CCNCTO, CCO has
more consciously tapped into its net-
works for outreach and community-
based engagement projects. One result
of this has been a contract with the mu-
nicipal government to create a city-wide
network of LEED certified organizations.
Within the environmental sector, CCO
has swapped stories with the Sustain-
ability Network about building and
connecting various groups. These con-
versations have strengthened its com-
munity capacity-building practices. Simi-
larly, conversations between CCO and
Green Enterprise Toronto have resulted
in a job-sharing arrangement.
What he has seen, says Chris, is that ev-
eryday exchanges spark new ideas for
programs and projects that help CCO
to fulfil its mission. The organization’s
membership at CSI is helping it make
our world a greener place, one conver-
sation at a time.
impact
Ideas
How New Ideas
Catalyze Social
Innovation

52 53
In this sense, collaboration acts as a ca-
pacity-building mechanism, allowing a
pair or group of organizations to accom-
plish more than they each could on their
own. This is one of the greatest boosts
to innovation CSI provides: by virtue of
the extended networks that come along
with membership, more ambitious pur-
suits become possible.
56%
41%
41% have
engaged in
collaborative
activities with at
least five other
members.
56% of tenants say that
CSI’s services, programs,
events, or other initiatives
have helped them to
engage in joint activities
with other tenants.
50% of members
have collaborated or
done business with
outside individuals or
organizations referred
to them by their fellow
members.
50%
“I certainly believe that
interaction and collaboration
with other tenants is
important—in fact, that is one
of the most important reasons
for choosing CSI versus
just an office space. Other
people hold perspectives
and information that is
exceptionally stimulating for
my business, and I greatly
enjoy both volunteering for
others’ projects and being
employed by them…”
Impact
Collaboration
Most social mission organizations al-
ready know that the problems we face
can rarely be addressed by any one or-
ganization, sector, or point of view. Join-
ing forces allows several social innova-
tors to leverage each of their strengths
in the service of larger goals, and to
become stronger as individual organiza-
tions because of the learning and growth
these collaborations facilitate.
In addition to the collaboration occurring
within CSI, 50% of members have collaborat-
ed or done business with outside individuals
or organizations referred to them by their fel-
low members. Members value opportunities
for collaboration, both within and outside of
CSI, as among the most important benefits of
participation membership in the Centre.
Member Capacity
expanded Capacity
85%
85% of CSI members have
collaborated with at least one
other member.
70%
70% of
members have
engaged in at
least one joint
initiative.
Because our members tend to be fairly
small, one of the greatest barriers they
encounter is running up against their
own organizational limits: sometimes
they have goals or envision projects
which they don’t have the capacity or
the resources to pursue, or pursue as ef-
fectively as possible, on their own. Mem-
bership at CSI is tremendously useful in
these cases, because the community at
the Centre provides a ready-made pool
of potential collaborators. Moreover, be-
ing embedded in a community can in-
spire organizations to collaborate on en-
tirely new projects none of them would
have envisioned were they not in close
contact already.
+ =

54 55
How many people does it take to save
a caribou? According to Shiloh Bouvette
of Canopy, “Tackling an issue using all
players in the field is instrumental in ef-
fecting change.” Canopy is one of four
organizations collaborating on the “Save
the ‘Bou” campaign. The project was
born out of CSI in 2009, as an innova-
tive solution to conserving the Ontario
Woodland Caribou and its habitat. To-
gether, Canopy Planet, Forest Ethics, the
David Suzuki Foundation, and Green-
peace have pooled their resources to
raise awareness about the at-risk species.
Conversations at CSI initially sparked the
campaign, and it has been sustained by
the close working relationship the or-
ganizations have been able to develop
because of their location at CSI. Shiloh
shares an office with Catharine Grant
of Forest Ethics, and the David Suzuki
Foundation is just two floors down.
(Greenpeace isn’t based at CSI, but its
offices are only blocks away). The orga-
nizations agree that being in such close
proximity enhances their ability to achieve
project goals.
“The advantage,” says Shiloh “is that
all our candid chats often lead to those
‘aha!’ moments.” She can quickly run
ideas by Catharine over a coffee at noon.
Similarly, Catharine observes that while
collaborative projects are often stunted
by logistical frustrations or miscommu-
nication, having partners nearby allows
them to address any issues immediately.
Moreover, this sense of ease keeps the
groups energized and fresh ideas flowing.
The partners mainly attribute the success
of “Save the ‘Bous” to the distinct but
equally valued roles each plays. Each
group contributes something different,
drawing on their individual networks,
areas of expertise, and tried-and-true
approaches for reaching different sec-
tors. As a result, the campaign came to-
gether in short order. In the fall of 2009,
the partners launched a social media
strategy to help raise awareness about
the issue. Within six months of launch,
the Save the ‘Bou campaign drew about
1000 fans to the Facebook site, and have
generated over 10,000 emails to Ontario
Premier McGuinty about the importance
of protecting Woodland Caribou.
While the campaign hasn’t yet reached
its goals, the partners have garnered
attention and mobilized action with
greater ease than any one partner could
achieve on its own. As the groups have
realized, the problem is a complex one,
and it needs to be approached in a cre-
ative, multi-dimensional way. This takes
innovative thinking: collaboration is of-
ten this first step on this path.
“The advantage, is
that all our candid
chats often lead
to those ‘aha!’
moments.”
protecting
our furry
friends
impact
Collaboration
How Collaboration
Catalyzes Social
Innovation
“Save the ‘Bou” was born
out of CSI in 2009, as an
innovative solution to
conserving the Ontario
Woodland Caribou and its
habitat.

56 57
60%
All of the community-driven impacts
we’ve just looked at—administrative ef-
ficiency, expanding networks, sparking
new ideas, and fostering collaboration—
combine to create another crucial ben-
efit: improving members’ financial positions.
Even for nonprofits, the bottom line al-
ways matters: financial sustainability is
essential for any organization, no mat-
ter its funding or income-generation
model. If ideas are to be implemented—
if projects are to be not just conceived
but actually realized in the world—then
they must be backed by viable financial
plans that offer stability and adequate
resources for the full duration the project
requires. This is doubly true for innova-
tive organizations, whose projects break
new ground and may take some time to
find their footing, and which may not fit
traditional funding schemes or business
models to begin with.
For many social mission organizations, a
lack of stable funding is the biggest lim-
iting factor on their ability to innovate.
When we founded CSI one of our main
hopes was that it would help organiza-
tions’ finances, and our survey found
that it has, in fact, done just that.
How?
In part, CSI provides members with
greater access to markets and to funders.
Many new business relationships have
sprung up among members at CSI—an
extension of the collaboration we’ve al-
ready seen. Additionally, because work-
ing out of CSI rather than home or other
makeshift offices increases an organiza-
tion’s professionalism, profile, and public
exposure. Joining CSI ensures members
are better placed when they approach
outside funders and potential clients.
36% of respondents who
generate revenue through
the sales of goods or services
reported that they had
generated revenue through
business relationships with
other CSI members.
Additionally, 30% reported
that they had done so by
conducting business with
“outside” contacts to which
they were referred by other CSI
members.
60% of members
indicated that
being at CSI had
improved their
organization’s
ability to generate
revenue through
the sale of goods
and / or services.
30% of members
agree that
membership has
helped them to
generate more
interest from funders.
And in part, as organizations grow and
change over time, CSI helps keep costs
down by providing lower-cost workspace
than an independent office would, once
those organizations have made the leap
from the home office to a rented space.
In a recent expansion, almost all the new-
ly created offices were taken by existing
CSI members who were “graduating” to
larger workspaces than the ones they’d
previously occupied, and on other oc-
casions organizations have downgraded
their member packages if they found
they needed a smaller space or fewer
hours. Because CSI offers a variety of
workspaces at a variety of price points, it
gives members the flexibility (as waiting
lists clear) of shifting up or down as best
suits their resources and work.
We conducted a short follow-up survey
in November 2009, to further explore the
impact of CSI members’ ability to gen-
erate revenue. In this survey, of the 53
respondents whose organizations gener-
ate revenue through the sale of goods
and/or services, 36% reported that they
“The thing that has most
pleasantly surprised me about
CSI is business from people I
like and met here.”
“[A main benefit of CSI is] by just being here,
clients have walked up and asked if I would
be interested in working with them…the
networking alone is worth the rent.”
Impact
Money
had generated revenue through sales to
other CSI members, and 30% reported
that they had done so by conducting
business with outside contacts to whom
they were referred by fellow CSI members.
CSI drives revenue among its members
by fostering referrals and collaborative
opportunities: by facilitating a vastly
expanded range and number of inter-
actions, CSI ensures that its members
are meeting potential clients every day.
Moreover, CSI members increase their
professional credibility by being lo-
cated in the shared space, resulting in
increased access to and a heightened
reputation among funders and clients.
30%
that tenancy at CSI has
done for my organization’s
ability to achieve its mission
is to provide a network of
organizations interested in
our work – all of our business
is word of mouth.”
“Our board is
very satisfied
with the ROI
for CSI.”
30%
36%

58 59
Of the many infrastructure challenges
facing Canada’s nonprofit organizations,
a lack of up-to-date software can be
among the most painful. Too many or-
ganizations suffer through substandard
technology; a situation that CSI member
Partnership Platform decided could no
longer be tolerated. So they partnered
with TechSoup Global to create Tech-
Soup Canada - a dedicated software
provider to support Canadian charities
and nonprofits.
“Canada’s nonprofit and charitable sec-
tor wasn’t being served as effectively as
it could,” says Jane Zhang, TechSoup
Canada’s Program Director. “A made-in-
Canada program would focus its efforts
on the 160,000 organizations that sup-
port our local communities.”
TechSoup Canada works with major
software producers like Microsoft and
Adobe to help manage their charitable
giving programs. Acting as intermedi-
ary, TechSoup Canada connects non-
profit organizations to these programs
as a way to foster savings and improve
access to new technology. The program
got its start in Canada in 2008 with a
grant from the Ontario Trillium Founda-
tion. The hitch: When the money ran out,
TechSoup Canada would be left on its
own to sink or swim.
Making
social
change
sustainable
Two years into the project and Tech-
Soup Canada had made thousands of
sales that have saved Canada’s nonprofit
sector over $23 million. With the grant
money now expired, TechSoup Canada
generates enough revenue through its
administration fee to cover its opera-
tional costs – and to support its growth.
Jane concludes, “Being at CSI has been
essential to our success. The networks
and support we’ve gained through
membership have allowed us to scale
our operations at an extraordinary pace.
We’ve built a self-sustaining enterprise
that empowers the work of thousands of
organizations in Canada.”
impact
Money
How Increased
Revenue Catalyzes
Social Innovation
Two years into the project
and TechSoup Canada has
provided donated software
to over five thousand NPOs
and saved Canada’s nonprofit
sector over $23 million.
“Being at CSI has been essential to our
success. The networks and support we’ve
gained through membership have allowed
us to scale our operations at an extraordinary
pace. We’ve built a self-sustaining enterprise
that empowers the work of thousands of
organizations in Canada.”

60 61
Increased happiness and well-being: it
is the most ephemeral, but also perhaps
the most important benefit of working
in a shared space like CSI. It can’t eas-
ily be measured, and its worth doesn’t
translate into dollars and cents, but it
was the most gratifying of all the impacts
our survey uncovered. Process matters,
health matters, functionality matters—
happiness matters. For us at CSI, there is
no greater reward than knowing that the
space we’ve created and the commu-
nity of people we’ve brought together
have made our members happier—most
especially because our members are
people who are dedicating their lives to
creatively tackling the problems our so-
ciety faces.
Increasingly, employers are also rec-
ognizing the more pragmatic benefits
of happiness and well-being. They are
learning that this kind of satisfaction
translates into staff retention and pro-
ductivity, and we know that our members
are doing better at their work because
they are enjoying it more. In fact, those
working in the social mission sector often
do poorly in terms of the quality of their
own work conditions and stress levels,
and often report feeling precarious and
anxious. Health and happiness are criti-
cal for staff retention and for ensuring
that social innovators can maintain their
commitment to their work—we cannot
innovate unless we are coming from a
position of security and personal sustain-
ability. By providing a beautiful, healthy
workspace, and a community of support-
ive, like-minded compatriots in the social
mission sector, CSI contributes vitally to
that sense of well-being. In doing so, it
provides essential support for social mis-
sion workers with big dreams, and often
bigger challenges.
62%
92%
96%
At CSI, 96% of tenants
feel that the space has a
“great vibe”
72% of members feel that CSI has
helped them to live their values.
92% of members feel
that CSI is a healthy
physical environment in
which to work.
62% indicate that work-
ing at CSI has made it
easier for them to live a
healthy lifestyle.
72%
“I feel lucky to be
here. It is a vibrant,
beautiful and inspiring
place that makes me
happy to live and
work in this city.”
“[Moving into CSI]
helped me settle
in [Toronto] and
provided a healthy
and inspiring and fun
environment.”
“CSI has provided
me with an
energizing,
intellectually
stimulating, warm
and welcoming work
environment.”
“Life is too short to work in
sterile places. CSI is alive
and has built a community of
good people. I love being a
part of that.”
Impact
Happiness
that tenancy at CSI has done
for me, personally, is to
provide me with a healthy
place to work – physically and
emotionally in so many ways.”
63% of CSI
members say
that working in
the shared space
has influenced
their decision to
stay employed
in their current
organization.
87% of members
feel that working at
CSI has improved
the quality of their
professional life.
87% 63%
76%
76% of members agree that
membership at CSI has made
them a happier person.

62 63
“You’ll always have a home at CSI,” re-
flects Allanah Scott, project manager at
independent film company Coptor Pro-
ductions. “The spirit here is fantastic,”
she says enthusiastically, “and there is
such a sense of belonging.” Allanah,
now in her early 60s, has a background
as an artist, educator, and activist. She
and her husband moved to Toronto just
a short while ago, in 2007—however, far
from being intimidated by the transition,
Allanah celebrated the relocation of her
work to a space so well-aligned with her
personal values.
“CSI is out to serve you,” she comments,
“It is such a democratic environment that
offers members freedom for optional
ways of working.” Flexibility and trust
are two ingredients that are crucial to
Allanah’s ongoing participation in CSI
life and commitment to her professional
work. CSI can accommodate just about
anyone with its variety of work packages
and all the available shared resources.
Moreover, Allanah feels a tremendous
sense of value and honour in being part
of such a talented community of people.
Contrary to many organizational struc-
tures that differentiate individuals by
age, experience, or professional back-
ground, Allanah finds the diversity of
CSI community truly stimulating. Being
well-established in her own career, it is
energizing for Allanah to work alongside
those just starting out—their enthusiasm
is buoyant, and their spirit transfers into
her work.
You’ll
always
have a
home at
CSI
Allanah feels a tremendous
sense of value and honour in
being part of such a talented
community of people.
Allanah also benefits from the learning
process that goes on between members
and across sectors. By hearing what so-
lutions and innovations others around
her are implementing, she reflects on
her own ideas and practices with Coptor
Productions. Working for a company that
brings awareness to political, social, en-
vironmental, and cultural issues through
film, Allanah finds that CSI and its mem-
bers offer her continual sources of in-
spiration. Since moving into the Cen-
tre, Coptor has produced and released
a number of films on the Canadian arts
scene and an eye-opening documentary
on the weaponization of space, which
has shown in fourteen European and
African Documentary Film Festivals and
which is slated to be the opening film at
the Oxford UK Film Festival.
It may be hard to measure, but personal
happiness – our own confidence, com-
fort and sense of purpose – is what pow-
ers our efforts to pursue our passions
and make a difference.
How Happiness
Catalyzes Social
Innovation
impact
Happiness
“The spirit here is
fantastic, and there
is such a sense of
belonging.”

64 65
One of the great joys of operating
the Centre for Social Innovation
has been watching our members blos-
som and grow. On one level, CSI’s goal
is to ease the practical load small social
mission organizations have to carry: to
take some of the mundane but time-
consuming burdens off their plate and
free them up to do their work better, do
more of it, and do it more efficiently. But
on another, deeper level, our goal is to
serve as something like a science lab: a
safe, stable environment in which orga-
nizations can experiment, work across
silos, learn from each other, and create
entirely new goals and projects—ones
that are more exciting and ambitious
than anything one of them individually
would be able to cook up with a home
chemistry set.
And now, in presenting this report, we
are striving to achieve something else as
well: helping others build more shared
spaces for social innovation. While we
had a pretty good sense all along that
we were helping our members achieve
and grow, this is the first time we’ve been
able to thoroughly measure the impact
of the shared space CSI provides, and
by extension, that other similar centres
might be able to provide. We’ve been
able to use the findings of our compre-
hensive survey to analyse the specific
ways in which shared spaces support
organizations, and support the social
innovations that those social organiza-
tions pursue—and we very much hope
that this will help city-builders elsewhere
reproduce these benefits in their own
communities and in their local social mis-
sion sectors. This Impact Report isn’t just
our internal report card: it’s our way of
trying to buoy the field of shared spaces
for social innovation more generally, to
support the emergence of other shared
spaces by pointing out just how valuable
they can be.
At CSI organizations focus on their mis-
sions, expand their networks, gener-
ate and adopt new ideas, collaborate,
strengthen their bottom lines, and have
happier staff. Taken together, these im-
pacts make the case—practical and
philosophical—for the importance of
and opportunity contained in the shared
spaces movement.
In addition to all the facts and figures,
the percentages and the quantitative
feedback, we wanted to make sure to
include expanded, detailed anecdotes
and experiences that some of our mem-
bers shared. They help put a human,
personal face on CSI’s impact, and illus-
trate how the benefits yielded by shared
spaces can drive social innovation far
more compelling than the numbers
alone could do. And these members
provide but a handful of examples: we
see the impact of shared spaces on our
members’ ability to push themselves, to
grow, to innovate, every single day at
the Centre for Social Innovation.
Shared spaces are more than just a place
to work. They can be – with the right mo-
tivation and attention – hotbeds of social
innovation. Through this report we have
attempted to uncover the ways in which
CSI supports social innovation in hopes
of inspiring other shared spaces, and in
a heartfelt desire to foster social innova-
tion in communities around the world.
conclusion

68
This book was designed by The Movement, as part of our
effort to work with people and groups who are doing bet-
ter. Working with social entrepreneurs and innovators, we
use the power of design thinking & doing to give form
to complex ideas. We’re a network of committed people
ready to tackle complex problems, and a studio dedicated
to delivering results. We work openly with groups, on chal-
lenges that matter.
info@themovement.info
Communications Interactive Platforms
Strategy & Research
THE MO-
VEME-
NT

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