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- Business Conversion: synonymous with ‘Social Acquisition’, which refers to the conversion of a traditionally operated business to a Social Purpose Organization (SPO) such as a social enterprise, co-op, etc.
- Co-operative: community-focused businesses that are designed to be democratic and value-based in order to address social, environmental, and economic realities. They are often formed to fill a void within a community, to seize local opportunities, and to meet the needs of its member-owners. Members (whether they are the customers, employees, or residents) have an equal say in what the business does and share in the profits.
- Corporation: a legal entity that is separate and distinct from its owners, possessing many of the same legal rights and responsibilities as individuals. A corporation usually has limited liability, meaning that its shareholders are not personally responsible for the company’s debts.
- EDGs (Equity Denied Groups): include but are not limited to members of BIPOC communities, LGBTQ2S+ people, people with disabilities, women, and youth.
- IRP (Investment Readiness Program): is a $50 million program over 2 years starting in fiscal year 2021 to 2022, designed to help advance social innovation and social finance (SI/SF) in Canada, specifically by supporting Social Purpose Organizations (SPOs) to build their capacity to access Social Finance and participate in the larger SI/SF ecosystem.
- JEDDI: Justice, Equity, Diversity, Decolonization, and Inclusion
- Mutual Aid: an organizational model where voluntary, collaborative exchanges of resources and services for common benefit take place amongst community members to overcome social, economic, and political barriers.
- PWD (People with Disabilities): people who require assistance due to physical or intellectual disabilities.
- SEs (Social Enterprises): Businesses that sell goods or services with a social, environmental, and/ or cultural focus at the heart of their mission; the objective is to give back to the community in some way.
- Social Finance: an approach to mobilizing private capital that delivers a social dividend and an economic return to achieve social and environmental goals.
- Social Innovation: refers to the process of developing and implementing new, effective solutions to solve social or environmental issues, such as creating new, more effective social programs, using new technologies, and supporting the growth of social enterprise.
- Solidarity Economy: an organizing framework to create a systemic commitment to and practice of interdependence and collective liberation in the economic activities that meet our material needs. This practice rests on the shared values of cooperation, democracy, social and racial justice, environmental sustainability, and mutualism.
- SPO (Social Purpose Organization): include the charitable and non profit sector (registered charities, incorporated non-profit organizations, non-profit co-operatives), the private sector (market sector co-operatives, private businesses advancing a social or environmental mission), and a hybrid of the two (community contribution companies (British Columbia), Community Interest Companies (Nova Scotia).