At REDF, we are thinking of our social enterprise partners and grantees during this challenging time. The current situation is causing economic ripples that are difficult for their businesses and the people they serve. As efforts to halt the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) continue, we recognize the impacts on bottom lines and employees may be profound and that they are especially vulnerable.

REDF is continuously monitoring the outbreak and taking every precaution to mitigate risks. Our staff is working from home and moving in-person meetings with partners to virtual meetings. We are evaluating other travel and in-person convenings as the situation evolves with the safety and well-being of our partners as our primary concern.

Moving forward, REDF is committed to:

• Responding to the Needs of Employment Social Enterprise: As we gather information, we are assessing the best way for REDF to serve and support our employment social enterprise partners and are already offering direct support to those we work with most closely. Our response will balance available resources with knowledge of what other funders and government entities are already doing so that REDF’s input is additive and in direct in response to the fields’ needs.
• Advocating: We have been escalating the concerns of employment social enterprise to those in power whenever we have the opportunity. The sector is small but mighty, and we are continually advocating on their behalf. We created a set of policy recommendations. Please use these for your own advocacy purposes as appropriate.

We need your input:

• We have opened this survey in order to collect information on how COVID-19 is impacting employment social enterprise, daily business operations, and beneficiaries.
• We have created a dedicated landing page on REDFworkshop, and thread on Shoptalk for social enterprises to speak directly to us and other leaders. We will monitor and moderate those conversations on an ongoing basis.

For other key program updates, please visit the REDFworkshop page.

Our partners are inspirational leaders who know what tough times mean. They have dedicated themselves to addressing the hardships and uncertainty that are a fact of life for those they serve. In that sense, social enterprise leaders and their beneficiaries are perhaps better prepared than most to navigate this challenging time.

We will do our best to stick with these principles: clear, fact-based communication, staying as calm and focused as we can, and making decisions based on knowledge, compassion, and love. We are honored to be in community with you to support one another and the people we serve during this moment.