Social enterprises & cooperatives
A social enterprise trades to fund a mission; a cooperative is owned by the people it serves. Both need the discipline of a business and the honesty of a charity.
Run the business side properly
Sales, stock, invoices, staff and taxes exactly as any company — the merchant ERP of the S.O.T. family does this, and you can sell on Shop of Timor and Services of Timor from the same account.
Measure the mission side honestly
Jobs created, producers paid at fair prices, waste diverted, women in leadership — pick two or three indicators you can actually count, publish them next to the P&L, and let both stories be checked.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws and donor rules change — for registration or a grant agreement, check with FONGTIL, the Ministry of Justice or your funder.