Founded in 2003, Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR) produces authoritative, cutting-edge articles, podcasts, videos, webinars, and conferences on issues facing leaders of nonprofits, foundations, businesses, and government agencies. SSIR emphasizes cross-sector solutions to global problems and highlights individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the field. SSIR covers a wide range of topics, including social entrepreneurship, nonprofit management, and philanthropic strategies, as well as educational reform, poverty alleviation, and environmental protection.

Originality, Copyright, Republishing, and Conflicts of Interest

SSIR asks all authors to verify that their article has not appeared elsewhere and that they will not submit it to another publication unless SSIR declines to publish it. Upon agreeing to publish an article, SSIR requires that all authors transfer exclusive copyright, including the right to electronic distribution, for the article to Leland Stanford Jr. University. SSIR does not permit the reproduction of its articles on other platforms unless such undertakings are agreed upon and defined in a separate contract. To make clear any potential conflicts of interest, please tell us about any financial or other relationship you may have with companies or organizations cited in the proposed article.

Submission Steps

Submissions, whether full drafts or proposals for articles, must be in Microsoft Word .docx format. Authors should decide in advance whether they want to be considered for publication in the magazine (which includes the publication of an online version of the article) or only online. They should also note which type of SSIR article best describes their submission. Do not submit one article to multiple editors. Please take the time to choose which medium and which type of SSIR article is the best fit for your submission, and contact the appropriate editor.

If SSIR is interested in your article or proposal for an article, an editor will reach out to you. If you have submitted only a proposal, the editor may request an article draft before making a final decision on whether to publish the article or not. If an article is accepted, editors may substantially edit or rewrite a draft to ensure it appeals to SSIR readers. This can take anywhere from two to 12 weeks, depending on where we are in our publication cycle and whether you want to be considered for the magazine or only online. We aim to respond to all submissions in a timely manner.

It generally takes longer to get into the quarterly print magazine. Online-only articles are typically published more quickly, but the process can still take a number of weeks. Thank you in advance for your patience.

The SSIR Audience

Though SSIR is based at the Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society at Stanford University, it is written for a global audience of people working on social change. SSIR’s readers are highly educated, widely read, and well informed about the field of social innovation. They want to be provoked, surprised, and enlightened. They don’t want to read long-winded arguments, insider jargon, or narrowly technical writing.

About 45 percent of SSIR’s online readers reside outside the United States. About one-third of our readers fill the CEO, president, or executive director role within their organization, and another one-third occupy other leadership positions. Close to half of SSIR’s readers lead nonprofit organizations, and about 15 percent are leaders in foundations or other philanthropic institutions. The remaining one-third consists of people who work in business, government, academia, and other fields.

About 25 percent of SSIR's readers work in education, about 25 percent work in human services (such as food and housing), about 15 percent work in health, and the remaining 35 percent work in environmental protection, foreign affairs, economic development, human rights, the arts, and other fields.

The SSIR Guide to a Good Article

We seek to present interesting, original, and important ideas about social innovation to leaders who can put those ideas to work. To achieve that goal, SSIR editors evaluate submissions with these questions in mind:

  • Is the idea new or does it offer a new perspective on an existing idea?
  • Is the article about an organization, practice, or project that is truly innovative?
  • Does the author support the idea with compelling real-world examples?
  • Does the author not just list achievements or findings, but instead use them as the basis for insights that would help the larger social change community?
  • Is the article based on research or substantial experience with the subject, and do the author's insights clearly draw upon those sources of knowledge?
  • If the article is based on research, does the author go beyond regurgitating an executive summary, and add compelling and original insights?
  • Can readers use the ideas to do their work better?
  • Would the article interest most readers, or is the topic so narrow that it would interest only a small segment of readers?
  • Is the author trying to inform readers or merely to sell something to them? Would the article be useful to readers only if they use the author’s product or service?

Print Magazine Submissions

The quarterly print edition of SSIR accepts submissions for six types of editorial articles (Book Review, Case Study, Feature, Field Report, Viewpoint, and What's Next). Accepted articles will be posted online close to the same publication date of the print magazine in which they appear. Articles that are not accepted for the print magazine might be considered for online-only publication, but will often go through another review process.

As a reminder of SSIR's copyright process outlined above: Upon agreeing to publish an article, SSIR requires that all authors transfer exclusive copyright, including the right to electronic distribution, for the article to Leland Stanford Jr. University. 

1. Book Review (Print Magazine)

  • Delivers a longform critique (1,700 words) of a recently published book about social change, philanthropy, social enterprise, or an important social issue. Here are two strong examples: “Are the Elite Hijacking Social Change?” and “Not Quite Everything.”
  • Books eligible for review must be published within three months or in advance of their publication date. (Previously published books are eligible for inclusion in the book excerpt section of SSIR. See details below.) No edited books are eligible for review.
  • Send concise pitches to Marcie Bianco, editor, [email protected]

2. Case Study (Print Magazine)

  • Offers a narrative account with in-depth analysis of how a nonprofit organization, socially responsible business, government agency, or social program adapted its mission, strategy, or structure to address a specific challenge or set of challenges. Here are two strong examples: “Native Wisdom Is Revolutionizing Health Care” and “The Charity that Big Tech Built.”
  • Occasionally these will run online only, if editors have declined the article for the print magazine, or an author doesn't want to be published in the print magazine. Online-only versions may require a significant reduction in the word count of the submission, which may necessitate deeper alterations.
  • Anyone may submit a proposal, but we typically do not allow someone who works for an organization or is paid by an organization (for example, a consultant) to write a case study about that organization. Freelance writers, journalists, academic researchers, and professionals are welcome to propose ideas for a Case Study article.
  • Proposal requires a one-page argument of why SSIR should publish this article, along with a two-page narrative outline of the structure and topical scope of the article; it typically includes a one-paragraph summary of the entire article, followed by a few paragraphs summarizing each section of the article, providing main points and real-world examples.
  • Includes quotations of the principal figures involved in the case.
  • Seeks to answer three or four questions that raise high-level strategic issues that are relevant to other organizations.
  • Between 4,000 and 6,000 words long.
  • Send submissions to David V. Johnson, deputy editor, print, [email protected]

3. Feature (Print Magazine)

  • Introduces a new and creative solution to a social, environmental, or organizational problem; a novel explanation of that problem; or a new perspective that illuminates the problem and helps inform decision-making. Here are two strong examples: “Collective Impact” and “Design Thinking for Social Innovation.”
  •  Illustrates the solution or explanation with research findings, or with detailed examples drawn from multiple organizations.
  • Explores the implications of the solution or explanation, and addresses its possible shortcomings.
  • Occasionally these will run online only, if editors have declined the article for the print magazine, or an author doesn't want to be published in the print magazine. Online-only versions may require a significant reduction in the word count of the submission, which may necessitate deeper alterations.
  • We invite submissions from scholars, practitioners, and organizational leaders who bring wide-ranging expertise or experience to the topic at hand.
  • Proposal requires a one-page argument of why SSIR should publish this article, along with a two-page narrative outline of the structure and topical scope of the article; it typically includes a one-paragraph summary of the entire article, followed by a few paragraphs summarizing each section of the article that goes over the main points and real-world examples.
  • Between 4,500 and 6,000 words long.
  • Send submissions to Eric Nee, editor in chief, [email protected]

4. Field Report (Print Magazine)

  • Profiles an innovative organization, initiative, or project that seeks—effectively or not so effectively—to deliver a solution to an important social, environmental, or organizational problem.
  • Thea articles are about 1,700 words long and have a tripartite structure: an opening to the issue and an introduction to the organization or program; a history of the organization’s program and an explanation of its work; challenges and iterations; and efforts to scale. The piece should also include an interview component—quotes from five to six people who can share their experiences, or speak to what the organization or program has accomplished. Here are two strong examples: “Life Preservers at Sea” and “Restoring the Heartland.”
  • Submissions are accepted from professional journalists and freelance writers. Alternatively, SSIR welcomes suggestions for topics of Field Report articles from non-professional writers within organizations; however, these internal agents cannot author Field Reports about their organizations.
  • Send concise pitches to Marcie Bianco, editor, [email protected]

5. Viewpoint (Print Magazine)

  • Presents insightful commentary on an important issue in the field of social innovation, offering a clear point of view supported by research or firsthand experience. Here are two strong examples: “Marginalized Returns” and “In Defense of Pet Causes.”
  • Occasionally these will run online only, if editors have declined the article for the print magazine, or if an author doesn't want to be published in the print magazine. Online-only versions may require notable alterations to the original submission.
  • We invite submissions from frontline practitioners, scholars, or leaders in the field of social innovation.
  • About 1,700 words long.
  • Send submissions to David Johnson, deputy editor, print, [email protected]

6. What's Next (Print Magazine)

  • Describes a new (usually less than two years old), promising, but not yet proven solution to an important social, environmental, or organizational problem. Here are all of the What’s Next articles, and here are two great examples: “Housecleaning With Benefits” and “Wary of an Opioid Epidemic, Europe Pushes Safe Sites for Drug Use.”
  • Submissions are accepted from professional journalists and freelance writers. Alternatively, SSIR welcomes suggestions for topics of What's Next articles from non-professional writers.
  • About 700-800 words long.
  • Occasionally these will run online only, if editors have declined the article for the print magazine, or an author doesn't want to be published in the print magazine. Online-only versions may require notable alterations to the original submission.
  • Send concise pitches to Marcie Bianco, editor, [email protected]

Online Submissions

These guidelines are also available in the online submissions form.

SSIR Online, like the print magazine, aims to inspire and inform leaders of social change. Online editors want practical, actionable, innovative, and example-supported insights that help organizations do their work better, though the digital team is looking for shorter works—typically of 1,200 to 2,000 words—that incorporate the same elements of a good article.

When it comes to research papers or reports, SSIR Online does not run them in full, nor do we accept excerpts, summaries, or rewritten versions of them. Authors can use research to bolster their arguments, but an article must make its own distinct points.

On occasion, articles that don't meet the needs of the print magazine will run online, but they will go through an additional review that is attuned to digital-only publication. The online team works solely with volunteer authors and does not hire freelance journalists.

Online-only articles are about many different topics intersecting with social change and innovation. Read the details of our criteria below and submit your draft or proposal, using this form, to the online editorial team at [email protected]. (Articles meant to be part of an in-depth series that presents a range of perspectives on a central social innovation theme use a different submissions process, explained here. Book excerpts, which provide a sample of a book published within the previous six months, also have their own submissions process, described here.)

Criteria for General Online-Only Articles:

  • The essay should focus upon the problem and solution, not the organization or individuals involved. The goal is not to promote or list your own accomplishments and actions, but to analyze your experiences for innovative insights that help other social change leaders do their work. Concisely show readers how to implement your solution while arguing why they should do so.
  • The problem for which you've developed an innovative solution should be clearly described and backed up by research and/or your experiences. It cannot be just your problem—it needs to be an issue challenging the wider social change community. It is also helpful to briefly explain why solving this problem is important to the wider world outside the community of social change leaders.
  • Describe the person or type of organization most affected by your problem and solution.
  • The authors should demonstrate why they possess an authoritative perspective. If a piece could be written by anyone wanting to share an opinion after doing a bit of research, it most likely will not work for SSIR Online.
  • Each step of your solution should be backed up by real-world examples and/or research. It is helpful to explain how each step in a solution was previously done, to show how your innovation is addressing the  weaknesses of the previous approach.
  • Strong articles explore how other organizations—not just the author's—have tried to solve the problem. Show how your solution adds to, replaces, or complements existing solutions.
  • Explore what is next in terms of the problem you've identified and your solution. How will you improve your solution going forward? What are the consequences for civil society and the wider world if this problem is not solved? What are you calling on your peers in the social innovation community to do?
  • Avoid jargon. SSIR serves a wide audience of experts who want to get to work with your wisdom, not wrestle with confusing insider language.
  • Avoid generic advice, such as “be open to change” or “collaborate with others.” Instead, try to answer questions like: How can our experience help other organizations change or collaborate better?
  • Here are five examples of effective SSIR Online articles: “Big Enough. Simple Enough. Cheap Enough,” “‘Trans-forming’ the Workplace to Be Transgender Inclusive,” “How to Tell Stories About Complex Issues,” “Why Cultivating Your Innovation Ecosystem Is Worth the Work,” and “When Mission Doesn’t Matter (Enough).”

As a reminder of SSIR's copyright process outlined above: Upon agreeing to publish an article, SSIR requires that all authors transfer exclusive copyright, including the right to electronic distribution, for the article to Leland Stanford Jr. University.

Book Excerpt (Online)

  • Gives readers a sampling of a book published within the previous six months.
  • Here are two strong examples: “Making Space for Prosperity” and “How Social Innovation Can Fight Terrorism.”
  • Authors or publicists should submit a copy of the full book; a suggested excerpt; a short, contextualizing introduction to the excerpt written by the author or co-authors; a listing of the book’s publisher, publication year, and page count; a high-resolution book cover image; a two-sentence biography of each author or co-author; and a headshot of each author or co-author.
  • Between 1,000 and 2,000 words, accompanied by a 300-word, author-written introduction, which introduces the excerpt and contextualizes it by explaining why the excerpt was chosen and why the book is important right now.
  • Send submissions and an author photo to Aaron Bady, editor, [email protected]. If SSIR is interested in publishing your excerpt, an editor will respond to your request.

In-Depth Series (Online)

Sponsored Content Submissions

Whether sponsored supplements that appear in the print magazine or online-only sponsored series, such as Giving With Impact or The Power of Feedback, submissions of this type are editorially-informed content that provide an in-depth look at an issue, a region of the world, a solution, or another important topic in the field of social innovation.

  • Sponsored projects are similar to what SSIR regularly publishes in its magazine and online, but they cover a single topic.
  • SSIR’s editors work closely with the sponsor to agree on the topic, articles, and authors for the sponsored content, but the sponsoring organization takes primary responsibility for gathering and editing the articles, and for paying for that work.
  • The supplement is published either online, or in print and online.
  • If you are interested in sponsored supplements, please contact Michael Voss, publisher, [email protected]

Writing, Editing, and Copyright Details

Authors are responsible for verifying all facts, including dates of events and spellings of proper names. SSIR editors have the final say on creating and selecting headlines, illustrations, and other ancillary content, and on the placement of each article in the magazine and in other SSIR media. Again, for each article, SSIR requires authors to transfer exclusive copyrights, including the right of electronic distribution, to Stanford University.

Authors should provide citations for all direct quotations, paraphrased statements, important facts, and borrowed ideas. In your initial draft, be sure to state clearly which ideas and language are yours and which ones are drawn from someone else. Err on the side of including source notes. If we accept your article for publication, we will work with you to determine whether and how to cite sources in the finished article. To make the article readable, we prefer to incorporate attributions into the article text whenever possible. Do not worry about the format for source notes; we will edit them to conform to SSIR house style.