Organizational Structure -- A social enterprise may be structured as a department, program or profit center within a nonprofit and lack legal definition from its parent organization. It may also be a subsidiary of its nonprofit parent, registered either as a for-profit or nonprofit. Many organizations use a mix of different structures simultaneously.
Legal Structure -- A social enterprise may be incorporated either as a for-profit or a nonprofit. It is however important to recognize that social enterprises are not defined by their legal status: legal status may be arbitrary. A social enterprise’s structure or model is not a definitive determinate of its legal status.
Ownership Structures -- Three different types of social enterprise ownership structures exist: private, public and collective. Ownership can be either a driver for a social enterprise's legal structure or a determinate of it. In most counties nonprofits are considered "public good" or property of the public, thus calling into question the legal ownership of their assets, goodwill, brand, etc.
