Learn how to use the linked offset feature in Inkscape to create text with an offset border.

UPDATE As of Inkscape 1.0. the linked offset no longer works the same way with text. Clicking linked offset will convert the text to a group of paths.
To use linked offset in inkscape 1.0 and later, you need to select the text, convert it to a path, ungroup, union all the characters together, then apply linked offset.