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“NESC has shown tremendous vision in the concept of Social Enterprise for nonprofits.
It could not have come at a better time. We and most other nonprofits in our field are feeling terrible effects of a poor economy as it affects state and local funding for social service programs.
Not only did NESC recognize that need, but they also respected our mission and the social service aspect of Social Enterprise.”
Stephen Rynn, October 2010
Executive Director
Mission of the Immaculate Virgin
Read how NESC helped MIV
The Challenge
The Mission of the Immaculate Virgin (MIV) is a highly reputable and significant community resource in providing a wide range of social services. The organization’s apparel and design business plays a productive role in employing members of the community. When MIV decided to enhance the development of their venture, they turned to NESC for assistance.
Through Possibili-Tees, MIV uses creative design and production techniques to manufacture sports apparel for organizations and individuals.
Utilizing the methodology developed as part of NESC’s Social Enterprise program, a team of NESC consultants conducted an extensive review of the Possibili-Tees operation using analytical tools and appropriate business metrics.
The NESC Solution
The review resulted in the creation of a formal Business Plan that focuses on all aspects of the Possibili-Tees operation including finance, budgeting, production planning, operations, sales, and marketing. Through the implementation of this Business Plan, the Possibili-Tees operation is already achieving rapid growth with the goal of maintaining self-sustainability in the future.
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“NESC recently completed a business plan for the introduction of a new service which represents an “earned income opportunity,” a subject of growing importance to the nonprofit community in the increasingly challenging economic and political environment. The objective of this innovative concept is to develop a new and consistent income stream which capitalizes on the unique capabilities of our IT Group and supports our primary mission -- helping the developmentally challenged.”
Peter Smergut
Executive Director/CEO
Life’s WORC
Read how NESC helped Life’s WORC
The Challenge
Long Island-based Life's WORC provides comprehensive support for individuals with developmental disabilities, including mental retardation and autism. Founded in 1971, the agency manages 32 homes and 11 community-based programs throughout Long Island and Queens.
The organization has a very effective IT operation. So much so that it has succeeded in making IT an important part of Life's WORC's corporate culture. It also has sufficient capacity to enable it to provide its IT services to other nonprofits, particularly on Long Island.
As a result, Life's WORC asked NESC to develop a business plan for selling its IT services. This would represent a “social enterprise” or "earned income” opportunity, a subject of major importance to nonprofits in the present economic environment. Life's WORC's objective was to obtain a reasonable return with a predictable income stream that would contribute to the funding of its primary mission -- helping the developmentally challenged.
The NESC Solution
The business plan that NESC developed fully supports the proposition that this can be an income-producing venture with relatively low risk. Projected financial outcomes show a positive contribution to overhead in the first year of operation. Additionally, the plan provides Life's WORC with a road map for achieving its bottom-line objectives that include: value proposition, pricing parameters, target markets, sales/marketing strategy and the organizational structure needed to support the effort.
Back to Social Enterprise: Unrestricted Cash Flow
