The npEnterprise Forum
Where Nonprofits Discuss Earned Income

The following is a compilation of selected recent postings on the npEnterprise Forum describing examples of social enterprises.  (This covers postings from Jan 1 – Dec 7, 2005.)  If you’d like to remain up to date on these and other social enterprise issues, stay tuned to the listserv: to subscribe, visit www.npEnterprise.net.   The npEnterprise Forum is the official listserv of the Social Enterprise Alliance.  To become an SEA member, visit www.se-alliance.org.   

Since the npEnterprise Forum is operated by volunteers, by publishing this we’re making no commitment to keep it updated as new postings arrive at the listserv.  

From the moderators, Rolfe Larson and Andy Horsnell, www.RolfeLarson.com, November 1, 2006

Contents:

• Janitorial Services

• Temp Agencies / Employment Placement Services

• Social Enterprises That Employ Youth

• Sustainable Agriculture

• Special Needs Daycare

• Thrift Stores

• SE's that Employ People Who are Homeless

• Churches Operating Social Enterprises

• Miscellaneous Social Enterprises

Janitorial Services 

(1) From Jennifer Lantrip <jlantrip@worldnet.att.net>
Check out the NISH website, www.NISH.org. Through contracts with the Federal Government, NISH affiliated organizations clean many Federal office buildings and military bases. NISH provides great training and assistance in getting and managing these contract.  

(2) From David Dubinsky <ddubinsky@nish.org>
Please review the NISH web site (www.nish.org). We work with over 600 nonprofits throughout the U.S. serving individuals with severe disabilities (including mental illness). Many of these nonprofits have vocational programs that include janitorial work. NISH has developed several bid estimating templates to assist in developing commercially competitive prices. In addition, if your organization becomes affiliated with NISH (there is no cost to doing this for nonprofits serving people with severe disabilities), you will have access to our "opportunities database". This is a service that posts all state, local, and federal government opportunities including janitorial work. This may be a source for you to find contract opportunities in your local area. Hope this is helpful.  

(3) From Tracey Weaver <Urbanuniv@aol.com>
Check in with the Toolworks program in San Francisco - they currently deliver a micro-
enterprise/janitorial business that has been successful for many years. 

(4) From Marcie Dimenstein <marcie_dimenstein@snet.net>
This is a program I was involved in back in the late 80's. I don't know if they still are seeing it as Social Enterprise (back then we just hoped to earn enough to offset costs) but they employ 75 consumers.  http://www.cmhacc.org/p-adult-voc-3.html 

[Moderator's note: from the above website "Cyclone Janitorial Services is a consumer based business that employs 75 individuals with various disabilities, of whom 10 are full time. Cyclone has several contracts to clean and maintain state office buildings, as well as to provide cleaning services to the multiple sites in which CMHA has programming."] 

(5) From Elaine Harlin" <harle@cgfs.org>
Community Support Services in Akron, Ohio operates a janitorial venture (Clean Sweep) with employees that have disabling mental illnesses. They have been running their business for more than 10 years. You may want to contact them. I know their Exec. Director, Terry Dalton. I'm sure he could connect you with their program director. Their phone number is (330)996-9141. Their website is www.cssbh.org 

(6) From Rolfe Larson <Rolfe@RolfeLarson.com>
Breakthrough Urban Ministries, in inner city Chicago, is a faith-based organization that operates janitorial and street-cleaning services that primarily employ formerly homeless people. Or at least they did several years ago, when I was in contact with them.  Their web site is:  http://www.breakthroughministries.com/ 

(7) From Melinda T. Tuan <mtuan@verizon.net>
Since moving here to Philadelphia last summer after leaving REDF in San Francisco, I have been looking into social enterprise activity in the Philadelphia area. So far, what I've been told about and in some cases visited includes:  MANNA, Inc. - MANNA catering Hospitality House - bakery and construction enterprise for ex-offenders The Doe Fund - Philadelphia branch has janitorial business employing Ready, Willing & Able trainees Project H.O.M.E. - Back Home Cafe and Our Daily Threads thrift shop Urban Promise - Camden Printworks, custom printed products.

Temp Agencies/Employment Placement Services 

(1) From Marcia Nozick <embers_dtes@yahoo.com>
I am the executive director of EMBERS (Eastside Movement for Business and Economic Renewal Society), a CED agency located in the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood of Vancouver, Canada. We work with extremely disadvantaged people. More than half the neighborhood is unemployed. 

We are currently developing an alternative staffing – temporary work placement agency, specifically focusing on people in recovery, those starting over a new life and needing to reconnect with work. The project is called "Recovery Works."

We are in the research stage and forming partnerships with recovery programs across the city. Recovery Works will fill a gap in the continuum of treatment to work, helping people to re-integrate this population into the workforce starting out with temp or part-time work which will allow for time to also focus on their recovery programs. Job coaching / case management will be part of the model. We are planning this as a social business, hopefully to become self-sustaining in a few years. 

As an adjunct to the project, we will also be a different angle on temp work -- developing a social enterprise that takes on short term contracts for light assembly (packaging, mailing, etc) that could provide in-house temp jobs for those that are not yet ready to present themselves to industries as workers in the `outside' world.

(2) From Robert Wilson <rwilson@ica-group.org>
As a consulting group ICA has worked on a number of alternative staffing initiatives. Two existing firms that we helped seed and are still involved with are Enterprising Staffing Services in DC (http://www.ess-dc.com/) and FirstSource Staffing in NY (http://fssny.com/index.cfm) They are worth a look.  

(3) From Warren Tranquada <warren.tranquada@pepintranquada.com>
Strategic Employment Solutions in Toronto does this on behalf of a number of agencies. 

(4) From Carol Dunlap <SummitHouse@carolina.rr.com>
Goodwill Industries in Charlotte, NC just started an employment placement service. Good luck. 

(5) From Jan Cohen <JCOHENCA@aol.com>
Project HIRED in Santa Clara, CA has successfully run HIRE TEMPS, a temporary placement business for individuals with disabilities throughout the San Francisco Bay Area since 1986. They work with employers in various sectors, placing people on jobs that last from 1 week to 1 year. They also operate HIRED TEAMS where they staff entire departments including the Supervisor. Check out their website at www.projecthired.org.

Social Enterprises That Employ Youth 

(1) From Jodi Rosenbaum Tillinger  <jodi@teenleep.org>
Check out Covenant House in NYC – they have a silk screening business for youth.

[Moderators' note: more information about Covenant House can be found at www.covenanthouse.org. A quick review identified some information about their silk screening activities. In their Rights of Passage (ROP)program (www.covenanthouse.org/programs_rop.html), there is a brief reference to silk screening, as follows (emphasis added):

"In our various ROP programs many of our residents participate in in-house training programs--such as Computer and Office Skills, Security, Building Maintenance, Nurses' and Teachers' Aides, Silk Screening, and Culinary Arts. The Culinary Arts training program has launched Ezekiel's Cafe in New York, a small restaurant in Greenwich Village that gives youngsters hands-on experience in everything from food preparation to ordering supplies to waiting on customers."]

(2) From Jodi Rosenbaum Tillinger  <jodi@teenleep.org>
Teen LEEP operates a bookstore called More Than Words that empowers youth to manage an online and retail book operation. The store also doubles as a youth gallery and sells merchandise (clothing, pottery, and much more to come) all made by youth. The store also hosts youth-run open mic and poetry reading events along with community workshops. The youth are in state custody preparing to age out of the foster care system and the venture is a vehicle to equip them with marketable skills and job experience to help them as they transition to independent living. If you are MA, check them out in the heart of Waltham on Moody St. 
www.teenleep.org www.morethanwordsbooks.com

(3) From Teresa Dahl <Teresa@iLink-Systems.com>
 friends of youth - has two fairly new retail organizations, ben & jerry's ice cream shop and a tully's coffee shop  www.friendsofyouth.org

Sustainable Agriculture 

(1) From Harry Rhodes <hrhodes@growinghomeinc.org>
Growing Home's mission is to provide job training and create employment opportunities for homeless and low-income people in Chicago within the context of an organic agriculture business. We have developed an organic agriculture business, with a 10 acre rural farm and a small urban market garden in Chicago.  You can find out more about Growing Home on our website: www.growinghomeinc.org  

(2) From John Fisk <jfisk@winrock.org>
As you know sustainable agriculture goes beyond production organizations so I am adding a few that focus on access to food and youth training.  Additional organizations to look at include: Nuestras Raices in Holyoke, MA that have opened a café selling local foods. The organizational mission is to provide opportunity for inner city youth.  Another is People's Grocery in Oakland CA. From one article: "The majority of people in West Oakland would prefer to eat natural foods - that's what they were raised on: that's what was normal," says Malaika Edwards, one of the co-founders of People's Grocery. The problem, she explains, is that "the prices are high. What we're doing is providing access to healthy and affordable food." 

(3) From David Rendall <drendall@moc.edu>
Mount Olive College is located in a small rural community in eastern North Carolina. Our school has an Agribusiness Center.  The director, Don Scott, dscott@moc.edu, has experience with projects that might be similar to what you described.  The Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, Christopher Dyer, cdyer@moc.edu, has also worked on sustainable agricultural projects in other countries. You may want to contact them for specific information. 

(4) From Keith Frausto <kfrausto@co.adams.co.us>
Check out International Development Enterprises of Lakewood Colorado, with country programs in Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Zambia, India, Nepal etc. The India program is now an autonomous country program. Very market-driven, working with private sector (manufacturers, dealers, distributors) and low-income farmer customers to dramatically increase incomes and productivity through affordable technologies and access to markets. Most recent extensive work has been in introducing low-cost, micro-irrigation kits tailored to smallholder plots. 

[Moderator's note: according to their web site at www.ideorg.org, IDE "employs market principles to strike at the roots of rural poverty in the world's least developed countries. By taking advantage of market forces, IDE is able to have widespread impact using minimal resources."] 

(5) From Kevin Jones <kevin@collectiveintelligence.net>
Occidental arts and ecology center www.OAEC.org do a lot themselves and teach a lot and are deeply connected with many initiatives. I know them well and like them a lot.  [Moderator's note: according to their web site, OAEC is an "organizing and education center and organic farm in Northern California’s Sonoma County."] 

(6) From Mike Burns <mikbrns2@aol.com>
Anthony Flacomento from Appalachian Sustainable Development is one person to contact. 

[Moderator's note: according to their web site at www.appsusdev.org, ASD works "in 10 counties of the Appalachian section of Virginia and Tennessee. ASD focuses on developing healthy, diverse and ecologically sound economic opportunities through education and training, and the development of cooperative networks and marketing systems."] 

(7) From Vicki Scully <vickiscully@shaw.ca>
A group from Surrey, British Columbia is doing interesting work with farm workers.  Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) initiatives underway:

• Existing organic farming enterprise which trains workers in organic farming/harvesting and provides revenue for PICS

• A van that will support a farm workers co-operative that will contract directly with farms in the Fraser Valley

• Web: www.pics.bc.ca

(8) From Suzanne Ainley <ainley@nottawasaga.com>
We haven't yet focused on an enterprise specifically for supporting our local ag sector. However, we are currently involved in developing a County-wide farm fresh guide (check out www.simcoecountyfarmfresh.ca). In addition, we are looking at the potential of an enterprise that can be sustained and makes sense such as a share-use commercial kitchen (small scale food processing), or wholesale produce logistics (to get small scale farmer connected to local retail, restaurants and other culinary businesses). We had tried a farmers' market a few years ago, it didn't work for us, couldn't get long-term buy-in to make it sustainable. 

As an aside, we operate a temp employment agency and some of our clients are in the agriculture sector. These clients at times, need extra labourers mostly during harvest. We have had temps help out with on-farm tasks, like haying, to helping with various harvest seasons, such as potatoes, muck crops, Christmas trees, and sod. Our area is well known for these products. Ag is a small part of our temp clientielle, most of our clients are involved in industrial manufacturing. Nevertheless, for some younger temps (such as high school students) or individuals who aren't suited for working in a factory, the agricultural placements are great options.

[Moderator's note: Nottawasaga Futures www.nottawasaga.com has offices in three cities in Ontario: Alliston, Bradford, and Innisfil.] 

(9) From David Hoy <davidhoy1@earthlink.net>
You might try Stratford Ecological Center

[Moderator's note: according to their web site at http://www.stratfordecologicalcenter.org, Stratford operates a "small, diversified farm that blends ecology with agriculture by practicing sustainable farming techniques while teaching children and adults about where their food comes from and how they can be more active, informed participants in the food chain." Stratford is located in Delaware, OH.]

(10) from Jon Meade <jmeade@heritageconservancy.org>
Our nonprofit organization (http://www.heritageconservancy.org) works on a range of conservation issues including sustainable agriculture.  Our in-house organic farming expert says he knows of some country organic egg producers here in Bucks County (Pennsylvania), and one place outside Boston that has 5,000 layers in a highly developed area. 

(11) From Adina Abramowitz <adinara@verizon.net>
There's a group in Virginia, Appalachian Sustainable Development that brokers organic eggs to local sellers. Check them out on the web at http://www.appsusdev.org

(12) From Ben Murphy <Bmurphy@cfcrochester.org>
Manchester-Bidwell grows orchids as well as a number of vegetables in an urban environment.

• http://www.ctcfoundation.org/Advance_ITec/Net_Talon_Sys/NETL_Feb04.pdf

• http://www.bidwell-training.org

• http://www.manchesterbidwell.org

• http://www.manchesterguild.org/indexflash.htm

The Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens might also be a good resource/model.

• http://www.fairviewgardens.org

• http://www.fairviewgardens.org/links.html

(13) From David A. Nuttle <npiinc2000@aol.com>
Over the years, we have developed a number of organic poultry operations, worldwide.  Due to current disease concerns, we will now use biosecure facilities with special air filtration.  In addition, we are using solar heating to help reduce energy costs.  I suggest you contact me directly so we can obtain enough of your location information to be helpful.

Special Needs Daycare 

(1) From Mary McCreight <marym@cityofgastonia.com>
As former owner of a two for-profit child care centers, the inclusion of special needs children requires substantially more staffing because of the individual challenges each of these children deal with daily. The motive is great because inclusion is a positive for all the children involved, but as an earned income project, it may be difficult to achieve. 

(2) From Lisa Hazell <lisam_hazell@yahoo.com>
UCP NYC has an early childhood education center that uses a rehab model. Their program incorporates children of all abilities. The Henry Viscardi School in Alberton, NY is an academic focused special needs school (preK - 12)using a rehab model (http://www.hvs.k12.ny.us/). As a parent of a special needs child, in my experience it has been difficult to find other programs that can service my son's academic and related services needs appropriately.

Thrift Stores 

(1) From Jim Masters <jmasters@cencomfut.com>
Teresa, please check our website (www.cencomfut.com) for one publication on how to start a thrift store. 

(2) From Eileen Maddock <TTOSBTE@aol.com>
We had 2 thrift stores. We closed one down because it lost $$. The other thrift store is exceeding expectations.  Informally, I will tell you that we believe this to be the case because the thrift store we closed was in a city that already had too many thrift stores. we couldn't find a niche to call our own. Whereas the successful thrift store is the only one around for miles; it is on a tourism route; and we have a blend of wealthy people (who donate great stuff) and less wealthy folks who need the stuff.  I would also encourage you to get this as staffed as much by volunteers as possible. Our wages & benefits, combined with rent, etc., eats up about 45% of our gross. 

Also, if you can recruit someone with a "good eye". For example, we had someone donate an old Elvis Pressely 78 record. Instead of selling it for $2 at the store, we sold it for $800 on eBay. We pay someone 30% to do this. Well worth it, cause we don't have the time to research & monitor the web. But, perhaps you could find a volunteer just to do that. 

(3) From Teresa Dahl <teresa@dahlassociates.com>
Call the folks at the Idaho Youth Ranch, www.idahoyouthranch.org.  Either Mike Jones, CEO, or Jeff Beamguard, VP of Retail Ops. They have 20+ years of experience with thrift stores and when I last spoke with Mike, they ran over 22 stores in Idaho. 

(4) From Jean Block <jean@jblockinc.com>
I am forwarding your question about thrift stores to Michelle Fuller, the ED of the Safe House in Albuquerque, NM. The Safe House is participating in a training for social entrepreneurship taught by the National Center for Social Entrepreneurs and their project is to enhance their thrift store. They have found some great research I am sure they are willing to share.

(5) From Stephen Confer <stephenconfer@hotmail.com>
Try the National Association of Resale and Thrift Stores at http://www.narts.org/  

(6) From Carrie French <cfrench@nhclf.org>
Here is the website for a New Hampshire NP organization, Families in Transition, that successfully operates a Thrift Store and utilizes the social enterprise to train and employ program alumni. http://www.fitnh.org/

SE's that Employ People Who are Homeless

Here are the comments that arrived in response to Joni Loring's request for a business model or plan she can use to take to a bank or business groups for startup costs -- for an social enterprise that would employ homeless people.

(1) From Sylvia Scott <sscott@cweonline.org>
Several years ago Jed Emerson with the Roberts Foundation worked with groups in San Francisco. They published a book on case studies of businesses developed by disadvantaged and homeless groups.
    New Social Entrepreneurs Published in 1996 New Social Entrepreneurs: The Success, Challenge, and Lessons of Nonprofit Enterprise Creation was written to provide a report to the growing number of people interested in nonprofit business development. Not intended as a definitive statement but as a "report from the trenches," it chronicles the work of the Homeless Economic Development Fund (HEDF) from 1990-1996.  Check out their website for it and other publications and case studies: http://www.redf.org/publications-redf.htm 

(2) Esther Kim" <ekim@redf.org>
I would like to add to Sylvia Scott's previous post. Building on the work Sylvia described, REDF continues to work today with a portfolio of social enterprises that help low-income individuals with barriers to employment, including homelessness. Examples of these enterprises include ballpark concessions, a janitorial business, a bakery, landscaping businesses, cafes, a bike shop, and others. We also track the success of the enterprise employees - 44% are homeless or at risk of homelessness when they are first employed in a portfolio social enterprise, but after two years that rate drops to 26%.
    Another thought, Joni - you mentioned that you "don't know a thing about business". The enterprises listed above didn't get there alone - we invested hands-on business assistance to all of them, including MBA interns, funding for technical consultants, and REDF staff expertise. I would encourage you to seek out a thought partner - someone who does know something about business, can point you in the right direction, and help you find resources along the way.
    Finally, do check out our website, which Sylvia referenced http://www.redf.org. There you will find more information on the enterprises listed above, as well as many articles and helpful links. For instance, are you even sure that a for-profit is appropriate for what you'd like to do? Our most recent publication, "If the Shoe Fits" by Cynthia Gair, http://www.redf.org/download/other/REDF_If_the_Shoe_Fits_FINAL.pdf offers real-world examples and a handy guide for deciding whether a for-profit or nonprofit structure is right for you.  - Esther Kim, Portfolio Manager, REDF

(3) From Stephanie Klasky-Gamer <stephanie@changelives.org>
You asked four seemingly unrelated questions: 

1. Experience in employing homeless people

2. Profit sharing with homeless people under your employment

3. Permanent supportive housing

4. Start up costs for a social enterprise

I can speak briefly to items 1, 3, and 4 

    1. With regard to your first question: Chrysalis is a non-profit organization that employs the homeless in 2 enterprises that my company owns: Chrysalis Works (a maintenance and street cleaning business) and Chrysalis Staffing (a temp agency). While we pay the clients, our model is really based on transitional employment -- meaning that employment through Chrysalis is an opportunity to transitional from long-term unemployment into the working world. but our goal for clients is that they do not stay employed with us for any length of time (beyond 6 months), but rather that they find permanent employment in the community now that they have work experience, a resume, a reference, etc.
    3. permanent supportive housing has LOTS of political and private financial support right now, but as an individual with no experience, you can't really compete for any public funds associated with this kind of development or operation. Start looking at the Corporation for Supportive Housing web site in your city for ideas of where to go next. you can call me to talk about that more.
    4. start up funds is TOTALLY dependent on your enterprise. but local CDFIs (community development financial institutions) or community foundations recognize social investments and could take a risk with you on a new endeavor....but it will be easier to find funds once you know what your project is.

(4) From Michael McCarthy <mmccarthy@workplace.org>
I would encourage you to contact the local entity involved in providing homeless services in your city/town/county. What you have described is very feasible given HUD's move to support "chronic homelessness."  Visit HUD's web site. www.hud.gov for general information on homeless (see list on the left) and to find programs in your state click here http://www.hud.gov/homeless/hmlsagen.cfm

(5) From Lloyd Schmeidler <lschmeidler@umdurham.org>
We operate an emergency shelter for homeless people, and within that environment, provide a peer community of support and recovery education for people with addiction illnesses. In return for the program services, the participants provide janitorial services in the two buildings on our campus. Since we are already training participants in "janitorial arts," we have begun "Clean Sweep," a SE that provides employment opportunities for participants, quality janitorial services to the community, and an income stream for Urban Ministries of Durham.
    Our start-up capital was provided by a bequest from the estate of a major donor. The enterprise is not yet generating positive cash flow, but it is heading in the right direction. A challenge has been matching the available participants with the amount of contracts/work available in the community.

(6) From Lindsay Stevens <ljstevens@bendbroadband.com>
First, the credit rating will be YOURS - not theirs. I think you must carefully distinguish between "mentally disabled" and homeless people. Mentally disabled people come with all kinds of liabilities and definitions of how disabled they are etc. If your clients are truly homeless, perhaps some of the NIMBY will go away. First you need to find out how big a residence you can afford based on your ability to buy.2nd, set up a process to screen applicants for work they can do. The work they do will have to make the payments on the house you buy and the work will have to fit into the zoning where the house is located.
    These are just a few immediate thoughts that pop into my head and is not everything you will have to overcome to make this happen. Not trying to discourage you but you have a TON of planning and thinking to do before you actually proceed.  Try to find a local source of affordable business consulting help. Maybe your local community college? 

(7) From Alan Saunders <alansaunders101@yahoo.com>
Check out Rubicon Programs, Inc. in Richmond, CA. http://www.rubiconprograms.org

(8) George Kenefic <gknmcdlf@covad.net>
I can't speak to the programmatic aspect of the initiative; however, the start up of the initiative must be viewed as a "business" start-up in order to accurately capture costs. It is crucial that a strong, realistic business plan for the start-up be assembled, if possible, by a team of individuals. Each section of the plan: marketing, operations, and finances, should be developed and integrated by individuals that specialize in those areas. Once your "real" costs have been identified and quantified, it becomes easier to fill the capital needs by drawing on diverse pools of capital, financial, social or human. It also helps strengthen your proposals for grants, etc. when you can demonstrate that you have a plan in place to utilize the funds you're requesting. Good luck on a laudable project!

(9) Kalyn Culler Cohen <kalyncohen@att.net>
Another group that has successfully created employment opportunities for people who are homeless is the Primavera Foundation in Tucson http://www.primavera.org They have two SE's that are over ten years old:  Primavera Works, a non-profit temporary staffing agency, and Primavera Builders, a construction training and housing development corporation.

Churches Operating Social Enterprises

(1) From John Nelson <john.nelson@wallstreetwithoutwalls.com>
New Community CDC in Newark under the visionary leadership of Father Bill Linder ... various efforts. and the African American led mega churches in Houston and LA.

(2) From Vic Henschel <vhenschel@coherenttechgroup.com>
This may not be exactly what you're looking for but I thought I would pass it along anyway. Our church, The Unitarian Church of All Souls in New York City (www.allsoulsnyc.org)  has created an independent 501c3 called The Heart & Soul Fund (www.heartandsoulfund.org) . Members of the Heart & Soul Fund Board are primarily members of All Souls. Through a yearly gala event: The Heart & Soul Auction we fund many of the church's community outreach programs. All Souls is involved in over 25 social programs. Some of these programs are organized by the church. With others, we supply volunteers and financing. 

(3) From David Brown <davidspangler_123@yahoo.com>
I don't know where you live. There should be a University nearby that has a Business Management Dept.  Most Business Management courses of study in Academia are now dealing with non-profits and how they can be organized to have for-profits as subsidiaries.  With a Church you would want the Church to be registered as a 501(c) 3 with the IRS and then set up another 501(c) 3 outside the church that does not have the same board of directors as the Church. Put up a restaurant or some other business under the 501(c) 3. That business will then be responsible to donate at least 5% of their Income for Charitable purposes, such as your Church. Your non-profit restaurant will then be able to Acquire Assets of its own. Those Assets should be income producing. Therefore, your original investment will increase your Income and your ability to acquire assets. 

The Windsor Park United Methodist Church in Houston has at least 9 non-profit organizations to serve their community. Plus a large housing development that is outstanding. Go to Google. Put in Kirbyjon Caldwell, the name of the Pastor. He has an MBA from Wharton School of Business. He graduated and then went into the ministry. He has built the church from 25 to at least 16,000 members. Your pastor and board may want to speak to him and his staff. 

The 501(c) 3's outside the Church usually own the land and building where a for-profit is set up and they lease the space. That is Mainly how they produce income. But there are many other ways to do it. 

You need to protect the Church from liability.  There will be attorneys in your area that deal with non-profit law. Check them out.

(4) From David Carleton <david@kitchenswithmission.org> 

Kitchens With Mission is working with a number of faith-based organizations (churches and other types - Pittsburgh, Canton, Wichita, NY/NJ, Knoxville, Oakland, Baker (LA) )  to develop food-service based job training programs and associated food-service based social ventures; restaurant, café, catering, contract meals and events. These programs target a wide range of individuals with barriers to employment and the social ventures are established with net profit in mind. For many reasons, we are finding that it is beneficial to have a church as the key stakeholder agency for this type of effort, provided it either delivers social services to the population it serves currently, or has partnerships with other area agencies that can provide essential wrap around services to individuals in the training program (housing, health care, transportation, etc) . 

Kitchens With Mission (KWM)  exists to directly support and assist individual partner organizations across the U.S. as they plan, develop and grow food-service-based training programs and social venture businesses. In addition to focusing on the growth and development of its partner programs, KWM is working to solidify a national network of programs that create new opportunities for individuals with barriers to employment through comprehensive training and job placement in the food service industry. 

The variety and steady growth of jobs in the food-service industry make it an excellent setting for developing new opportunities for both client success and program-generated revenues. The wide range of skills and skill levels required by food-service operations allow related training programs to be applied to many disadvantaged target populations. Furthermore, a comprehensive training approach can be applied to the food-service environment, one that goes beyond culinary skill training and also includes life and employability skills training such as team-work, communication and conflict resolution - skills that are inherent to a well run, productive and busy kitchen. 

These programs create new opportunity, help people get back on their feet, reengage in their communities and reenter the workforce. Developed in partnership with Seattle’s FareStart, the Charitable Venture Foundation, and the Council of Community Services of New York State, KWM is the catalyst that provides the example and the guidance to partners as they develop programs modeled after successful “source” organizations including FareStart and DC Central Kitchen. 

Kitchens With Mission delivers the knowledge and experience of these source organizations, guiding partner programs towards successful launch, integration and growth of relevant model elements. KWM will continue to gather resources, information and best practices from all partner programs, serving as a network “hub”; a central resource for information, services and sponsorship. KWM provides leverage to its partners and saves them time, energy and resources. With leadership, guidance and technical assistance, KWM helps them develop successful programs and establish tangible paths to new opportunities.  For more info, email david@kitchenswithmission.org

(5) From Robert Steiner <rsteiner@waterleaders.org>
I may be partial due to my position and field of work, but Healing Waters International (www.healingwatersintl.org)  does fantastic work with setting up small-medium scale water treatment and refilling stations with churches. Very successful in the Dominican Republic and expanding quickly. My organization is attempting to similar projects through schools, local NGOs, hospitals, and others. HWI is a great organization and Tom Larson is a good person to talk to.  Of course, this is for international work and does not operate in the US. There are some church-based water bottlers though in the US that have been somewhat successful. Let me know if you are interested in learning more.

(6) From Timothy Hooks <timhooks@acninc.net>
Yes, I am developing an SE that can be capitalized on by Church organizations. It will be a few more months before my website is online, PeaceFunding.org, but I'll be happy to share the concept with you and your Church Leadership. Feel free to contact me. 

(7) From Ari S. Merretazon <merretazon@comcast.net >
I have long history of involvement with religious organizations engaged in income producing activities to further the mission of the religious organization. Most of my work has been in the area of capacity building and legal structures. If you are interested further I will send you a bio-sketch, or you can contact me.

Miscellaneous Social Enterprises 

(1) From Kate Sphar" <ksphar@epowerapps.com>
Olszak Management Consulting and the Social Enterprise Alliance jointly sponsor the Social Enterprise Directory, located at http://db.olszak.com. It's a free directory and there are at least 26 case studies listed, many of which are available free online.  To find the case studies, go to "Advanced Search", and under "Type", choose "Case Study". The resources you find might help you out with some of your other questions as well. 

(2) From Warren Tranquada <warren.tranquada@pepintranquada.com
There are a collection of short case studies available at www.pepintranquada.com

(Click on Profiles).  Another good place to look is the Partnership on Nonprofit Ventures website (www.ventures.yale.edu) which has posted executive summaries of all of its business plan finalists, plus samples of winning business plans from previous competitions.   There are many examples of social enterprises that produce goods, rather than services. Take a look at the status report for the Partnership on Nonprofit Ventures at the above web site. Of the finalists in each of the three years of the competition, product oriented businesses represented 35-40% of the entrants.  

(3) From Bobbi Douglas <bdouglas@sssnet.com>
We are providing Drug Free Workplace services to area businesses. As a result of meeting DFW requirements, they can qualify for a Bureau of Worker's Compensation discount in addition to hopefully creating a safer workplace. The program is growing and producing extra income for our program. We track safety infractions pre and post program and have positive outcomes. It is not a terribly scientific method of tracking. 

[Moderator's note: Bobbi's organization is STEPS at Gault Liberty Center and is located in Wooster OH] 

(2) From: Gordon Montgomery <gordon@gmeta.com>
www.knowbility.org 

[Moderator's note: Knowbility's mission is "to support the independence of children and adults with disabilities by promoting the use and improving the availability of accessible information technology." Their web site also indicates that Knowbility’s "accessibility experts help organizations understand and comply with today’s accessibility standards, including Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, and emerging state regulations such as Texas House Bill 2819. Our newest offering is the Expert Assessment, a fixed-price diagnostic service that can identify problem areas and offer recommendations based on the latest accessibility best practices."]

(3) From Jean Block <jean@jblockinc.com>
The following are the results from the Albuquerque New Mexico graduates of the 2004-2005 National Center for Social Entrepreneurs PathFinder program. Feel free to contact any of the team leaders for more information. 

Group #1 (formal sessions completed in 2004):

• YWCA. Team Leader Sitara Harvey-Cook <sitara@ywca-nm.org>. They have applied PathFinder business principles to all aspects of their organization, realizing an increase in earned income during the first year from approximately $17,000 to approximately $78,000.

• RoadRunner Food Bank. Team Leader Melody Wattenbarger <melody@rrfb.org>. They are including the sale of non-food items to their inventory to provide one stop shopping for food banking customers. They are also investigating processing and packaging locally produced specialty foods to retail and wholesale.

• KNME. Team Leader Skitch Ferguson <sferguson@knme.org>. Their plan is to develop and promote packaged European trips in collaboration with a national provider who will rebate a percentage of the trip fees to KNME. A first trip is planned for 2005. They are also hosting an online auction.

• ARCA. Team Leader Samantha Blauwkamp <sblauwkamp@arc-a.org>. They are expanding their greenhouse program to include the growth and sale of wheat grass and other organically grown foods such as specialty sprouts. They will sell to local specialty food stores. They have changed their in-house training programs and made class space available to other nonprofits and businesses.

• WESST Corp. Team Leader Agnes Noonan <agnes@wesst.org>. They have developed a new series of training programs targeted to small businesses throughout the region. Their program has already begun successfully.

Group #2: (formal sessions completed January 2005):

• Haven House. Team Leader Tony Louderbaugh <tonylouder@aol.com>. They investigated a joint partnership with Sandoval County Economic Opportunity Council to develop and manage a small café in the Rio Rancho health and justice center. The feasibility portion of PathFinders has led them to go back and explore other opportunities.

• VSA/4th Street Arts Center. Team Leader Brynne Badeaux <bbadeaux@vsartsnm.org>. They have developed Studio 4 – a gathering space for artists with disabilities or other unique concerns offering arts and crafts classes and other supportive programs for these artists as well as providing promotion and marketing for the artists’ products.

• Samaritan Counseling Center. Team Leader Paul Hopkins <phopkins@samaritancc.org>. They have developed 3 products: continuing education for health professionals and adjunct professionals, promotion of psychological assessments through Family Court and a larger focus on workplace services.

• Outcomes. Team Leader Jane Hertz <jh@outcomesnm.org>. They are expanding their EAP programs to new business targets.

• Talking Talons. Team Leader Daniel Abram <Daniel@talkingtalons.com>. They are developing video/cd/interactive science/environmental training programs targeted to help youth develop their individual potentials while learning about the environment, endangered species, etc.

• Jewish Family Service. Team Leader Erika Rimson <erimson@comcast.net>. They are developing a menu of services for the elderly, targeted at both the elderly and their care givers.

 Group #3 (Formal sessions completed August 2005):

• Camp Fire USA. Team Leader Suzanne Fielding <sfielding@campfireabq.org>. They are modifying some of their school-based after school programs in response to demonstrated need to reach different income groups. Original target was 45 students enrolled, but opened with 75 and gross revenue of $105,000. Their long term enterprise project will be development of one or more Youth Centers.

• Alta Mira Specialized Family Services. Team Leader Michelle Bishop-Couch <mcouch@altamiranm.org>. They are expanding the use of their respite home to extend services during the unused day time hours for drop in care.

• The Arc of New Mexico. Team Leader Jo Ann Baxter <jbaxter@arcnm.org>. They are developing a continuum of service called Peace of Mind to families of persons with disabilities.

• Red Cross, Rio Grande Chapter. Team Leader Diane Gonzales. They have expanded their health and wellness programs and are marketing them to 30 new local business clients.