Enter the business plan competition for nonprofits looking to scale their impact

Target audience: Nonprofits, NGOs, social enterprises, educators, nonprofit leaders, community development organizations, marketing professionals.

Guest post by Cynthia Massarsky
Vice President, Social Impact Exchange

Are you part of an initiative that is looking to reach more people in need? If your nonprofit is working in education, youth development, poverty alleviation, community economic development or health, entering the Social Impact Exchange’s 2012 Business Plan Competition might be a good opportunity to hone your plan and receive a consulting and financial award, too. But you’ll have to get going, the deadline for entering the competition is coming up on Dec. 23.

Despite all the important work your organization has accomplished, it’s well known how difficult it is to achieve scale – that is, to make a meaningful and sustainable impact by reaching larger numbers of those in need. In an ideal world, we want to reach ever greater numbers of our participants. So the goal of the competition, which first began in 2010, is to develop a strong pipeline of scale-ready initiatives and provide you with the resources to successfully take the next steps in your growth trajectory.

There are lots of strategies for achieving scaled impact. At the Social Impact Exchange, we’re interested in scaling organizations, programs, policy initiatives, media and advocacy campaigns, nonprofit collaboratives, social movements and marketplace solutions. Past award recipients include the Parent-Child Home Program (2010), Emerge Workplace Solutions (2010), BELL (2011) and WINGS for kids (2011).

You are eligible to enter the competition if your organization is a U.S.-based nonprofit with a focus in education, youth development, health, poverty alleviation or community economic development. Your organization can enter the competition in one of two tracks: Early-Stage Scaling Initiatives or Mezzanine-Stage Scaling Initiatives.

During an 8-month evaluation process, you’ll develop and submit a business plan to scale your “social solution.” You will have access to a website of resources on growth and receive customized written feedback on your plan. If you’re invited to proceed to Round II, you’ll take part in either group training or one-on-one consulting, as well.

The final round of the Social Impact Business Plan Competition will take place in June at the 2012 Symposium on Scaling Impact in New York City.

Interested in learning more? Visit Social Impact Exchange online.

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