NPL 4340 Spring 2010

Nonprofit Leadership and Management

Social Entrepreneur Assignment

Due: Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Review Chapter 8 and 9 in Brinckerhoff’s Mission-Based Management. Also, review handouts from
Massarsky’s A Brief Tutorial on Business Planning for Nonprofit Enterprise, Kim Starkey’s case example and
Habitat for Humanity Victoria’s business plan. These are to help you understand the process. I have
posted some links that can be more helpful for you also. They are nothing more than a study aid.

Based on the nonprofit organization that you interviewed during the course, develop a social venture for
that organization. If your organization already has a social venture in place, you must develop an
alternative one.

Remember, a social venture is NOT a fundraiser. It is a business that the nonprofit organization operates
for earned income such as Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore Outlet.

You may have to follow-up with your nonprofit to answer some of the questions. You may also use the
Internet for research purposes. Please document your resources APA style with a citation page.

This assignment is going to take thought, time and planning . . . more so than the others. This assignment
will also take some research on your part. You need to start now! You have 4+ weeks to complete it.

Here’s the assignment part: In narrative form, answer the questions on the following page, Critical
Feasibility Questions with regard to your social venture idea. Do Not write the question and then the
answer. This assignment is a formal paper. The questions should guide your writing. You can think of
them as an outline for your paper.

This paper has no required length. However, to fully address the Critical Feasibility Questions, the paper
should be at least five (5) pages, excluding the cover sheet and citations page. You must thoroughly
address the questions to develop your idea.

Your narrative should be double-spaced typed with 12pt Times New Roman font with 1” margins all
around.
Your paper must be a Word document. Your assignment file must be named as follows:
Lastname+Firstinitial+Social such as JordanSSocial. I will not accept your assignment if it is submitted in
question/answer form and/or incorrectly named.

Your assignment must have the following formatted heading on each page:
Name
Social Entrepreneur Assignment
NPL 4340 Fall 09

The heading should be left justified and single spaced in 12 pt Times New Roman. I will deduct one point
per page that does not have this heading on it.

11. Submit your paper via Blackboard (either the assignment section or email) by midnight, Wednesday,
May 5.

Social Entrepreneur Assignment

Critical Feasibility Questions

1. Can you define precisely what this new business or expansion will do?
2. Who will operate the business? Do they have the skills and experience to run it?
3. How will it benefit your mission and the organization?
4. What are the characteristics of successful businesses of this type?
5. Will it operate within the present corporate structure or will it spin off into a separate corporation?
6. What changes are taking place in the industry?
7. Are there trends within the industry that you can take advantage of, or others that could negatively
affect your service?
8. What makes your service or product different from the competition?
9. Who is the competition? Where are they located?
10. How will you compete?
11. Is there enough of a market to support you and the competition?
12. Who is/are the target market/s for this business?
13. How will you inform the people you want to serve within this market(s)?
14. What is your plan to find out what your target market wants?
15. What is you sales strategy?
16. Is there both a need and a want for your product or service? How do you know?
17. What problems could arise in the operation of this business venture and how will you overcome them?
18. Are there some problems that cannot be resolved?
19. Does this business or expansion meet the mission goals?
20. Is the risk acceptable?
21. Can you compete with the competition?
To answer some of these questions, you may have to interview your organization for their thoughts on
their target market wants and needs. You can also use the Internet for research. Remember to document
your resources APA style with a citation page.