Why?
- Funders increasingly require cash contributions for applications to be competitive
- Most nonprofits have limited reserves to commit to market development
- Funding uncertainty and non-competitive salaries are barriers to attracting and retaining skilled staff
- Earned income provides discretionary funds and helps increase the capacity, resilience and self-reliance of nonprofits
Who?
The objective of the Earning Capacity is to have each participant organization secure at least one new earned income contract over the course of the Project. Up to 30 organizations will be assisted in adopting strategic commitments to enterprise development. Representatives from diverse, nonprofit community service agencies across Ontario (i.e. organizations focused on: employment & training, arts & culture, children & youth, community development, education, environmental, agriculture, health, First Nations organizations, immigrant (settlement) services, recreation, and social services) who fit the project applicant profile are invited to apply.
How Will You Benefit?
Focused resources provided through the Earning Capacity project will assist committed nonprofits to:
- Identify opportunities to capitalize on existing organizational assets
- Advance their organizational earning capacity
- Develop their earned income streams via service contracts with other nonprofits and businesses
The Earning Capacity Project is:
Presented by ONESTEP in partnership with the Canadian CED Network and Job Skills.
Funded by the Trillium Foundation of Ontario.
How to Apply
ATTENTION! – DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS ARE DUE JANUARY 29TH, 2016.
To be considered for this program we ask you to submit the following documents:
- A completed Application Form with organizational information - Click here to download
- A Social Enterprise Readiness Assessment Checklist completed by each of up to 3 organizational representatives who will participate in the Earning Capacity Institute and coaching/mentoring supports - Click here to download
- Your most recent Annual Report
- Your current Strategic Plan
- A letter from the Board approving your commitment to the full (8 months) enterprise development opportunity and confirming the team’s availability for the scheduled enterprise institute in your region.
- All documents should be compressed into a zipped file, with the naming convention: organization_name.zip and uploaded via the form below.
How do I create a ZIP file?
Ensure that all your required files are located on your desktop. Highlight all the required files and right click > Send to > Compressed (Zipped) folder. This will automatically create a ZIP file for you and place it on the desktop, which stores all files together.
Once accepted you will be required to send a cheque in the amount of $300.00 made out to ONESTEP with the memo notation “Earning Capacity Project”. This fee will assist with the development costs for an enterprise clearinghouse facility.
Limited travel subsidy funds may be allotted on request.
Selection criteria include:
- Clear evidence of organizational commitment to and resourcing of enterprise development
- A business concept focusing on income generation through the sale of administrative capacities or other goods/services ideas
- Stable finances to support enterprise start-up or scaling up
- A Social Enterprise Readiness Assessment that demonstrates conditions and capacities for the applicant organization to benefit from participation in the project
File Upload: NOTE: Please ZIP (.zip) the required files prior to uploading and ensure the filename is the name of the organization/agency. Maximum file size: 20MB. If the file is larger than 20MB, or if you are having issues/concerns with uploading to DropBox, please click here to send us an email.
