Dec. 16th through Dec. 19th

Sixth graders at the St. Philomena School will be providing Amos House (Providence, RI) with hats, gloves, scarves, socks and toiletries for the homeless.

Teen artists have been busy preparing for the Artists for Humanity (Boston, MA) Holiday Open House and Bazaar.

Robert Chambers, co-founder of Bonnie CLAC (Lebanon, NH), is highlighted in a recent U.S. News and World Report article, entitled “Start Your Own Nonprofit.”

Lost in Woonsocket, a documentary film, will be shown on Fox Providence, Channel 11 as part of a fundraising event hosted by Crossroads Rhode Island (Providence, RI).  The film “tells the story of two beleaguered, homeless alcoholics discovered living in the woods of Woonsocket by a documentary film crew who decide to help.”… On another note, Crossroads was recently the recipient of cookies baked through the Drop In & Decorate program, which seeks to connect cookie makers with people less fortunate.

ITNCharlestonTrident, an affiliate of ITNAmerica (Westbrook, ME), was one of twelve service organizations recently recognized and thanked for their efforts by the Subway restaurants of greater Charleston.  The nonprofit’s staff and patrons received gifts of  — you guessed it — Subway sandwiches.

This is the opening line from a story in the Burlington Free Press about ReCycle North (Burlington, VT): “Whether it’s a struggling college student trying to furnish his new apartment or a poverty-stricken family looking to make ends meet during tough economic times, there’s at least one organization that can be relied upon to help make their living situations a little more comfortable.”

A Bytes column wouldn’t be complete without a link to a Safe Passage (Antigua, Guatemala and Yarmouth, ME) related blog post.

This article highlights the types of support provided by the Washington Hancock Community Agency and the Downeast Business Alliance.  The Agency recently released the results of a report identifying the needs of lower-income residents.

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In a previous post, I noted briefly Paul Light’s new book, The Search for Social Entrepreneurship (Brookings, 2008), which offers a wide-ranging, research-based overview of social entrepreneurship.  (Light was a speaker at Great Bay’s 2007 Annual Conference.) In this post, I will explore how Light’s insights and findings relate directly to our work at Great Bay, as we fund nonprofit social enterprises led by social entrepreneurs.

First, Light examines socially entrepreneurial activity from the perspective of “four components:” the entrepreneur, the idea, the opportunity, and the organization.  He suggests that each component forms a piece of the puzzle that is social entrepreneurship.  For example, one nonprofit may operate socially entrepreneurially mainly because of an enterprising entrepreneur who’s in charge, while a second nonprofit may operate in this manner because of a board of directors that’s instilled an entrepreneurial culture in the organization as a whole.  Light notes that the key to success may be in assembling all four components within an organization.  Looking at Great Bay grantees through a “four component” lens highlights the ways in which each organization has a unique combination of Light’s four components, and encourages us to examine the most effective balance.

Second, Light includes an interesting discussion on whether social entrepreneurship must involve the creation of a new venture.  While Great Bay receives many grant requests from nonprofits new to the field, we are increasingly seeing long-standing nonprofits—those with over 20 years of operating history—propose new social enterprise projects to enhance their organization’s sustainability.  Light notes that there is “compelling evidence that social benefit organizations [i.e. nonprofits] built decades, even a century or two, ago can create and maintain entrepreneurial cultures that produce social entrepreneurship…” (p.31).

Third, in his survey analysis, Light groups high performing organizations into three levels of “socially entrepreneurial activity:” “highly,” “moderately,” and “not-too.” Light acknowledges that an organization does not necessarily have to be entrepreneurial in order to be high performing.  In Great Bay’s experience, we often receive grant proposals from stellar nonprofits who have been widely successful in meeting pressing social needs—yet still do not meet our grantmaking guidelines because they lack a socially entrepreneurial orientation.

Fourth, Light finds that socially entrepreneurial activity in the nonprofit sector may not be as rare as some have argued.  More than half the organizations in his study showed at least some level of entrepreneurial activity.  Light’s work indicates that socially entrepreneurial activity, on some level, is in fact taking place, even if the activity is not well known among the broader nonprofit world.  For Great Bay and other funders/conveners of social enterprise, Light’s finding highlights the need to not only continue to identify and fund social entrepreneurs, but also to communicate their work to a broader audience and to provide access to valuable networking opportunities where social entrepreneurs can meet others doing similar work and gain new insights and tools to strengthen their organizations.

Light’s insights strike a balance between the theoretical and the practical.  As a result, this book is a great resource for anyone—funder, practitioner, researcher—engaged with and/or interested in the field of social entrepreneurship.  Light’s work represents a significant step in the direction of identifying opportunities to expand socially entrepreneurial activity in the nonprofit, i.e, social benefit, sector in order to truly achieve large scale social impact.

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In March of 2007 Great Bay provided $150,000 to support More Than a Meal, a catering micro-business, which provides nutritional meals to school-age children and, more recently, catering services for businesses and nonprofit organizations.   More Than a Meal is operated by Amos House, a nonprofit located in South Providence, Rhode Island that provides direct support for men, women, and children who are poor, homeless and in crisis.

While a goal of More Than a Meal is to generate income to support Amos House’s programs (including a soup kitchen which serves as many as 800 people a day), its greatest value is as a job training tool and employment option for individuals enrolled in the Amos Culinary Education (ACE) program.  ACE helps poor and unskilled individuals and those at risk of homelessness obtain the skills they need to become more self-reliant.  According to Amos House’s website, “since 2002, this 12-week training program has provided over 225 men and women with culinary skills and, in turn, jobs in the food service industry.”

Since the initial Great Bay grant, More Than a Meal has achieved double bottom line success.   Revenues are up, as are the training and employment opportunities provided to disadvantaged individuals.  In August of this year, Eileen Hayes, Amos House’s Executive Director and a shining example of a social entrepreneur, requested additional Great Bay funds to grow social enterprise within her organization.

The Friendship Café is the next step in the expansion of the Amos House micro-business model.  The Café will offer new job and training opportunities to graduates of the ACE program and to residents of South Providence.  In addition to meeting pressing social and community needs, the Café will also fill a market gap by creating an option for nutritious, affordable food in that section of the city.

Great Bay recently provided Amos House with a second grant of $130,000 to cover expenses related to the Friendship Café’s start-up and first year of operations.

On a final note, Amos House and the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce are currently holding a Friendship Café logo design contest.  According to Amos House’s website, “In addition to using your talent for a great cause, the winning designer will receive a ‘publicity package’ that includes membership in the [Chamber of Commerce], a feature story in the Member Highlight section of the Chamber’s website and a $500 honorarium. The winning logo design will receive broad exposure and be used on all of the Café’s signs, promotional materials and collateral.”  Additional details can be found here.

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Alan Furth, Executive Director of the Cobscook Community Learning Center (CCLC), located in Trescott TWP, Maine, has been a valuable member of the Great Bay Grantee network for many years.  Great Bay funds were awarded to Alan in 2002 to help create a business plan for a seafood pie business.

After six and a half years of due diligence, the project is ready to move forward, and Great Bay has awarded the CCLC $150,000 to support the start-up of the Cobscook Bay Company.  The company will manufacture and market nutritious, frozen, value-added seafood meals to the retail grocery markets and to colleges and universities and other large institutions.

The Cobscook Bay Company represents a unique model for social enterprise.  The business itself will be a for-profit.  It will be jointly owned by Phinney Enterprises, a seafood processing and distribution business, and Periwinkle LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the CCLC, a nonprofit. The hybrid corporate structure will mean that the Cobscook Bay Company will operate with a double, if not triple, bottom line.

Great Bay’s funds were provided to the nonprofit CCLC to be used as an investment in the Cobscook Bay Company, with the understanding that the business’ success will have a direct impact on the CCLC’s continued ability to achieve its social mission.  We were impressed right away with the many layers of social and community impact this business venture can have.

First, the Cobscook Bay Company will be hiring workers in an area of the state—Washington County—that has a long history of high unemployment.  Second, local seafood harvesters will be given stable prices for their products, leading to improved economic well being for their families.  And third, a portion of profits from the business will be used to underwrite the nonprofit CCLC’s many community educational programs.

We’re excited about this new business, as well as its unique structure, and will be sure to keep you all updated on its progress as time goes on.  In the meantime, be on the look out for Cobscook Bay Company seafood pies in your local grocery store!

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Dec. 4th to Dec. 15th

Please note: An ice storm delayed the posting of last week’s Bytes column.

Yesterday’s Kennebec Journal / Morning Sentinel had an article about the new West Gardiner (Maine) Service Plaza, of which the Center for Maine Craft is a part.

Crossroads Rhode Island is among the many Rhode Island nonprofits that will receive grant support from the Champlin Foundation. …  Crossroads recently took part in the “Kids, Cops, and Christmas” program, which directs gifts to homeless children.

Here’s a recent blog post about ITNAmerica.

As noted in a previous Bytes column, ReCycle North and The ReStore have joined ‘Eco-forces’.

Here’s a final blog post from one of the circus performers visiting Safe Passage.  (I’ve linked to these posts in previous Bytes columns.)

The thrift stores operated by Skills, Inc. are seeing an increase in business during the holiday season.

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The Great Bay blog will be busy over the next week.  Look for posts on new grantees, our Annual conference, and more!

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Nov. 24th to Dec. 3rd

Click here to listen to a public radio story on Robert Chambers, co-founder of Bonnie CLAC.

Liberty Mutual Insurance and ITNAmerica have created resources that help adult children address transportation alternatives with their aging parents.

ReCycle North is one of four nonprofits being included in this year’s Giving Series, which is the Burlington Free Press’ annual holiday appeal. … The Burlington Housing Authority is planning to partner with ReCycle North on a project to create affordable rental housing for disadvantaged individuals.  The project, which ReCycle North would use as a training and demonstration site for its YouthBuild Program, has been awarded funds from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston. … This article notes that the ReStore, a seller of donated industrial surplus, is partnering with ReCycle North in order to expand thrift store operations.

An event celebrating the release of a new book, “Our Daily Tread,” created by Lisa Belisle, will be held at the Portland Museum of Art tomorrow (Dec. 4th).  The book is in honor of Hanley Denning, “visionary, runner, and founder of Safe Passage.”  All proceeds from sales will benefit the nonprofit. … A little over a month ago I wrote about the nine circus performers who were traveling to Safe Passage to give lessons.  Well, here’s a blog post from one of the performers in Guatemala. … This blogger discusses the Landscape Architecture Design program associated with Safe Passage. … And while I’m on the subject of Safe Passage-related blogs, I should link to this one again.

Skills, Inc. is offering a decorated tree for the 17th Annual “Festival of Trees,” taking place Dec. 7-14 on the campus of Good Will-Hinckley.

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The Great Bay staff will be away at our Annual Conference Thursday and Friday of this week.  The Bytes column will return on Friday, December 12th.

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Nov. 17th to Nov. 21st

Amos House (Providence, RI) is a recipient of funds raised through the CVS Caremark Downtown 5K.  In addition, proceeds from the “Rhode Island Trivia Challenge” will go to the nonprofit.  (Read about the trivia contest here.)

Artists for Humanity (Boston, MA) is mentioned in this article as a recipient of Deutsche Bank Championship charitable funds.  The nonprofit also received proceeds from a recent fashion show at Harvard University.

The Tillotson Fund recently awarded Bonnie CLAC (Lebanon, NH) a $50,000 grant to support its Personal Transportation Purchase, Counseling, and Financial Literacy Program.

Online gifts from first-time contributors to the Building Materials Resource Center (Roxbury, MA) will be matched, up to $5,000, from now through December 31st.

ITNCharlestonTrident recently became the second ITNAmerica (Westbrook, ME) affiliate to reach the 10,000 ride mark.  (The first was ITNPortland.)  And, ITNOrlando is seeking volunteers.

The Center for Maine Craft, a project of the Maine Crafts Association (Dover Foxcroft, ME), just completed its first week of operation.  Here’s a Portland Press Herald article — “Food, fuel and crafts?” — about the Center and its recent opening.

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Nov. 10th to Nov. 14th

The “Help is Here Express” bus tour will make a stop at Crossroads Rhode Island.  The nonprofit will also be a stop on the “Hasbro Holiday Express,” which will distribute blankets, cereals, and diapers for the holidays.

Here’s a story about how “plummeting commodities prices have cut into ReCycle North’s revenues.”

eWaste Alternatives, a project created by two Great Bay grantees, Skills, Inc. and Information Technology Exchange, is a semi-finalist for the first ever Collaboration Prize.  (I’ll write more about this in a later post.)

Meet 17 year old Jake Gallagher, who was recently awarded the Outstanding Youth in Philanthrophy Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Northern New England chapter last week for his fundraising and volunteer work for Safe Passage.

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Nov. 3rd to Nov. 7th

Artists for Humanity’s blog notes that on Tuesday, November 11th the Boston Opera House will host the 3rd Annual Rock & Art Charity to benefit Artists for Humanity and ABCD, a Greater Boston antipoverty agency….And Artists for Humanity students are working to design and build bike racks that will be installed in the Mission Hill section of Boston in the spring of 2009.

Tradingmarkets.com has an article on Bonnie CLAC and its expansion to Lowell, Massachusetts….Bonnie CLAC also participated in the recent “It’s Your Money” show in Franklin, New Hampshire.

A “blog dedicated to providing resources to business owners, entrepreneurs, and inventors” highlights social entrepreneurship, Katherine Freund, and ITNAmerica….And Katherine is also quoted in an article at ColumbiaTribune.com.

ReCycle North Executive Director Tom Longstreth recently authored a piece in the Burlington Free Press on how his organization has benefited from its partnership with the United Way of Chittenden County.  (A month ago, I posted a link to an article from Tiffany Bluemle, another Vermont grantee who also wrote about the importance of supporting the United Way).

Safe Passage (Camino Seguro) is looking for an English Program Coordinator…And three Ellsworth (Maine) High School students are raising money to fund a week of volunteer work with the nonprofit in Guatemala.

If you’re interested in starting your own sheep farm or in learning about all aspects of lambing, then there is an internship for you at the Smokey House Center

The Washington Hancock Community Agency is part of a collaborative effort to assist the 25 workers recently laid off from Hinckley Yacht in Trenton, Maine.

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Great Bay recently awarded a second grant to the Center for Maine Craft, a project of the Maine Crafts Association, led by Tracy Michaud Stutzman, Ph.d.  The Center, to be located in the new West Gardiner Turnpike Authority Rest Stop, is designed to increase profits and visibility, as well as build more year-round retail opportunities, for artisan businesses.  It will open its doors on Friday, November 14th, showcasing products from 225 Maine craft artists.

Many of Maine’s artisans struggle to earn a livable wage.  The Center will provide an unprecedented opportunity for these individuals to build business skills and expand their markets.  The Center will facilitate access to technical assistance, mentoring, and Maine’s Community College System.  It is also expected that the retail operation and website will generate increased visits and sales at artisan studios across Maine.  In addition to the direct impact on the lives of Maine craft artists and the tremendous boost given to Maine-made products, the Center will help to preserve Maine’s rural culture.

Great Bay first supported this project a little over a year ago, when we provided $123,500 in funds to cover staff development, sales/office equipment, display units, merchandising expertise, and signage.  With the Center’s opening right around the corner, we’ve provided a second grant in the amount of $100,000, to be used for purchasing inventory and covering operating costs during the first year.  Half of the funds were provided in the form of a “recoverable grant,” a zero-interest loan that will be paid back in equal payments over the next two years.

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