NESsT Case Study Series

Launched in 2000, the NESsT Case Study Series is the first international case study series of its kind to focus especially on entrepreneurship in the nonprofit sector.

The growing body of cases examines the practical use of social enterprise among nonprofits worldwide. Modeled on the case study methodologies of leading business schools, the cases document the practical lessons learned by social entrepreneurs in applying business practices to generate income to support their mission.

The NESsT Case Study Series provides in-depth, practical accounts of nonprofit enterprise activities. Starting with general background information on the mission and programs as well as the financial situation of the organization, the cases walk readers through the steps taken by each organization to start up, manage and develop their self-financing activities, analyzing the impact of self-financing using eight impact indicators developed by NESsT and highlighting key lessons learned. The NESsT Case Study Series is a valuable "real-life" teaching and learning tool for business school and nonprofit management faculty and students, nonprofit practitioners, foundations and individual donors to better understand the challenges and lessons of applying entrepreneurial financing approaches to the nonprofit sector.

The cases documented in the series are selected to reflect a diversity of social change organizations from various fields, of varying sizes and utilizing various strategies of self-financing activities.

These publications may be viewed and downloaded at no cost. Click on a case name to view/download.

All cases in the series are available in both English and Spanish language versions.

 


 

Case No.

Case Organization Case Title Field of Activity Self-Financing Activity Country
(year)		    


Case Nos. 1 - 3: "Enterprising Foundations" Case Set: How can local grantmaking foundations use enterprise activities to build their endowment and sustain their activities? This is the question addressed by the first set of cases produced by NESsT in cooperation with the Synergos Institute. The cases focus on three Latin American grant-making foundations that use innovative enterprise activities to raise funds for their grant-making activities and programs.

1

The Corona Foundation

Building an endowment

Social Development

A private, corporate foundation dedicated to social development in Colombia, the Corona Foundation uses a conservative investment strategy to invest all hard assets donated by its corporate founders for its endowment, using only cash donations for grant-making purposes.

Colombia

   

2

Hogar de Cristo

Mobilizing Local Resources

Social Welfare

The largest operating foundation in Chile, Hogar de Cristo raises 82 percent of its revenues through five types of self-financing. The myriad of enterprises range from membership fees, to sale of products and services, to royalties and real estate rental income.

Chile

   

3

The FES Foundation

Permanent Matching Funds

Education

The FES Foundation, formerly one of the largest community foundations in Colombia, established Permanent Matching Funds as a way to build its endowment.

Colombia

   
Cases Nº4 onwards: Launching social enterprise activities in civil society organizations: How have these experiences been? The answers are found in this second section, with in-depth analysis of cases studies. These are great examples of self-financing cases developed in different countries of Latin America and Central Europe.     

4

Casa de la Paz

Diversifying funding sources by generating new clients

Environment; Education

Casa de la Paz generates income for its activities in citizen participation, environment and conflict resolution through consulting contracts.

Chile

   

5

CIEM Aconcagua

Furthering organizational mission through self-financing

Community Development; Arts-Culture

CIEM Aconcagua generates income for its community development work by offering workshops and trainings and selling artisanal goods.

Chile

   

6

CODEMU

Managing a non-mission-related business

Human (Labor) Rights

CODEMU, a labor rights group for women textile workers, generates income through its trainings and a for-profit laundromat in Santiago.

Chile

   

7

Mexfam

Offering high-quality services at subsidized prices

Health; Education

Mexfam generates 40% of its income through the sale of educational materials and products for family planning, health and sex education.

Mexico

   

8

Fundamor

Building Self-financing from organizational mission and assets

Health

Fundamor generates more than 60% of its income from numerous enterprises in support of its services to children living with HIV/AIDS.

Colombia

   

9

Fundaempresa

Using know-how as a basis for self-financing

Small Enterprise Development

Fundaempresa generates nearly 80% of its income from trainings and consultations on business planning and enterprise development.

Colombia

    
10

Eco Center Caput Insulae Beli

Becoming financially autonomous while capitalizing on hard assets and know-how

 Environmental Protection BECCIB's first self-financing activity provided accommodation for Center visitors. Since then, self-financing activities have expanded to include consultancy work in the environmental filed, provision of guided tours, and charging of admission. Croatia    
11

Slap Association for Creative Development

Balancing human resource capacity while earning revenues Inter-sectoral cooperation for socially aware entrepreneurship Slap's main self-financing activity consists of providing training and consultancy services to CSOs, local authorities and firms on topics related to nonprofit entrepreneurship. The second activity is knitwear line produced by a group of socially vulnerable women. Croatia    
12

Udruga Slijepih Association of the Blind

Providing employment for the organization's target group with reaching organizational sustainability Services for the Blind The Association established cooperation with a small family business and started the production of wooden toys. The Association has hired four previously unemployed beneficiaries.

Croatia    
13

Zelena Akcija (Green Action)

Supplementing donor funds through several small-scale self-financing activities Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development The organization sells T-shirts and pens carrying Zelen Akcija's logo, they collect membership fees, and rent out space at their summer resort to visitors. Croatia    

14

Udruga MI

Fee for services: daily program activities meeting financial needs

 Refugee Services

Udruga MI instituted a fee-based service to its beneficiaries, mostly senior citizens done in cooperation with the municipal government. At present, the self-financing activity manages to cover some of its direct costs, such as the salary of one professional, although not all operational costs.

Croatia    
15 P-Centrum Limiting Financial Returns for Greater Rehabilitation Success Support to at-risk youth P-Centrum launched a wood-sculpting business focusing on construction of hand-carved benches and multifunctional sculptures for children’s playgrounds, parks, zoos, etc. The enterprise both employs at-risk youth and generates income for P-Centrum’s youth programs.  Czech Republic    
16 Vydra Outsourcing Social Enteprise Management to Maximize Mission Impact Environment; Education Vydra launched a "Tourist Camp” (café, cultural, environmental & recreational events) in the Vydrovská Valley to encourage tourism, create local employment opportunities, and sustain itself. Slovakia    
17 La Morada The Challenges of Adopting an Entrepreneurial Culture in a Social Change Organization Women Right`s A nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of low-income Chilean women, reducing domestic violence and workplace discrimination, and advocating public policies that benefit underserved women. Chile    
18 Parques para Chile Creating an Organization While Simultaneously Developing a Social Enterprise Environmental protection   Chile    
19 Motivation Romania Foundation Diversification: A Key to Long-term Sustainability Social support and integration Motivation produces and sells personalized, tailor made quality wheelchairs. The organization’s production is certified with ISO standards, and it also trains the disabled in the use of the new wheelchairs. Romania    
20 Ruhama Foundation Understanding the Importance of Business Planning Ensuring a better life to vulnerables communities. Ruhama provides training programs targeting the adults willing to work in the social sector (home care, social worker) or in CSOs or education field (trainer, project proposal writing). They also provide home care services to disadvantaged persons. Romania    
21 Bioterra Restructuring to Ensure Continued Growth of Self-financing Activities Ecological agriculture and organic food production Bioterra provides, to farmers, fee based consultancy for ecological agriculture, sells books and brochures on ecologic and organic production, and collects membership fees. Romania    
22 Patrir Building Self-financing Into Core Activities Peace promotion Patrir provides national and international fee based training programs (both off and on-line) and international consultancy. They also rent their training room to CSOs and for profit companies. Romania    
23 Copeme Adapting Self-Financing strategies to new Market Conditions

Micro and Small (MSE)

Enterprise Development

 Credit and loan cooperative for partner organizations Peru    
24 GEA

Balancing Mission and Success in the Marketplace

Enviromental

Consulting

 Environmental consulting services (ECOLAB) Peru    
25 SER Self- Financing Activities Respond to the Needs of the Community Education Rural development consulting services Peru    
26

MH20

Also in Portuguese

Strengthening Ventures Through Network Ties Poverty & Social inclusion MH2O helps Brazilian youth living in impoverished communities to channel their energy into productive social engagement rather than gang involvement, drugs and violence. Brazil    
28

Sport in Action

Also in Portuguese

Increasing Program Participation Through Self-financing Poverty & Social inclusion Sport in Action was founded in 1998 as a response to the lack of education, life skills activities, and empowerment opportunities provided through sports, especially for at risk-children and youth. Africa    
29 Tiflonexos Asociación Civil New technologies and self-financing: a complement to social integration Disability & Technologies Online library for Spanish-speaking visually-impaired people. Argentina    
30 Mediapila País Promoting a labour culture in the fight against extreme poverty and unemployment. Poverty & Social inclusion Production and commercialization of clothes carrying a "solidarity" label. Argentina    
31 FUNDAMYF Promoting the integral development of women and their families, implementing projects that include economic and productive aspects, with an emphasis on eduacation, health and leadership themes. Poverty & Social inclusion Processing of Andean cereal and grains for sale and export in the national market Ecuador    
32 Fundación Hermano Miguel Self-financing in support of people with disabilities Disability Medical and rehabilitation services Ecuador    
               
 

 

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