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Turning Your Social Enterprise Strategy into Action

An enp Strengthening Your Skills workshop

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Workshop Objectives

At the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

1 Translate your social enterprise strategy into a concrete action plan.

2 Identify the changes to your governance required to enable and drive action.

3 Adjust and refine your social enterprise model using Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles.

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Today we are focused on how to turn your social enterprise strategy and plan

into action

Opportunity IdentificationOpportunity Identification

Business Plan

Business Plan Start-UpStart-Up StrengtheningStrengthening

Organizational Readiness

Organizational Readiness

Feasibility Study

Feasibility Study EvaluationEvaluation

Source: The Canadian Social Enterprise Guide (2nd edition)

Launch Preparation

Launch Preparation

Social Enterprise Development Path

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Social enterprise may be a part of an overall organization’s strategy or the

entire organization

Social Enterprise is the organization

Social Enterprise

Social Enterprise

Social Enterprise as part of the organization

Non-profit organization

(parent)

Non-profit organization

(parent)

Programs/ services

Programs/ services

Social Enterprise

Social Enterprise

Programs/ services

Programs/ services

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What is a social enterprise strategy and how do we turn it into action?

Non-profit organization

(parent)

Non-profit organization

(parent)

Programs/ services

Programs/ services

OverallStrategic

Plan

OverallStrategic

Plan

ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE

Social EnterpriseStrategic

Plan

Social EnterpriseStrategic

Plan

Social EnterpriseBusiness

Plan

Social EnterpriseBusiness

Plan

Social Enterprise

Social Enterprise

90-DayAction Plan

90-DayAction Plan

A Definition of Strategy

•a long term plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal

•differentiated from tactics or immediate actions with resources at handSource: http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org

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We will look at approaches to Governance and Blended Value Design to drive action

for results from your social enterprise

Source: www.enterprisingnonprofits.ca/learning-toolkits

Social Enterprise Learning Toolkit

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Social enterprise merges mission and money

Reference: “Merging Mission and Money: A Board Member’s Guide to Social Entrepreneurship”, by Jerr Boschee

Why are we doing this?

How will we do this?

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It starts with clarity of purpose and focus: “Why are we doing this?”

1. Articulate your Mission and Vision

1. Articulate your Mission and Vision

2. Identify your Goals2. Identify your Goals

3. Identify how you will measure success

3. Identify how you will measure success

Do first things first, and second things not at all.

Do first things first, and second things not at all.

- Peter Drucker

If you chase two rabbits, both will

escape.

If you chase two rabbits, both will

escape.

- anonymous

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Governance is a key part of achieving clarity of purpose and focus for your

social enterpriseKey questions to define Governance

for your Social Enterprise

1Who are all of your stakeholders?

2What are the key decisions that need to be made?

3What role should each stakeholder have in these decisions?

4What is the process and timing for making these decisions?

Governance defines who and how decisions are made for your social enterprise.

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Defining Governance – the family pet

Activity Activity 1a1a

What overall criteria must be met – budget, responsibility for care?

Key Decisions

What kind of pet?

Schedule and roles, responsibilities for pet care

By March 31One-time

Timing

By summerOne-time

Within first monthReviewed monthly

Family budgetBasic pet care responsibilities by pet type

Info Required

Different options with information based on criteria

Activities, time required and frequency

Key Stakeholders

Lead/Decide

Parents

Approve

Lead

Informed and confirm agreement

Kids

Lead, recommend

Input

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Defining Governance for your social enterprise

Activity Activity 1b1b

Mission and overall goals for the social enterprise

Key Decisions

Target outcomes and budget for the next 12 months

Extending hours of the social enterprise

By March 31Every 2-3 years

Timing

By March 31 (year-end)Annually

Within next 2 months(one-off decision)

Strategic PlanBusiness Plan

Info Required

Financials from last 2 years

Proposal for new hours and justification

Key Stakeholders

Lead

Board ED Staff

Input and vote

Input

Approve

Lead Input

Input Lead Input

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Social enterprise merges mission and money

Reference: “Merging Mission and Money: A Board Member’s Guide to Social Entrepreneurship”, by Jeff Boschee

Why are we doing this?

How will we do this?

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You then need to define a plan of action: “How will we do this?”

1. Develop (or update) your Business Plan

1. Develop (or update) your Business Plan

2. Specify your target outcomes for the next 12 months

2. Specify your target outcomes for the next 12 months

3. Identify the actions you need to take to achieve these outcomes (Plan)

3. Identify the actions you need to take to achieve these outcomes (Plan)

Great things are done by a series of

small things brought together.

Great things are done by a series of

small things brought together.

- Vincent van Gogh

4. Take action, learn, adjust (Do, Study, Act)

4. Take action, learn, adjust (Do, Study, Act)

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Your Blended Value Design defines how your social enterprise will achieve both your

social impact and financial goals

Developing your Blended Value Design1Identify your social impact goals and targets.

2Identify your financial goals and targets.

3Conduct an initial financial analysis.

4Adjust your social impact and financial goals and targets accordingly.

Blended Value Design is an ongoing pursuit – you must constantly learn and adjust.

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Document your social enterprise goals, knowing that establishing goals and targets

is not a one-time process

Goal 2012 Target

Social Impact

Financial

Goal Category

To provide marginalized individuals in our community with affordable, nutritious and convenient meals

To generate revenue from the sale of care packages to be able to deliver our social mandate in a financially sustainable way

Maintain

• $60K in gross sales

2011 Actual(Estimate)

• 5,000 care packages delivered

• 25,000 meals produced

• $40K in gross sales

Social ImpactTo provide low income, unemployed individuals with the skills needed to “get a foot in the door” of the food service industry.

• To be determined

• Currently not tracked

ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE

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Setting your goals and targets to drive action depends on getting and using the

right informationDemonstrating Value (www.demonstratingvalue.org) provides you with tools and expertise to define, gather and use information to run,

plan for and show the value of your social enterprise.

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Start by developing an action plan that focuses on the next 90 days

• Identify milestones, ideally at least one per month, using the SMART approach:– Specific– Measurable– Achievable– Relevant– Timing

• List all of the actions that you believe need to be taken to achieve these milestones

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Then be specific on how much time is required for each action and

who will complete them

• Estimate how much time is needed to complete the action.

• Identify who – one specific person – will be responsible for each action:

– Identify how/when the person will set aside this time to work on and complete the action

– Be clear on what actions you know you can take (not what you hope might happen)

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Action Plan template

Goals 2012 Target

OUR MISSION

2011 Actual

OUR VISION

Measures

ActionStart Date and Effort

LeadCompletion

DateOthers

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The Plan–Do–Study–Act (PDSA) is a cyclical action-based approach

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Set a regular check-in meeting time to review your progress and update

your action plan

• This is “sacred” time – it must be free from interruption.

• Have an agenda for the meeting.• Have a chair for the meeting – someone who will

keep the meeting focused on the agenda.• Document key decisions and action items and

updates to the action plan.

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Action Plan Check-in Meeting:Sample Agenda

Agenda Item Time Who

1. Reflection on our mission 5 min CEO

2. How we are doing (our dashboard) 10 min CEO

3. What we achieved – actions completed 10 min Manager

4. What we learned:•What’s working and we will continue to do•What’s not working and we will stop doing

10 min All

5. What is stopping us from going further 10 min All

6. Actions for next period 15 min All

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Develop your 90-Day Action Plan

• Identify your milestones (using a SMART approach).• Identify action items based on:

– What actions need to be done next to achieve the milestones?

– What are my biggest questions or assumptions right now?

– What are my most significant barriers, constraints or risks?

• Identify one person responsible for each action (Lead).• How much time will it take? • How can you ensure they have the time available to

complete the action?

Activity 2Activity 2

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Ongoing cycles drive action, learning and making adjustments to move closer to

your social enterprise goals

Where we would like to

be in 12 months

Where we are now

Where we are now

I made 5,127 prototypes of my vacuum before I got it right. There were 5,126 failures.

But I learned from each one - that’s how I came up with a

solution.

I made 5,127 prototypes of my vacuum before I got it right. There were 5,126 failures.

But I learned from each one - that’s how I came up with a

solution.- James Dyson, inventor

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As a part of the “Act” step of a PDSA cycle, take time to review your overall Governance

and Blended Value Design

Do you need to change your:• Governance – who is involved in a decision

or how a decision is made?• Blended Value Design – the social impact or

financial goals and targets?

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And take time to reassess your overall social enterprise strategy on a regular basis

??

1. Wind down social enterprise

2. Maintain status quo

3. Pursue growth within existing enterprise

4. Pursue growth with external partners

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Take action – your next steps!

• What are the most decisions and milestones for you in the next year?

In the next 90 days?

• What actions will you need to take?• Who will you engage and why?• Download and use the tools and

templates provided: Governance Worksheet Action Plan Template