New Orleans Community Wealth Workshop Series

Program Overview

Participating Organizations

Schedule

Contact Us

Program Overview

To assist New Orleans nonprofits develop or grow earned-income business ventures to achieve greater mission impact, the Greater New Orleans Foundation, the Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations and the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation have partnered with Community Wealth Ventures to launch the New Orleans Community Wealth Workshop Series.  

The New Orleans Community Wealth Workshop Series is a 6-month business planning process that helps a select number of high-performing nonprofit organizations with the development or expansion of a social enterprise business. Nonprofits selected to participate are engaged in a rigorous business planning process and gain access to tools, frameworks and business experts to help them launch a new business or expand an existing business. Workshop Series participants build social enterprises while honing business skills, empowering them to have a lasting impact on their nonprofit organizations. 

The goal of the Workshop Series is for all participants to complete a business plan and launch or grow a viable business. The revenue generated from the business provides the nonprofit organization with more independence in creating programs and services to fulfill its mission.

The Workshop Series consists of monthly peer learning sessions and three customized consulting phone check-ins across the six month period.

Peer Learning Workshops

The Workshop Series will kick-off with a two day workshop and five subsequent one-day workshops focused on key business topics that contribute to the development of a successful earned income venture. Topics covered include: market research, financial analysis, competitive analysis, pricing and capitalization. In addition, three of the sessions will feature a notable business expert who serves as a guest speaker, sharing his/her personal stories and success and challenges. Peer learning workshops are conducted once a month during a six-month timeframe.

Customized Consulting Phone Check-Ins

The CWV consultant team offers three one-on-one phone check-ins with each participating organizations to assist the teams in applying the concepts learned during the peer learning workshops to their own ventures and organizations.

Benefits of Participation

Workshop Series participants will receive business planning and venture development assistance, which will result in a focused business plan to guide the growth of the venture. Other benefits include:  

• Access to experts in the fields of social enterprise and business development;

• A proven methodology for planning and launching a social enterprise, along with assessment tools and research support; and

• In-depth monthly interaction and collaboration with peer nonprofit organizations.

Participating Organizations
 

Contemporary Arts Center

www.cacno.org

The Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) is a multi-disciplinary arts center, which is dedicated to the presentation, production and promotion of art of our time. It accomplishes these by organizing curated exhibitions, performances and programs, educating and enlarging audiences, and encouraging collaboration among diverse artists, institutions, communities and supporters.

Venture: Financial Services Program to provide professional accounting services to organizations that would not otherwise be able to afford the appropriate level of staff.

Good Work Network

www.goodworknetwork.org

The mission of Good Work Network is to expand the local economy by building minority and women owned businesses. It envisions a community where the economy is diverse and inclusive and where all dedicated and competent entrepreneurs have access to the resources they need to succeed.

Venture: Business incubator program.

Louisiana Children’s Museum

www.lcm.org

The Louisiana Children’s Museum promotes hands-on participatory learning for children of all ages. Encouraging discovery through observation, inquiry, creative construction, role-playing, problem-solving and free play, the Museum motivates children to develop their cognitive, physical, and social skills while enjoying fruitful interaction with adults and peers.

Venture: Improvement of current operations and/or expansion of its existing Museum Store.

Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

www.la-spca.org

The mission of the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (LA/SPCA) is to advocate for and protect the animal community through high quality service, compassion, strong leadership and innovative programs.  The LA/SPCA is an independent, non-governmental organization that serves the State of Louisiana and is not a chapter of the ASPCA.  Although headquartered in New Orleans, many of their services, including advocacy, legislative work, humane education, and cruelty investigations, are conducted throughout Louisiana.  The LA/SPCA is New Orleans only animal shelter. 

Venture: Training and Performance Arena for animal classes and competitions.

New Orleans Video Access Center

www.novacvideo.org

The New Orleans Video Access Center’s (NOVAC) mission is to foster the creation and appreciation of film and video for a public of diverse ages, income levels and backgrounds. NOVAC accomplishes this mission through education, career development, community outreach, independent productions and special events. Initiatives include the Digital Filmmaking Institute, which offers low-cost courses and workshops in digital filmmaking techniques, the Louisiana Film Crew Training Program, which offers intensive job training and placement services for entry-level work in the thriving film and television industry, and community outreach in the form of after-school digital film programs and the Summer Teen Digital Filmmaking Camp. NOVAC also hosts special events such as the Louisiana Shorts Festival.

Venture: Expansion and development of their Digital Filmmaking Institute.  

Operation REACH

www.operationreach.org

Operation REACH, Inc. is a non-profit community education resource that develops model programs for youth and families that create opportunities and transform lives. Their mission is to assist organizations, schools, foundations, government agencies and other community actors with technical management resources and proven programs that help youth and families obtain academic success through effective educational enhancement programs and a life-long love for learning

Venture: The Gulfsouth Youth Biodiesel Project - production and sale of biodiesel fuel as a means of educating and developing leadership and social entrepreneurship of young people.

Project Lazarus

www.projectlazarus.net

Project Lazarus provides service to all people living with AIDS who can no longer live independently, or whose family and friends can no longer take care of them. The primary purpose of Project Lazarus is to provide continuity of care in a homelike environment and enhance the quality of life of those it serves.

Venture: Resident Herb Garden Project - growing herbs & flowers to be sold to local restaurants, grocery stores and farmer’s markets.

Schedule

Contact Us

Suzanne Steffens
202.478.6572