Mike has moved his blog on nonprofits to http://www.nonprofitboardcrisis.typepad.com/

In the New York Times Annual Special Section on Giving (November 12, 2007), Mike Burns offered some thinking on venture philanthropy as well as the role of "prize" philanthropy to achieve change and innovation. Mike said these prize programs "don't serve everyone, nor do they solve social ills. I'm not as excited about these prizes that seem to be nothing more than the pursuit of awards for capitalist happiness."

In the December 13, 2007 Chronicle on Philanthropy on the topic of the Red Cross' firing of its Executive Director, Mike was quoted as saying "that in my experience, boards have a difficult time repairing the relationship when they've lost trust in their chief executive. If Everson was willing to cheat on his wife, who is to say that he wouldn't hide something meaningful from the board? A smart board says it's almost impossible to repair a trust issue, so we might as well separate and find a new person."

NEW YORK (6/4/07)--The book used as the basis for the National Credit Union Foundation's (NCUF) new educational program--and authored by an upcoming speaker at America's Credit Union Conference & Expo (ACUC&E)--has earned recognition as the best business book among 2,690 entries in the 2007 Independent Publisher Book Awards.

Untapped: Creating Value in Underserved Markets won the Gold Award in the Independent Publisher Book Awards' Business Books category. Untapped is co-authored NCUF consultant John Weiser, who facilitates NCUF's Social Impact Management Institutes.

Weiser will lead a special Thought Leader Session at ACUC&E on Tuesday from 10:30-11:45 a.m. The Untapped session will reveal opportunities to attract new members and new revenue from underserved markets in ways that create benefits for credit unions and their communities. The objective: To help credit unions grow while making a social impact.

Weiser also will discuss social impact management on Wednesday at NCUF's Credit Union Development Education (DE) Workshop in conjunction with ACUC&E at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The workshop is open to all 700 alumni of NCUF's DE Training program.

The Social Impact Management Institutes grew out of the DE program. While DE makes the philosophical case for serving underserved markets, the institutes make the business case. Institutes are co-hosted by state credit union leagues, corporate credit unions and other partners. From CUNA News Now 06/04/2007

A nonprofit organization can increase jobs and income among community residents in many ways. In communities where the challenges of connecting residents to mainstream employment opportunities are sizeable, small business development can be an important alternative. Commissioned by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Small Business Development Strategies: Practices to Promote Success among Low-Income Entrepreneurs explores the proven tools used by non-profit organizations to help entrepreneurs succeed. In this newly published report, BWB Partners Kevin McQueen and John Weiser examine various small business development strategies that address different challenges faced in promoting success among entrepreneurs and their businesses. For organizations involved in the economic development field, this report can be a valuable tool for setting up programs to assist new ventures and their owners. To download a copy of the report click here

Mike's new article on organizational functioning has been distributed by the online journal onPhilanthropy. To read the article click here

Most companies mistakenly dismiss low-income markets as commercial wastelands. Yet many top corporations — including IBM, Ford, Hewlett Packard, and Texas Instruments - have discovered that investing in and partnering with underserved communities can yield significant profits. Based on rigorous research spanning seven years and 50 cases, Untapped shows how serving consumers and suppliers at the bottom of the pyramid can be the key to addressing corporations’ pressing needs: increased sales, a qualified workforce, marketable innovations, reduced costs, and increased quality. But as corporations benefit, so too do communities, through better products, prices, and services, more meaningful job opportunities, and an increased market for their own goods and services. The authors’ blend of proven strategies, practical tools, case studies, and cogent insight shows managers how to maximize profits while helping community residents increase income and assets, creating a relationship of mutual gain.

You can find out more about the book at:
http://www.untappedbook.com

Mike Burns changed the name of his blog on nonprofit issues. You can find it at:
http://nonprofitboardcrisis.eponym.com

Part of the Solution: Leveraging Business and Markets for Low-Income People. Business can be a powerful tool for helping to improve the income and assets of low-income individuals – if a win-win relationship can be crafted. The Ford Foundation’s report “Part of the Solution: Leveraging Business and Markets for Low-Income People” provides success models and analytic frameworks that help nonprofits and funders understand how to work with business as a force for positive social change. Click here for the executive summary and here for the full report.

“Having It All”: BWB’s recent report for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting provided public radio stations across the US with a clear analysis of how leading stations were combining good financial health with superior audience service. The report makes recommendations that can help to radio stations to meet their missions and increase their financial sustainability at the same time. Download the report for more details.

BWB worked with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to create jobs and income in ways that draw on, and are supportive of, traditional culture and values. The attached final report from the project provides a complete description of the process and action plans developed. Download the report for more details.

Congratulations to the following BWB clients for being named among the top Fast Company Social Capitalists: PATH, TransFair USA, Save the Children and One Economy

For a list of, and links to, the winning organizations,click here.

BWB has developed a short bibliography of social enterprise resources. Click here for the bibliography.

Congratulations to CompuMentor and Benhaven, winners in the Yale Partnership Business Planning Competition! On behalf of the Competition, Brody Weiser Burns provided business planning assistance to CompuMentor's DiscounTech program. and Benhaven's Learning Network and two other finalist groups. We are delighted to have been able to work with these groups, helping to strengthen their business plans.
To learn more about this year's competition and rules for next year click here.

In partnership with Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, a national, not-for-profit organization founded by Harvard Business School Professor Michael E. Porter, we are creating a market-focused economic development strategy for the City of Akron, Ohio. Working with a diverse team of the city's corporate and civic decision makers, we will formulate a strategy for sustainable economic development that identifies the existing competitive advantages and disadvantages of Akron's inner city as a business location, as well as fosters competitive inner-city business clusters, competitive residents, and a competitive business environment. In addition, we will construct a business plan for the delivery of management consulting, loans, assistance in connecting to markets, and other technical assistance to Akron's minority entrepreneurs. As a result of this engagement, the City of Akron will be able to expand the set of business opportunities for its inner city, position its inner city to attract new resources, and provide services that increase the success of local entrepreneurs.

The Nonprofit Management Team of BWB led by Mike Burns has developed an article based on our developing practice of Nonprofit Leadership Crises and Development. Click here to access Nonprofit Crises, Executive Leadership and an Assessment Process to Help Restore an Organization's Footing

Using this product increases the expected financial return on NMTC-financed pools, enhancing the ability to bring in private sector equity investors. In some cases this approach also makes it possible to increase the funds available for technical assistance within the pool. For more information, click here.

Brody • Weiser • Burns is pleased to congratulate DARTS, as a Grand Prize winner, and the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, for receiving an Honorable Mention, in the Yale Partnership National Business Plan Competition!

On behalf of the Competition, Mike Burns and Claire Morduch served as the business planning consultants to two finalist organizations: DARTS' Vehicle Maintenance Service and the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts' ArtVentures. This assistance consisted of conducting market research, financial analysis and business plan review.

DARTS won one of four grand prizes of $100,000 and 24 days of consulting.

DARTS (Dakota Area Resources & Transportation for Seniors)
West St. Paul, Minnesota


Established in 1974, DARTS is a nonprofit agency that provides specialized transportation for seniors and persons with disabilities. The DARTS Vehicle Maintenance Service offers vehicle repair and preventive maintenance services for Twin Cities (St. Paul and Minneapolis) area agencies that operate their own vehicles for transporting clients to and from their agencies, and are looking to reduce vehicle downtime, improve safety, and increase vehicle reliability of their growing fleets.

The Bushnell received an Honorable Mention

Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Hartford, Connecticut

As Connecticut's premier presenter of the performing arts, The Bushnell has delighted and inspired audiences for more than seven decades and plays a leading role in the state's cultural life. The Bushnell, a nonprofit organization, is renowned for community programs, as well as being a leading educator and advocate of the arts. The ArtVentures program is a series of workshops engaging active adults in the arts at both independent living and community sites. The workshops include literature, dance, music, theater and visual arts.

The National Business Plan Competition

To learn more about this the Yale - Goldman Sachs - Pew Partnership on Nonprofit Ventures, this year's competition and rules for next year click here.

Michael Schaaf of Community Investment Services (CIC) brings to the partnership thirty years of experience in economic development and banking, in both the public and private sectors. Michael's bio. The BWB/CIC partnership assists groups as diverse as CDFIs, city governments and multi-sector regional collaboratives. We provide assistance where you need it -- planning and structuring New Markets Tax Credit pools, preparing NMTC applications and identifying investors. And our NMTC product offers more value to help you bring in investors. For more information, click here.