inaugural business competition
The winners of the inaugural National Business Plan Competition for Nonprofit Organizations were announced by the Yale School of Management-The Goldman Sachs Foundation Partnership on Nonprofit Ventures.
Eight non-profit organizations that are in the planning stage or early stages of operating income-generating business ventures were selected to receive cash awards, as well as hundreds of hours of technical business planning consultations, to assist their organizations in implementing the new ventures.
The four grand-prize winners of $100,000 each are:
* CompuMentor, located in San Francisco, California. CompuMentor's Internet-based service DiscounTech distributes donated and discounted technology products, services and support to non-profits across the United States at the lowest possible cost. DiscounTech negotiates with leading technologies to donate or get steep discounts for non-profits.
* El Puente Community Development, located in El Paso, Texas. The organization, which seeks to empower low-income Mexican immigrants, operates Diseños Mayapán, a garment manufacturing facility that produces customized medical scrubs for the expanding health, childcare and medically related professions in the El Paso/West Texas area.
* Guthrie Theater and The Children's Theatre Company, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. To capture additional value from the costumes designed for individual productions, the two companies have launched CostumeRentals, LLC, which will enable schools, theaters, corporations and individuals across the United States to rent costumes at reasonable prices.
* Rochester Rehabilitation Center, located in Rochester, New York. Parrett Paper, an earned income venture of Rochester Rehabilitation Center, manufactures, markets, packages and distributes unique die-cut greeting cards, gift tags and holiday cards. The company also provides meaningful work experiences for people with disabilities who are clients of its rehabilitation center.
The four runners-up, who have won $25,000 each, are:
* Benetech Initiative, located in Palo Alto, California. Because current publishers make fewer than 5% of books available in accessible formats such as Braille and audiotape, Benetech has developed a subscription service, Bookshare.org, allowing users to legally share scanned books through a subscription service that meets stringent copyright exemption.
* Benhaven, located in North Haven, Connecticut. Benhaven, which provides services to children and adults with autism, has established Benhaven's Learning Network, which provides consultation and technical assistance designed to help public school special education programs throughout Connecticut increase their ability to serve students with autism.
* Nation's Capital Child and Family Development, located in Washington, D.C. This organization provides meals to its 25 sites via a commercial kitchen it owns. The organization has now launched Make A Difference Catering, which provides food services to licensed child care providers and elder care programs, as well as special events catering and technical assistance support to nonprofits.
* Scojo Foundation, located in Brooklyn, New York. Beginning in urban markets and expanding to rural areas, Scojo Foundation will sell quality near-vision ("reading") glasses to help the more than 200 million people in India who need to see up-close to read a ledger, thread a needle, mend a shoe or fix a radio, yet who do not have access to or cannot afford eyewear.
The First National Business Plan Competition attracted 655 entries from nearly every state in the country and all types of organizations both large and small.
"We are enormously enthusiastic about the quality of these ventures," said School of Management (SOM) professor Sharon M. Oster, who is faculty co-director of the Yale-Goldman Sachs Partnership with Stanley J. Garstka, SOM deputy dean. "Our judging team had a most rewarding, yet challenging task. Though it was quite difficult to turn down plans that were truly superb, we expect many of these businesses will move forward with other sources of funding and project champions, and we hope that they return to our competition next year."
The Partnership on Nonprofit Ventures was funded through combined grants totaling $4.5 million made by The Pew Charitable Trusts and The Goldman Sachs Foundation. The partnership aims to help non-profits enter the marketplace to generate new revenues beyond their philanthropic activities, and provide the guidance and resources to do so.
The second National Business Plan Competition for Nonprofit Organizations officially started on May 2. For more information about entry details and deadlines, visit the website at www.ventures.yale.edu.
T H I S
$100,000 winners
$25,000 winners
W E E K ' SS T O R I E S
Faculty elected to prestigious U.S. scholarly societiesSlowly but surely, historic house gets a new home
Yale affiliates honored for work in the arts
Center promoting elderly independence marks 10th year
Summertime at Yale
Italian scholar Guiseppe Mazzotta is named a Sterling Professor Professor
Günter Wagner is appointed the first Alison Richard Professor
Arjun Appadurai is chosen as next term's DeVane Professor
2003 Commencement Information
Federal grant funds researchers' study on risk factors for asthma
Program supports graduate students' language study
Alumni return for weekend celebrations
Former Eli football players to discuss the sport's impact . . .
Conservation leader establishes new scholarship at F&ES
Program will help Chinese leaders plan for sustainable development
Two scholars take work in 'new directions' with Mellon fellowships
UNIVERSITY TEACH-INPediatrician discusses 'paradox' of dyslexia in new book
SOM announces winners of inaugural business competition
Display features hopping, croaking 'Jewels of the Rainforest'
Familiar Bible stories depicted in fabric in new ISM exhibition
Search committee named for Law School Dean
Four undergraduates win nonfiction awards in writing contest
Campus Notes
Bulletin Home|Visiting on Campus|Calendar of Events|In the News
Bulletin Board|Yale Scoreboard|Classified Ads|Search Archives|Deadlines
Bulletin Staff|Public Affairs Home|News Releases|
E-Mail Us|Yale Home Page