社会企业家_-_6.ASSESSING_POTENTIAL_INITIATIVES.pdfVIP

ASSESSING POTENTIAL INITIATIVES Wilford Welch, in his book Tactics of Hope, 2008, suggests a tool we might find useful. Welch’s book profiles internationally famous nonprofits in various parts of the world. He is looking at some of the top NGOs in the world. 1 • He suggests we might want to consider challenges our proposed nonprofit could face by looking at several characteristics to compare one nonprofit idea with another. 2 • In addition to comparing nonprofits, this tool could be used to profile nonprofit ideas for the purpose of identifying strengths and weaknesses. 3 Here are Welch’s 8 characteristics. 1. Replicability – How easily can the project be copied from one location to another? 2. Scalability – How easily can a project be gradually expanded to include more clients? 4 3. Ease of entry – Are there difficult bureaucratic issues to address before starting, or is the way clear to start? 4. Immediacy of results – How quickly will results be obvious? 5 5. Public support – How much awareness and support comes from the public? This can relate to fund raising. 6. Long-term financial sustainability – To what extent can the project be financially self- sustaining? 6 7. Startup requirements – Is the initiative expensive or inexpensive to start? 8. Internet intensity – To what extent does the initiative mesh with the use of the Internet? 7 • Welch ass