Deciding to Outsource

Outsourcing is a type of vertical partnership, where the non-profit transfers an entire business function to a partner. Types of outsourcing include contract manufacturing, Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO), Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO) and innovation outsourcing (Product design & development).

Better Partnerships

Non-profits form partnerships for a number of different reasons. They provide resources, knowledge and skills, improve cost efficiency, speed time-to-market, open new markets, gain market share, and develop innovations, new products or complementary products.  

Choosing the right business model

How your non-profit organizes, creates and delivers value is your business model.  They can be focused on products, services, subscriptions, licensing, advertising and hybrids.  While determining your strategic position as it relates to your solution, consider your business model too.

Identifying the greatest opportunities

Social impact opportunities become real when you have a solution that leverages your advantages to solve an important problem for a specific under-served population.  Take action on your real social impact by defining the problem, creating a competitive solution, building your advantage and forming the right team.

Innovative Value

The social entrepreneur aims to change and benefit society by creating value. To do this, the non-profit pursues a mission-related impact using its strategic position.  Creating value is done by either cost-savings or offering new solutions or a combination of both.

Strategic Planning

There are many benefits for strategic planning including cost savings, better cash-flow, faster decision making, more efficient resource allocation, improved competitive position, more timely information, more accurate forecasts and reduced feelings of uncertainty.

Strategic Positioning

The value creation of a non-profit is dependent upon its strategic positioning. This means a social entrepreneur must define the position, make trade-offs and forge a fit among all possible activities related to the mission. Your non-profit cannot be all things to all people, so you must choose what not to do.