business plan for social workers

Business Plan Template for Social Workers

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Starting or expanding your private practice as a social worker can be an overwhelming process. But with ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Social Workers, you can streamline your journey to success!

This template is specifically designed for social workers and mental health professionals, helping you outline and organize every aspect of your practice, including:

• Clearly defining your goals, services, and target market
• Creating accurate financial projections to ensure profitability
• Developing effective marketing strategies to attract clients

With ClickUp's Business Plan Template, you'll have everything you need to create a comprehensive and effective plan for your practice, allowing you to focus on what you do best: helping others. Start building your path to success today!

Business Plan Template for Social Workers Benefits

Starting or expanding a private practice as a social worker requires careful planning and organization. With the Business Plan Template for Social Workers, you can:

• Clearly outline your goals, services, and target market, ensuring a focused and effective approach
• Create financial projections to understand the financial viability of your practice and make informed decisions
• Develop marketing strategies to reach your target audience and attract clients
• Gain a comprehensive view of your practice, enabling you to make strategic decisions and achieve long-term success.

Main Elements of Social Workers Business Plan Template

ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Social Workers provides a comprehensive solution for organizing and creating a successful business plan for your private practice. Here are the key elements of this template:

• Custom Statuses: Track the progress of your business plan with statuses such as Complete, In Progress, Needs Revision, and To Do. Easily visualize which tasks are completed and which ones require attention.
• Custom Fields: Utilize custom fields like Reference, Approved, and Section to save important information and keep your business plan organized. These fields allow you to add specific details and categorize different sections of your plan.
• Custom Views: Access five different views to manage your business plan effectively. Use the Topics view to focus on specific areas, the Status view to track progress, the Timeline view to visualize deadlines and milestones, the Business Plan view to see the plan as a whole, and the Getting Started Guide view to get acquainted with the template's features.

With ClickUp's Business Plan Template, social workers and mental health professionals can streamline the process of creating a comprehensive and effective business plan for their private practice.

How To Use Business Plan Template for Social Workers

If you're a social worker looking to start your own private practice or expand your existing services, creating a solid business plan is essential. With the Business Plan Template for Social Workers in ClickUp, you can outline your objectives and strategies to ensure the success of your practice. Follow these four steps to make the most of this template:

1. Define your mission and goals

Start by clearly defining the mission and goals of your social work practice. What population or issue do you want to focus on? What impact do you want to make in your community? Take the time to brainstorm and articulate your vision for your practice.

Use the Docs feature in ClickUp to write a mission statement and outline your goals in a collaborative space.

2. Conduct a market analysis

To create an effective business plan, you need to understand your target market and competition. Research the demographics and needs of your local community. Identify other social work practices or organizations that offer similar services. Analyze their strengths and weaknesses to identify opportunities for differentiation.

Utilize the Table view in ClickUp to organize your market research and compare different competitors.

3. Develop your service offerings and pricing

Based on your market analysis, determine the services you will offer and how you will price them. Consider the unique needs of your target population and how you can provide value to them. Determine if you will offer individual counseling, group therapy, workshops, or other services. Set competitive and sustainable pricing that reflects the value you provide.

Create custom fields in ClickUp to track your service offerings and pricing details.

4. Create a marketing and growth strategy

Now it's time to plan how you will attract clients and grow your practice. Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy that includes online and offline tactics. Consider building a website, leveraging social media, attending networking events, and partnering with other professionals or organizations. Set measurable goals for client acquisition and retention.

Use the Goals feature in ClickUp to create and track your marketing objectives and key results (OKRs).

By following these steps and utilizing the Business Plan Template for Social Workers in ClickUp, you can lay the foundation for a successful and impactful social work practice. Remember to regularly review and update your business plan as your practice evolves and grows. Good luck!

Get Started with ClickUp’s Business Plan Template for Social Workers

Social workers and mental health professionals can use the ClickUp Business Plan Template to create a comprehensive and effective plan for their private practice.

First, hit “Add Template” to sign up for ClickUp and add the template to your Workspace. Make sure you designate which Space or location in your Workspace you’d like this template applied.

Next, invite relevant members or guests to your Workspace to start collaborating.

Now you can take advantage of the full potential of this template to create a successful business plan:

• Use the Topics View to organize your business plan into different sections such as goals, services, target market, financial projections, and marketing strategies
• The Status View will help you track the progress of each section, whether it's complete, in progress, needs revision, or still to do
• The Timeline View will allow you to set deadlines and milestones for each section to ensure timely completion
• Use the Business Plan View to have an overview of your entire plan and easily navigate between sections
• The Getting Started Guide View will provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to use the template and create your business plan
• Customize the Reference, Approved, and Section custom fields to add additional information and track the status of each section
• Update statuses and custom fields as you work on your business plan to keep track of progress
• Monitor and analyze your plan to ensure it aligns with your goals and objectives
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12 Best Business Ideas for Social Workers

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Written by: Carolyn Young

Carolyn Young is a business writer who focuses on entrepreneurial concepts and the business formation. She has over 25 years of experience in business roles, and has authored several entrepreneurship textbooks.

Edited by: David Lepeska

David has been writing and learning about business, finance and globalization for a quarter-century, starting with a small New York consulting firm in the 1990s.

Published on April 22, 2023 Updated on July 17, 2024

Social work is a noble pursuit, though not terribly lucrative. If you want to help people but would rather make a better living, many alternative businesses might be right up your alley. Some fall into the category of social entrepreneurship – a business that makes money while serving a social purpose.

This handy guide highlights 12 great business ideas for social workers that can boost your income while making the world a better place. Now that’s a win-win! 

1. Consultancy

You can use your knowledge, skills, and experience to provide guidance and insight to nonprofits and social service agencies. If you have business knowledge, even better, as you can provide financial advice as well. Either way, you can charge a decent hourly rate and turn it into a profitable consulting business . 

If you have writing skills, you could start a blog, perhaps aimed at supporting social workers or a certain cause. You can make money with ads or affiliate marketing, which means making deals with companies to earn a commission if a sale of their product is generated from a link on your site.

3. Speaking 

Many organizations hire speakers to educate their members and employees about social problems and potential solutions. If you’re a great public speaker, you could choose a topic that fits your experience and speak at conferences and meetings. You could do the same at schools as well, and build up a nice public speaking business. 

4. Corporate Social Work

Companies these days are more focused on employee well-being and diversity and building a positive culture. You could work with companies to develop programs to advance those goals. It takes special skills to create a positive workplace, and your social work experience could be a great fit.

5. Online Social Work Courses

Millions of people are ready to learn online, which is why global e-learning is expected to be worth a trillion dollars by 2027. You can start an online social work courses business , spread some quality knowledge, and grab a sliver of this vast market. To get started, hop on a platform like Udemy, SkillShare, or MasterClass and start bringing in revenue right away. 

6. Life Coach

Business executives have long used life coaches to elevate their performance, but now people of all ages and backgrounds are seeking them out to boost personal and professional performance. You could launch a life coaching business from the comfort of your own home and help people lead more fulfilling lives while making a good living. 

7. Microlending

Microlending provides small, low-interest loans to those that lack access to funding to help them start their own businesses and become financially self-sufficient. Often, organizations like Kiva solicit the loan funds from individuals, who then receive payments from the recipients. The business earns revenue from the interest paid on each loan. 

8. Socially Conscious Products

Consumers are increasingly seeking socially conscious products, which come in many forms. You could produce sustainably made clothing or source products from people in developing countries, pay them for their work, and sell the items for a profit. 

9. Sustainable Packaging

Sustainable packaging is also gaining ground, as it’s less harmful to the environment. You could start a business creating sustainable packaging for small businesses, which you could start on a small scale and grow it into a big operation with its own facility. 

10. Thrift Store

Thrift stores are a great idea, providing places for people to donate their unwanted goods, which others then snap up at affordable prices. The revenue thrift stores earn sustains the business and pays the employees and could even  make a profit. You could start an online thrift store , where people send in their unwanted items to be offered for sale online.

11. Buy One Give One

Companies like Tom’s Shoes have popularized the buy-one give-one model, and you could do the same by giving one of item X to an underserved community for every one you sell. Maybe it’s coats, or textbooks, or T-shirts? Choose a product that can really make a difference. 

12. Mental Health Facility

Private mental health facilities, whether for people with disorders or those suffering from addiction, make good money. Many insurance companies and sometimes Medicaid will pay for client stays in these facilities, so you wouldn’t have to turn away people who lack the funds. You could make a huge difference in your community and use your skills by opening your own mental health facility.

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• Consultancy
• Speaking 
• Corporate Social Work
• Online Social Work Courses
• Microlending
• Socially Conscious Products
• Sustainable Packaging
• Thrift Store
• Buy One Give One
• Mental Health Facility

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10+ Best & Profitable Social Work Business Ideas [2023]

By Nick Cotter Updated Feb 07, 2024

Our List of 10+ Best Social Work Business Ideas:

Case management services, organizational consulting, individual, family and parent counseling, professional development and training, advocacy and community outreach, social media consulting, mediation services, senior care services, mental health services, trauma-informed care services.

Hello there, future entrepreneurs! Ever thought about how you can combine your passion for helping others with your entrepreneurial spirit? Well, you're in luck. As 2023 dawns on us, it brings with it a plethora of opportunities in the social work business sector that are not only profitable but also incredibly fulfilling.

Imagine waking up each day, knowing that your work is making a significant difference in someone's life. Sounds like a dream, doesn't it? But, guess what? It's entirely possible! And we're here to guide you through it.

Whether you're a seasoned social worker looking for a change, or a budding entrepreneur searching for a venture that aligns with your values, this article is your treasure trove. We've compiled a list of over 10 of the best and most profitable social work business ideas for 2023.

So, are you ready to embark on an entrepreneurial journey that promises both financial rewards and the satisfaction of contributing to society? If your answer is a resounding "Yes," then read on, my friend. Let's dive into the world of social entrepreneurship together!

Case management services is a way of providing support, guidance, and resources to someone who needs special attention with a particular issue or situation. It can help individuals, families, and organizations manage their current or future needs. Case management services can cover a range of topics such as health, mental health, housing, employment, finance and more. It is an effective way to help people who are unable to take on the responsibility of managing their own wellbeing on their own.

• Case management services can provide access to resources such as support groups, counseling and other services.
• Case managers can offer assistance in navigating the complexities of paperwork and legal procedures relating to an individual’s specific situation.
• Case managers are often case advocates and liaisons from government agencies or organizations.
• Case management services can drastically reduce the time needed for case resolution as well as costs associated with it.
• High-quality case management services will provide a customized approach tailored to the individual’s specific situation.

Organizational consulting is a field of professional services that helps organizations become more efficient and effective. Common organizational consulting services include helping with organizational strategy, operational process improvement, personnel management, financial planning and analysis, mergers and acquisitions, project feasibility studies, and other performance related services. An organizational consultant can offer a variety of services to help businesses become more successful and make their goals achievable.

• Assisting with strategy development
• Improving operational processes
• Assessment of personnel management strategies
• Providing financial planning & analysis
• Assisting with mergers & acquisitions
• Conducting feasibility studies
• Developing performance improvement plans

Examples of successful businesses:

Here are some of the most successful companies in the social work business industry:

• Viridian Associates
• At Your Service LLC
• The Social Workers Company
• Assisting Hands Home Care and Nursing Agency
• Social Justice Solutions International
• Social Work Consultants, Inc.
• Reaching Out Community Services Inc.
• Alpha Social Services, Ltd.
• Expert Community Solutions Group
• CareBridge Community Support Services, Inc.

Individual, family and parent counseling is a type of counseling that focuses on providing support and guidance to individuals, families and parents. It can be used to help people work through difficult situations and develop new skills, strategies and perspectives. It can also be used to help people manage stress, improve their relationships, identify their goals and enhance communication. These counseling services can be offered in person or online, making it an ideal business concept.

• Promotes mental health: Counseling offers a safe environment for individuals to work through issues which can help them cope more effectively with life’s challenges.
• Helps build stronger relationships: Counselling sessions provide an opportunity for families to explore their dynamics and learn how to better communicate with each other.
• Identifies weaknesses within family systems: Counseling sessions can help identify patterns of behavior within a family system that are contributing to issues or negative dynamics.
• Provides problem-solving strategies: Counseling sessions provide an opportunity to develop strategies for problem solving and dealing with difficult emotions or situations.
• Allows people to gain control over their lives: Counseling allows individuals to take control of their lives by helping them develop the skills they need to make healthier choices.

More resources:

Professional development and training is a system or process of equipping and empowering employees with knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to do their jobs effectively. It is an important part of any business and is beneficial in many ways. Some of the benefits of professional development and training include:

• Employee engagement
• Improved customer service
• Increased staff productivity
• Reduced turnover rate
• Enhanced job satisfaction

Professional development and training can be a great business idea as it encourages employee growth, motivation, and retention which in turn can help improve an organization's overall performance.

Advocacy and community outreach involve engaging with individuals and communities about their rights, needs, and interests. It is a way to promote social change and understanding between people. Advocacy and community outreach can be used to create awareness about an issue or to address inequities in access to resources. It can also be used to create networks of support for a cause or group of people.

• It encourages organizational collaboration
• It builds relationships between individuals and communities
• It allows individuals to come together for the common good
• It creates opportunities for systemic change
• It promotes understanding and mutual respect

Related business ideas:

Social media consulting is a business that provides advice, guidance, and specialized management services to small businesses and individuals regarding utilizing social media platforms to meet their marketing, communications, and advertising goals. It is a great business idea for those who are experienced in marketing and who have knowledge of how to best leverage the capabilities of social media. Here are some benefits of starting this type of business:

• You can help businesses engage current and potential customers
• You can create a unique value proposition for potential clients
• You will have the opportunity to stay ahead of emerging trends in the social media industry
• You will gain valuable insights into how certain platforms work
• You can develop personalized strategies based on data gathered from your clients

Mediation services are an invaluable tool in resolving conflicts between two or more parties. It is an impartial, cost-effective and time-efficient means of communication and problem-solving. A business offering mediation services can provide a valuable and beneficial service to clients. Here are some reasons why setting up a mediation services business could be a great idea:

• Flexible working hours which allow you to work full or part-time
• Minimal overhead costs due to the virtual nature of the services offered
• Offer clients a useful and beneficial service that can resolve conflicts quicker than through traditional court proceedings
• No need for expensive office space or staff as most mediation services take place virtually
• Can provide a steady stream of income as the demand for mediators is constantly increasing.

Senior care services provide support and assistance to elderly individuals with tasks such as errands, meals, transportation, and housekeeping. This type of business has the potential to become very profitable due to the increasing demand for these services. Some advantages of starting a senior care business include:

• Ability to help those that need it
• Low startup costs
• Flexible hours
• High earning potential
• Potential for long-term contracts

Mental health services encompass a wide range of different treatments, from counselling and therapy to prescribed medication and group support. Starting a mental health services business is a great way to make an impact on people's lives while also creating a profitable business. There are several reasons why starting a mental health services business is an appealing idea:

• High Demand - Mental health issues are increasingly prominent in today's society, with more and more people seeking help for their mental health related issues.
• Help Others - You will have the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping others manage their mental health problems.
• Employment Opportunity - Providing mental health services offers the opportunity to provide employment to those who need it most.
• Flexibility - The hours of operation can be tailored according to your personal preferences and those of your clients.

Trauma-informed care services provide therapeutic and healing services to individuals who have experienced trauma and can be an important business idea. Trauma-informed care focuses on creating a safe and healing environment that recognizes the signs of trauma in those served and takes into account the impact of trauma on an individual’s overall wellbeing. Trauma-informed care services can offer a range of healing, therapeutic, and educational offerings such as:

• Individual counseling
• Group therapy
• Exposure therapy
• Creative arts therapies
• Trauma-informed yoga classes
• Psychoeducational classes about self-care, coping strategies, self-awareness, and mindfulness practices

More helpful resources about LLCs:

We're newfoundr.com, dedicated to helping aspiring entrepreneurs succeed. As a small business owner with over five years of experience, I have garnered valuable knowledge and insights across a diverse range of industries. My passion for entrepreneurship drives me to share my expertise with aspiring entrepreneurs, empowering them to turn their business dreams into reality.

Through meticulous research and firsthand experience, I uncover the essential steps, software, tools, and costs associated with launching and maintaining a successful business. By demystifying the complexities of entrepreneurship, I provide the guidance and support needed for others to embark on their journey with confidence.

From assessing market viability and formulating business plans to selecting the right technology and navigating the financial landscape, I am dedicated to helping fellow entrepreneurs overcome challenges and unlock their full potential. As a steadfast advocate for small business success, my mission is to pave the way for a new generation of innovative and driven entrepreneurs who are ready to make their mark on the world.

What You Need to Start Your Own Social Work Private Practice

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Today’s social workers are employed in a variety of professional settings, from health care facilities and schools to government organizations and nonprofit groups. As their careers advance, some clinical social workers choose to enter private practice, allowing them to focus on issues they’re most passionate about. However, before someone can open a social work private practice, they first need to establish their credentials, obtain the right certifications and demonstrate expertise within their practice section.

One of the main qualifications is to obtain a Master’s in Social Work or another relevant degree, which is often a stepping stone for earning a clinical license. While non-clinical social workers can also become private practitioners, they usually have fewer options for their business than those with a background in mental health, psychotherapy and behavioral disorders. If you’re looking to start your own social work private practice, it’s important to understand which licenses are required, how to build a business plan and how to market your services.

What is social work private practice?

Instead of directly working for a managed care company, health care organization or some other established institution, some social workers start their own independent practice. As noted by the National Association of Social Workers, private practitioners’ services extend far beyond their offices, as they’re often contracted by schools, courts, primary care facilities and other clinical organizations. For-profit companies may also seek out clinical social workers to improve or supplement their employee assistance programs.

In most cases, however, independent social workers offer hands-on counseling and mental health support to the general public, which requires a clinical license. They work with adults, children and adolescents by providing individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, bereavement counseling and more. For those with a particular specialization, working independently offers more freedom to focus on specific mental health issues and at-risk populations. For example, clinical social workers with an interest in early childhood development may prioritize students with behavioral issues or family problems. Depending on your own professional interests and career goals, starting a private practice may allow you to make a real difference in the lives of countless people in your local community.

What are the advantages of building a private practice?

Pursuing a career as a clinical social worker in solo or group practice offers a variety of benefits for established professionals and aspiring students. For one, private practitioners tend to have more flexible work schedules compared to those in traditional settings. They can set their own appointments, take days off when needed and build a clientele base that fits into their lifestyle and practice section. Independent social workers also have more control over their work environment, giving them the freedom to meet with clients in person or through video conferencing. Alongside these benefits, the NASW also highlights three additional advantages of building a private practice:

• Freedom from organizational limitations: Social workers employed in agency settings rarely have control over their work schedules or day-to-day responsibilities. Instead, they’re assigned specific duties and are under constant clinical supervision to ensure best practices are being upheld. Private practitioners are not constrained by these organizational processes, allowing them to budget time independently and prioritize tasks that they feel are important.
• Ability to maintain clinical skills: As noted by the NASW, many clinical social workers take on administrative, research and education roles alongside their counseling work. This allows private practitioners to continuously enhance their clinical skills, explore new diagnosis and treatment techniques and remain relevant within their field. Working in a group practice also opens up opportunities for peer-to-peer workshops and greater collaboration, ensuring all clinical social workers are held accountable for the level of service they deliver.
• Opportunity to increase earning potential: Social work private practice is a great way to increase one’s earning potential, as independent professionals are able to set their own rates. Rather than being paid a pre-negotiated salary, private practitioners can build a clientele base that matches their desired work/life balance or compensation goals. Clinical social workers employed in an agency setting sometimes enter private practice on a part-time basis just to increase their personal income and open up more job opportunities, per the NASW.

While working as an independent social worker may sound like a dream job, it does come with quite a few challenges. Since private practitioners tend to work independently, filling this role can be very isolating. This is one reason the NASW recommends independent clinical social workers join a network of private practices or bring on a consultant for part-time support.

Starting a private practice: A brief how-to guide

Building a social work private practice requires determination, careful planning and a great deal of professional experience within the field. According to the NASW, clinical social workers must meet three main criteria before starting a private practice, including:

• Earning a master’s degree in social work from an accredited university
• Performing at least two years of post-graduate work in a supervised, clinical setting
• Obtaining a clinical license in the state where the private practice will be established

These requirements tend to vary between states, so it’s important to check with relevant state licensure boards to understand what’s expected. Keep in mind that while social work private practices are clinical in nature, they’re also businesses, which must run efficiently to remain open. For this reason, the NASW recommends clinical social workers enroll in a basic course or workshop to familiarize themselves with key business skills, concepts and practices. Alternatively, aspiring social workers can also hire a management company to help with the business side of their practices.

Once all the basic requirements have been met, private practitioners can start setting up their business, filling out the necessary tax documentations and seeking out clients. The NASW offers the following tips for building a private practice from the ground up:

Step 1: Establish a business plan

The first step to starting a private practice is to create a detailed business plan that outlines the goals, strategies and financial needs of the organization. This document will be essential for obtaining a business loan from a bank or government-backed lender, according to the Small Business Association. When developing a business plan, clinical social workers will need to choose between a traditional or lean startup approach.

• Traditional business plans: These more comprehensive business plans are typically packed with information, including a lengthy company description, market research, financial projections and funding requirements. Private practitioners will need to explain their services, target customers, expected financial performance and marketing strategies in extraordinary detail.
• Lean startup business plans: This more streamlined business plan format can be useful for starting a private practice quickly or when services are simple to explain. That said, clinical social workers in private practice will still need to break down their business’s value proposition, customers, finances and revenue streams to make a compelling case to lenders.

During the planning stage, it’s important to consider whether the practice will be a solo or group endeavor. While both models can be profitable, building a private practice with a team of licensed professionals offers a higher level of clinical supervision that can be valuable during the early days of a new practice. Once the business plan is fleshed out, the next step is to locate a physical office to serve as the primary hub of client and partner interactions. Some private practitioners choose to travel to clients’ homes instead of meeting in a dedicated office – though this is generally a matter of personal preference.

Step 2: Apply for a National Provider Identification Number

Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, all mental health providers seeking compensation must obtain a National Provider Identification Number, known as an NPI. This unique identifier is assigned to clinical social workers who submit paper and digital claims, or receive cash payments. Private practitioners can request either an individual or group NPI by filling out a brief application through the National Plan & Provider Enumeration System or by calling the agency directly.

Step 3: Obtain a tax identification number

Like with any new company, starting a private practice requires business leaders to obtain a tax identification number from the federal government. The NASW recommends securing a TIN for the practice itself rather than lumping it in with personal finances. To receive one, business owners must complete IRS Form SS-4 and submit it to the Internal Revenue Service.

Step 4: Purchase professional liability insurance

Building a private practice comes with some degree of financial risk, which is why professional liability insurance is required in the U.S. The minimum amount of coverage needed tends to vary based on state regulations, insurance companies and the types of social work services being offered. For example, the NASW offers a minimum $1 million per lawsuit and $1 million for the policy year through its Assurance Program. Since private practitioners work in “high-risk situations,” it’s important to maintain coverage at all times to prevent policy gaps that may lead to severe financial losses.

Step 5: Create patient forms and supervision guidelines

After a new private practice’s financials have been sorted out, clinical social workers will need to create patient documents, internal processes and resource guides to support the administrative side of their business. New clients will need to fill out intake forms, release of information requests and other documents required under HIPAA before they can start treatment. For a complete list of HIPAA data privacy guidelines and other policy requirements, visit the NASW’s website .

Another key concern has to do with clinical supervision. Even in social work private practices that are owned and operated by a single professional, it’s important to have some level of oversight to ensure a consistent quality of service. According to the American Psychological Association, effective supervision is built on strong relationships between peers, modern assessment and feedback mechanisms and a willingness to improve one’s clinical skills. Private practitioners should work closely with social work networks, other clinical professionals or hire an outside consultant to discuss problematic cases and liability concerns.

Step 6: Market the practice

When building a private practice, it’s important to establish a referral process and formal marketing strategy to attract clients that need support in a particular practice section. While some clinical social workers rely on managed care companies and health care facilities to refer patients in need of mental health counseling, it’s recommended that private practitioners look outside these sourcing channels.

As noted by the NASW, successful marketing requires clinical social workers to explain who they are, what services they provide and why they are qualified to treat certain emotional disturbances, mental illnesses and other interpersonal issues. One of the best ways to reach potential clients is to create a web page to advertise and seek referrals. Third-party websites like Psychology Today can also help private practitioners expand their reach and connect with individuals who may not have considered physiotherapy before.

Step 7: Set service fees

The final step to starting a private practice is to set fees for one’s services. The NASW notes that clinical social workers should consider the economy, their geographical location, insurance company rates and prices set by other mental health providers before finalizing their payment structure. Fees should be set at an amount that is fair and reasonable for the average citizen. In some cases, private practitioners may choose to waive the fee for new patients or adjust their pricing structure for low-income clients. While it’s important to make clinical social work services affordable, independent practitioners must also consider the needs of the business and any contractual obligations from third-party agreements.

Start your journey to social work private practice with an MSW from the University of Nevada, Reno

If you’re interested in building a private practice or working as an independent social worker, the online Master’s of Social Work program at the University of Nevada, Reno can help prepare you for the journey. This unique MSW degree covers foundational and specialized topics in the social work field, allowing students to assemble the skills, knowledge and experience needed to become a clinical social worker. The program is structured around advanced generalist practice, allowing you to compete for a variety of clinical and non-clinical roles that align with your personal and professional interests.

Whether you have a background in social work or are looking to make a career change, the online MSW curriculum can provide the insight required to take on high-level roles in a variety of settings, from traditional agency environments to social work private practices. This versatility can help you develop essential leadership skills, empower others through communication and counselling, navigate diverse practice contexts and promote social and economic justice. Students with a bachelor’s in social work can join the advanced standing program, which can be completed in as few as 15 months. Non-BSW graduates transitioning to the social work field can enroll in the traditional program, which features foundational courses and a three-day residency at the University of Nevada School of Medicine.

To learn more, explore our MSW degree page or contact an enrollment advisor today.

Recommended Reading:

Alternative Careers for Social Workers Outside the Traditional Work Setting

What Can I Do With a Master’s in Social Work?

National Association of Social Workers, Social Workers in Private Practice

National Association of Social Workers, Opening a New Private Practice

Small Business Association, Write your business plan

Department of Health & Human Services, Summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule

National Association of Social Workers, HIPAA Help for Social Workers

American Psychological Association, Fostering successful clinical supervision

Psychology Today, Therapist Search

ONLINE MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK

• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
• Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Accreditation

The social work education programs provided by the University of Nevada, Reno School of Social Work are accredited at the baccalaureate and master’s levels by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). This indicates to the public and to potential employers that graduates meet the high professional standards established by CSWE in its Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS). Please refer to  www.cswe.org  for a complete list of Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards. The university’s MSW program has been accredited by CSWE since 1991.

• Recognized as a National Tier 1 University by  U.S. News & World Report
• Ranks among the top 150 national universities in research and development
• R1 Carnegie Classification research institution

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Writing your first business plan

Wh y do you need a business plan .

A business plan will help you to clarify your idea, identify challenges and allow you to monitor the progress you’re making. Your business plan is not a static document, it is something you should revisit and update as your organisation grows.

” A goal without a plan is just a wish” Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Putting pen to paper

Writing a business plan may seem daunting, but you’ll probably find that writing down your idea will bring clarity and focus to what you are looking to achieve as a social entrepreneur.

Your business plan should demonstrate that your idea is well thought through and sustainable in the long-term. As a start-up you will find that funders, investors and stakeholders will request to see your business plan. Once you have your plan on paper it will be quick for you to pull together the information requested by funders or investors.

“The best business plans are straightforward documents that spell out the who, what, where, why, and how much.” Paula Nelson

What to include in your business plan

When you are writing your first business plan you should aim to answer the following questions:

• What is your idea?

What are you offering to your beneficiaries and customers? This is sometimes referred to as ‘value proposition.’

• Who are your customers?

Who is going to buy your product or service?

• Who are your beneficiaries?

Who will benefit from what you’re doing? For a social organisation your beneficiaries and customers may be different groups, so it’s important to think about what you are offering to each of them.

• How will you promote your organisation?

How will you market yourself to customers and beneficiaries? Now you know who they are, how do you plan to reach them?

• Who else is doing something similar?

Who are your competitors? How does your organisation differ? Take time to think about what they do well and learn from them, it’s unlikely your idea has never been done before so use others experience as a tool for learning.

• Steps to achieve your goals.

What do you need to do to achieve your objectives? Breaking down things into step by step actions will make your idea seem more achievable, it will also prevent you from getting distracted.

• What resources do you need?

What resources you will need to make this happen – people, premises, materials? Try to be realistic. When you are first starting out you might be able to beg, steal and borrow but if you want to become sustainable you need to be realistic about the resources you need.

• How much money will you have coming in?

What are people willing to pay for your services? Be realistic with how many sales you are likely to make and try to base this on evidence where possible.

• How much money will you have going out?

Once you know what resources you require, you need to work out how much will they cost you. The cost of people, equipment and premises all need to be accounted for.

• How much money will you have left over?

Will you break-even or have a profit? If you have a profit what you will do with it? You might not make a profit in your first year but you need to have an idea of when and how you will become financially sustainable.

How to structure your business plan

Once you’ve written your first business plan ask for feedback, then listen to the feedback you’ve receive. Be open to constructive comments and willing to add detail where it is needed.

Don’t forget to review your business plan regularly (don’t lock it away in a drawer!) Use your business plan to monitor your progress and keep you working towards your goals:

Further learning

• Learn to Build a Better Business Plan
• The Social Business Model Canvas

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10 Best Social Work Business Ideas

It’s crucial to understand the area of social work before looking at the best and highest-paying social work business ideas and careers. In general, you’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree to work in this industry, with most states needing a master’s degree as well. However, a few states allow for the completion of an associate’s degree in social work.

It’s crucial to understand the field of social work before looking at the top & highest paying social work positions. To work in this area, you’ll typically require a bachelor’s degree, with most states needing a master’s degree. However, an associate’s degree in social work is available in a few states.

What Private Social Work entrepreneur Ideas we have and Their Practices?

Some social workers start their independent practice instead of working for a managed care company, a health care organization, or another established institution. Private practitioners’ services extend far beyond their offices, according to the National Association of Social Workers, because they’re frequently hired by schools, courts, primary care centers, and other clinical groups.

Starting private social work business ideas, depending on your professional interests and career ambitions, could allow you to make a significant difference in the lives of numerous people in your community.

What are the Advantages of Building a Private Social Work Business?

For existing professionals and prospective students, pursuing a career as a clinical social worker in solo or group practice has several advantages. Private practitioners, for example, have more flexibility in their work schedules than those in traditional settings. They can schedule their appointments, take vacations as needed, and develop a clientele that matches their lifestyle and practice region.

Independent social workers have more control over their work environment, including the ability to meet with clients in person or via video conference, as well as the chance to earn more money.

Starting a Social Work Practice: A Brief how-to Guide

Building social work business ideas necessitate determination, careful planning, and a wealth of professional expertise in the field. Clinical social workers must achieve three primary criteria before commencing private practice, according to the NASW :

• Obtaining a master’s degree in social work from a recognized institution.
• Working in a supervised, clinical setting for at least two years after graduation.
• Obtaining a clinical license in the state in which the private practice will be located.

Private practitioners can begin setting up their businesses, filling out the relevant tax paperwork, and soliciting clients once all of the basic requirements have been satisfied. The following pointers can assist you in choosing from any of the social work business ideas:

• Create a business plan
• Apply for a National Provider Identification Number
• Get a tax ID number
• Buy professional liability insurance
• Create patient forms and supervision standards
• Market the practice
• Determine service fees

Listed below are the great social work business ideas that have been carefully explained for you to choose from;

1.      School Counselors

This is one of the nicest social work business ideas to explore if you are qualified. Social professionals are frequently employed as school counselors. Their job is to work with children directly in all educational settings. Their mission is to ensure that students’ mental health and overall well-being are maintained or improved.

They frequently collaborate with children who have social or developmental disabilities, as well as children who live in abusive situations. A school counselor’s income is mostly determined by the educational institution, the sorts of students, and the geographic region. The national average, on the other hand, is $56,160. A master’s degree is required to work as a school counselor .

2.      Speech Pathologists

Speech pathologists’ job is to make sure that speech abnormalities are identified. They then devote time to developing individualized treatment strategies to help their patients improve their speech. Although speech pathologists typically work with children born with speech impairments such as a harelip, cleft palate, or stammer, they also work with stroke patients and others with brain injuries. You can expect to make roughly $73,970 as a speech pathologist, which is a significant increase since the last average was obtained in 2010.

To work as a speech pathologist, you’ll need a master’s degree and a variety of other qualifications. To become licensed, you must pass a national exam, spend a certain number of hours in a clinical setting under direct supervision, and have a certain amount of postgraduate experience. Here, the service business ideas have requirements that differ from one state to the next.

3.      The Social Work Teacher

As a professor, you can expect to make an average of $86,073 per year as a social work teacher. An assistant professor’s salary will be lower. As a result, it is the highest-paying social work job in the country. To be a professor, however, you must have at least a doctorate in the discipline, usually a Ph.D. Training does take a long time and entails a significant financial expenditure.

4.      The Healthcare Social Worker

Here is one of the nicest social work business ideas as it relates to care for people’s health and saving lives. You will assist groups and individuals in coping with the psychological and social elements of diseases and illnesses as a healthcare social worker. The average annual wage is $57,000. Although a BSW would suffice for this job, a master’s degree will undoubtedly increase your career and earning chances.

5.     Clean Energy

It’s no secret that sustainable energy is becoming increasingly popular as well as necessary. A clean energy startup can be a product or service that uses a green method for energy production, such as electric bicycles or solar panels. Developing concepts and putting your company plan into action will necessitate either clean energy understanding or the assistance of someone who does.

Nowadays, it is much easier to determine and reach out to your target audience because of services that  provide interested solar leads . These are people who are already looking into alternative energy and have a bigger chance to convert into customers. 

6.      The Medical Social Worker

Medical social workers are not the same as healthcare social workers. Your job is to act as a liaison between community services (such as treatment centers and homeless shelters) and their clients. This is another one of the great social work business ideas. Frequently, you will work in emergency rooms or on discharge wards. The average wage, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, is $53,400. When compared to the average social worker, this is a huge increase.

7.     The Clinical Social Worker

Clinical social workers must complete extensive training and pass a range of exams. They work in a variety of industries and organizations. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, their average compensation is $48,010, though this varies greatly depending on where they work. Substance abusers, for example, will earn about $3,000 less per year.

8.     Micro-lending Business

A micro-lending business lends small amounts of money to people who are unable to obtain loans from traditional lenders. Normally, this startup charges a high-interest rate to its customers in order to reduce the risk of a borrower defaulting on their loan. Micro-lending enterprises in underserved areas can assist give chances for communities to introduce much-needed resources to their local communities.

9.      The Community Program Administrator

Some social workers aspire to managerial positions, which can be obtained through community program administration. They will be in charge of social assistance initiatives or charitable organizations that cater to specific demographic groups. Your job here is to create and implement strategic initiatives, raise funding, manage staff, and keep a budget under control. You may expect to earn roughly $57,950 per year, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is another of these very nice social work business ideas you won’t regret exploring.

10.  Charity App

Create a charity app to make donations more accessible. This might be a simple way to raise funds for charity, make donations, or meet a community need. Because the majority of individuals own smartphones, a charity app company can make it easier for charities to raise funds and support in order to aid those who need it most.

You might also need to check on some social media marketing strategies that could enhance or have a great influence on your niche of social work business ideas. Also, you can access and read about Return of Investment (ROI) in digital marketing .

Today’s social workers operate in a wide range of settings, including health care institutions, schools, government agencies, and charity organizations. Some clinical social workers prefer to go into private practice as their careers progress, allowing them to focus on the topics that are most important to them. However, before opening a private practice in social work, a person must first establish their credentials, earn the necessary certifications, and demonstrate skill in their practice area.

Check also: Ultimate Guide To Small Business Ideas

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Creating a Winning Business Plan for Social Entrepreneurs

Published May.23, 2023

Updated Apr.22, 2024

By: Jakub Babkins

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Table of Content

1. What is a Social Entrepreneur Business Plan?

A social entre­preneur business plan is a de­tailed strategy and roadmap. The Nonprofit Start-Up Busine­ss Plan outlines the social ente­rprise’s revenue­ generation, financial manageme­nt, and progress measureme­nt. By creating a comprehensive­ business plan, social entrepre­neurs can ensure that their social enterprise is we­ll-prepared to meet its objectives.

2. Why do we need a social entrepreneur business plan?

A successful social e­ntrepreneur ne­eds an essential tool: a we­ll-crafted business plan. This plan serves multiple purposes. First, it helps in identifying the specific problem that needs to be addressed. Second, it sets clear goals and de­fines the target audience. Third, it devises strategies for achieving these­ objectives. Additionally, this plan plays a crucial role in identifying potential funding sources and resources. It also maps out a timeline for goal attainment.

A Homele­ss Shelter Business Plan aids organizations in de­veloping successful and scalable business models that can effectively achieve their de­sired impact.

3. Sources of funding for social enterprise businesses

Grants are one­ of the sources for funding social ente­rprise businesses. Social e­ntrepreneurs ofte­n receive grants from non-profit and government organizations. These grants serve as startup capital and provide ongoing operational support.

Links to funds for non-profit organizations: Newprofit: https://www.newprofit.org/ Ashoka: https://www.ashoka.org/en-us MassChallenge: https://masschallenge.org/

In addition to traditional funding sources like­ crowdfunding, angel investors, and venture­ capital firms, social enterprises can also e­xplore loan programs provided by the Small Busine­ss Administration. Two such programs are the 504 and 7(a) loan programs which offer financing options for social e­nterprises.

Furthermore, an increasingly popular ave­nue for funding social enterprise­ businesses is through social impact investing.

4. How to write a social enterprise business plan

• Start by Defining Your Social Mission: Before diving into writing your business plan, it is e­ssential to have a clear understanding of your organization’s purpose, values, and desire­d social outcomes.
• Describe Your Target Market: The target market description is a crucial aspect of your Strate­gic/Operational plan . It is essential to clearly identify your target customers, their needs and desire­s, and outline how you intend to address those­ requirements effectively.
• Outline Your Business Model: Then comes outlining your business model. This step involves de­termining how you’ll generate­ income, what products or services you’ll offer, and how you’ll deliver them to your customers.
• Develop Your Marketing and Sales Strategy: After your business model is outlined, you should then develop your marketing and sales strategy. This social enterprise business plan should include how you plan to market and promote your products or services, what pricing model you plan to use, and how you plan to generate sales.
• Describe Your Team and Resources: This includes showcasing the skills and experience of team members, outlining strategies for attracting and re­taining top talent, as well as identifying any necessary resources required for the success of the­ business.
• Outline Your Financial Plan: These include­ identifying the start-up funds require­d, determining the me­ans of financing operations, and planning for future investme­nts that may be made.

5. Executive summary

Our social ente­rprise, JYC, has a mission to empower vulne­rable communities in deve­loping countries. The JYC organization collaborate­s with various stakeholders like NGOs, governments, and corporations to establish a comprehe­nsive platform. This platform aims to empower individuals in de­veloping and sustaining their own businesses. Through our tailored training programs, financial resources, and me­ntorship opportunities, entrepre­neurs receive­ the necessary support to build and maintain successful ventures.

6. Company (Institutional) analysis

The social e­ntrepreneurship busine­ss plan aims to establish a sustainable, equitable­, and responsible economy. It does so by offering resources and training to e­ntrepreneurs, enabling them to create busine­sses that generate­ meaningful social and environmental advantage­s.

We strongly believe­ in equal access to resources and networks for building successful businesses, ensuring that everyone­ benefits from their success.

7. Structure and Background

JYC, a social entre­preneurship company founded in 2020, is de­dicated to tackling social and environmental challe­nges through the impleme­ntation of innovative and sustainable business mode­ls. Its main focus revolves around enabling unde­rserved and marginalized communities to access quality education, employment opportunities, and healthcare services.

Our team comprises skilled professionals from diverse­ sectors, including finance, technology, and social work. Their collective experience empowers us to create sustainable solutions that drive positive­ social change while fostering financial stability.

8. Market (Industry) analysis

The social entrepreneurship market is growing rapidly in the United States of America; estimated that 22% have over $2 million in revenue, 89% were created since 2006, and 90% focus on solving problems at home (2012).

Social Enterprise: Statistics from Around the World

JYC’s social entrepreneurship business plan will focus on providing innovative solutions to social issues and problems that have not been solved traditionally.

9. Competitor analysis

Our social entrepreneur business plan template competitors are:

• Social Impact Exchange – a global platform that helps social entrepreneurs connect with investors to fund their projects
• UnLtd – a social enterprise accelerator that provides support for early-stage social entrepreneurs
• GlobalGiving – a crowdfunding platform that helps social entrepreneurs and non-profits raise funds for their projects
• Ashoka – a global network of social entrepreneurs providing mentorship and resources to empower the social enterprise sector
• Social Enterprise UK – a membership organization that supports and promotes social enterprises in the UK.

10. Services and Products

Our components of a business plan social enterprise include services and products which are:

• Consulting services for small businesses and start-ups
• Advisory services for nonprofits
• Educational programs for children in underserved communities
• Professional development programs for adults
• Impact investing services
• Training and development programs for entrepreneurs
• Community outreach programs
• Corporate social responsibility programs
• Social enterprise incubator services

11. Sales and Marketing Plan

In order to ensure the success of a social e­ntrepreneurship company, an effective sales and marketing plan should incorporate the following key elements:

The business aims to develop a mission and vision statement that effectively outline­s its goals and objectives. This stateme­nt serves as a guiding framework for the­ organization’s future

In order to set the company apart from competitors and establish a unique­ selling proposition, an innovative social ente­rprise app is being created.

In order to effectively promote a product or service, it is important to develop a compre­hensive marketing strategy.

12. Operational plan

Our hybrid social enterprise operational plan’s format focuses on serving our community, creating jobs, and reducing our carbon footprint.

• Supporting local businesses
• Incorporating green practices into our operations
• Developing social programs to benefit the community
• Establishing a system of sustainable production
• Creating partnerships with nonprofits and public institutions
• Minimizing waste and energy consumption.

13. Evaluation/assessment

• Analyzing the mission statement and goals of the social entrepreneurship company.
• Examining the business model and resources required to achieve success.
• Assessing the impact of the company on the community.
• Examining the company’s financial health and sustainability.
• Evaluating the management team and their ability to execute the plan.
• Analyzing the marketing strategy and its effectiveness.
• Evaluating the potential for growth and scalability.
• Assessing the competitive landscape and how the company can differentiate itself.

14. Management team

Executive Team:

• Chief Operating Officer
• Chief Financial Officer
• Chief Technology Officer
• Head of Human Resources

Advisory Board:

• Business Development Advisor
• Legal Advisor
• Marketing Advisor
• Technology Advisor

15. Projection and Financial Planning

The social e­nterprise group aims to raise $1 million in capital over the next five years. This funding will support various aspects, including platform development, staff recruitment, and covering ope­rational expenses. The­ organization plans to generate re­venue through government contracts and by offering data analytics services to local governments.

Startup Costs

The initial startup costs for this business will be $200,000.

The primary source of revenue will come from government contracts and data analytics services. Government contracts will provide a steady stream of income, while data analytics services will provide additional revenue.

Financial Highlights

The projected financial highlights for the business are as follows:

• Revenue: $1.5 million by 2024
• Profits: $400,000 by 2024
• Return on Investment: 40%
• Cash Flow: $1.2 million by 2024
• Break-even Point: 12 months

16. Discover the Power of Social Entrepreneurship with OGS Capital

Highly efficient service.

Highly Efficient Service! I am incredibly happy with the outcome; Alex and his team are highly efficient professionals with a diverse bank of knowledge.

OGS Capital specialize­s in assisting entreprene­urs in developing and implementing impactful social entreprene­urship business plans. Our highly experie­nced team collaborates with nume­rous social entreprene­urs to create custom plans that yield me­asurable outcomes.

Whether you are an aspiring entrepre­neur trying to make your mark or a seasone­d professional in the business world, our Busine­ss Planning Services are here to assist you. We specialize­ in developing comprehe­nsive plans that fully embrace your unique­ vision and core values. Through close collaboration, we­ will work diligently alongside you to identify the­ optimal strategies for success and de­termine the necessary resources to bring your goals to fruition.

OGS Capital values the­ transformative power of social entre­preneurship. With our guidance, you can establish a social ente­rprise that leaves a lasting, me­aningful impression.

OGS Capital can be your re­liable partner in creating a robust social e­ntrepreneurship business plan. Feel free­ to reach out to us today for assistance.

Q. What are examples of social entrepreneurship businesses?

1. Revolution Foods: Revolution Foods is a social enterprise providing healthy meals to underserved students. https://www.revolutionfoods.com/

2. Kiva: Kiva is a nonprofit providing micro-loans to developing countries’ entrepreneurs. https://www.kiva.org/

3. Ecosia: Ecosia is an online search engine that donates 80% of its profits to reforestation projects worldwide. https://www.ecosia.org/

4. Warby Parker: Warby Parker is an eyewear company that donates a pair of glasses to someone in need for every pair purchased. https://www.warbyparker.com/

5. Solar Sister: Solar Sister is a social enterprise that helps women in Africa build businesses selling solar-powered products. https://solarsister.org/

Q. How do you write a social enterprise business plan?

When establishing a social enterprise, it is crucial to unde­rtake the task of crafting a comprehe­nsive business plan. This plan serve­s as a roadmap, outlining key aspects such as the e­nterprise’s objective­s and mission, the range of service­s or products on offer, an analysis of the intended audience and market, financial conside­rations, a succinct overview of the marke­ting strategy, and a timeline e­ncompassing both launch and growth milestones. A meticulously de­veloped social ente­rprise business plan sets the­ stage for success in this impactful venture­.

The plan should have­ a comprehensive e­xplanation of the enterprise­’s mission and values. It should also address the compe­titive landscape and any applicable re­gulations. When writing the plan, it is important to be thorough, re­alistic, and ensure clarity for easy understanding.

Download Social entrepreneur business plan Template in PDF

OGSCapital’s team has assisted thousands of entrepreneurs with top-rate business plan development, consultancy and analysis. They’ve helped thousands of SME owners secure more than $1.5 billion in funding, and they can do the same for you.

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Social Enterprise Business Plan

A social enterprise is an activity of a nonprofit that employs entrepreneurial, market-driven strategies for earned income in support of its mission. This outline for a social enterprise business plan is a guide for research, planning, and writing a business plan for nonprofit social enterprises.

A social enterprise is an activity of a nonprofit that employs entrepreneurial, market-driven strategies for earned income in support of their mission. Business plans are a common tool for entrepreneurs when starting or growing a business enterprise. For nonprofits that are starting or growing a social enterprise as a part of their program activities, developing a business plan is an essential step. While social enterprise business plans address all of the questions needed for any business, nonprofits also need to consider the alignment with mission, organizational background and structure, and evaluation of both financial and social impact.

This outline for a business plan is a guide for research, planning, and writing a business plan for nonprofit social enterprises. The sections below are provided as a roadmap for the plan. Most business plans include each of these sections, though the length and amount of detail will vary depending on the nature of the enterprise, the complexity of the organization, and the purpose and audience for the plan.

Executive Summary

The Executive Summary provides the most important information for readers that need to understand and support the concept but not necessarily know the detailed plans. This is usually written last.

• Organizational description
• Business concept
• Market description
• Value proposition, or competitive advantage
• Key success factors
• Financial highlights and capital requirements

A social enterprise of a nonprofit organization may contribute directly to achieving mission; may be complementary or supportive of mission; or may be unrelated to mission (with primarily financial goals). The alignment to mission is a critical question.

• Organization mission and/or vision statement
• Relationship of social enterprise to organizational mission, or separate mission for the enterprise

Background and Structure

This section summarizes the organization’s history and programs and how the enterprise will fit in to the larger organization.

Most social enterprises operate as an activity or program within the nonprofit, though some are legally structured as a separate nonprofit, a for-profit subsidiary, or an independent organization.

Form should follow function and the legal structure should support the purpose and activities of the enterprise. Advice from an expert attorney may be needed.

• Brief description of the nonprofit, including context and programs
• How the business venture will be structured in the organization
• Legal structure and governance (Boards, advisory committees, reporting)

Market Analysis

The market analysis is the heart of the business plan and is too often inadequately explored when planning a social enterprise. Solid research is necessary to understand the target customers and how the enterprise will meet a gap and demand in the market. No amount of mission or commitment will overcome a deficiency in market knowledge and a bona fide demand for the product or service.

• Summary of current market situation
• Target market and customers
• Customer characteristics, unmet demands and buying factors

Competitive Analysis

This section describes the competitors, both nonprofit and for-profit, and the value proposition, or market advantage, of the proposed business.

• Primary competitors
• Competitive products/services
• Risks and opportunities in competitive market
• Recent or emerging changes in the industry
• Specific description of competitive advantage/value of proposed product or service

Products/Services

This section is a summary of the product or service that will meet the demand in the market. It does not need to include detailed descriptions, price lists or other materials.

• Product/service description
• Positioning of products/services
• Future products/services

Marketing and Sales

This section will describe how the organization will reach the target market and turn those prospects into paying customer.

• Marketing strategy
• Sales tactics
• Advertising, public relation, and promotions
• Summary of sales forecasts

This is the “how to” section, describing the creation and delivery of the business’ product or service.

• Management structure
• Staffing plan and key personnel – if this includes programmatic elements related to the mission, expand this section
• Production plan or service delivery, including summary of costs of materials and production
• Customer service/support strategy and plan
• Facilities required, including specialized equipment or improvements. If the business is retail, discuss location characteristics

Evaluation and Assessment

Most for-profit businesses measure their success by the financial results. Social enterprises have a double bottom line (or a triple bottom line.) This section describes the factors that will be evaluated to assess the success of each aspect of the enterprise.

• Quantifiable financial goals
• Quantifiable mission goals
• Monitoring and evaluation strategy

Financial Plan and Projections

The financial section includes projections for revenue and expenses for at least three years with a summary narrative of the key assumptions. This section also details the start up costs for capital equipment, inventory, initial marketing and staffing, and subsidy needed to cover losses during the start up period. These capital requirements may be funded from a combination of contribution from the nonprofit, grants for the enterprise, and/or debt financing.

• Start up costs and investments in equipment, technology, or one time costs
• Capital requirements and sources
• Income and expense projection
• Pro forma balance sheet for start up
• Cash flow summary or projection
• Assumptions and comments
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About Propel

Propel Nonprofits is an intermediary organization and federally certified community development financial institution (CDFI). We provide capacity-building services and access to capital to support nonprofits in achieving their missions including the ability to link strategy, governance, and finance and to support nonprofits throughout their organizational lifecycle.

Social Enterprise Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Social Enterprise Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your Social Enterprise business plan.

We have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their Social Enterprise businesses.

Below is a template to help you create each section of your Social Enterprise business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

EmpowerU is a startup social enterprise located in Ogden, Utah. The business was founded by Matt and Lauren Goodwin, a couple who have personally placed over three hundred job seekers into viable positions of employment over the past ten years by working in a nationally-known employment agency group. Both Matt and Lauren secured thousands of dollars for their employer, who received a payment for every person successfully placed into employment. With outstanding reviews by employers and a large following of those who have been placed by Matt and Lauren, they’ve determined that they can give back to the city of Ogden by opening their social enterprise, EmpowerU.

EmpowerU will provide a full-service employment placement agenda, from the time they first receive a new applicant to the 6-month period after employment when the employer-employee review is completed. Each step of the interview preparation, interviewing process, and employment negotiation is focused on bringing a new employee into a personally upward bound position that will change their life for the better.

Product Offering

The following are the services that EmpowerU will provide for the potential employers:

• Extensive recruitment of job candidates to fulfill employer requests
• Pre-employment training
• Employment assistance in pay package negotiation
• Reasonable on-hire rates with sliding scale of percentages
• Monthly and yearly reviews and assessments of employee to service employer

The following are the services that EmpowerU will provide for the potential employees:

• Personal training leading to interviews and employment
• Testing to determine skills, abilities, temperament-style
• Resume construction
• Personal deportment training
• Interview techniques for a “win”
• Negotiation techniques for employment
• Personal management in an organization
• Time management skills
• After-hire review and further training, if required
• One-year assessment

Customer Focus

EmpowerU will target both potential employers and candidates as potential employees. To do so, they will target medium-to-large businesses within the Ogden area and residents within the Ogden area. EmpowerU will target human resource managers within the Ogden area. EmpowerU will also target community associations and governmental agencies with job training programs.

Management Team

EmpowerU will be co-owned and operated by Matt and Lauren Goodwin. They have recruited their former administrative assistants, Austin Maven, and Jeanie Parker, to help manage the office and operations of EmpowerU.

Matt Goodwin is a graduate of the University of Utah with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. Lauren Goodwin is a graduate of Utah State College, where she earned an Associate’s degree in Social Sciences. Matt and Lauren have been working at an Ogden-based employment recruiter agency for the past ten years. During that time, they observed and practiced the functions of candidate placement into employment positions. They successfully placed over three hundred job-seekers into employment. They now want to help job candidates who need a “hand up” in securing employment by using all their acquired skills to make a change for the good of the city and state.

Austin Maven will become the Office Manager and will oversee all day-to-day office functions. He will manage the accounting and payroll for the social enterprise, as well as the detailed requirements needed to satisfy the social enterprise financials.

Jeanie Parker will become the Operations Manager, assisting in the movement of people resources in and out of the business and overseeing the training and assistance programs.

Success Factors

EmpowerU will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Friendly, knowledgeable, and highly-qualified team of EmpowerU
• Comprehensive menu of services that benefit both the employers and the job candidates.
• Full support and training for potential employees
• Reviews and assessments of employee during monthly and yearly visits
• As a social enterprise, EmpowerU charges extremely reasonable rates for employee placement, making them the lowest-priced employment service in Ogden.

Financial Highlights

EmpowerU is seeking $200,000 in debt financing to launch its social enterprise business. The funding will be dedicated toward securing the office space and purchasing office equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated toward three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, and marketing costs for the print ads and marketing costs. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Office space build-out: $20,000
• Office equipment, supplies, and materials: $10,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, rent, utilities): $150,000
• Marketing costs: $10,000
• Working capital: $10,000

The following graph outlines the financial projections for EmpowerU.

Company Overview

Who is empoweru.

EmpowerU is a newly established, full-service job training and placement agency in Ogden, Utah. EmpowerU will be the most reliable, cost-effective, and effective choice for employers in Ogden and the surrounding communities who seek employees who are eager to establish a better personal life for themselves. EmpowerU will provide a comprehensive menu of job training, placement and review services for any job candidate and business to utilize. Their full-service approach includes a comprehensive array of services that benefit both the job candidate and hiring company.

  EmpowerU will be able to provide job candidates for a wide spectrum of potential employers. The team of professionals are highly qualified and experienced in employee placements and training and reviews of those employees. EmpowerU removes all headaches and issues of seeking qualified personnel and ensures all issues are taken care of expeditiously, while delivering the best customer service.

EmpowerU History

EmpowerU is owned and operated by Matt and Lauren Goodwin. Together, they have personally placed over three hundred job seekers into viable positions of employment over the past ten years by working in a nationally-known employment agency group. Both Matt and Lauren secured thousands of dollars for their employer, who received a payment for every person successfully placed into employment. With outstanding reviews by employers and a large following of those who have been placed by Matt and Lauren, they’ve determined that they can give back to the city of Ogden by opening their social enterprise, EmpowerU.

Since incorporation, EmpowerU has achieved the following milestones:

• Registered EmpowerU, LLC to transact business in the state of Utah.
• Have a contract in place for a 10,000 square foot office in a prime downtown building location.
• Have reached out to numerous former associates and people they placed to include EmpowerU any time they search for new employees.
• Began recruiting a staff of three and two office personnel to work at EmpowerU.

EmpowerU Services

Industry analysis.

The social enterprise industry is expected to grow over the next five years to over $1 billion. The growth will be driven by an increased recognition of the need to assist in improving the lives of others within the world. The growth will be driven by an increased desire to serve the world by using talents and time to build social enterprise businesses. The growth will be driven by the popularity of including a “social awareness” facet within corporate mission statements. Costs will likely be reduced as social enterprises seek to reduce profits and increase services. Costs will likely be reduced as businesses increase voluntary funding for social enterprises.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

Customer Segmentation

EmpowerU will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Medium-to-large businesses
• Residents of Ogden
• Human resource managers
• Community associations
• Governmental agencies

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

EmpowerU will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

Home Companion Care Services

Home Companion Care Services is a full-service placement agency of caregivers. The primary target market consists of elderly individuals who require in-home care and people with disabilities who need assistance with daily activities. Home Companion Care Services also engages with families seeking compassionate support for their loved ones. While services are not medically related, services may include medication reminders, running errands, purchasing and preparing food, bathing and personal grooming and other essentials for daily living.

Home Companion Care Services was started by Liam Gallagher, who saw a gap in the employment of caregivers when his mother required a caregiver and the availability for one was extremely limited. He also noted that most caregivers were not paid enough to make their lives sustainable. With this in mind, he started Home Companion Care Services as a social enterprise to invest in making the lives of the elderly and disabled better, as well as the lives of the caregivers enriched. With these positives at the forefront, Home Companion Care Services was started six years ago and continues to build momentum at this time. Fees for placement of caregivers is modest and reasonable in comparison to competitors.

Heads-Up Auto Repair

Heads-Up Auto Repair was started in 2020 by Neil Patterson, the owner of an auto repair chain in Utah. When Neil noted that several viable auto repairmen did not have employment due to former prison records, he started the social enterprise, “Heads-Up Auto Repair,” as a way to enrich the lives of these qualified repairmen, while earning a profit that would enrich their lives. The program for job training contains the phrase, “Heads Up,” as in “holding one’s head up high with pride in one’s work and the completion of that work successfully”.

Heads-Up Auto Repair serves customers throughout the state of Utah, where location managers are specially trained to assist repairmen in various aspects of customer service, team-bonding, personal skills and education, English-as-a-second-language training, and other services that increase the likelihood of the individuals continuing to excel in both the repair services they provide, but with an increased confidence in their lives overall, as well.

Animals Gone Wild

Animals Gone Wild is a wildlife viewing business that is a social enterprise located thirty miles from Ogden, Utah. Animals Gone Wild was started in 2010 by Amber Stenson, who determined that wild animals should live in the wild, even if their lives started in an enclosed zoo exhibit or other enclosed experience. Amber began a fundraising campaign to build and maintain the wild existence arenas for several wild animals, encouraging volunteers to serve the animals with her throughout their lives. Animals Gone Wild charges a fee for visitors to ride a trolley through the “villages” where various species of wild animals live. Payments by visitors covers the costs of caring for and feeding the animals, while fundraiser campaigns pay for the structures, buildings and care of the Animals Gone Wild structural needs.

Competitive Advantage

EmpowerU will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

• Comprehensive menu of services that benefit both the employers and the job candidates
• As a social enterprise, EmpowerU charges extremely reasonable rates for employee placement, making them the lowest-priced employment service in Ogden

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

EmpowerU will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:

• Highly-qualified team of skilled employees who are able to provide a comprehensive array of services benefiting employers, employees, and the greater Ogden population
• Intensive training and preparation for job candidates, far beyond those of competitors
• Unique reviews and assessments of employees during monthly and yearly visits

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for EmpowerU is as follows:

Word of Mouth/Referrals

EmpowerU has built up an extensive list of contacts over the years by providing exceptional service and expertise to their clients and personal associates. Several former employer clients will follow the Goodwins in their new social enterprise to secure employees and will refer EmpowerU to their associates.

Professional Associations and Networking

EmpowerU will extensively target the professional associations and governmental agencies within the city of Odgen to inform and invite potential employers to seek qualified employees through EmpowerU.

Social Media Outreach

Through several social media channels, prospective employees with a wide variety of skills will be invited to reach out to EmpowerU for job training and placement. Invitations via social media will also invite employers of private companies and governmental agencies, particularly human resources managers, to engage with EmpowerU to place employees into advantageous roles.

Website/SEO Marketing

EmpowerU will fully utilize their website. The website will be well organized, informative, and list all the services that EmpowerU provides. The website will also list their contact information and offer an online reservation system for potential employees who would like to talk with or visit the EmpowerU offices. The website will engage SEO marketing tactics so that anytime someone types in the Google or Bing search engine “job recruitment company” or “employment agency near me”, EmpowerU will be listed at the top of the search results.

The pricing of EmpowerU will be moderate and below competitors so employer clients will feel they receive excellent value when engaging new hires as a result of their services.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for EmpowerU. Operation Functions:

• Matt Goodwin will be the co-owner and President of the company. He will oversee all employer client relations.
• Lauren Goodwin will be the co-owner and Vice President of the company. She will oversee the recruiting of potential job candidates.

Milestones:

EmpowerU will have the following milestones completed in the next six months.

• 5/1/202X – Finalize contract to lease office space
• 5/15/202X – Finalize personnel and staff employment contracts
• 6/1/202X – Finalize employment contracts for EmpowerU clients
• 6/15/202X – Begin networking at industry events
• 6/22/202X – Begin moving into EmpowerU office
• 7/1/202X – EmpowerU opens its office for business

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for EmpowerU are the fees they will charge to employer clients for their employee placement services.

The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required in order to staff EmpowerU. The expenses will be the payroll cost, rent, utilities, office supplies, and marketing materials.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

EmpowerU is seeking $200,000 in debt financing to launch its social enterprise. The funding will be dedicated toward securing the office space and purchasing office equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated toward three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, and marketing costs for the print ads and association memberships. The breakout of the funding is below:

Key Assumptions

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the startup business loan.

• Number of Employer Clients Per Month: 30
• Average Revenue per Month: $60,000
• Office Lease per Year: $100,000

Financial Projections

Income statement.

Balance Sheet

Cash Flow Statement

Social Enterprise Business Plan FAQs

What is a social enterprise business plan.

A social enterprise business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your social enterprise business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can easily complete your Social Enterprise business plan using our Social Enterprise Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Social Enterprise Businesses? 

There are a number of different kinds of social enterprise businesses , some examples include: Trading social enterprise, Financial social enterprise, and Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and charity social enterprise.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Social Enterprise Business Plan?

Social Enterprise businesses are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.

What are the Steps To Start a Social Enterprise Business?

Starting a social enterprise business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A Social Enterprise Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed social enterprise business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast. 

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your social enterprise business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your social enterprise business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Social Enterprise Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your social enterprise business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws.

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your social enterprise business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms.

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations.

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events.

7. Acquire Necessary Social Enterprise Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your social enterprise business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your social enterprise business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising.

Social Enterprise Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business Plans » Non-Profit Sector

Do you want to start a social enterprise and need to write a plan? If YES, here is a sample social enterprise business plan template & feasibility report.

A social enterprise is an organization that leverages on commercial strategies to maximize improvements in financial, social and environmental well-being.

Social enterprises have both business and social goals. As a result, their social goals are embedded in their objective, which differentiates them from other organizations and corporations.

The major objectives of a social enterprise organization are to promote, encourage, and make social change. This goes to show that there are diverse areas where you can focus on with your social enterprise ideas.

You can actually invest in the Community Housing & Homeless Shelters industry and interestingly, this industry is made up of businesses that offer temporary and emergency shelters, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing , construction and repairs and other.

A Sample Social Enterprise Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

In the united states, the Social Enterprise Alliance defines a “social enterprise” as “Organizations that address a basic unmet need or solve a social or environmental problem through a market-driven approach.” Interestingly an entrepreneur can focus on starting a transitional housing as a social enterprise.

Transitional housing is temporary housing for certain segments of the homeless population, including working homeless people who are earning too little money to afford long-term housing. Transitional housing is set up to transition residents into permanent, transitional housing.

It is not in an emergency homeless shelter, but usually a room or apartment in a residence with support services. The transitional time can be short, for example one or two years, and in that time the person must file for and get permanent housing and usually some gainful employment or income, even if Social Security or assistance.

Sometimes, the transitional housing residence program charges a room and board fee, maybe 30 percent of an individual’s income, which is sometimes partially or fully refunded after the person procures a permanent place to live in. In the USA, federal funding for transitional housing programs was originally allocated in the McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1986.

Transitional housing business is part of the community housing and homeless shelters industry and this industry provides a variety of community housing services, including:

Short-term emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or child abuse; temporary residential shelter for the homeless , runaway youths and parents and families caught in medical crises; transitional housing and assisted living for low-income individuals and families; and volunteer construction or repair of low-cost housing.

The Community Housing & Homeless Shelters Industry is indeed a large industry and pretty much active in most developed countries of the world.

Statistics has it that in the United States of America alone, there are about 12,323 registered and licensed community housing and homeless shelters companies responsible for directly employing about 132,874 people and the industry rakes in a whooping sum of $12 billion annually.

The industry is projected to grow at – 0.7 percent annually within 2014 and 2019. It is important to state that no company can boast of having a major market share in the industry.

Some of the factors that encourage entrepreneurs to start their own transitional housing company as a social enterprise organization could be that the business is thriving and profitable, and an aspiring entrepreneur can successfully launch the business if they have a pool of cash.

If you are going into the construction of transitional housing as a social enterprise organization, it is very important to be creative, to be able to use your ideas to meet the rapidly changing needs of the society when it comes to housing and meeting related social needs of your target market.

2. Executive Summary

St. Peter McCain© Transitional Housing , Inc. is a social enterprise and not a charity organization. It is a profit-generating business that serves not just to make money but also to make an impact in the lives of the homeless in the city where we are going to be operating from.

We will have our headquarters in Montgomery – Alabama and will major in the construction of transitional housing so as to provide a variety of community housing services, including:

Short-term emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or child abuse; temporal residential shelter for the homeless, runaway youths and parents and families caught in medical crises; transitional housing and assisted living for low-income individuals and families; and volunteer construction or repair of low-cost housing.

St. Peter McCain© Transitional Housing, Inc. is going to be a self-administered and a self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). We will engage in the construction of different transitional homes that will meet the needs of our clients.

We will work towards becoming one of the largest transitional housing construction companies in the United States of America with active presence in major cities.

As part of our plans to make our customers our number one priority and to become one of the leading social enterprise in the United States of America, we have perfected plans to adopt international best practices that can favorably compete with the best in the industry. St. Peter McCain© Transitional Housing, Inc. has overtime perfected plans that will help us to become specialists in our area.

St. Peter McCain© Transitional Housing, Inc. will at all times demonstrate her commitment to sustainability, both individually and as a social enterprise organization, by actively participating in our communities and integrating sustainable social enterprise practices wherever possible.

We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our client’s needs precisely and completely. St. Peter McCain© Transitional Housing, Inc. will be owned majorly by Peter McCain and his immediate family members. Peter McCain has a Degree in Civil Engineering.

He is a property guru that has worked with top community housing companies in the United States of America for many years prior to starting his own social enterprise. Other organizations and investors with same social enterprise ideology whose name cannot be mentioned here for obvious reasons are going to be part of the business.

3. Our Products and Services

St. Peter McCain© Transitional Housing, Inc. is going to offer varieties of services within the scope of the community housing and homeless shelters industry in the United States of America. Our intention of starting our social enterprise organization is to favorably compete with leading players in the transitional housing cum social enterprise market space in the United States of America.

We will be involved in providing;

• Short-term emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or child abuse
• Temporary residential shelter for homeless, runaway youths and families caught in medical crises
• Transitional and assisted housing for low-income individuals and families
• Volunteer construction or repair of low-cost housing
• Repair of homes for elderly or disabled homeowners as a support service

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

Our vision as a social enterprise is to become the leading operator in the social economy of Alabama whose main objective is to have a social impact rather than make a profit for our owners and shareholders.

Our mission of starting a social enterprise cum transitional housing construction business is to help victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or child abuse, the homeless, runaway youths, families caught in medical issues and average low – income earning families, own their own transitional housing in and around Montgomery – Alabama.

Our Business Structure

Our organization’s structure is not entirely different from what is obtainable in the community housing and homeless shelters industry. As a matter of priority, we have decided to create a structure that will allow for easy growth for our employees and also, we have created platforms that will enable us attract some of the best hands in the industry.

We are quite aware that the success of any social enterprise lies in the foundation on which the business is built on, which is why we have decided to build our transitional housing construction company on the right business foundation.

We will ensure that we only hire people that are qualified, honest, hardworking, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stakeholders.  As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our senior management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more depending how fast we meet our set target.

St. Peter McCain© Transitional Housing, Inc. is fully aware of the modus operandi in the community housing and homeless shelters industry, hence adequate provision and competitive packages has been prepared for independent real estate brokers.

Our marketing department will be responsible for managing this aspect of our business structure. Below is the business structure we will build St. Peter McCain© Transitional Housing, Inc. on;

• Chief Executive Officer
• Company’s Lawyer / Secretary

Project Manager

Civil Engineer

Land Surveyor

Admin and HR Manager

• Business Developer / Sales and Marketing

Transitional Housing Officer

• Customer Service Executive / Front Desk Officer

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Executive Officer – CEO (President):

• Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results.
• Creating, communicating, and implementing the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
• Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
• Responsible for providing direction for the business
• Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
• Evaluates the success of the organization
• Reports to the board

Company’s Lawyer/Secretary/Legal Counsel

• Responsible for drawing up contracts and other legal documents for the company
• Consult and handle all corporate legal processes (e.g. intellectual property, mergers & acquisitions, financial / securities offerings, compliance issues, transactions, agreements, lawsuits and patents et al)
• Develop company policy and position on legal issues
• Research, anticipate and guard company against legal risks
• Represent company in legal proceedings (administrative boards, court trials et al)
• Play a part in business deals negotiation and take minutes of meetings
• Responsible for analyzing legal documents on behalf of the company
• Prepares annual reports for the company
• Responsible for the planning, management and coordinating all projects on behalf of the company
• Supervise projects
• Ensure compliance during project executions
• Providing advice on the management of projects
• Responsible for carrying out risk assessment
• Using IT systems and software to keep track of people and progress of ongoing projects
• Responsible for overseeing the accounting, costing and billing of every project
• Represent the organization’s interest at various stakeholders’ meetings
• Ensures that project desired result is achieved, the most efficient resources are utilized and different interests involved are satisfied.
• Responsible for preparing bids for tenders, and reporting to clients, public agencies and planning bodies
• Ensures that sites meet legal guidelines, and health and safety requirements
• Assessing the environment impact and risks connected to projects
• Responsible for judging whether projects are workable by assessing materials, costs and time requirements
• Drawing up blueprints, using Computer Aided Design (CAD) packages
• Discussing requirements with the client and other professionals (e.g. architects and project managers et al)
• Responsible for managing, directing and monitoring progress during each phase of a project
• Responsible for creating building designs and highly detailed drawings
• Working around constraining factors such as town planning legislation, environmental impact and project budget
• Writing and presenting reports, proposals, applications and contracts
• Adapting plans according to circumstances and resolving any problems that may arise during construction
• Work with project team and management to achieve a common goal
• Responsible for applying for planning permission and advice from governmental new building and legal department.
• Responsible for undertaking land surveys/measurements
• Responsible for presenting data to clients
• Responsible for producing and advising about construction plans and drawings
• Responsible for advising about technical matters and whether the construction plans are viable
• Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
• Design job descriptions with KPI to drive performance management for clients
• Regularly hold meetings with key stakeholders to review the effectiveness of HR Policies, Procedures and Processes
• Maintains office supplies by checking stocks; placing and expediting orders; evaluating new products.
• Ensures operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; calling for repairs.
• Defining job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
• Carrying out staff induction for new team members
• Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
• Responsible for arranging travel, meetings and appointments
• Oversee the smooth running of the daily office activities.
• In charge of inspecting and reporting on the structural attributes of a building
• Responsible for handling reporting on and evaluating the component systems of a building (electrical, fire, roofing and plumbing)
• Assessing compliance with building, electrical, plumbing and fire codes
• Evaluating building plans and permits
• Studying and assessing the soil composition and attributes of where the building is located
• Reviewing and approving plans that meet building codes, local ordinances and zoning regulations
• Issuing violation notices and stop-work orders until building in violation is compliant
• Keeping daily logs, including photographs taken during inspection
• Handle real estate consultancy and advisory services

Marketing and Sales Executive/Business Developer

• Identify, prioritize, and reach out to new partners, and business opportunities et al
• Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts; participates in the structuring and financing of projects; assures the completion of development projects.
• Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s need s, and communicate with clients
• Finds and qualifies land for development based on company’s land requirements; maintains a land search database; initiates discussions with property owners about the possible sale of property
• Develop, execute and evaluate new plans for expanding increase sales
• Document all customer contact and information
• Represent the company in strategic meetings
• Help increase sales and growth for the company
• Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Provides managers with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports
• Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
• Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties.
• Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
• Responsible for administering payrolls
• Ensuring compliance with taxation legislation
• Handles all financial transactions for the company
• Serves as internal auditor for the company

Front Desk/Customer’s Service Officer

• Receives Visitors/clients on behalf of the organization
• Receives parcels/documents for the company
• Handles enquiries via e-mail and phone calls for the organization
• Distribute mails in the organization
• Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
• Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
• Manages administrative duties assigned by the line manager in an effective and timely manner
• Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the company’s properties that are put – up for sale, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to clients when they make enquiries

6. SWOT Analysis

The fact that transitional housing construction business is a very rewarding business does not mean that there are no challenges in the industry. In order to compete favorably in the community housing and homeless shelters industry as a social enterprise organization we have been able to hire the services of tested and trusted business and HR consultants to help us conduct critical SWOT analysis.

We intend maximizing our strengths, explore all opportunities we will come across, properly manage our weakness and confront our threats. Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of St. Peter McCain© Transitional Housing, Inc.;

Some of the strengths that we will be bringing to the table in the industry is our robust relations with properties investment moguls in the whole of the United States of America. Also, our access to pools of low-income earning families and the homeless who are willing to own their own transitional housing.

Again, we have a team of experts who have cut their teeth in the social enterprise market. Our commission structure and relationship with freelance real estate agents in Montgomery – Alabama and other state in the US will also count towards our advantage.

As a newbie in the transitional housing line of business, we might have some challenges competing with big time social enterprise organizations and other transitional housing construction companies that have been in the industry for many years; that perhaps is part of our weakness.

• Opportunities:

Unemployment usually leads to a decline in income, which makes housing less affordable. A rise in the national unemployment rate will increase demand for community housing services. Conversely, a decrease in the unemployment rate will reduce the number of individuals seeking the services provided by the industry.

The national unemployment rate is expected to decrease in 2019. However, potential economic uncertainty in the near future could contribute to higher unemployment, presenting an opportunity for the industry.

The majority of industry revenue comes from the federal, state and local government-funded homeless and housing assistance programs. Any changes in funding or government policy will drastically affect industry revenue. Federal funding for social services is expected to decrease in 2019, posing a potential threat to the industry.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

Housing choice is a response to an extremely complex set of economic, social, and psychological impulses. For example, some households may choose to spend more on housing because they feel they can afford to, while others may not have a choice but to stick to transitional housing via as a way of escaping being homeless.

Market forces, policy decisions, and demographic changes have converged, making it more difficult to increase transitional housing for renters. The US affordable-housing crisis shows no signs of going away anytime soon, and it’s having the unadulterated effects on people with the lowest

So also, with the high rate of people migrating to the United States, it is the norm for them to contract transitional housing construction companies to help them with transitional housing that they intend leasing or renting on a short time basis. In essence, most transitional housing construction companies are targeting migrants and the vulnerable in the society who are likely going to need such properties.

Another obvious trend that is common with transitional housing construction companies in the United States of America is that most of them are improvising on more means of making money in the industry and as matter of fact, they are also acting as property developers and home staging agents.

One thing is certain for every transitional housing construction company; if they are hardworking, creative and proactive, they will always generate enough income to meet all their overhead and operational cost, keep their business going without struggle and make reasonable profits.

8. Our Target Market

As a social enterprise operating in transitional housing market space, our target market cuts across homeless and vulnerable families who are classified as low-income earners. We are coming into the community housing and homeless shelters industry with a business concept that will enable us work with a wide range of clients and make positive social impact in their lives.

Our target market are vulnerable and low – income earning families in the whole of the United States of America and we have put plans in place to recruit freelance agents (brokers) nationally to represent our interest wherever they are located in the United States of America.

Below is a list of the people and organizations that we have specifically designed our services for;

• Victims of domestic violence
• Sexual assault or child abuse victims
• The homeless, runaway youths and parents and families caught in medical crises
•  Low-income individuals and families
• Families who are interested in acquiring/renting a decent and well renovated transitional apartment

Our Competitive Advantage

The availability of competent and reliable real estate professionals under our payroll, our business process, pricing model and social impact packages et al are part of our competitive advantages.

Another possible competitive strategy for winning our competitors in this particular industry is to build a robust clientele base, and ensure that our transitional homes designs are top notch and trendy. Our organization is well positioned, key members of our team are highly reliable and competent and can favorably compete with the some of the best in the industry.

Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category in the industry. It will enable them to be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and objectives. We will also engage freelance real estate brokers/agents on a commission level to help us market our services.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

St. Peter McCain© Transitional Housing, Inc. is established with the aim of making maximum social impact and of course profits. Although we are a social enterprise in the transitional housing market space, but part of our work force are also licensed real estate agents hence we intend generating additional income from diverse means in the real estate agency.

We have successfully built a vibrant real estate network that covers the whole of the United States of America so as to help us build a profitable social enterprise organization. Below are the sources we intend exploring to generate income for St. Peter McCain© Transitional Housing, Inc.;

• Repair of homes for elderly or disabled homeowners as part of our give back to the community.

10. Sales Forecast

It is a known fact that as long as there are vulnerable people and low – income earning families in the United States of America, there will always be need to for transitional housing construction companies from time to time.

We are well positioned to take on the challenges that are synonymous with social enterprises that operate in the transitional housing market space in the United States, we are quite optimistic that we will meet out set target of generating enough income/profits from the first month or operations and grow the influence of our social enterprise beyond Montgomery – Alabama to other states within record time.

We have been able to examine the social enterprise market, we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. The sales projections are based on information gathered on the field and some assumptions peculiar to similar start – ups in Montgomery – Alabama;

Below are the sales projections for St. Peter McCain© Transitional Housing, Inc. it is based on the location of our social enterprise and the services we will be offering;

• First Fiscal Year (FY1): $1 million
• Second Fiscal Year (FY2): $2.5 million
• Third Fiscal Year (FY3): $3.5 million

N.B: This projection is done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and any major competitor offering same services and social impacts as we do within the locations where we have a strong business presence. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher since some factors are beyond our control.

• Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

We quite mindful of the fact that there are stiff competitions in the transitional housing market in the United States of America, hence we have been able to hire some of the best business developers to handle our sales and marketing.

Our sales and marketing team will be recruited based on their vast experience in the industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be well equipped to meet their targets and the overall goal of the organization.  The training is not restricted to only our full – time employees but it will also get to our freelance brokers. St. Peter McCain© Transitional Housing, Inc. is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies;

• Introduce our social enterprise cum transitional housing construction company by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to low income earning families, vulnerable families, individuals and other key stake holders throughout the city where our social enterprise organization is located.
• Advertise on the internet on blogs and forums, and also on social media like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn to get your message across
• Create a basic website for our business so as to give your business an online presence
• Directly market our services
• Join local social enterprise organization associations for industry trends and tips
• Join local chambers of commerce and industry with the aim of marketing our services
• Advertise our social enterprise organization in community – based newspapers, local TV and radio stations
• List our social enterprise on yellow pages’ ads (local directories)
• Encourage the use of Word of mouth marketing (referrals)

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

We have been able to work with our consultants to help us map out publicity and advertising strategies that will help us walk our way into the heart of our target market. We are set to take the transitional housing cum real estate industry by storm which is why we have made provisions for effective publicity and advertisement of our social enterprise organization.

Below are the platforms we intend to leverage on to promote and advertise our social enterprise organization;

• Place adverts on both print and electronic media platforms
• Sponsor relevant TV shows so as to be able to communicate our brand and what we do
• Maximize our company’s website to promote our business
• Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and other platforms (real estate online forums) to promote our business and list our properties for sale and for lease.
• Install our Billboards in strategic locations in and around Montgomery – Alabama
• Distribute our fliers and handbills in targeted areas from time to time
• Attend landlord and residence association meetings with the aim of networking and introducing our business.
• Ensure that all our workers wear our branded shirts and all our vehicles and ambulances are well branded with our company’s logo et al.

12. Our Pricing Strategy

The fact that a social enterprise is not a charity organization but a profit-generating business that serves not just to make money but also to make a social impact, means that we will charge far less than what people in main stream industry will be charging.

We will ensure that we don’t know run at a loss but at the same make relative profits that we can easily leverage on to make maximum impact in our city.

• Payment Options

At St. Peter McCain© Transitional Housing, Inc. our payment policy is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different people prefer different payment options as it suits them but at the same time, we will not accept payment by cash because of the volume of cash that will be involved in most of our transactions.

Real estate deals usually involve huge amount of money. Here are the payment options that St. Peter McCain© Transitional Housing, Inc. will make available to her clients;

• Payment by via bank transfer
• Payment via online bank transfer
• Payment via check
• Payment via bank draft

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will help us achieve our plans without any itches and we will also pay our freelance sales agents (real estate brokers) with same platforms.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

From our market survey and feasibility studies, we have been able to come up with a detailed budget on achieving our aim of establishing a standard and highly competitive social enterprise cum transitional housing construction company in Montgomery – Alabama and here are the key areas where we will spend our startup capital;

• The total fee for incorporating the business in The United States of America – $750.
• The budget for permits and license – $2,000
• The cost for hiring business consultant – $2,500.
• The cost for computer software apps (Accounting Software, Payroll Software, CRM Software, real estate software, and QuickBooks Pro et al) – $7,000
• The budget for insurance (general liability, workers’ compensation and property casualty) coverage at a total premium – $5,400.
• The cost for acquiring suitable Office facility with enough space in Montgomery – Alabama – $1.5 million.
• The cost for equipping the office (computers, printers, fax machines, furniture, telephones, filing cabins, safety gadgets and electronics et al) – $150,000
• Other start-up expenses including stationery ($500) and phone and utility deposits ($2,500).
• Operational cost for the first 3 months (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $100,000
• The cost of launching our official Website – $600
• Additional Expenditure (Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions et al) – $5,000

Going by the report from the market research and feasibility studies conducted, we will need approximately 2.5 million dollars to successfully set up a small scale but standard social enterprise in the transitional housing market space in the United States of America.

Please note that the salaries of all our staff members for the first month is included in the expenditure and the pool cash needed for the construction of the first set of affordable houses is not part of this financial projection. We will contact our partners to pool cash together when the time comes.

Generating Funds/Startup Capital for St. Peter McCain© Transitional Housing, Inc.

St. Peter McCain© Transitional Housing, Inc. is a social enterprise that will be owned and managed by Peter McCain, his immediate family members and other business partners. They decided to restrict the sourcing of the startup capital for the social enterprise to just three major sources.

• Generate part of the startup capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
• Generate part of the startup capital from friends and other extended family members
• Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility).

N.B: We have been able to generate about $1 million (Personal savings $800,000 and soft loan from family members $200,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $1.5 million from our bank. All the papers and documents have been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

The future of a business lies in the number of loyal customers that they have, the capacity and competence of their employees, their investment strategy and business structure. If all these factors are missing from a business (company), then it won’t be too long before the business closes shop.

One of our major goals of starting St. Peter McCain© Transitional Housing, Inc. is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without the need for injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.

We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to rent / lease / sell our transitional housing services a little bit cheaper than what is obtainable in the market and we are prepared to survive on lower profit margin for a while.

St. Peter McCain© Transitional Housing, Inc. will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and retraining of our workforce is at the top burner.

We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

Check List/Milestone

• Business Name Availability Check: Completed
• Business Incorporation: Completed
• Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts: Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
• Acquiring of Office Facility and remodeling the facility in Montgomery – Alabama: Completed
• Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
• Generating capital from the CEO/President and Business Partners: Completed
• Applications for Loan from our Bankers: In Progress
• Writing of Business Plan: Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Drafting of Contract Documents and other relevant Legal Documents: In Progress
• Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
• Printing of Marketing/Promotional Materials: Completed
• Recruitment of employees: In Progress
• Purchase of the needed furniture, office equipment, electronic appliances and facility facelift: In progress
• Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
• Creating Awareness for the business (Business PR): In Progress
• Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement: In Progress
• Establishing business relationship with key players in the industry (networking and membership of relevant real estate bodies): In Progress

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Social Enterprise Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Social Enterprise Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 500 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their social enterprise businesses. On this page, we will first give you some background information with regards to the importance of business planning. We will then go through a social enterprise business plan template step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What is a Social Enterprise Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your social enterprise business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for a Social Enteprise

If you’re looking to start a social enterprise business, or grow your existing social enterprise business, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your social enterprise business in order to improve your chances of success. Your social enterprise business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for Social Enterprise Businesses

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a social enterprise business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans and angel investors. With regards to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for social enterprise businesses.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

How to write a business plan for a social enterprise.

If you want to start a social enterprise business or expand your current one, you need a business plan. Below are links to each section of your social enterprise business plan template:

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of social enterprise business you are operating and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a social enterprise business that you would like to grow, or are you operating social enterprise businesses in multiple markets?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. For example, give a brief overview of the social enterprise industry. Discuss the type of social enterprise business you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers. Provide a snapshot of your marketing plan. Identify the key members of your team. And offer an overview of your financial plan.  

Company Analysis

In your company analysis, you will detail the type of social enterprise business you are operating.

For example, you might operate one of the following types of social enterprise businesses:

• Trading social enterprise : this type of social enterprise refers to cooperatives, collectives, and other organizations that are worker or employee-owned. This type of ownership structure allows a higher degree of economic resiliency compared to a traditional organization.
• Financial social enterprise: this type of social enterprise includes credit unions, cooperative banks, and revolving loan funds, which are all membership-owned. In other words, the money deposited from a member is used to help other members who may need financial assistance.
• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and charity social enterprise: this type of social enterprise businesses are usually created to support a specific social, environmental, or political goal. The profits are used to further the social or environmental aims of the organization or to provide salaries for people who provide free services to specific groups of people.

In addition to explaining the type of social enterprise business you will operate, the Company Analysis section of your business plan needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to question such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of clients served, number of positive reviews, reaching X amount of clients served, etc.
• Your legal structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry analysis, you need to provide an overview of the social enterprise industry.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the social enterprise industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating. 

Secondly, market research can improve your strategy, particularly if your research identifies market trends.

The third reason for market research is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your social enterprise business plan:

• How big is the social enterprise industry (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential market for your social enterprise business? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your social enterprise business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments:non-profits, individuals, social causes, etc.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of social enterprise business you operate. Clearly, social causes would respond to different marketing promotions than individuals needing financial assistance, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, include a discussion of the ages, genders, locations and income levels of the customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can understand and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

With Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other social enterprise companies. 

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t direct competitors. This includes social enterprise companies such as brand awareness companies, community organizations, government programs, etc.

With regards to direct competition, you want to describe the other social enterprises with which you compete. Most likely, your direct competitors will be social enterprise businesses located very close to your location.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their businesses and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as:

• What clients or causes do they serve?
• What type of social enterprise company are they?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide social enterprise services that your competitors don’t offer?
• Will your social enterprise business help more people in need?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.  

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a social enterprise business plan, your marketing plan should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of social enterprise company that you documented in your Company Analysis. Then, detail the specific products you will be offering. For example, in addition to social enterprise services, will you provide access to funding, marketing, counseling, and/or brand awareness, and any other services?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your marketing plan, you are presenting the services you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the location of your social enterprise company. Document your location and mention how the location will impact your success. For example, is your social enterprise business located near an office complex, a university, an urban setting, or a busy neighborhood, etc. Discuss how your location might be the ideal location for your customers.

Promotions : The final part of your social enterprise marketing plan is the promotions section. Here you will document how you will drive customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Website and SEO marketing
• Community events
• Commercials
• Social media marketing
• Local radio advertising

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your social enterprise business, including communicating with clients, marketing, accounting, accounts payable, fundraising, and searching for grant opportunities.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to obtain your XXth client, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your social enterprise business to a new location.  

Management Team

To demonstrate your social enterprise business’ ability to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company. 

Ideally you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing social enterprises. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act like mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing a social enterprise business or are connected to a wide network of professional organizations that frequently tend to donate to various causes.  

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statements.

Income Statement : an income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenues and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you take on one new service at a time or multiple services ? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets : Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your social enterprise business, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a bank writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement : Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and make sure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt. 

In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a social enterprise business:

• Cost of social enterprise services
• Cost of overhead, marketing, and outreach
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Taxes and permits
• Legal expenses

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your social enterprise outline of services, types of customer and/or cause you will be targeting, and the areas your social enterprise business will serve.   Summary Putting together a business plan for your social enterprise business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will really understand the social enterprise industry, your competition, and your customers. You will have developed a marketing plan and will really understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful social enterprise business.  

  OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.

Click here to hire someone to write a business plan for you from Growthink’s team.   Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

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Business plans for social enterprises (SE) and social businesses

Writing a business plan helps to ensure you focus on the core of your business. You must concentrate on key deliverables in a resource-constrained organization and communicate effectively with your stakeholders, including your funders or investors, customers, community, board, employees and volunteers.

The value of social enterprise business planning

Business planning will help any social enterprise (SE) or social purpose business (SPB) to:

• Attract investment
• Identify risks
• Measure social or environmental outcomes
• Demonstrate that you are using a business approach
• Showcase the management team
• Build alliances
• Check thinking
• Determine feasibility

In a business plan, you must clearly articulate:

• The mission of your social enterprise
• The outline of specific actions to achieve your goals and objectives
• Establish targets for planning, measuring and improving performance
• Project the necessary resources, costs and revenues of your program

Sample business plan templates

Many business plan templates exist in the public domain, including this one .

The elements are best used as prompts by social entrepreneurs to build their own plan, assessing along the way whether or not the question (or element) is relevant for the Social Enterprise or the social business.

Social enterprise business plans versus non-profit plans

Description of the business/mission statement.

The social mission and the importance of meeting both the financial and social goals should be discussed in this section.

Management and organization

Financing the capacity of the organization is as important as supporting the programs. Include an assessment of the current organization, planned additions and/or changes as well as the cost of building the team’s capacity in order to achieve the projected growth. Demonstrate that the staff has both programmatic and business skills.

Market assessment and marketing plan

The plan should focus on delivering market-driven products or services as opposed to program-driven products or services to the target customer .

You will also need to articulate how to promote your social objectives along with the product and service.  Partnerships and collaborations extend the reach of the social venture.  Highlight your partnership strategy in this section.

Your marketing plan includes the strategies and tactics to reach your customers, partners and the community.  Outline the public relations, media relations, and advertising that will be required to meet your objectives. The marketing plan should be linked in with your financial plan and your overall strategy.

A solid financial position will allow you to pursue your mission with flexibility and high-quality service, beyond mere stability.  Investors must feel confident their investment will be used effectively to achieve both the social mission and financial results that will enable your organization to thrive and achieve continued growth.

The financial plan provides the framework for social entrepreneurs to forecast the resources they need to create and sustain social and economic value. Commercial entrepreneurs prepare business plans to show why they need money and how they will use it.  Social entrepreneurs should use the same approach and not worry about the limited resources currently available.

Social Enterprise Investors

Investors and funders alike want to know the cost to develop, start up, offer and deliver services or products, whether or not any one user or payer is willing to cover it. When interacting with potential funders or investors, you need a detailed budget and projection of required outside investment tied in with a plan to reach the desired market position.

Investors want returns, typically a blend of financial and social. Your plan must describe the potential “return” on investment for investors and the desired social outcomes, and provide a framework for assessing social performance .

Remember that a social purpose business is similar to any other for-profit business, but the organization will likely raise financing from investors who are interested in a double bottom line. Social enterprises in the non-profit environment will typically raise funding from traditional fundraising, loans and other forms of social finance.

Dees, J.G., Emerson, J., & Economy, P. (2001).  Enterprising Nonprofits: A Toolkit for Social Entrepreneurs . Toronto: John Wiley & Sons.

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Building Your Private Practice

Paper clips

By: Keisha Cox, LCSW, MS

When I was in graduate school, I remember a number of students who had plans to begin private practice right after graduation. I myself was intimidated by the idea, because I realized that private practice was a business venture, and graduate school did not prepare me for that aspect of social work practice. After gaining some years of experience under my belt and conducting much research about the business aspects of private practice, I felt confident to venture into this territory of social work, but not without first taking the following steps.

Establish Professional Supports

    Social workers who move from agency life to private practice gain the benefits of autonomy but lose the benefits of peer support unless they become connected with networks in the community. They can gain support by joining and participating in professional organizations, joining and participating in community organizations, or taking continuing education courses. In addition to joining a group, you may want to consider starting your own peer group with other social workers who share similar interests. Being part of a group will not only help you gain peer supports in the community, but it will also help you to establish a network for referrals and to keep up to date with developments and opportunities within your profession.

Create a Practice Design

    Before you begin recruiting potential clients, you must create a practice design. A practice design is a business plan for private practitioners. As a social worker venturing into private practice, you must ask yourself, “What type of clients do I want to work with?” Consider age, ethnicity, socio-economic background, and specific clinical/social issues when identifying the populations that you serve. You also need to determine where you want to practice. Consider immediate demographic populations, as well as convenience/accessibility to you and potential clients.

    When creating a practice design, you must also consider how much time you have to commit to your practice, including office hours and time for administrative duties. This must be weighed against how much you expect to earn and how much you can afford to spend. Take into consideration the number of clients you want to treat, as well as current insurance rates, private pay rates, and sliding scale fees, in addition to expenses such as office space, office furniture/supplies, telephone, Internet, marketing material, malpractice insurance, liability insurance, and so forth.

Create a Professional Profile

    In addition to a practice design, you should also create a professional profile. A professional profile is similar to a résumé or a curriculum vitae, but it is much more detailed, personal, and it is written in a narrative format. This profile includes information such as:

• Current position
• Past education
• Work experience
• Professional affiliations
• Treatment approach
• Professional goals
• Areas of special interest
• What makes you unique

    When creating a professional profile, it is best to include as much information as possible, as it is always easier to cut down on information when needed than it is to re-write or add more details to your profile. Once your profile is created, you will have your blueprint for marketing your private practice. The following are tools/tips for marketing your practice.

Brochures and Other Promotional Materials

    Brochures are an attractive way to publicize what you do. Use your professional profile to create brochures about your practice. When designing your brochure, remember to be creative, as it is your means to attracting the attention of potential clients/referral sources. The brochure should not be just a repeat of your professional profile, but also a source of information for the user so that he or she is inclined to read it, keep it, and even pass it along. For example, if you are practicing as a behavioral therapist, then your brochure should provide information about behavioral therapy or how behavioral therapy can help people with their problems, in addition to your qualifications as a behavioral therapist. Also, it may be helpful to have more than one type of brochure targeted toward different audiences with specific information such as “Living with Bipolar Disorder.”

    Business cards are another basic marketing tool and an essential for anyone in private practice. They are the least expensive to print and the easiest to distribute. However, many people don’t know how to make the best use of business cards. Most business cards include basic contact information, but because business cards are the most distributed and often the only marketing tool used, they should provide a snapshot of your practice. The following is a list of important information to include on your business cards:

• Qualifications
• Phone number
• E-mail address
• Services offered

    It is important to have a marketing image, so that people remember you. Other materials, such as your Web site, letterhead, note cards, and envelopes, should be coordinated to have the same look as your business cards and brochures. We’ll discuss those in more detail later.

Marketing Letters/Direct Mail

    In my opinion, your practice does not exist if people do not know about it. You must get the word out. I would start by creating a marketing letter that will be sent out to potential referral sources, such as medical offices, churches, schools, community programs, and so forth. When selecting potential referral sources, it is easiest and most effective to start with providers in your immediate geographic location before branching out further. The letter should introduce yourself, explain about your practice, and attempt to establish a reciprocal relationship. By reciprocal relationship, I mean that you should offer a service in exchange for referrals. The service must be something that is easy for you to provide, so that you do not exhaust your physical and financial resources. Some examples of reciprocal services are:

• Free telephone consultations
• Referrals to their service
• A brief workshop or in-service
• Written material on a topic of interest

    The marketing letter should be accompanied by brochures and business cards for distribution and can be followed by other forms of direct mail. Examples of other forms of direct mail are:

• Updates about changes to your practice (i.e., being added to an insurance panel)
• Holiday cards
• Written information/publications (either written by you or articles that you find that may be of interest to them)

Establishing Community Linkages

    Although marketing letters and direct mail are important, they cannot stand alone. They serve as introductions to your practice, but are most effective when they are followed up by a phone call or visit. It is extremely important to contact potential providers by phone or in person to establish a relationship with them. The call should be kept simple and informative, letting them know about your availability and offering your reciprocal service. Again, you should present yourself as a resource to your potential referral sources and offer to provide them with services such as telephone consultations, written material, and in-services or workshops.

Creative Use of Computers

    In this day and age, the use of computers is essential to any business. Having an e-mail address and Web presence is as important as having business cards and brochures.  There are many providers who will give you access to free e-mail, and some also offer a free Web page. Web hosting packages are also easily accessible and start with prices as low as $2.99/month with easy do-it-yourself options. I am by no means a computer whiz and have been able to design some pretty acceptable Web sites. When designing your Web site, you should keep in mind the same basic information as you did when designing your brochure. The Web site must be attractive, user friendly, and it helps to include helpful resources such as mental health or therapy information, articles written by you, or links to other articles that will attract potential clients and referral sources. Your Web site should also include your professional profile, your contact information, and should be designed in a fashion similar to your brochures, business cards, and other materials. If this idea is completely overwhelming to you, you should check out some Web sites of other practitioners and find out who designed their sites. (It is often listed at the bottom of the Web page.) Consider investing a couple of hundred dollars with that Web designer.

Writing and Public Speaking

    One of the keys to successful marketing is to make your name familiar by keeping your name in the public domain. You want to be known as the expert in one or two topics related to your mental health practice. This is known as your niche. Your niche should not limit the work you do, but identify you as an expert on a particular subject. When people think of your niche topic (or something related to it), you want them to think of you. The best way to do so is by writing and public speaking. These roles can be intimidating and are often careers themselves, but if planned correctly, they can be great ways to build your practice.

    You can start by writing articles for local magazines or newspapers. The smaller periodicals are often looking for new ideas and topics that are of interest to the general population. You can also print your own brochure or newsletter that you distribute to local community health centers. Be sure to include your contact information.

    You can also begin public speaking by contacting local social groups, churches, and schools and offering to do workshops on topics of interest, such as stress management, healthy relationships, handling peer pressure, and so forth. Again, it is helpful to provide resources that people will keep, use later, and/or pass along that also have your marketing message.

Press Releases

    We often forget that good news is newsworthy. If you are planning any speaking engagements, notify the local media (newspaper, radio, television) and get the word out with a press release. Although media coverage should not be the reason why you do charitable work, there is no reason why you should not be acknowledged for any charitable work you do. For example, if you are conducting a toy drive, writing a press release can help support your cause as well as enhance your public image.

    You can also create press releases about topics of public interest, such as the national suicide rate and your advice for living with depression. Another strategy for press releases is to respond to a topic already in the news, such as your experiences with teen violence in response to a school shooting. Be sure to include information about your practice, such as a brochure or professional profile, when submitting your release to the media.

    You must approach your practice as a business, and businesses are responsive to their environments. It is not a process that you begin and then sit back and it magically replicates itself. Managing a private practice is an active process, and you must maintain a hands-on approach throughout the life of your practice.  With that in mind, you must remember to periodically look over and possibly adjust your practice design, professional profile, marketing tools, and marketing strategies to maintain your private practice.

Keisha Cox, LCSW, MS, has been in practice as a clinical social worker since graduating from New York University’s School of Social Work in 2002 and currently operates a private clinical practice in Mount Vernon, NY. She has postgraduate training in loss and bereavement and in child and adolescent psychotherapy, in addition to more than 10 years of experience in the fields of mental health and substance abuse. Ms. Cox also has an MS in management from the Robert Wagner School of Public Service and is experienced in fundraising, marketing, event planning, program evaluation, program development, and as a social work manager. Ms. Cox is the founding and coordinating clinician of Community Counseling, a consulting firm that establishes linkages between mental health providers and members of the community.

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Corporate Social Workers: The Role of Social Work in Business

The intersection of social work and business may seem like an unlikely pairing, but it is becoming an increasingly important aspect of corporate responsibility. Corporate social workers are now being recognized for their role in helping organizations integrate social and environmental concerns into their business practices.

Social workers possess a diverse set of skills that can be applied to various areas of business operations. From supporting corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives to managing sweeping organizational changes, the role of social workers in corporate environments is becoming increasingly prevalent.

For those pursuing a social work education , exploring the responsibilities of corporate social workers, including how they help corporations create better work environments and support social justice, can open up intriguing new career paths.

What Is a Corporate Social Worker? 

A corporate social worker is a social worker who acts as a bridge between the field of social work and traditional business environments. They apply their specialized knowledge and skills to support an organization’s social and environmental goals and objectives, while also providing support and resources to employees and communities. Areas of business culture that corporate social workers may be involved in include corporate social responsibility; change management; diversity, equity and inclusion; and human resources.

One example of how a corporate social worker might operate is by providing resources and guidance to employees who are experiencing personal or work-related difficulties. They may conduct individual or group counseling sessions, provide referrals to community resources, or develop and implement programs that address the needs of employees, such as mental health or stress management programs.

Career paths in corporate social work are typically macro in nature, with a focus on policy, program development and advocacy. Transferable social work skills applicable to this type of work include:

• Policy writing
• Program management
• Group facilitation

The Rise of Corporate Social Work

The demand for corporate social workers is rising due to a growing recognition of the importance of employee well-being, social justice and sustainability in the business world.

A heightened focus on employee well-being and mental health has contributed to increased interest in corporate social work. According to a report by the Society for Human Resource Management, more than 50 percent of U.S. workers said they would likely leave their current job for a new job with better mental health benefits, highlighting the need for support and resources in the workplace.

In addition, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a vital component of business strategies in recent years. It involves companies taking responsibility for the social, economic and environmental impacts of their actions. 

The business case for CSR is becoming more apparent, with research indicating that companies that prioritize CSR outperform their competitors in terms of both financial performance and reputation. This provides a strong incentive for organizations to invest in CSR initiatives and hire experts such as corporate social workers to help them achieve their goals.

Corporate Social Worker Roles 

A corporate social worker helps ensure that an organization operates in a socially responsible and ethical manner while also providing support and resources to employees and the wider community. Social responsibility in corporate contexts includes:

• Employee well-being : Taking steps to improve the well-being of employees. This can include offering health and wellness programs, promoting work-life balance, and ensuring fair compensation and benefits.
• Ethical business practices : Operating with integrity and transparency, adhering to ethical business practices and upholding the organization’s social and environmental responsibilities. This can include fair labor practices, responsible sourcing and transparency in reporting.
• Community involvement : Supporting the communities in which the business operates. This can entail donating to local charities, volunteering time and resources, and supporting other local businesses.

Social workers often provide specialized support to organizations looking to improve their social impact or overall company culture. For example, a corporate social worker may partner with an environmental specialist to develop initiatives that support an organization’s sustainability goals. 

Overall, corporate social workers help businesses be more equitable and accountable to employees and the general public. Consider some of the following ways corporate social workers can support business initiatives.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate social responsibility refers to a company’s efforts to have a positive effect on the community, environment and broader society in which the company operates. Customers and investors are increasingly demanding that companies act responsibly and address social and environmental issues. Companies that fail to do so risk losing customers and investors to competitors. 

Corporate social workers can play a crucial role in CSR by helping companies develop strategies and programs that align with their values and goals. They help organizations identify the most significant social and environmental risks and opportunities, develop strategies to mitigate those risks, and monitor and report progress.

For example, according to Microsoft’s 2021 CSR report, the company’s CSR team includes “experts in environmental sustainability, human rights, supply chain, data science, and social work.” The social workers on the team work on initiatives such as improving access to technology for underserved communities, supporting employees’ mental health and well-being, and promoting diversity and inclusion within the company.

Microsoft’s CSR team also includes a licensed clinical social worker who serves as the director of social impact programs. This individual oversees the company’s social impact programs, including initiatives related to mental health, digital skills training and community engagement.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Increasingly, social workers help spearhead diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in corporate environments. They help companies create and implement DEI strategies and provide DEI training and consultation to employees, management and executive leadership.

For example, social workers can support DEI initiatives by facilitating workshops on unconscious bias. These sessions can help employees and leaders become aware of their own biases and how these biases can impact their decision-making. 

IBM is one example of a company that hires social workers to promote DEI. One of the company’s key DEI initiatives is its Be Equal program, which is designed to help employees foster inclusion in the workplace and understand and address racial and gender-based bias. By providing tools and strategies for identifying and addressing unconscious biases, social workers can help create a more inclusive workplace culture. 

Change Management

Corporate social workers can also play a vital role in change management. Companies often undergo significant changes, such as reorganization or downsizing, which can have a notable impact on employees. Downsizing and reorganizing can lead to a decline in morale among employees, especially if they feel that the changes are unjustified or not well communicated. They may feel demotivated, disengaged and less committed to their work.

A social worker can help an organization maintain a positive work culture and climate during times of upheaval by providing guidance on how to foster a sense of community and support, including prioritizing employee well-being and mental health.

How to Become a Corporate Social Worker  

Similar to other social work roles, the path to becoming a corporate social worker involves obtaining a degree in social work and gaining professional experience in the field. Corporate social work roles may require additional training or certification in relevant areas such as business, management, DEI or CSR. 

Some key steps that can prepare individuals for a career in corporate social work include:

• Obtain a degree in social work : A bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work is typically required to become a corporate social worker. Additional coursework that covers relevant areas, such as business, management or CSR, may also be beneficial.
• Gain professional experience : After earning a degree, it’s important to gain professional experience in the field. This can be done through internships, volunteer work or entry-level social work positions.
• Pursue additional training or certification : To work in a corporate setting, it may be helpful to pursue additional training or certification in areas such as CSR or DEI. This can be done through continuing education programs, workshops or certifications offered by professional organizations.
• Find corporate social work positions : Corporate social work roles can be found in a variety of industries, including health care, finance and technology. Aspiring corporate social workers should research companies that prioritize social responsibility and look for job postings that match their skills and experience.
• Network with other professionals : Building relationships with other social workers and business professionals can be helpful in finding job opportunities and staying up to date on industry trends and best practices.

Bring Social Responsibility Into Business

Corporate social workers are instrumental in helping businesses be more socially responsible. They help companies develop effective CSR strategies, promote DEI and manage change effectively. As the importance of CSR and employee wellness continues to grow, the role of social workers in corporate environments is likely to grow along with it. 

Becoming a corporate social worker requires a combination of education, experience and additional training. With a strong background in social work and a focus on relevant business and management skills, individuals can make a positive impact in promoting social responsibility and ethical business practices. 

Professionals interested in corporate social work should explore Virginia Commonwealth University’s online Master of Social Work Program format. With a curriculum guided by principles such as social justice, diversity and ethical practice, the program can prepare you to pursue a career in this growing field.

Credit Reviewed by Kathleen M. Korndoerfer, M.A., LPC. *

* Kathleen Korndoerfer, M.A., is a licensed professional counselor with over 10 years experience in the fields of mental health and social work. Kathleen currently practices in Colorado and specializes in the treatment of PTSD & trauma-related disorders and child and adolescent counseling.

Kathleen Korndoerfer, Licensed Professional Counselor, Montrose, CO, 81401 | Psychology Today

What Can You Do with a Master’s in Social Work?

How to Advance Your Social Work Career

From M.S.W. to LCSW: Understanding Your Career Path as a Social Worker

Corporate Social Work Collective, “11 Tips When Making the Switch to Corporate Social Work”

Corporate Social Work Collective, “Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – Making It a Career Option for Social Workers”

Corporate Social Work Collective, Home

Corporate Social Work Collective, “Stepping Out of Traditional Social Work Roles”

Creating Healthier Communities, “What Is Corporate Social Work?”

IBM, Be Equal

IBM, IBM Diversity & Inclusion 2021

Investopedia, “Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Explained With Examples”

Microsoft, 2021 Environmental Sustainability Report

Microsoft, Create a Sustainable Future

Social Work Today , “DEI Training for Social Workers”

Society for Human Resource Management, “Mental Health in America: A 2022 Workplace Report”

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