Margin & Mission Ignition Match Strengthens Nonprofits' Entrepreneurial Ventures

Following months of dedicated learning and development, the five nonprofits participating in the latest iteration of Margin & Mission Ignition are ready to embark on their entrepreneurial endeavors. To strengthen each organization’s fundraising efforts for their ventures, The Patterson Foundation matched more than $190,000 in contributions made toward the startup costs of their new earned-income plans, which will be used to generate revenue that increases their capacity to serve the community.

The following organizations are launching new or expanding existing ventures for their Margin & Mission Ignition earned-income plans:

• ngoBeyond the Spectrum: Launching a new onsite Applied Behavioral Analysis Therapy Clinic to provide needed therapy services to more than 100 children with autism and their families who are currently enrolled in school at Beyond the Spectrum.
  
  
• Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Sanctuary: Launching a new onsite venue rental business for those who wish to host unique corporate parties, weddings, nonprofit events, and special family gatherings amidst some of nature's most amazing and rare species of animals.
  
  
• The Charlotte County Art Guild, Inc. dba Visual Arts Center: Launching a new onsite Art and Supply Store to students, members, and visitors who wish to purchase class supply kits and materials, professional-quality basic art supplies, branded logo items, rental art supply storage lockers, and $1 snacks and beverages.
  
  
• Manatee County Habitat for Humanity: Expanding and growing the newly opened ReStore which offers thrift shoppers the opportunity to buy gently used home furnishing and home improvement items at an affordable price.
  
  
• UnidosNow: Launching a new Affordable College Prep and Career Readiness Services venture that goes beyond the traditional offerings that are currently available from local guidance counselors and independent college advisors.

The Patterson Foundation created Margin & Mission Ignition five years ago to help nonprofits in our region adopt and implement earned-income strategies, giving them the opportunity to build entrepreneurial capacity and strengthen mission impact. Throughout a 30-month process, each organization receives extensive guidance from No Margin, No Mission, a social enterprise and national consulting firm engaged by The Patterson Foundation. The 15 organizations participating in previous iterations of Margin & Mission Ignition have collectively generated more than $5.8 million in revenue through 18 different earned-income ventures.

“Margin & Mission Ignition has served as a catalyst for nonprofits developing alternate revenue streams for greater thrivability,” said Debra Jacobs, president and CEO of The Patterson Foundation. “With this match, The Patterson Foundation affirmed their business-planning, while sparking investor interest to propel them forward and turn these mission-aligned aspirations into reality.”

For more information about The Patterson Foundation’s Margin & Mission Ignition initiative, please visit www.thepattersonfoundation.org/margin-mission-ignition. Join the conversation using #TPFMarginMission on social media.