Match distributed to support Margin & Mission Ignition entrepreneurial plans

ngoTo boost the fundraising efforts of the six area nonprofits engaged in its Margin & Mission Ignition initiative, The Patterson Foundation recently matched investments made toward the startup costs of each organization’s earned-income plan. The six nonprofits collectively raised more than $230,000, and The Patterson Foundation matched nearly $192,000 for a total of more than $422,000 invested in their plans. The plans, which the nonprofits developed through their participation in Margin & Mission Ignition, will enable them to create new revenue streams.

The Patterson Foundation created Margin & Mission Ignition to give nonprofits in our region the opportunity to explore new possibilities and implement earned-income strategies to increase their impact and capacity to serve the community. Each organization opted into the 18-month process after participating in the initial Margin & Mission Ignition labs last year to learn entrepreneurial principles. The organizations are receiving extensive guidance from No Margin, No Mission, a social enterprise and national consulting firm engaged by The Patterson Foundation.

“The Patterson Foundation is invested in this long-term learning process to provide the time and space for these organizations to create earned-income strategies,” said Debra Jacobs, president and CEO of The Patterson Foundation. “By having the opportunity to adopt innovative ways to support their missions, these nonprofits are embedding change to further their impact and expand their service to our community.”

The match offered by The Patterson Foundation gave generous donors an opportunity to support the organizations’ continuing innovation by incentivizing donations given to their programs. Donors responded by investing in the organizations’ entrepreneurial plans, encouraging them to continue developing and implementing the ventures. In addition to the match, The Patterson Foundation will assist the organizations with additional consulting and technical assistance from No Margin, No Mission as they put their plans into action.

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

• Charlotte County Habitat for Humanity: Habitat Cleanout & Removal is a new home-cleanout service created to remove furniture and household items that were left behind in vacated homes and apartments.

• Friends of Sarasota County Parks: Shade is Good is an exclusive line of sun-safety and hydration products that will be sold at venues operated by Sarasota County Parks.

• Legal Aid of Manasota: Florida Low Bono – a new venture designed to provide quality legal assistance to clients with limited financial means in family-law cases.

• Lighthouse of Manasota: This organization will expand and improve its Peepers Low Vision Store, offering a selection of best-in-class low-vision products.

• Pines of Sarasota: Pines of Sarasota plans to grow its existing Pines of Sarasota Education and Training Institute by expanding its selection of practical, affordable dementia-care education offerings in a variety of formats.

• The Friendship Centers: The Friendship Center for Aging Studies will offer accredited continuing-education courses through an aging lens for licensed professionals.

Follow Margin & Mission Ignition by visiting www.thepattersonfoundation.org or join the conversation using #TPFMarginMission on social media.

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