Please describe your market-based social enterprise idea and your relevant experience using the following outline. Your executive summaries should cover the following topics: business and social concept, product / service description, management team, target customers, market size, competitive advantage, social impact metrics, funding requirements and financial projects (3-5 years). Please find below a set of questions to guide you in addressing the above mentioned topics in your executive summary.

Executive summaries must be typed in 12 point type size and must not exceed 3 double-spaced pages with 1 inch margins. Anything that does not match these requirements will not be read, and the application will therefore be ineligible. Applications must be made in English.

  • Social enterprise concept title (business name or working title)
  • Social enterprise opportunity (include all of the following)
    1. Describe the market need and social issue your social enterprise will address
    2. Describe how the product(s)/service(s) will meet the market need and social issue you identify
  • Competitive environment (include all of the following)
    1. Who are the significant existing competitors offering similar products/services?
    2. Who are the significant potential new entrants (new competitors) in the industry?
    3. What are the challenges and barriers to entering into this industry?
    4. What makes the product(s)/service(s) you plan to offer distinctive (why do you think your target customers will choose your product(s)/service(s) over others that are available)?
  • Viability of social enterprise concept (include all of the following)
    1. How will you inform your target market about your product (s) / service (s) and how will you distribute / deliver them?
    2. What are your employment projections for the first two years of operations?
    3. How specifically will your social enterprise make money and how long will it take to become profitable?
    4. What are your sales revenue projections for the first four years of operations?
    5. How will you measure the social efficacy of your enterprise (What metrics and methodologies?)?
    6. What are your social efficacy benchmarks and goals for a four-year horizon?
    7. How much investment will you need over a four-year horizon to operate your business?
    • Entrepreneurial and social work experience and commitment (use only descriptive terms, no proper names of people, schools, businesses, etc.)
    • Describe your education and experience as it relates to the social enterprise (what experience, knowledge, skills, contacts do you have in the industry, as a social entrepreneur, as a leader, etc.?)
    • Briefly describe your commitment to accomplishing this social enterprise start-up or expansion (how long have you been planning, how much time are you willing to spend on it, how much of your own money are you willing to put into it, etc.?)
    • Backgrounds of other team members or key managers