Are you about starting a self help group? If YES, here is a complete sample self help group business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE.
Okay, so we have considered all the requirements for starting a self help group. We also took it further by analyzing and drafting a sample self help group marketing plan template backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for self help groups. So let’s proceed to the business planning section.
A self help group business which is part of the gigantic non-profit industry, is a body aimed at realising a specific goal by creating a positive impact on people, animals, a community, an environment, or the planet as a whole. Individuals in this business are boy into it to make money but to help realise a common goal or help the environment.
A non-profit organization differs from a for-profit business in a number of ways. For example, an NGO usually has no owner, but an individual or a group can own a for-profit business. Also, an NGO is funded by contributions, not by investments as is the case with for-profit businesses.
That the business is not a business you venture into for profits doesn’t mean it is an easy business to start without proper planning and research. You need to learn as much as you can from someone who’s already into the self help group business.
Most businesses close to you who would see you as a competitor won’t want to talk to you, but a good individual who owns a self help group on the other side of the country will be much more likely to talk with you, after he or she must have understood that you nor a direct competitor or into the same niche. Proper written below is self help group business plan template for your consumption.
One of the things that you will also need to know is that you have to put together a detailed business plan. Here is a sample business plan. Below;
A Sample Self Help Group Business Plan Template
1. Industry Overview
The self help sector of the non-profit industry is made up of businesses who are trying to promote the civic and social interests of their members. They operate facilities for their members, who come together to help each other get over a particular issues or fight for a common goal.
Businesses in this industry are expected according to estimate to spend $0.15 on capital improvements for every dollar spent on labour. Most of the industry capital expenditure is used for office equipment and materials needed to fulfill their goals.
Bigger groups in this sector often build social facilities or permanent camps, and have larger meeting facilities for their members; they generally have higher capital intensity levels than smaller organizations. Capital intensity for the industry has remained fairly steady over the past five years.
The revenue self help group sector of the non-profit industry has increased only marginally over the past five years, even with the growth in sector disposable incomes and corporate profit, which was expected to bring about a greater donations to the sector.
Membership rates in this sector have reduced due to heightened competition of the various ventures in it to gain the’ time and attention of American, and since the social media has increasingly obstructed the industry advantage in connecting like-minded communities.
The non-profit industry as a whole will continue to face these challenges in the coming five years even with the increase in the economy of the united states, which will lead to increase in donations, and many organizations are expected to close as a result.
It is also very important to note that businesses in the huge non-profit industry get their operating revenues from foundations, government grants, membership dues, and fees for services they provide. They typically attract people who are passionate about solving social problems; the big upside of working in this sector is that you can make a positive impact on behalf of your organization’s cause.
Businesses in this industry are becoming much more entrepreneurial, picking facts and learning explicitly from the private sector how to attract people and make more money using direct marketing techniques to promote their fund-raising efforts, or even starting their own small businesses to help generate income to fund social programs.
2. Executive Summary
ROOTED is a self help group based in Newark, New Jersey. This self help group will provide group classes and mentoring groups for youths of the United States. We plan to build partnerships with local school districts and the juvenile court system, which will help us build a sense of responsibility into the young people in our society by encouraging pro-social friendships, strong interpersonal skills, and commitments in them. The main objective of this group is to teach youths the need to control their anger and usage of drugs.
It can be agreed that youths repeated failures in schools and playground tend to develop a destructive habits and lost faith in the possibilities that await them if they are successful in putting their lives together. These destructive behaviour and feeling tends to move them into drugs and unlawful Associations. We believe that we can be able to help youths of this age overcome the youthful exuberance leading them to their Graves.
We at ROOTED understand that the youths of this age take drugs for many reasons and for different effects. Some have seen others or even their parents drinking alcohol, smoking, and, sometimes, abusing other substances. Sometimes they tend to take all these because they got introduced to it by a friend or due to youthful exuberance.
It has been proven beyond reasonable doubt that teens within 12- to 17-year-olds who viewed three or more “R” rated movies per month were seven times more likely to smoke cigarettes, six times more likely to use marijuana, and five times more likely to drink alcohol, compared to those who hadn’t watched “R” rated films.
It has also been ascertained that boredom and being alone can move a young kid to do drugs. These kids have trouble keeping themselves occupied, or crave excitement are prime candidates for substance abuse. Also most shy teenagers who lack confidence tend to do drugs because they believe they can do all those things when they are intoxicated.
We at ROOTED hope to create a mentoring program that will pair a kid and a mentor for a period of 6 months. Within these six months period the two individuals will have to organise their schedule to participate in weekly planned activities suitable to then both to strengthen the relationship between the two and improve their anger and stress management. Both of them will also receive continuous training from ROOTED throughout the year and will participate in monthly meeting to report their individual progress.
3. Our Products and Services
ROOTED is self-helping group business that so bent on creating an opportunity for a troubled youth of the United States to work with a caring mentors to work on their problems and become the age bracket seen as the future of the United States.
Our goal is to build a society where young person understand their role in our society and accept it wholly. We hope to provide four programs that will go a long way to change the addiction that our youths have and they are as follows;
- The Trimester
This stage or program is the centre hub of everything that we will be doing at ROOTED. At this stage, the youth is taken through a process of withdrawal from drug addiction and settlement of the major reason that drives him or her into doing drugs. This stage is well planned and prepared to produce extensive result with a required time.
- The Turnaround program
This program focuses on youths who have been through the trimester stage. At this stage, they are allowed to choose to a new goal and vision for their life. A new dream for we understand that a human who doesn’t dream, has no goal. They are given the preference to reminisces on how they have wasted their years and the need for them to move forward and be the future and present of the United States.
- The Pinnacle program
This program in our self help group business will directly engage youth involved in the juvenile court system. This program will create mentoring relationship between our mentors and the youth in other is to establish a program of change in the young person’s life.
The mentor is expected to encourage goal-setting, self discipline, and skill development which will establish a sense of responsibility in them. The mentor and youth are expected to work together for a year and will be given the leverage to participate in monthly group activities and outings.
- Lunch Friends
This particular program will offer our mentors who will be seen as lunch friends to children in the local elementary schools surrounding us. The duty of these mentors is to educate these young kings and Queens on the need to stay clear of drugs, the effects and causes. As well as getting prepared for the issues of rage future.
4. Our Mission and Vision Statement
- Our Vision at ROOTED is to build a nation where youths will understand actively their role in the success of our nation, and be well nurtured responsible individuals for themselves first and the society at large.
- The mission at ROOTED is to imbibe in our youths the principles of commitment, respect, responsibility, possibility, and individual support. Create a platform where they can be able to speak their minds freely, without fear of the law, autism or segregation.
Our Business Structure
We at ROOTED hope to create an effective training program for mentors that will increase their ability to be successful communicators and help save our youths from the menace of drug abuse. ROOTED was founded by Prof Stanley King, whose love for America cannot be argued.
He has served the country in much capacity. He is the immediate pass Director of the United States National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse (NACDA). He has always championed the fight for us Americans to understand that our country will keep declining if we neglect the abuse being heaped on kids and teens. ROOTED we believe will be founded with these various portfolios being occupied by relevant and well versed individuals. These portfolios may include;
- Executive Director
- Board of Directors
- Fundraising/grant coordinator
- Mentor recruitment/training coordinator
- Youth referral coordinator
- Security Officer
- Cleaners
- Interns / Volunteers
5. Job Roles and Responsibilities
Executive Director
- In charge of leading ROOTED in a manner that supports and guides the organization’s mission as defined by the Board of Directors.
- In charge of communicating effectively with the Board and providing, in a timely and accurate manner, all information necessary for the Board to function properly and to make informed decisions.
- In charge of the fiscal integrity of ROOTED to include submission to the Board of a proposed annual budget and monthly financial statements, which accurately reflect the financial condition of the organization.
- In charge of fiscal management that generally anticipates operating within the approved budget, ensures maximum resource utilization, and maintenance of the organization in a positive financial position.
- In charge of fundraising and developing other resources necessary to support ROOTED’s mission.
- In charge of implementation of ROOTED’s programs that carry out the organization’s mission.
- In charge of strategic planning to ensure that ROOTED can successfully fulfil its Mission into the future.
- In charge of the enhancement of ROOTED’s image by being active and visible in the community and by working closely with other professional, civic and private organizations.
- Responsible effective administration of ROOTED operations.
- In charge of the hiring and retention of competent, qualified staff.
- In charge of signing all notes, agreements, and other instruments made and entered into and on behalf of the organization.
Fundraising/grant coordinator
- Makes sure that the events organized by him bring a lot of appreciation to his organization
- In charge of designing programs and strategies in order to organize huge events that are beneficial
- In charge of directing and meeting the leading contributors and requesting them to be a part of the events
- Attempting to take in leading contributors and benefactors in order to come up with huge amounts of money
- Tasked with getting the payment extract into his organization and influencing the gifts in one way or the other
- Charged with growing the range of promotional materials in his organization
- Ensures that the customers and associates receive all the data regarding different events that were organized and the services that were executed
- Tasked with observing and upholding the current and active booking systematizations and making himself familiar with it
- Charged with helping the visitors on their arrival and always upholding spic and span frontal table areas
- In charge of growing monetary finances of the organization by arranging fundraising events
- Requesting for fiscal help from the grant office in order to get extra financial backing and support for his organization
- Making sure that the aims and targets of the events are achieved
- Tasked with coming up with effective and functional monetary funds for his entire organization
- Facilitating the extra finances to achieve the monetary fund needs and organizing many other events continuously in order to gather funds for the cause
- Collaborating with the executive director and boards of Directors to execute some other tasks, which need their help
Mentor recruitment/training coordinator
- In charge of managing the daily activities of the back end office and also the monitoring of all mentors
- Prepares payroll for the organization
- Prepare monthly financial report for the organization
- Interfaces with vendors and third party suppliers
- Interfaces with our bankers (lodgement of cash, checks and bank drafts et al)
- In charge of payment of tax, levies and utility bills
- Accomplishes human resource objectives by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, assigning, scheduling, coaching, counselling, and disciplining employees; communicating job expectations; planning, monitoring, appraising, and reviewing job contributions; planning and reviewing compensation actions; enforcing policies and procedures.
- Achieves operational objectives by contributing information and recommendations to strategic plans and reviews; preparing and completing action plans; implementing production, productivity, quality, and customer-service standards; resolving problems; completing audits; identifying trends; determining system improvements; implementing change.
- Meets financial objectives by forecasting requirements; preparing an annual budget; scheduling expenditures; analysing variances; initiating corrective actions.
- Performs any other reasonable duties and tasks as requested by the Foundation.
Youth referral coordinator
- The link between the Foundation and the youths
- Design and execute programs and ensure inclusion of various recreation and sports activities.
- Maintain professional relationship with customers, city department and various agencies and ensure customer satisfaction.
- Provide an interface between community partners and customers.
- Organize and conduct training programs for staff and ensure compliance to company standards.
- Analyse facilitate programs and determine results and ensure achievement of all objective within timeframe.
- Evaluate program activities and implement it to achieve all objectives.
- Prepare a schedule of programs and ensure maximum results.
- Monitor performance of staff to ensure efficient functioning.
- Schedule various training activities and authorize staff to design development activities.
- Administer projects and ensure compliance to all Federal, state and local regulations.
- Develop programs to initiate existing linkages.
Security Officer
- Makes sure that the office of the foundation is safe at all time
- Reviews security concerns and communicate safety measures to staff and management at regular intervals
- In charge of monitoring the foundation’s CCTV
- Makes sure that visitors and the belongings are safe
- Makes sure that cars packed within designated areas are safe
- Control traffic and organize parking
- Patrols around the building on a 24 hours basis
- Submits security reports weekly
- Performs any other reasonable duties and tasks as requested by the Foundation.
Cleaners
- In charge of cleaning the office facility at all times
- Make sure that toiletries and supplies don’t run out of stock
- Cleans both the interior and exterior of the building
- Runs errands for the foundation
- Performs any other reasonable duties and tasks as requested by the Foundation.
Interns / Volunteers
- Works on short term projects like data capturing, administrative support and program support et al for the foundation
- Assists various key officer in the foundation to meet up with set targets and goals
- Runs errands for the foundation
- Serves as ushers during programs
- Performs any other reasonable duties and tasks as requested by the Foundation.
6. SWOT Analysis
ROOTED is a self help group business established to build a strong network of support with the school systems and the juvenile court system, lunch a series of fundraising activities that will successfully fund the expanding program, build an effective monitoring system to protect both the youth and the mentor, and many more ideas flowing from the depths of our hearts.
This is why we are trying to avoid mistakes and negative trends. We have given a lot to make sure that a well articulated and well researched SWOT Analysis will be conducted to show the flaws and strength in our plans. The summary of our SWOT Analysis is outlined below;
- Strength
According to our SWOT, our strength rests on the experience and strength of our founding Directors. They are all men and women who understand the industry and are ready to give their best to achieve our purpose and goal. Also the connection being protruded by these individuals are astonishing. Being the A-list individuals on our society, they have what it take stock catapult us to the top.
- Weakness
Our SWOT Analysis also stated that our major weakness will be our speed to attract like minds and convince youths to accept our help. It takes time to build trust and we understand that people have had issues especially when they trust so quickly. We believe that we will be able to move our goals and purpose closer to the people, and make them feel the love and commitments we have.
- Opportunities
The SWOT Analysis conducted also explained the fact that the future of America lies in the hands of our youths. But with the way our youths are moving, America and the world may not have a future of we do nothing to redeem the situation.
These young kids do not understand the implications of the things they do, and more youths tend to go down the wrong path every day. This we believe is the only guarantee or opportunity we need to strive in this sector of the non-profit industry.
- Threat
The only threat we might be facing according to our SWOT Analysis is the adequate funding to be able to achieve our goals. Raising the fund to redeem the world is not just the duty of the director or the Board, but for anyone who believes in the future of the United States.
7. MARKET ANALYSIS
- Market Trend
It has been noted that the increasing recognition of the value of the non-profit sector coupled with a rising confidence among non-profit leaders will open up huge opportunities for the industry businesses to step up and create opportunity out of the seemingly mounting pile of challenges (like terrorism, natural disasters, political gridlock).
The ground of the industry is in righting imbalances and it often coalesces in times of trouble. Just as evidence of social movements emerging from challenges, we are seeing an uptick in social protests. But it is believed that the industry will continue to be relevant and open as long as they strive to impact the lives of people and the world. Foundation in the sector should focus now on prevention strategies.
The hustle of the drug abuse prevention sector is actually providing results, and American teenagers are increasingly making smarter decisions when it comes to drugs and alcohol. Marijuana use among high schoolers is still an area of concern. Current marijuana use has now exceeded cigarette use among seniors, with 6 percent of 12th graders using marijuana on a daily basis.
This is not the only issue. Despite the adverse consequences marijuana has on youth and adolescent brain development, teen’s risk-perception of the drug is slight at best. Only 32 percent of high schoolers believe marijuana is harmful, down from the 36 percent just last year.
From 13-year olds to 18-year olds and even beyond, experimentation with drugs still maintains a strong presence in younger demographics. This is where prevention needs to be. This is where the facts need to come into play
8. Our Target Market
ROOTED is a foundation established because of the menace drug abuse is having on our kids and the society. This self help group was founded for the youths and what they mean to the future of the United States. ROOTED offers at-risk youth the opportunity to make a dramatic change in their lives.
This foundation was established to be most accessible to young people who otherwise would be swept into the juvenile court system or frequent school detention. Our goal is to identify youths who are going have a rough transition to adulthood and give them the positive support system to avoid the pitfalls that can destroy or drain them entirely.
We at ROOTED have different strategies to get to our targeted audience and those are the youths. At the elementary school level, our mentors will work hard to teach and instruct the kids on the need to live a drug free life. With middle school students, our mentors will serve as role models to these teens and let them understand that the quick relief you get from drugs doesn’t solve the situation but worsens it. We have devised different strategies to reach young people within the age of 8-16 in our society.
Our Competitive Advantage
It may seem impossible but there are a lot of competitions in the self help group sector of the non-profit industry, especially when that is pursuing same or similar goals. It simply means that they will be interested in the same things and approaches.
Non-profits can be classified into service categories, including the arts, culture, and humanities; education; environment and wildlife; health; human services; international and foreign affairs; membership benefit; and public benefit.
We at ROOTED understand the competition we are about to face, especially in our location. We also understand how fragmented the industry is but we believe in our strength. According to our SWOT Analysis, our strength rest on the sort of founding Directors we have. These individuals are well known in the society and they can penetrate through the eye of a needle to get the necessary incentives we need to actualize our goal. This we believe is our competitive advantage.
9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY
- Sources of income
Our sources of income at ROOTED may include private donations, federal and state contracts, grants from private foundations, school districts and business sponsorship. Our fundraising Coordinator has outlined a list of ways he believes we will be able to raise funds and they include;
- Cash Donation
- Gift of Appreciated Stock
- Legacy Gifts
- Fund Raising Events (Fund Raising Dinners et al)
- Revenues from Sales of Tickets at our events
- Revenues from Exhibitions (crafts and other products)
- Corporate Giving and Sponsorship
- Food Store Community Partnership Program
10. Sales Forecast
Revenue forecast for ROOTED for 2017 is $2,000,000. This funds we believe will come from Federal/State contracts, private foundations, and the school districts. But we estimate that the growth from these funding sources will only be 5% over the next three years.
We at ROOTED will focus on rapidly increasing funding from sources where the percentage growth is projected to be higher. The targets are private donations, business sponsorships and fundraising campaigns. By 2022, estimated revenue should be in excess of $11,000,000.
Our financial plan at ROOTED depends on very important assumptions of a slow-growth economy without major recession, an assumption that there will be no unforeseen changes in federal grant funding availability, assumption that there will be a continued need for services by at-risk youths, and an assumption that we will have a broad community support for mentoring.
- Marketing Strategy and Sales strategy
Our goal at ROOTED is to make sure that no youth in the United States is left behind. The focus of our marketing strategy will be to successfully sell this new resource to the schools and the juvenile court system. Our referral coordinator will be in charge of creating and maintaining a network of contacts that will serve as the referral source for the program.
We also hope to publish brochures that will be used as a means to sell the benefits of the program to both potential referrers and participants. Our referral coordinator will also be tasked with providing progress reports for the referring program, school, or agency.
We will also make sure that our marketing strategies will allow us to attract and retain quality mentors for the program. We will be making use of all available media platforms available to use to create an awareness, to show that we are in the market.
We believe the word of mouth marketing, by our clients, will help to spread the gospel. The core of the marketing strategy will be the creation of the program’s Board of Directors who will be chartered with the responsibility of selling the benefits of the program to the community.
11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy
It is very much understandable that the marketplace is constantly shifting to cope with the demands 9f the customers and that means businesses need to adapt their marketing requirements accordingly. We understand that good marketing is expensive and that we can’t afford to waste money on ineffective tactics, which is why we have decided to make use of the following techniques to advertising our self help group;
- Place adverts on both print (newspapers and magazines) and electronic (radio and TV) media platforms
- Sponsor relevant youth related community programs like soccer competitions, essay competitions and talent hunt shows et al
- Distributes our crested learning resources to schools in and around the community where we operate
- Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Flickr, Fotolog, Pinterest, Shutterfly, Tumblr, WordPress, Facebook, twitter, YouTube, Google+, and Snapchat et al to promote our brand
- Design an interactive corporate website and we will make use the platform to promote our non – profit foundation
- Place adverts on high traffic websites
- Engage in blogging and make use of the platform to promote our non – profit foundation
- Leverage on email marketing strategy to advertise and promote our non – profit foundation.
12. Our Pricing Strategy
13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)
We at ROOTED also hope to establish a funding support from businesses and private donors within our location at an aggressive rate of growth. But it has been noted that it will take approximately five years before funding from these sources becomes strong enough to expand the program.
Our expenditures for the program are for the training and managing of mentors and the program activities for youth and mentors. But it is very important that we apply due diligence to fund allocation for these programs and activities. We hope to Create an effective communication system to help us report fiscal data to the Board of Directors so adjustment ASAP. We have also created or analysed the way we hope to spend our start up capital and it includes;
- The Fee for Incorporating the Foundation: $725.
- The budget for insurance, permits and license: $10,000
- The Amount needed to rent an office facility with halls and space from training and organizing events: $100,000.
- The Cost of Launching a Website: $600
- The Cost for the purchase of software (accounting software, project management software, CRM software et al): $500
- The cost for purchasing office equipment and electrical appliances: $20,000
- Overhead cost for a 6 month period: $72,000
- Additional Expenditure (Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions et al): $75,000
From our detailed analysis above, we will need approximately $300,000 to start up ROOTED. We have also made plans to take care of the necessary expenses needed to start up ROOTED.
Generating Fund / Start up Capital for ROOTED
Starting a self help group business is not an easy task especially when you don’t have the needed connection to access funds required to kick start the project. We have been able to analyse the industry and the various opportunities available to us before even putting down this business plan.
We also know how important a business plan is for the survival of a business. We believe that this foundation will grow to reach the four walls of the earth. We have deduced way to raise the funds we need for ROOTED, which may include;
- Donations from Our Board Members
- From Pre – Launch Funding Raising Event (Dinner)
- Sponsorship and grants from private individuals
14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy
Running a self help group business can be very difficult and annoying, but what more can someone do to save the world. The fact that Non-Profit businesses depend solely on grants and donations to execute their projects and also to maintain their facility and workforce means that they must always be on their toes if they want to continue to stay afloat. We at ROOTED have put plans in place to remain the hub of the industry.
ROOTED was established as a tax-exempt not-for-profit mentoring organization that pairs volunteers with at-risk youth. We have also deduced what we want to do and how we want to achieve them. We have decided to focus on youths who are overcoming the menace caused by drugs in their lives.
We also plan to focus on families by teaching them to inculcate good upbringing and a well nurtured lifestyle into them. We believe that our marketing will attract mentors who care about kids and their community. Our first interest is the creation of a network of contacts with New Jersey School System and the county’s juvenile court system, secondly to recruit and train of mentors, and finally to develop astonishing fundraising strategies.
Checklist /Milestone
- Business Name Availability Check: Completed
- Business Incorporation: Completed
- Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts various banks in the United States: Completed
- Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
- Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
- Application for business license and permit: Completed
- Purchase of All form of Insurance for the Business: Completed
- Conducting feasibility studies: Completed
- Leasing, renovating and equipping our facility: Completed
- Generating part of the start – up capital from the founder: Completed
- Applications for Loan from our Bankers: In Progress
- writing of business plan: Completed
- Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
- Drafting of Contract Documents: In Progress
- Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
- Graphic Designs and Printing of Packaging Marketing / Promotional Materials: Completed
- Recruitment of employees: In Progress
- Purchase of the Needed software applications, 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 banks, financial lending institutions, vendors and key players in the industry: In Progress