 |
 |
|
|
|
|
ACEnet
Scale-up Strategy:
Three core strategies
Using ACEnet brands to attract additional clients and accelerate the scale-up of the organization. |
- Continue to develop the Food We Love and Art of Ohio programs that will increase brand awareness and revenues, improve access to markets, and attract more entrepreneurs.
|
| Using innovative technology solutions and mobility to expand geographic reach. |
- Expand technology application training, small business training and financial literacy to more communities through the use of a comprehensive listing of workshops.
|
| Increasing self-generating revenue streams through fees for services. |
-
Improving collection cycles for incubator fees.
-
Increasing brokering revenues from participation in ACEnet brands.
-
Building other revenue streams, particularly individual charitable contributions and strategic partnerships with local organizations (educational and economic development/tourism).
- Improve the service delivery, billing and collection systems by improving existing human resource management and financial systems.
Progress Update as of May 2009: |
- Expanded square footage display and special promotions for the Food We Love and Art of Ohio branded products in the Athens Kroger store.
- Launched a six-week promotion set-up of Food We Love products in the Kroger store’s entry way to coincide with Ohio University’s fall quarter 2008, resulting in a 20-percent increase in sales in 2008 and a 25-percent increase in sales during the first four months of 2009.
- There are currently 98 members in the Art of Ohio marketing program, up from 87 in 2008.
- More than 80 Art of Ohio microenterprises have been linked to new regional markets accounting for more than $80,000 in sales.
- Approximately 75 stores are now listed in the Art of Ohio directory.
- Continued to offer Business of Art training workshops, seminars and Webinars. Workshop topics included: Photoshop 101, How to Plan a Web site and several Financial Management classes.
Background:
Early field leader in the adoption of sectoral access to market strategies and the regional flavor concept. Core Microenterprise Services: |
-
Training and technical assistance
-
Business incubation and infrastructuredevelopment
-
Access to capital
- Capacity building through product innovation, brand development and technology
Highlights: |
- Food We Love and Art of Ohio branded products are being strategically marketed and located to ensure increase in revenues and visibility.
- Continued to offer Business of Arts trainings classes, seminars and Webinars.
- Utilized a "mobile technology lab" that allowed staff to reach more counties in service area.
|
Current Scale:
FY2006: 522 clients across five sectors
FY2007: 638 clients
FY2008: 1,094 clients |
Scale Projections:
FY2009: 900 clients/355 Training participants
FY2010: 1,100 clients/400 Training participants
|
Learning Questions:
Revenue generation: What is the best way to price products and services, particularly for on-line curricula and assistance? What is the best way to determine what the market will bear?
Fund-raising: How should we approach individual fund-raising, particularly when we've already reached a "scale" and level of success that is quite large relative to other local organizations?
Data collection: How do we use our data collection efforts to effectively communicate value?
Public policy: How do we finance our engagement in public policy - around issues such as financial literacy, which we see as key to our work?
|
