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Helping Mission-Driven For-Profits & Non-Profits

The Social Enterprise Ecosystem (SEE) offers one-on-one professional business coaching to social enterprises — mission driven for-profits and nonprofits that sell goods and services.

SEE expertise includes:

• Governance structure
• Strategic planning
• Financial planning
• Capital access pathways
• Feasibility assessments
• Grant research, writing, and management
• Organization succession planning
• Connections to regional funders

The team also provides student engagement for graduate and undergraduate students, including year-round mentoring, peer-to-peer learning, and enterprise client research opportunities.

Impacting ��������'s Economy

Since its establishment in 2017, SEE has established trust and networking with clients, impact investors and collaborating institutions throughout Southeast ��������, West Virginia, and select locations in Kentucky:

• 180 clients served
• 100 businesses improved (revenue/investment secured as a result of services)
• $63 million in grants, investments, loans, and client revenue as a result of services
• 45 startups created

Providing Outreach, Education & Training

Enterprise development tools, best practices and methodologies have been honed by serving rural Appalachian clients. Former SEE clients, now successful business founders, owners and operators, are key participants in educating and guiding mission-oriented, bottom-line-sustainable enterprise precepts.

SEE team professionals have been invited speakers at more than 30 conferences, summits and trainings across the nation and internationally. At each engagement, they use SEE stories, toolkits and client examples as illustrations of community and economic development through social enterprise.

SEE is currently providing:

• Regularly funded regional entrepreneurial training
• Mid-career learning through the Voinvoich Academy Dublin Campus and online offerings
• Mid-career cohort seminars through the OEMPA Dublin-based course
• Two hands-on, implementation-oriented graduate/undergraduate university courses: Social Entrepreneurship (MPA 5710 - Athens campus Fall in-person) and Environmental Entrepreneurship (ES 5730 - asynchronous Fall 7-week offering)

Graphic design support and application through the Oh You! Design Agency: An �������� College of Fine Arts & Voinovich School of Leadership & Public Service Partnership.

Helping Our Clients

Conductor Solar

During multiple years’ of SEE professional assistance, this fintech client has helped investors in aggregated solar installation projects to lower transaction costs and finance small-to-medium-sized projects, with a focus on public service buildings.

SEE also assisted several regional impact investors with diligence and deal structure services to syndicate impact investments. SEE’s assistance brought together clients in this common project with services including deal structure, business modeling, and community engagements. During its pilot phase, this collaboration with other clients facilitated by SEE raised $1.6M in a Power Purchase Agreement for a solar installation on both the middle school and high school in the local Federal Hocking School District, for whom an immediate $20,000 annual savings went toward student-focused resources. In a later A Round of funding, SEE’s advice helped propel the firm to new revenue and investment goals. Conductor Solar is one of several greater than $1 million metrics SEE clients.

Passion Works

Passion Works, a nationally renowned social enterprise employing developmentally different artists (featured in 2024 on CNN’s “Champions for Change” showcase) received financial and investment coaching, social enterprise development assistance, and a major analytical service in a Social Return on Investment report. (Also see Impact Measurement and Management, a SEE-affiliated Voinovich program.)

Tablertown Museum

Dedicated to preserving and showcasing 19th-century cultural artifacts, the museum tells the story of Appalachian history in Kilvert ��������, which has faced devastating challenges since the 1950s. With technical assistance, the museum attained 501(c)(3) status, secured over $40,000 in small grants, established a board of directors, and expanded its network to include key resources. In 2024, these efforts culminated in transformative funding, including a $45,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission for a regional planning grant and $500,000 from the Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization program to construct a world-class, permanent location. This future site will serve as a hub for exploring Kilvert’s historic sites in Southeast ��������.

Serenity Grove 

Serenity Grove is a strong SEE-aided startup, an enterprise founded by committed health and recovery experts who lacked the financial and operational business services SEE provided. The enterprise houses and supports individuals in recovery (in conjunction with a collaborating longstanding institution) — a strong social need within SEE’s footprint of opioid-impacted communities. As of 2024, the successful enterprise has served more than 50 residents in programming ranging from peer counseling and life-skill training to workforce engagement with multiple other regional social enterprises.

Winding Road Network

Winding Road Network, a longtime SEE client, aggregates and promotes the region’s authentic "experience tourism" assets under a common brand. SEE assisted in seeking and acquiring a federal USDA grant for tour transportation, marketing and sales capacity in a pilot “trail town” project in Shawnee ��������. The project is a hub for product development, workforce training, booking and ticketing services, and enterprise support for the emerging experience industry cluster in southeast ��������.

Services to the Funding Community

In addition to seeking, supporting and growing social enterprises, the SEE program provided key services to the regional funding community. After its March 2018 Social Impact Investing Symposium, the SEE team initiated and convened a grassroots collaborative of interested impact investors.

The Impact Innovation Group (IIG) included foundations from SE �������� and West Virginia, the SE �������� Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI), all SEE partner institutions, regional banks, and several local qualified investors. The IIG membership was instrumental in assisting and participating in the region’s new angel investment fund in January of 2023. Furthermore, when traditional funding methods are not feasible, SEE leverages internal resources to offer gap funding opportunities for regional social enterprises.

We're Here to Help You, Too!

Social Enterprise Ecosystem Directory

Team Lead: Faith Knutsen

Professional Staff: Nathaniel Berger, Erin Rennich, Aaron Kirby