New Business | Mission Throttle

Published

March 29, 2018

Filed Under

New Business, General, Mission Throttle News

Mission Throttle Teams with Yad Ezra to Combat Hunger in the Jewish Community

Yad Ezra has selected Mission Throttle to develop an enhanced business strategy that supports its long-term ability to provide kosher food to families in need in Southeast Michigan.

While federal programs help provide safety nets and other critical assistance to those at risk of hunger, these programs do not reach everyone in need, and food banks remain a critical component of the fight against hunger. Yad Ezra opened its doors in 1990 to provide food-insecure Jewish families with kosher food that was unavailable through other programs. By distributing groceries to families in need, Yad Ezra works to alleviate some of its clients’ financial burdens. In 1990, Yad Ezra served an average of 250 families monthly; current statistics indicate that it now provides approximately 1,300 impoverished families (almost 3,000 individuals) with food, health care items, and household goods on a monthly basis.

While the problem of hunger in the Jewish community and beyond still remains, Yad Ezra will continue to play a critical role in supporting struggling families. The organization is uniquely positioned to respond to this persistent problem and expand its services to those in need by building on its already successful programs.

Mission Throttle and Yad Ezra will work in partnership to

Identify key organizational assets
Establish clear goals based on organizational strengths and aspirations
Consider market gaps to pursue
Determine market demand for its primary service offering and potential additional offerings
Identify national best practices for comparable models with potentially marketable revenue streams

About Mission Throttle

Mission Throttle is a social impact strategy firm dedicated to accelerating philanthropic innovation in communities. We advise, invest in, and support mission-driven organizations that seek to use market-based strategies to address social and environmental challenges. We are deeply passionate about our work and believe that merging business solutions and philanthropic values is critical to sustain and scale social impact for those in need.

About Yad Ezra

Yad Ezra opened its doors in 1990 with the purpose of providing kosher food to needy Jewish families in Southeastern Michigan. The founders of Yad Ezra learned that there were impoverished Jews living in the community who relied heavily on government assistance programs, including food stamps.

Published

March 22, 2018

Filed Under

New Business, General, Mission Throttle News

Mission Throttle and Detroit Future City Collaborate to Transform Vacant Land in Detroit

Detroit Future City (DFC) has selected Mission Throttle to help assess opportunities to accelerate its Green Stormwater Infrastructure initiative through social enterprise.

There are more than 120,000 vacant lots — comprising 24 square miles— across Detroit. While vacant land can be found in every neighborhood and has an impact on every resident, 72% of the city’s vacant lots are located in areas of concentrated poverty. Detroit also has an aging water system that is often overwhelmed by frequent and intense weather events, leading to severe flooding and further damaging quality of life for residents in vulnerable areas. In urban areas, green stormwater infrastructures can reduce flooding and sewer overflows by absorbing large amounts of stormwater, replenishing the groundwater supply, and reducing the use of sewers.

By effectively utilizing open spaces and greenways throughout the city, DFC’s Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) is uniquely positioned to transform vacant land, and improve quality of life for Detroiters. While this social enterprise is expected to create an earned revenue strategy for DFC, it will also create a path for Detroit’s environmental sustainability and ultimately, support economic growth. “Detroiters are critical partners in guiding vacant land transformation and assuring that land is an asset that promotes economic, environmental and social quality of life for residents in all neighborhoods” says Anika Goss-Foster, Executive Director, DFC.

Mission Throttle and DFC will work in partnership to determine market demand and capacity for GSI; identify national best practices for community education and GSI implementation that can be deployed in Detroit; and develop a sustainable funding model including earned revenue opportunities that will accelerate GSI adoption throughout the city. “We applaud DFC’s commitment to seeking both financial sustainability for itself and environmental sustainability for our community, and we are eager to collaborate to identify new market-based opportunities for growth” says Susan Gordon, Managing Director of Advisory Services for Mission Throttle.

About Mission Throttle
Mission Throttle is a social impact strategy firm dedicated to accelerating philanthropic innovation in communities. We advise, invest in, and support mission-driven organizations that seek to use market-based strategies to address social and environmental challenges. We are deeply passionate about our work and believe that merging business solutions and philanthropic values is critical to sustain and scale social impact for those in need.

About Detroit Future City
DFC is a nonprofit charged with catalyzing implementation of the DFC Strategic Framework, a 50-year vision for the City of Detroit developed with input from more than 100,000 Detroiters. Its role is to steward equitable implementation of the recommendations made in the Strategic Framework. DFC will accomplish this in partnership with residents and public and private stakeholders, and through data-driven strategies that promote the advancement of land use and sustainability, and community and economic development.

Published

March 10, 2017

Filed Under

New Business, General, Mission Throttle News

Mission Throttle and COTS Collaborate to Break the Cycle of Intergenerational Poverty Among Detroit’s Homeless

Coalition on Temporary Shelter (COTS) has selected Mission Throttle to help it identify new opportunities to increase the financial stability and impact of its programs, and address recent changes in government funding of homelessness programs.

The city of Detroit is experiencing a great revitalization. Young professionals are flocking to the city to live and work; new restaurants and business are opening at a seemingly unprecedented pace; yet homelessness and unemployment remain persistent problems. Detroit is home to nearly 16,000 homeless adults and 3,500 children. While 21 local mission-driven organizations serve the homeless population of Detroit, most are focused on providing emergency shelter instead of addressing the root cause of pervasive social problems.

COTS is undergoing a significant transformation to respond to these pressing social needs, and believes that a holistic approach is critical to solve the problem of intergenerational poverty among the homeless. COTS has adopted a “housing first model,” which prioritizes the importance of stable housing, and is now a national norm with the recent increase in funding and support from HUD. COTS is using an evidence-based framework called the Passport to Self-Sufficiency, which addresses the plethora of factors that prevent families from permanently escaping homelessness, including: family stability, healthcare, financial empowerment, education and training, and career development. This approach helps clients remove critical social barriers and achieve long-term sustainability.

“A heart breaking moment for me was witnessing children return as adults with their own families, struggling with the same issues their parents once had,” said Cheryl P. Johnson, CEO, COTS. “We do housing well. But are we really teaching people the skills they need to stay housed? Or further, the necessary life skills to overcome of poverty? Handing over keys isn’t enough. Admitting we have opportunities for growth is everything. It has made the difference between offering emergency shelter and offering a life-changing opportunity. We are a learning organization. Our Passport To Self-Sufficiency successfully shows people how to navigate through life, and how to set a better example for their children to follow as they grow into adulthood.”

Mission Throttle and COTS will work in partnership to identify opportunities to enhance its organizational efficiency and effectiveness, and develop a business model designed to help lift an even greater number of families out of the homelessness all too prevalent in Detroit — ensuring that the children it serves today will not need its services as adults tomorrow.

“COTS’s vision for a future Detroit without homelessness is both radical and rational,” said Susan Gordon, Managing Director of Advisory Services for Mission Throttle. “With a focused business strategy, COTS has the opportunity to create an innovative social enterprise that aligns with its core values, provides capital for scale, and advances its mission to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty.”

About Mission Throttle

Mission Throttle is a social impact strategy firm dedicated to accelerating philanthropic innovation in communities. We advise, invest in and support mission-driven organizations that seek to use market-based strategies to address social and environmental challenges. We advance the organizational capacity and sustainability of mission-driven organizations through scaling earned revenue and instilling best practices to serve more people in need, increasing community impact and social justice.

About COTS

Founded in 1982, COTS www.cotsdetroit.org is a private, non-profit organization that provides emergency shelter, transitional and permanent housing, as well as comprehensive support services for homeless families and the at-risk population. COTS mission is to alleviate homelessness by providing an array of services which enable people to achieve self-sufficiency and obtain quality affordable housing. COTS assists families in reaching their housing, economic, health, education and career goals through coaching, mentorship and support as they strive to overcome homelessness and break the cycle of poverty for the next generation and beyond. COTS also exists to advocate for long-term solutions to the problem of homelessness.

Published

December 13, 2016

Filed Under

Client News, New Business, General, Mission Throttle News

Mission Throttle Selected by W.K. Kellogg Foundation to Help Grant Partners Create Framework for Growth and Innovation

Mission Throttle has been selected by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) to provide advisory services to a cohort of its Michigan-based community partners. With support from WKKF, Mission Throttle is collaborating with Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative (ELNC), COLORS Detroit, and Grand Rapids Urban League (GRUL) to develop pathways for their sustainability and growth.

The engagements are designed to enhance each organization’s operational effectiveness, and enable them to meet existing and future funding needs by developing innovative, diversified revenue strategies.

“In 2010, ELNC made a commitment to make quality early learning opportunities available and accessible to vulnerable families living within in our target neighborhoods,” said Dr. Nkechy Ekere Ezeh, Founder & CEO of ELNC. “We promised parents that we wouldn’t start something that we couldn’t sustain. In order to do that we needed to develop a sustainable business plan based on intentional strategies aimed at advancing racial equity in early childhood education. We greatly appreciated the fact that Mission Throttle was there to help guide us through the process while providing expertise and a valuable external perspective.”

Mission Throttle is working with ELNC, COLORS Detroit and GRUL to create customized, long-term solutions for critical social issues by using creative market-based approaches. The organizations that Mission Throttle works with, and their pioneering leaders, simultaneously look to increase their financial stability, along with the social and/or environmental stability of their communities.

“We applaud WKKF’s commitment to prioritizing preventive solutions and capacity building investments, and are thrilled to collaborate with their community partners to identify initiatives that promote operational excellence,” said Susan Gordon, Managing Director of Advisory Services for Mission Throttle.

Mission Throttle has also begun working with five of WKKF’s Battle Creek community partners — Burma Center, Generation E Institute, Urban League of Battle Creek, VOCES and Woman’s Co-op — to identify opportunities to accelerate their impact on the community.

About W.K. Kellogg Foundation
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation by breakfast cereal pioneer, Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in school, work and life. The Kellogg Foundation is based in Battle Creek, Michigan, and works throughout the United States and internationally, as well as with sovereign tribes. Special emphasis is paid to priority places where there are high concentrations of poverty and where children face significant barriers to success. WKKF priority places in the U.S. are in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico and New Orleans; and internationally, are in Mexico and Haiti. For more information, visit www.wkkf.org.

Published

October 5, 2016

Filed Under

New Business, Client News, General, Mission Throttle News

Mission Throttle Teams with Michigan Women’s Foundation to Increase Access to Detroit’s Microloan System

The Michigan Women’s Foundation (MWF) has selected Mission Throttle to analyze the market demand for expanding its existing Microloan Fund. The Michigan Women’s Microloan Fund provides start-up and growth capital to women entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Existing and new business owners in Detroit are greatly in need of capital to spur the growth of their businesses, yet conventional monies, even those from CDFIs, often do not meet the needs of these individuals. Many business owners are in need of smaller loans (less than $25,000), which most financial institutions are challenged to provide. MWF has successfully demonstrated its ability to deploy micro-loans ranging from $5,000 – $50,000; this success is closely tied to the invaluable education and mentoring programs that complement its loans.

While this funding gap is commonly acknowledged, most intermediaries are unable to provide the entrepreneurs with the breadth of technical assistance and resources to fully activate their ideas. Mission Throttle and MWF will work in partnership to expand access to the Detroit micro-loan ecosystem, and identify opportunities to further develop this critical piece of the funding continuum in Detroit.

“MWF is keenly aware that this program needs to be scaled to meet the demand for capital. As a result, MWF is eager to develop the financial and operational infrastructure necessary to promote women-owned businesses, and to create positive economic impact for the city of Detroit,” said Carolyn Cassin, President & CEO, Michigan Women’s Foundation. “By providing women who are starting and growing their businesses with the support they need, MWF works to eliminate barriers to economic and social equality and helps build a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

“We believe in creating sustainable, replicable solutions to complex problems,” said Susan Gordon, Managing Director of Advisory Services for Mission Throttle. “It is our hope that the result of this collaboration with Michigan Women’s Foundation will not only benefit women-owned businesses in the city of Detroit, but provide a model that will help open doors to economic opportunities for women throughout Michigan.”

About Mission Throttle
Mission Throttle is an advisory firm dedicated to accelerating philanthropic innovation in our community. We advise, invest in, and support mission-driven organizations that seek to use market-based strategies to address social and environmental problems. We are deeply passionate about our work and believe that merging business solutions and philanthropic values is the best approach to achieve sustainable social impact.

About Michigan Women’s Foundation
With a 31-year history of high-impact work, Michigan Women’s Foundation is devoted to fostering economic empowerment for Michigan’s women and girls through philanthropy and investment. In response to a compelling need for women to further advance their social, economic and professional well-being, MWF and its partners and supporters are committed to creating financial and intellectual improvements for women and girls.

Published

August 9, 2016

Filed Under

New Business, Client News, General, Mission Throttle News

Mission Throttle Selected by the Skillman Foundation to Develop Sustainable Solutions for Grant Partners

The Skillman Foundation has selected Mission Throttle to work with Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation to help the 19 year old community organization sustain and scale its programming.

Mission Throttle partnered with the Skillman Foundation in January 2016 to pilot “The Sustainability Grant Challenge.” The challenge was designed to provide a Skillman Foundation grant partner that demonstrated a desire to strengthen and scale one or more of its programs, with professional assistance not normally accessible to a community-based nonprofit due to cost. The Skillman Foundation invited 25 grant partners to participate in the challenge, which benchmarked organizations using a survey designed to assess operational effectiveness, based on Mission Throttle’s proprietary scoring system. Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation was selected as the recipient of the Skillman Sustainability Grant and will work with Mission Throttle to develop a blueprint to enhance their organizational efficiency and effectiveness, develop sustainable revenue models and funding strategies, and achieve increased scale. “We believe in the work of our grant partners, and know they face challenges every day that make it difficult to best deliver their needed services,” said Patricia Hinojosa, Senior Program Officer, Social Innovation for the Skillman Foundation. “By helping to strengthen organizations, they can more effectively serve the community and be drivers of change.”

Conventional philanthropy typically funds direct program related support and often neglects the critical costs of infrastructure. Experience has shown that proper operating systems and human capital are essential for sustained operational excellence. Recognizing this gap, Mission Throttle is working with Foundations across Michigan on similar nonprofit enterprise building initiatives.

About Mission Throttle
Mission Throttle is an advisory firm dedicated to accelerating philanthropic innovation in our community. We advise, invest in, and support mission-driven organizations that seek to use market-based strategies to address social and environmental problems. We are deeply passionate about our work and believe that merging business principles and philanthropic values is the best approach to achieve sustainable social impact.

About the Skillman Foundation
Created in 1960, the Skillman Foundation is a private philanthropy committed to improving meaningful graduation rates in the Detroit region, so kids are ready for college, career, and life. The Foundation has assets of nearly a half-billion dollars, with an annual grants budget of $17 million. The Foundation works to achieve its goal by investing in community leadership, neighborhoods, safety initiatives, high-quality schools, social innovation, and youth development.

About Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation
Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation’s mission is to make a difference by creating life-changing opportunities for youth and their families. We are committed to meeting the needs of our community by providing quality, innovative and culturally appropriate services, primarily in Southwest Detroit. Our vision is to create a stable and safe community where youth and families have quality opportunities for self-empowerment, education, and personal wealth.