Not-for-profit leaders participate in sessions facilitated by York Entrepreneurship Development Institute professors & instructors, providing a solid foundation in business theory and economics. Theory examined includes: entrepreneurship, marketing strategy, business development and growth, finance and communication skills. Successful entrepreneurs quickly need to learn where they lack expertise and require a network of support. Entrepreneurs participate in sessions that will prepare them for real-life application of theory to achieve inspiration, ideation, and implementation. Topics include: visioning & environmental scanning, finance and fundraising. Sessions take place once per week.

Social enterprises need as many opportunities as possible to showcase their organizations. Upon successful completion of the program, leaders will present their not-for-profits at the exclusive Venture Fair and pitch for the opportunity to receive funding from funds, donors, sponsors and additional stakeholders.

The Venture Fair provides a concrete opportunity for leaders to showcase their organization’s business plan, models, and milestones to a funder audience, as well as create industry partnerships that will take their not-for-profit organization to the next step in development and success.

Organizations often benefit by sharing best practices, challenges, and accomplishments with one another. The YEDI Director coordinates regular cluster meetings to facilitate constructive feedback, group exercises, and peer-support. Students are also expected to complete bi-weekly milestone deliverables that are assigned to guide the business development process. Each milestone and achieved goal will form a component of the final proof-of-concept, with which the entrepreneur will graduate the program.

Participants will be matched with subject matter experts across diverse industries. The YEDI Director will ensure that volunteer mentors from pertinent sectors are available for valuable insight, problem-solving, as well as networking opportunities.

A not-for-profit will not survive in a competitive market if it lacks customer service, people management skills, and is unable to relate well to clients, vendors, staff and donors. YEDI training provides both a lecture and a seminar involving key components of business communication skills. Our partner 3V Communications helps leaders of not-for-profits with their organizational branding, writing, communication tactics and pitch presentations.