The Business of Good serves those who serve the poor.

Over the years, we’ve focused on creating permanent change in lives of the poor rather than safety net social service.

The target of longer term change makes measurement a little more difficult and yet we try to find what we’re getting out of each dollar we spend. In 2012, we deciphered that $500,000 in grants created about $10 million in economic value to the people and communities we serve.

We also closely measure our administrative to donation dollar ratio. In 2012 we are 1:5, with total administration costs around $100,000.

Our first filter for partners is that they must serve the poor.

The second filter has three lenses: our partners must create opportunities for the economically disadvantaged through scalable programs in the areas of 1) entrepreneurship, 2) education and 3) employment.

We believe that safety net services are rightly the government’s aegis. Most of us pay taxes willingly knowing that one of the things our tax dollars provide is this safety net for Americans who cannot provide for themselves.

Our mission is to support organizations that provide social service which creates economic value. And it’s not as hard as it may first appear.

An ex-felon who proves he or she can “go straight” deserves the training to do so. A child raised by a poor guardian deserves a prep-school education and a chance for college. And any person with a business plan and a good work ethic deserves a chance to succeed or fail in business.

Imagine a community where these opportunities for the economically disadvantaged become reality: the working ex-felon, the kid who is the first in his family with a college degree, and the entrepreneur that ramps a sustainable business. It is this outcome that creates economic value, reduces the safety net expense, and best of all, create life stories that inspire others to do the same.

Peace,

Tim