Economic Opportunity Institute - National Urban League

Programs

Economic Empowerment

THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY INSTITUTE

The Economic Opportunity Institute (EOI) provides nonprofit leaders with Executive Training,Technical Assistance and Social Investment to support their nonprofit mission and generate income.

The mission of the Economic Opportunity Institute is to promote social entrepreneurship within the Urban League affiliates and other nonprofit organizations. Established in 2003 with the generous support from the Prudential Foundation and the J. Willard & Alice S. Marriott Foundation, the Economic Opportunity Institute (EOI) provides the following services:

Executive Training

The Economic Opportunity Institute offers three training curricula: the EOI Executive Course, the EOI Orientation QuickStart, and the EOI Venture Driver Intensive.

EOI Executive Course
This is a seven-day curriculum designed and developed for CEO-level trainees. Piloted in February 2003 at George Mason University, this intensive hands-on experience covers the key academic and practical aspects of social entrepreneurship.

Download 2006 Application now!

EOI Orientation QuickStart
This is a one-day curriculum designed to respond to the needs of newly-appointed CEOs of EOI participating affiliates and non-profit organizations. QuickStart focuses on increasing unrestricted revenue to support mission-related activities. Participants gain an overview of the concepts and potential of social entrepreneurship.

EOI Venture Driver Intensive
This course addresses operational issues of earned income confronting upperlevel managers. This 3-day course, offered at the Whitney M. Young Jr. Center for Urban Leadership, instructs venture drivers on how to implement and operationalize their social entrepreneurship business concepts.

Technical Assistance

Upon completion of the EOI Executive course graduates receive technical assistance throughout the year via subject specific teleconferences, field visits, customized reference materials and resource lists. Technical Assistance provides professional services to help solve organizational problems, address specific issues and communicate best practices. Technical Assistance is a critical component of our services designed to help affiliates develop and implement earned income strategies and social entrepreneurship activities.

Social Investment

Launching new ventures and repackaging existing programs require financial and human resources that are rarely available through restricted nonprofit resources. EOI helps affiliates and other non-profits meet this need by offering competitive financial awards. The National Urban League Social Venture Plan Competition provides monetary and in-kind awards while guiding participants in the start-up and growth of revenue generating, mission-related activities.

Click here for a list of resources that will assist in the start-up, growth, and/or capitalization of social ventures.

For more information contact the Economic Opportunity Institute