Proposal for PowerShift Learning Center:

Faith Based Economic Development Educational Certificate Programs

By Dr. E. Lance McCarthy

&
Bishop Michael A. Bates

Objective:
Develop a comprehensive plan to create an Educational Certificate Program through PowerShift Learning Center for Faith Based Organizations. Theory will be coupled with new revenue streams per students through fee for service, contract development, branding, minority business enhancement and social entrepreneurship. That plan will include the economic impact of the direct and indirect influence of all the Faith Based Sector which translates into more business partnerships and ministry to the "Whole Person".

Situation:

The Faith Based Sector is a recognized leader in the social justice and spiritual evolvement of the community. The Black Church is not only instituted in the American fabric, but has a national data sector that includes 65 million churches, 30 million members with nearly $30B in annual revenue. This extensive reach and connectivity has been a historical achievement in the areas of community outreach, social services and spiritual awareness.

Problem:

The Fatih Based Sector has been very successful in traditional fundraising means, i.e. Tithes and Offernings, yet the economy's effect on financial crisis, job loss and foreclosures has limited the traditional funding sources. Members are giving less based on theri limited resources. Corporations both large and small are limiting their traditional charitable donations. The amount of non profits has increased during this same sector, causing many to go out of business. In a global economy, traditional non-profit revenue streams won't sustain and or grow the organizations.

Solution:

PowerShift Learning Center should develop a comprehensive Faith and Finance Curriculum taught by Dr. E. Lance McCarthy Faith Based Economist/Business Consultant. This strategy will include a 1 day workshop to an entire semester of programs that will result in a Certificate. Dr. McCarthy will cover the entire economic impact of the church and provide solutions for small and large congregations. He will dsicuss pursuing business consulting contracts, business branding, equity partnerships and fee for service. He will discuss consumption vs. ownership, economic impact of the church, financing alternatives, successful models and will work with each student on their specific goals.

Curriculum:

Dr. McCarthy will discuss in addition to the basic curriculum of Faith Based Strategies to include innovative partnership as follows:

What is Faith Based Economic Development?

Assessing Community Needs and Tools

Mobilizing Congregation and Community

Successful Models

Creating Community Development Corporations

GREEN INITIATIVES

Leveraging President Obama's Green Job Initiative we would develop JV with Green Companies and go after contracts to assist in the retro fitting of Federal Buildings across the country. THis strategy would produce a new revenue stream and create specific job training. Dr. McCarthy's research in the technology field would assist in this endeavor.

FRANCHISE INITIATIVES

The International Franchise Association has been a long supporter of minority owned franchises. Every franchise organization is attempting to grow their base with monority dealers as their focus. We would leverage this partnership to find qualified minority partners inside the church and gain percentage in equity in the business. Dr. McCarthy leveraged this model with Earl of Sandwich a Planet Hollywood Company for the Orlando Affiliate. The result was a licensing fee agreement that was $200K in upfront value.

TECHNOLOGY/DEFENSE INITIATIVES

The 8a program and other minority defense programs have been extremely lucrative for the minority business sector. The Defense Department is our largest funded department in the U.S.A. Our strategy will be to leverage the skill set of those members of the church to assist in obtaining increased contracts for Church CDC's. For Profit entities will be developed on a local basis to assist in this initiative. Federal laws are showing minority participation will increase over the next five years. Dr. McCarthy was a member of President Clinton's Economic Conversion Task Force. He also met with Lockheed Martin in Orlando on this strategy and they are open to this means of development. This process increases revenue for the affiliate and increases jobs and job training.

FINANCE INITIATIVESThere are specialists in the church finance sector. There is opportunity to leverage the financial markets as they attempt to come back to the credit crisis. Dr. McCarthy will lecture on topics with the financial sector to determine partnerships on deals. Each church is unique in their respect to the financial markets. However, there is a growing sector of Social Investors that would welcome the partnerships that Dr. E. Lance McCarthy has partnered with, such firms and will lecture on the approach for new ones for partnerships. Dr. McCarthy was on Congressional Committees focused on such funds and would duplicate those past relationships.

Conclusion:

The Revenue Model would be on teaching Church Leaders/Students the cast amount of revenue streams outside of Tithes and Offerings. This would be a new revenue stream for churches and faith based organizations nationwide. This would reposition the Faith Based Sector as THE NON-PROFIT BUSINESS PARTNER corporations would want to partner with. Such developments would show how instead of traditional means of asking for funds to fund projects because of the good, we would quantify ROI based on the Faith Based Sector national economic impact and would show percentages of growth in sales and revenue to the corporation as a result of their partnership with the Faith Based Sector.

Strategy:

Dr. E. Lance McCarthy's macroeconomic skills would be a natural fit for this initiative. His experience as a lecturer and financier in the Faith Based Sector would make this curriculum both theory and practical. The sessions can be in one workshop or a series of classes.