The Social Enterprise Ecosystem

Helping Mission-Driven For-Profits & Non-Profits

The federally funded Social Enterprise Ecosystem (SEE) offers one-on-one professional business coaching to social enterprises — mission-driven for-profits and nonprofits that also sell goods or services.

SEE expertise includes:

• Governance structure
• Strategic planning
• Financial planning
• Capital access pathways

The team also provides student engagement for graduate and undergraduate students, including year-round mentoring, peer-to-peer learning, and enterprise client research opportunities.

Impacting Ohio's Economy

Since its establishment in 2017, SEE has established trust and networking with clients, impact investors and collaborating institutions throughout Southeast Ohio, West Virginia, and select locations in Kentucky:

• 180 clients served
• 100 businesses improved (revenue/investment secured as a result of services)
• $63 million in grants, investments, loans, and client revenue as a result of services
• 45 startups created

Providing Outreach, Education & Training

Enterprise development tools, best practices and methodologies have been honed by serving more than 180 rural Appalachian clients. Former SEE clients, now successful business founders, owners and operators, are key participants in educating and guiding mission-oriented, bottom-line-sustainable enterprise precepts.

SEE team professionals have been invited speakers at more than 30 conferences, summits and trainings across the nation and internationally. At each engagement, they use SEE stories, toolkits and client examples as illustrations of community and economic development through social enterprise.

See is currently providing:

• Regularly funded regional entrepreneurial training
• Two hands-on, implementation-oriented graduate university courses: Social Entrepreneurship (MPA 5710) and Environmental Entrepreneurship (ES 5730)

Helping Our Clients

Conductor Solar

During multiple years’ of SEE professional assistance, this fintech client has helped investors in aggregated solar installation projects to lower transaction costs and finance small-to-medium-sized projects, with a focus on public service buildings serving low- and moderate-income populations.

SEE also assisted several regional impact investors with diligence and deal structure services to syndicate impact investments. SEE’s assistance brought together diverse clients in this common project with services including deal structure, business modeling, and community engagements. During its pilot phase, this collaboration with other clients facilitated by SEE raised $1.6M in a Power Purchase Agreement for a solar installation on both the middle school and high school in the local Federal Hocking School District, for whom an immediate $20,000 annual savings went toward student-focused resources. In a later A Round of funding, SEE’s advice helped propel the firm to new revenue and investment goals. Conductor Solar is one of several greater than $1 million metrics SEE clients.

Passion Works

Passion Works, a nationally renowned social enterprise employing developmentally different artists (featured in 2024 on CNN’s “Champions for Change” showcase) received financial and investment coaching, social enterprise development assistance, and a major analytical service in a Social Return on Investment report. (Also see Impact Measurement and Management, a SEE-affiliated Voinovich program.)

Black Heritage

Black Heritage clientele have been longtime key members of SEE’s assistance portfolio:

• For the Chesterhill Multicultural Genealogical Center, SEE aided in operational and social media strategic planning.
• For Mount Zion Baptist Church Preservation Society, SEE aided in strategic planning, financial advisory and social media services.
• For the Tablertown People of Color Museum, a social enterprise developed from the founder’s concept into a functional, award-winning nonprofit with local and state support.

Serenity Grove Women’s Recovery House

Serenity Grove Women’s Recovery House is a strong SEE-aided startup, an enterprise founded by committed health and recovery experts who lacked the financial and operational business services SEE provided. The enterprise houses and supports women in recovery — a strong social need within SEE’s footprint of opioid-impacted communities. As of 2024, the successful enterprise has served more than 50 residents in programming ranging from peer counseling and life-skill training to workforce engagement with multiple other regional social enterprises.

Winding Road Network

Winding Road Network, a longtime SEE client, aggregates and promotes the region’s authentic "experience tourism" assets under a common brand. SEE assisted in seeking and acquiring a federal USDA grant for tour transportation, marketing and sales capacity in a pilot “trail town” project in Shawnee Ohio. The project is a hub for product development, workforce training, booking and ticketing services, and enterprise support for the emerging experience industry cluster in southeast Ohio.

Services to the Funding Community

In addition to seeking, supporting and growing social enterprises, the SEE program provided key services to the regional funding community. After its March 2018 Social Impact Investing Symposium, the SEE team initiated and convened a grassroots collaborative of interested impact investors.

The Impact Innovation Group (IIG) included foundations from SE Ohio and West Virginia, the SE Ohio Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI), all SEE partner institutions, regional banks, and several local qualified investors. The IIG membership was instrumental in assisting and participating in the region’s new angel investment fund in January of 2023. 

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Social Enterprise Ecosystem Directory

Team Lead: Faith Knutsen

Professional Staff: Nathaniel Berger, Erin Rennich, Aaron Kirby