You can profit and give back to your community as a business owner. Local businesses can contribute significantly to the local economy and boost its overall performance in the market. There are many ways to do this, but one way is to start a business that supports your community. Here are three companies you can begin with that will positively impact your community.
Social Enterprise
A social enterprise is a business with a social mission at its core. This could be anything from providing job training for those with barriers to employment to selling fair trade products. Not only will a social enterprise provide much-needed services or products to your community, but it will also create jobs and support the local economy. Here are the essentials you need when starting a social enterprise:
Needs Assessment
First, you’ll need to know what services or products your community needs. This can be done through a needs assessment, which is an evaluation that identifies the specific areas where improvements are required. This helps you determine what kind of social enterprise you should start and how to make it most successful.
Funding
To get started with your social enterprise, you’ll need funding for things like start-up costs, materials, and wages for employees. You can look for grants or loans from local businesses, foundations, or individuals interested in supporting your cause.
Local Food Cooperative
Starting a food cooperative is excellent for providing healthy, affordable food to your community while supporting local farmers and food producers. A food cooperative is a member-owned and operated business typically run by a board of directors elected by the members. The members pool their money together to buy bulk food, saving everyone money. Here are some essential things you need to start a local food cooperative.
Equipment
Your food cooperative will need all sorts of equipment, especially if you want to make some dishes. Here are some of the essentials:
- Filling machine: if you want to produce various food products, you’ll need a filling machine. If you plan to make small batches, feel free to invest in a robust tabletop filling machine. It will ensure that you won’t waste too much food and can create your products efficiently.
- Refrigeration: food safety is paramount in food cooperatives, so having the proper refrigeration and storage space is essential.
- Storage containers: depending on your product line, you may need various storage containers for bulk spices, grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Contact With Farms
Your cooperative can’t exist without support from local farms. The more you can connect with your community’s farmers, the better. You can form relationships with these farms or even invest in them to help keep their operations afloat and provide a stable produce supply.
Community Garden
A community garden is exactly what it sounds like—a garden open to anyone in the community. Local organizations or volunteers often start community gardens which are typically free to use. They are a great way to promote healthy eating and provide fresh produce to those who otherwise may not have access to it. Here are some essentials for a community garden:
Land
First, you’ll need to find a parcel of land for your garden. This could be in city limits or on an outside property like someone’s yard. The land must be large enough to accommodate the number of people interested in using it.
Soil and Seeds
Next, you’ll need soil and seeds. If you’re starting a community garden from scratch, it may take time for the soil to be ready for planting. In the meantime, you’ll need to purchase various seeds and plan out your crop rotation.
Water and Fencing
Once your soil is ready for planting, you’ll need water to keep everything alive and fencing or other barriers to keep out pests and animals. Depending on your resources, you may need to invest in irrigation equipment or solar-powered water pumps.
Home-Based Recycling Service
With more and more people becoming aware of the importance of recycling, a home-based recycling service is a great way to help out your community while making a little extra money. You only need a truck or van to pick up recyclables from people’s homes, and then you can take them to the nearest recycling center. You can even offer to pay your customers for their recyclables! The best part is that recycling contributes a lot to the sustainability of your community!
Starting a business is a great way to support your community. You can begin with many different types of companies. Keep these businesses in mind the next time you want to start a business!
