For-profit ventures help nonprofits shore up the funding they need to maintain and expand their programs

By Abny Santicola

All about mission
While generating additional revenue is a main motivation for starting an earned-income venture, almost equally important is the mission benefit.

A venture connected to mission allows organizations to offer a wider range of services to new groups, as well as their normal target populations. For example, though Freedom Wheels turns a profit on the cars it sells, the vehicles still only cost $3,000 to $5,000 and are affordable enough for some low-income families. By offering two levels of service, so to speak, Vehicles for Change can assist low-income families as they work up and out of poverty.