Neighbourhood Enterprise Development Initiative 

- Residents starting social enterprises in Toronto's priority neighbourhoods

In 2010, the Toronto Enterprise Fund teamed up with the United Way's Action for Neighborhood Change (ANC) to support the start up of more diverse social purpose enterprises. Our goal was to reach out to groups of residents in Toronto's 13 priority neighbourhoods and find out if there were community members who wanted to start up social enterprises. We call this Toronto Enterprise Fund and Action for Neighbourhood Change collaboration the Neighbourhood Enterprise Development Initiative (NEDI.)

The program was designed to provide resident groups with coaching and mentoring to help them develop business plans and apply for $10,000 in seed funding.

By mid summer, we had received interest from eight groups of residents to start a variety of different social enterprises such as a daycare, flower arranging, home decor and craft etc.

Through the United Way's Program called GenNext, we recruited eight professional volunteers with significant business backgrounds as well as non-profit experience to match with each of the eight resident groups.  These volunteers coached the groups in business development, and helped them prepare a business plan. The Action for Neighbourhood Change coordinator also played an important role in supporting the resident group to do research and complete the application form.

In December 2010, five groups submitted final applications. Each of the five groups presented their business plans on January 22nd 2011 to a panel of six judges. 

We would like to recognize our five finalist resident groups and the social enterprises they will start up in 2011.

1. Multicultural Childcare Collective, Action for Neighbourhood Change Bathurst and Finch
2. Dunia Design Collective, Action for Neighbourhood Change Crescent Town
3. The Craft Divas, Action for Neighbourhood Change Mount Dennis 
4. Connect Da Block, Action for Neighbourhood Change Jane and Finch
5. The Dreamsvill Academy Project, Action for Neighbourhood Change Lotherton Pathway-Caledonia

We would also like to give a big thank you to our eight professional volunteer consultants for the hours of work they put in supporting these resident groups to conduct business planning.

Chris Deir
Mohammed Khalaf
Nektarios Kikonyogo
Chiara Lacey
Diana Najjar
Samuel Oduneye
Vivek Sarma
Shatabdi Sarker