Social Entrepreneurship

ABOUT OUR MINISTRY

Developing Faith-Rooted Health & Social Service Organizations

NBA’s Social Entrepreneurship program encourages and supports the development of new and innovative faith-rooted social enterprises that embody care and compassion in tangible ways. The social enterprises and nonprofits we work with seek to change the narrative by inviting communities into new possibilities; by creating innovative health social service-related enterprises. Our partnerships with social enterprises focus on nurturing an environment of support for nonprofit leaders seeking to grow and strengthen the impact of their work. We also focus on the work of sustainability for projects and nonprofits such as information and techniques to promote healthy organizations. We understand that God is concerned about the well-being of all. Social Entrepreneurs are responding to God’s call as they understand God’s dream for the world is wholeness. We respond with compassion and care which are the building blocks to transformation.  The roots of our work draw inspiration and strength from our faith as we believe justice and wholeness are possible.


Eligibility

Become An Incubate Partner

Applications to become an NBA Incubate Partner open every year in the spring. Our Partners receive up to four years of access to professional consultants, opportunities for learning, peer support, and grant funding. In a spirit of mutuality, Incubate Partners agree to share the story of their mission with the wider Disciples community and beyond. Together, we expand the church’s understanding of and capacity for health and social service ministry as part of Christ’s work in the world.

REQUIREMENTS

  • Incorporated for 10 years or less.
  • Disciples-affiliated. This means: being founded in partnership with a Disciples congregation or the NBA; having a set percentage of Disciples board members; and/or having an Executive Director/CEO who is a member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
  • Health and/or social service-related.
  • Aligned with the mission of the NBA.
  • Tax-exempt nonprofit.
  • Innovative: serving communities in creative and unique ways
  • Diverse: this includes organizations with diverse staff and leadership teams, as well as projects that serve Black, Indigenous, and/or other communities of color.

Incubate Partners

Strengthen Your Social Impact in Partnership with NBA

Incubate Partnerships are one way we seek to accompany and resource social entrepreneurs in launching their organizations, anywhere from the start-up phase to nonprofits that have been operating for some years (1-10 years). We seek to connect social entrepreneurs with peers through cohort groups or innovative conversations. Our groups provide an intergenerational, collaborative learning experience rooted in theological reflection social analysis (the act of doing something strategic through the work of the enterprise), with the branches of our work being the creation of sustainable social enterprises and healthy organizational structures.

Operation BookBag

Fort Worth, TX—Operation BookBag offers youth tools to address mental health and wellness and life skills to become positive, productive adults.

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Root Cause Collective

Garner, NC—The Root Cause Collective exists to build community as a means of preventative health care, to create an ecology of wellness for the whole being.

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Empower Hope Center

Louisville, KY—Offering life skills and educational development programs for families, single mothers, seniors, and youth.

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Global Arts and Theology Experience

Austin, TX— Educating girls age 11-17 about Black women's history and literature and womanist theory and theology.

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Camp Sunflower Inc.

Witchita, KS—Creating places of safety for youth of all sexual orientations and gender identities where each person is celebrated.

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Whosoever Will Community Assistance Program

Beltsville, MD—Provides fresh, healthy, nutritious food to food-insecure communities.

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Garden of Eden Health Center

Jayuya, Puerto Rico—Healthcare and holistic preventive medicine for women, children, and seniors.

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Recovery Café San José

San Jose, CA—Healing for those traumatized by homelessness, addiction, mental health challenges.

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StoryWagen

Kansas City, MO—Free resources about grief, moral injury, shame, guilt, and other spiritual health issues.

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Social Entrepreneur COHORT

Plant, Water, and Grow Your New Social Enterprise

Each year NBA selects a cohort of new faith-rooted social entrepreneurs to be a part of a community of support and growth.  Those selected to be a part of our Social Entrepreneur Cohort will be in an active process of formation and conversation following their initial involvement in our SENT Seminar. This 12-month journey will begin with our inaugural SENT Seminar, which introduces our social entrepreneurs to their cohort of innovative leaders and will provide them with a tailored curriculum to help launch their projects. Over 12 months, our group will also participate in three webinar-style learnings and a self-care-centered retreat. Throughout this process, our cohort will be provided with specialized coaching to help support and strengthen their social enterprise. During this time, cohort members will also have access to certain resources from NBA, while also contributing to the spread and development of the Incubate Initiative. Resources include:

  • Project featured one or more times through NBA’s communication channels and across the Disciples church
  • Access to short-term consultations with NBA-related professionals/consultants
  • Opportunity to apply for assistance with site visits to similar projects/organizations
  • Ongoing learning and networking opportunities through NBA.

Meet the 2021 Cohort     Meet the 2022 Cohort     Meet the 2023 Cohort


Staff

Meet the Social Entrepreneurship Team

Rev. Darnell Fennell

Rev. Darnell Fennell

DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Ashley Mayham

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM COORDINATOR


Videos & Webinars

Watch and Learn

Watch any of our educational webinars to learn how you can start and grow your faith-rooted social enterprise. These videos are designed help you develop and expand the impact of your social service ministry.

Learn and Grow with NBA Resources

NBA Impact Report 2022

Read and download the 20-page PDF of the 2022 NBA Impact Report, featuring stories from NBA programs, partners, and Disciples leaders.

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2023 NBA Town Hall

There have been so many exciting resources, initiatives and partnerships at NBA recently, hear all about it!

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Sustainable Fundraising: Building a Community of Support with the New Generation of Donors

Fundraising Consultant Kerri-Ann Appleton shares her tips for building a sustainable community of donors.

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SENT Seminar 2020: Recorded Classes

SENT Seminar 2020: Recorded Classes

Participants in the 2020 Seminar experienced online education on the importance of impactful work in our communities, as well as lessons on how to plant and grow new faith-rooted social enterprises.

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Workshops and Resources from 2019 General Assembly

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A Helpful Framework for Solving Complex Community Problems

The Cynefin framework is a useful tool that helps leaders understand how to approach complex community issues.

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Community of Resistance Podcast with Sandhya Jha

Derek Penwell speaks with Sandhya about how churches can get involved in social justice.

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Practical Branding 101

A brand is a psychosocial association with something. Every business and organization has a brand, whether they realize it or are in control of it or not.

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2018 NBA Impact Report

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Webinar: Succession Planning and Executive Transitions 101

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Webinar: Best Practices for Board Development

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Making Friends by Asking for Money

For lots of us, talking about money at all makes us uncomfortable. Much less asking someone for money! And yet, to make our ministry dreams realities, it is one of the most necessary skills to learn.

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Principles and Practices – Where can you find “best practices” for nonprofits?

While there is no single definition of a “best practices” for each and every nonprofit organization, there are well-recognized ethical standards and accountability practices that every staff and board member of a charitable nonprofit should be aware of.

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Webinar: Fundraising IS Ministry

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Webinar

Webinar: Vision, Mission, and Values

This webinar focuses on why a ministry should spend time developing these core guiding statements and walks through a clear process for an organization to arrive at their unique way of naming their "why and how."

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How to Plan a Retreat That’s Really Restful

Even while the world around us seems to be racing itself from one sensational, tragic, amazing thing to the next, perhaps a retreat is what we need.

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Stand for Your Mission – Creating Positive Change Through Board Advocacy

Advocacy is important in creating communities of compassion and care and board members are leaders who can help your organization advocate for the issues in which you and your organization are engaged.

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Webinar

Webinar: Welcoming Abundance in 2018: Insights and Helpful Tips for Planning Your Fundraising Year

In this webinar, experienced fundraising professionals answer your questions about fundraising, best practices for nonprofit fundraising, and more!

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Webinar: Intro to Faith-Based/Rooted Organizing

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Workshops and Resources from 2017 General Assembly

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7 Things You Can Do to Improve the Sad State of Board Diversity

The lack of diversity on boards is no longer just annoying. It is a critical issue.

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Leading with Intent

As the leading organization focused on strengthening and supporting nonproft board leadership, BoardSource has been tracking and analyzing trends in nonproft board leadership since we launched our frst national study in 1994.

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Webinar: Grow Your Ministry with Email and Social

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10 Local Marketing Strategies That Work

If you operate a local business you can try many general marketing strategies, but you have one special consideration.

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Board Fundraising eGuide

CEOs were asked to grade their orgs’ board in 10 different areas. Fundraising received the lowest score.

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Benefiting from Board Diversity

Board members have a surprisingly demanding and varied job to do.

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Should You Start a Church or a Nonprofit?

Here we can empower Disciples to begin building the things they believe the world needs and turn their “I wish someone would…” into “I believe I will.”

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After Background Checks: What’s Next?

We have heard, repeatedly, “You must do background checks!” but what's next?

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Choosing a Financial Reporting Tool

Finances – an unavoidable part of the stewardship and administration.

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Building a Communications Plan, Part 2

It’s important to get these plans on paper, so to speak, to organize our thoughts and keep us accountable,

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Social Entrepreneurship Stories

Health & Social Service Partner New Communion Reflects on the Impact of Working with NBA

As New Communion’s time as an Incubate Partner came to an end, we spoke with David Harrison to learn more about the organization, how it’s changed throughout its partnership with NBA, and what it has meant to have the support of the organization over the last several years.

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Camp Sunflower Provides a Place for LGBTQ+ Youth to Soar

Recently, Social Entrepreneur Program Coordinator Rev. Ashley Mayham and NBA trustee Wanda Scott visited Camp Sunflower in Wichita, Kansas to observe how the ministry has grown since they first engaged with NBA in 2019.

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NBA Welcomes Two Social Entrepreneur Cohort Members as Incubate Partners

We are excited to introduce our two new Incubate Partners joining us this year.

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Meet the 2023 Social Entrepreneur Cohort

Meet our third group of individuals and the ministries they’re building.

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NBA Board of Trustees Fall 2022 Meeting Centered on Partnerships

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NBA Invites Three New Organizations to Become Incubate Partners

Meet our newest Incubate Partners for 2022!

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Deepening Connections Among NBA’s Entrepreneurs

Earlier this year, NBA’s social entrepreneurship team planned its first in-person trip for our 2021 and 2022 Social Entrepreneurship Cohorts.

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Supporting Sustainability: Invested Faith Seeds $10,000 into NBA Social Entrepreneurs

In 2021, we launched our first Social Entrepreneur Cohort with the goal to intentionally and sustainably support up-and-coming social enterprises. Since then, cohort members have gone on to launch and grow their organizations and receive funding from other CC(DOC) partners, including Invested Faith.

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Meet the 2022 Social Entrepreneurship Cohort

Meet the 10 new social entrepreneurs who will spend 2022 growing their new nonprofits as part of NBA’s Social Entrepreneurship Cohort!

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A Year In Review: The Inaugural Social Entrepreneurship Cohort on a Year of Growth

After spending a year working with NBA's Social Entrepreneurship team, the 2021 SENT Cohort reflects on its impact.

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NBA Announces Fall 2021 Mission & Ministry Grantees

We are excited to announce our Fall 2021 Mission & Ministry Grantees! This program granted a total of $185,500 to 35 Disciples projects working with older adults, children, and youth.

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Social Entrepreneurship: The Good News of Reimagining the Work of the Church

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Introducing the Members of the First SENT Cohort

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The SENT Seminar Confirmed That I’m on the Right Path

Attending the 2020 SENT Seminar was the confirmation Amie Vanderford needed to keep shaping her new social enterprise Project Least.

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Empowered to Impact Dreams: The Dreamkeepers Find Direction at SENT Seminar 2020

"Before the SENT Seminar, I was struggling with what type of organization I was creating, who my target market was, and how I was going to build a supportive network around me that would serve as a guide during the formation years. Now, after attending the SENT seminar, I have no doubt in mind that such support actually exists."

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Why the SENT Seminar is for Everyone

Embarking on the journey to launch a health and social service ministry can be daunting. That's why NBA created the SENT Seminar, to help social entrepreneurs find their way through.

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SENT Seminar Was a Map When I Was Lost

Amber Mattingly, SENT 2020 participant and founder of Sacred Flow, an online yoga community, shares how this year's seminar helped her embrace the unknown and be okay with getting lost.

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A Journey of Defining the Social Impact My Organization Will Have

Managerrie Winston shares how this year's seminar helped define the social impact her organization will have.

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NBA Welcomes Second Incubate Partner of 2020, Good Life Care Resource Center

The National Benevolent Association is welcoming another faith-rooted social enterprise as a new Incubate partner. Good Life Care Resource Center is NBA’s twelfth Incubate partner.

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NBA Announces New Incubate Partner, StoryWagen

The National Benevolent Association welcomes StoryWagen as a new Incubate partner and affiliate that is committed to innovative approaches to health and social service ministry.

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Meet our SENT 2020 Presenters

NBA has adapted its traditional SENT model and moved the seminar to online-only this year. We are grateful to our lineup of esteemed presenters who will share their knowledge with our SENT participants. Get to know them!

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A Message from New Communion, NBA Health and Social Services Partner

New Communion is committed to providing nourishing food in the Winston-Salem community.

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Hummingbirds in a Dry Land

In September, we hosted an Anti Racism/Pro-Reconciliation training for 45 individuals. QC Family Tree Founder, Rev. Helms Jarrell shares what attending this training meant to her.

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Journey to Wholeness: Escaping Domestic Violence

When Felecia an expecting mother and survivor of domestic abuse was facing homelessness, Incubate partner HER Faith Ministries stepped in to help create a path forward.

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Driving Wedges, Creating Sacred Spaces and Planting Seeds of Possibility

Rev. Stephen Yorba Patten of UrbanMission Community Partners shares how the organization is getting involved with the Pomona community to create a just community of compassion and care.

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Finding My Next Steps at SENT 2019

2019 SENT Seminar participant Foster Frimpong shares how the after school program he's starting has shifted in a great way since attending SENT.

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SENT Seminar and The Emerging Church

Katie Sexton arrived at the 2019 SENT Seminar feeling hopeless, but she left feeling hopeful. Read about the journey she's had since then:

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Second Wind

2019 SENT Seminar Participant Eric Lesure shares what attending this years SENT meant to him.

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Camp Sunflower’s Experience at 2019 SENT Seminar

Grant recipients Camp Sunflower from Witchita, KS have come a long way since they began in 2016.

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Reflecting on NBA’s time in Arizona for the 2019 SENT Seminar

Director of Social Entrepreneurship, Darnell Fennell reflects on SENT Seminar 2019.

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