Mission Accelerator Graduate Improves Middle School Achievement in Central Texas

E3 Alliance

When E3 Alliance went through the 2014 Mission Accelerator, they had encouraging results from a demonstration project, but lacked a plan to strategically scale the program throughout the region. The expansion plan they created thanks to the Accelerator was an ambitious one: reach 28,000 students in five years to improve achievement for all and significantly transform academic outcomes for struggling learners. Read more…

Comprehensive Consulting Support for Children in Nature Program

Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center

Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center is on a mission to engage children and families with the natural world in order to help them succeed in school and in life. Over the last 7 years, Westcave has created a cross-sector collaborative, developed a strategic plan, created a new business model, and adopted a new name. In addition, they’ve hosted the first-ever Technology in Nature Summit, ran a Kickstarter campaign, refurbished an Outdoor Adventure Bus, and were selected to lead the local establishment of a nation-wide partnership here in Austin. And Mission Capital has been by their side the whole way. Read more…

Accelerator Graduate Improves Homeless Services and Generate Sustainable Revenue

Caritas of Austin

Through their participation in the 2014 Mission Accelerator, Caritas created a plan to transform their homeless services into a neighborhood-based model. While their main office downtown remains intact, each satellite location will serve as a neighborhood resource to truly engage poverty where it exists. Caritas worked with Mission Capital consultants and local business experts to create a comprehensive plan including strategy, cost structure, revenue streams, capital expenditures and growth projections for their new operations.

In April 2015, Caritas successfully opened a satellite center in the Northgate Plaza in Rundberg. Executive Director Jo Kathryn Quinn credits the Accelerator for helping bring their vision to life. Through its Caritas North location, the organization will generate measurable savings for the City of Austin. Read more…

Revenue Strategies for Accelerator Graduate

Easter Seals Central Texas

Easter Seals Central Texas participated in our first-ever Accelerator with hopes of growing their Lawn & Landscape Services. They’re on a mission to reduce unemployment for people with disabilities by 10% by 2020 and was looking at new business models, alternative funding sources and the right connections in the community to help achieve that goal.

After the Accelerator, Easter Seals pitched their idea to a room full of philanthropists and community leaders. Easter Seals was selected to be a Mission Capital investee, receiving $35,000 and three years of continued consulting and mentor support. Since then, Easter Seals received a $50,000 social impact loan from investors in Mission Capital’s Alternative Financing Taskforce. Through Mission Capital, Easter Seals has connected to a deep network of Austin’s entrepreneurs and philanthropists and is well on their way to creating new jobs for individuals with disabilities. Read more…

Improving the Welfare System for Austin-Area Foster Children

Travis County Collaborative for Children

In 2013, TCU Institute of Child Development initiated a partnership with Mission Capital and other local nonprofits, funders, community activists and government agencies to lead a project aimed at improving our foster care system. Goals of the Travis County Collaborative for Children include reducing total time in care for children in the system, reducing total number of placements, creating a network of care based on Trust Based Relational Interventions (TBRI)® caregiving principles, and enhancing advocacy efforts to change policies and practices in CPS and across the system. Read more…

Community Approach to Improving Children’s Health

GO! Austin / VAMOS! Austin

Initiated by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, GO! Austin / VAMOS! Austin (GAVA) is a placed-based, cross-sector initiative dedicated to improving the health of children in Dove Springs/78744 and the 78745 neighborhood of Austin. The goal of GAVA is to fight childhood obesity and create healthy communities by providing access to nutritious foods and physical activity while establishing a sustainable community effort for ongoing transformation. The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation reached out to Mission Capital to provide strategic guidance on their GAVA initiatives.

With a heavy emphasis on resident leadership development, sustainability, and ongoing evaluation, GAVA has built a strong foundation and is able to track its successes based on measurable change in areas that all partners agree are important. Through its collective approach, GAVA is creating change and building sustainability. Read more…