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Strategic OpportunitiesOverview
Universities
Students
Young Professionals
Development Organizations
Technology Providers
Travel Groups
Corporations
Donors
The New Development Solutions Group (NDSG) is continually seeking to collaborate and establish strategic partnerships. Over the years we have fostered strong relationships with like-minded universities and development organizations. These collaborations, where all involved both add and derive value, are fundamental to the success of our work. We firmly believe that it is only through working together that true, sustainable progress can be achieved.
Through Social Entrepreneur Corps (www.socialentrepreneurcorps.com) the NDSG collaborates with universities to facilitate student engagement in our Guatemala and Ecuador programs. We currently have established partnerships with Columbia University, the University of Connecticut, the University of Notre Dame, Duke University, The College of William and Mary, Miami University and Franklin and Marshall. Students from these universities participate in our programs based on the design of a collaboration that benefits all stakeholders and ensures that everyone’s respective missions are achieved.
We are continually seeking collaborations with new university partners as we expand both our programmatic and geographic reach. Please contact us if you are interested in discussing a potential collaboration.
Social Entrepreneur Corps (www.socialentrepreneurcorps.com) invites students from any university to apply to and join Social Entrepreneur Corps. We also look to collaborate with student groups. We currently have partnerships with Nourish International and StartingBloc. Students from these organizations receive special dispensation in our programs based on the design of a collaboration that benefits all stakeholders and ensures that everyone’s respective missions are achieved.
We are continually seeking collaborations with new student organizational partners as we expand both our programmatic and geographic reach. Please contact us if you are interested in discussing a potential collaboration.
Additionally, if you are interested in a one week - two week (alternative spring/ winter break) experience of a lifetime please visit www.socialentrepreneurcorps.com to learn about our short term opportunities . All trips are led by NDSG professionals and offer both exciting development and adventure. This is unique opportunity for the socially conscious traveler to truly experience Guatemala and all it has to offer. Our short term programs are a top notch adventure experience but also an intelligent means to participate in Mayan culture. You will be guided by our development professionals (local and foriegn) and will have the opportunity to gain unique insight from individuals working in the field everyday to effectuate positive change.
We invite recent graduates and young professionals to join Social Entrepreneur Corps (www.socialentrepreneurcorps.com) through our Flex Volunteering programs. FlexVolunteers work side by side with a team that is truly making a difference in our world and gain invaluable skills and knowledge.
Learn about our newest opportunity, Flex Volunteering with Ashoka Fellows by clicking here...
NDSG is led by an international development team that is well versed in creating innovative and sustainable responses to difficult challenges. Our team’s skill sets and capabilities are reflected in both the breadth and depth of our work. From creating rural internet center WiFi implementation and best practices guides for USAID, to designing a macro and micro-franchising strategy for VisionSpring through our work with top universities participating in our social entrepreneurship internship program, we have continuously achieved success. Although our work takes us to such diverse environments as Paraguay, Serbia and West Africa, we have continually found that fundamental principles to achieving success remain the same. And applying those principles with a passion to truly "make a difference" is what sets our work apart. The initiatives that we have created, lead and have consulted for are all unique in nature. Although our focus may appear to be broad, in reality it is not. In fact, everything we do is in direct response to development challenges in order to provide our clients with the unique "tools" to help them better and more efficiently effectuate positive change. The tools may differ but the process for designing the tools demands the same inherent competencies.
NDSG works with development organizations in numerous ways. Some of the prioritized means in which we hope to collaborate in the near future are as follows:
- New Social Entrepreneur Corp programs: If you are a development organization interested in the benefits of having passionate, motivated and hard-working university students help facilitate your success we can design a program for you. We are in the process of expansion and are interested in working with organizations in additional countries who share our mission of creating access to essential products, services and information to rural constituents.
- Short Term Consulting: If you are looking for support in needs analysis, feasibility studies, pilot launch, support, expansion or evaluation, we can set up a short term consulting engagement to help you. We have in-depth experience in consulting in diverse environments and are innovators in the sector. The addition of potential student participation in these trips creates great leverage and significantly reduces costs of a traditional consulting engagement.
- Current Social Entrepreneur Corps programs: If you are an organization working in Guatemala and Ecuador we can include support for your organization in one of our programs. We are here to serve and can help you create greater impact in your community.
- MicroConsignment: If you are interested in incorporating the MicroConsignment Model into your work we will help you get started and support you. We have trained organizations in Guatemala, Ecuador, Paraguay, El Salvador and Nicaragua in this sustainable solution. Please read more about MicroConsignment at the www.microconsignment.com website.
Through our innovative MicroConsignment Model and the network of local entrepreneurs that we have trained and support, we can provide technology providers with a means to both test the feasibility of and deploy new products and services. Through our model rural entrepreneurs are successfully creating awareness for, marketing and selling a diverse “basket” of products in the remotest of villages. NDSG recently completed a contract for U-Specs and the DOB Foundation to test the viability of innovative glasses for myopic children. If you are interested in test marketing anything from solar solutions, to weaving mechanisms to rural information technology applications, we can create a low-cost mechanism for you to learn critical best practices before taking your technology to market. If you already have a proven technology and are interested in a “Bottom of the Pyramid” solution to reach clients most in need, we have already established the means to do so. Please visit www.microconsignment.com to learn more about how we create access and bridge the last mile to vulnerable villages.
Additionally, if you are desirous of “getting the word out” about your technology and potentially increasing your impact/sales, please visit www.invennovations.com and contact us. We will post your technological solution at no cost.
Social Entrepreneur Corps is now offering a host of development travel opportunities, including group travel. Led by NDSG professionals, our travel programs offers exciting development and adventure travel in Guatemala. Perfect for alternative spring break, corporate trips, church groups, families and friends! This is unique opportunity for the socially conscious traveler to truly experience Guatemala and all it has to offer. Our travel rogram is a top notch adventure and means to participate in Mayan culture. You will be guided by our development professionals and gain unique insight from individuals working in the field everyday to effectuate positive change. Guatemala has traditionally attracted travelers because of its dramatic landscapes, award winning artisan products, amazing Maya culture, and broad diversity of adventurous opportunities. Our programs are designed specifically to provide the traveler with the opportunity to participate in all that Guatemala has to offer while learning about some of the incredible development work that is being achieved. Our programs promise adventure and fun but also leave the traveler with a true understanding of the country, its people and its place in our world. We invite you to learn more at www.socialentrepreneurcorps.com and hope you will join us.
NDSG can work with corporations in two ways. First, for corporations interested in setting up short term trips for employees focused on sustainable development, we can structure an experience custom made to suit your needs. These short term programs provide staff with an opportunity to participate in our ongoing development efforts and are hugely beneficial to our rural constituents. These are fantastic team building experiences that provide unique insight through adventure. As well, for corporations interested in testing the feasibility of products and services at “The Bottom of the Pyramid” we offer unmatched experience and vast network of local entrepreneurs. Please contact us if you are interested in discussing a potential collaboration.
Given our in-depth experience in an incredibly diverse number of grassroots development initiatives and our broad infrastructure, NDSG leadership can provide funders with unique insight and services through NDS Consulting. We can provide funders with both short term and longer term consulting services to analyze and implement new projects and to evaluate the efficacy of ongoing projects.
Additionally, if you are looking for an incredibly innovative and impactful way to contribute to rural development please visit www.cesolutions.org. CE Solutions depends upon the donations of generous individuals and organizations to continue its work.