2014 Sustainable Business Plan Competition

2014 Sustainable Business Plan Competition 

This schedule is tentative -- All information subject to change. To be notified when specific dates and details are available, please sign up for our newsletter. 
You can apply to this competition if you:

• Run or are founding a for-profit company (Both pre- and post-revenue companies may apply, as well as for-profits that are owned by not-for-profits)
• Employ (or plan to employ) at least one full-time person at a living wage
• Have a measurable social, environmental, or cultural goal built into how you make money.
• Your goal must be new or unusual for the market in which you work. The WJF has limited resources, and will focus on companies that are changing the way business is done. 
• Are open to coaching and mentoring
• Can write your business documents in English

Novemeber 15, 2013

If you are interested in our program, you must apply by 15 November, 2013. You can do so through any of the ways listed below:

• Our application form - https://wjf.wufoo.com/forms/intent-to-compete-2014/
• The http://gust.com format (Send us the PDF)
• A recent application to The Unreasonable Institute (http://unreasonableinstitute.org/apply/)
• A recent application to Agora Partnerships (http://agorapartnerships.org/accelerator-2/how-to-apply)
• A recent application to Village Capital (any program)
• Any document (Max. 3 pages) that includes your contact information and answers these questions:
  • What problem will your business solve, and how will you solve it?
  • Who are your customers, and what are they paying you for?
  • Why are you and/or your team the right people to do this?
  • How will your firm make the world a significantly better place to live?

December 13, 2013

• Selected applicants will be invited to enter our 2014 program on or before December 13th, 2013.

January 31, 2014

• Business Plans are due to us on January 31st, 2014. 
• This should be an operational business plan -- that is, a document that your internal team writes so everyone is clear about what your company does and how it does it. Imagine you hired a new senior staff person who was unfamiliar with your company and asked for a detailed report on what your company did. Write that report. Max. length 15 pages, expected length 10 pages. 
• This round is by invitation only. 
• There is a fee of $200 to enter, although many discounts will be made available through our outreach partners and our scholarship programs. (Information on those discounts will be posted here on or before December 13th)

February 17, 2014

• The William James Foundation will send the plans to our team of readers on or before this date.
• These readers will bring diverse perspectives (marketing, finance, operations, etc.) to providing constructive commentary on the business plans. 

March 24, 2014

• Scorecards and commentary on the business plans are due back from the readers to the WJF by this date. 

March 31, 2014

• The William James Foundation will invite teams to enter the next round of the competition.
• Entrepreneurs will submit an updated version of their business plan with more detailed financials.
• Entrepreneurs will also have the opportunity to include a two page investor summary (Gust format), a investor-facing "Pitch Deck", and a short video (2 minutes max.) featuring one or more of your principals explaining how your company works. 

April 28, 2014

• The second round materials  are due to the William James Foundation on April 28th. 

May 12, 2014

• The William James Foundation will send the plans to our team of readers on or before May 12, 2014.

June 9, 2014

• Scorecards and commentary are due back from our readers to the William James Foundation.

June 16, 2014

• The William James Foundation will invite top teams to our 2014 Annual Gathering. 

July 24-26, 2014 (Tentative)

• William James Foundation Annual Gathering and Finalist Presentations are held in Washington, DC
• A "Green Grab" investor event will be held at the same time, featuring teams chosen based on investor-facing documents submitted in the second round. 
• More than $100,000 worth of prizes will be available to the top companies.