business legacies initiativeBusiness Legacies Initiative is a research and innovation initiative exploring how to:

  • address succession and transition challenges facing small business owners,
  • support non-profits to explore business acquisition as a social enterprise strategy, and;
  • ensure that essential goods, services and employment provided by local businesses remain in communities.

The goal of the Business Legacies initiative is to understand the challenges and opportunities for business to community business transition; develop processes, resources and training to assist; and identify initial pilots to support through the process.

Get Prepared

We are all adapting to a shifting landscape but opportunities for transition and acquisition will continue to emerge

Sign up for one of our upcoming community sessions to learn more about the acquisition process, the unique considerations of nonprofits and charities, and introduce nonprofit-specific resources to help explore acquisition options. We will share stories from nonprofits that have acquired existing businesses and transitioned them to social enterprises.

Register: Community Session #1
Hosted by Scale Collaborative, Community Futures Cariboo Chilcotin, Cariboo-Chilcotin Partners for Literacy Society, and Social Planning Council Williams Lake and Area for organizations in the Williams Lake and Cariboo region.

Register: Community Session #2
Hosted by Scale Collaborative and Community Futures Alberni-Clayoquot and funded by Island Coastal Economic Trust for organizations in Clayoquot, Port Alberni, Courtney Comox, Campbell River and Powell River regions.

Register: Community Session #3
Hosted by Scale Collaborative and Community Futures Central Island and funded by Island Coastal Economic Trust for organizations between Parksville and Shawnigan Lake.

Project Resources

  1. Conduct a Literature Review: Business Legacies Initiative- Literature Review
  2. Survey non profits and small businesses: Business Legacies Initiative Survey Summary
  3. Conduct interviews with experts, small business owners and non profits.
  4. Develop case studies to demonstrate possibilities:
    1. Studio 1313 Acquisition Case Study
    2. The Fernwood Yoga Den Acquisition – Case Study
    3. Community Futures Alberni-Clayoquot Acquires Coombs Country Candy – Case Study
  5. Develop tools and resources to help non profits and charities acquire businesses: Expectation Assessment Tool and Community Owned Acquisition Search Tool 
  6. Host a workshop series.
  7. Identify pilot acquisition projects.

Access Partner Resources:

Stanford Social Innovation Review: Small Business Today, Social Enterprise Tomorrow
Social Firm Scotland: Acquiring Business 4 Good Final Report
Legacy Leadership Lab, University of Waterloo: L3 Social Acquisition Primer and L3 Social Acquisition Process Map

BC Government

Community Futures

Small Business BC

Venture Connect

 

Business Legacies Initiative is a joint initiative between Scale Collaborative
and Royal Roads University’s School of Business.

 

 

It is advised by the communities of:

 

We are thankful for funding support from Royal Roads University, the BC Rural Dividend Fund
and the Island Coastal Economic Trust.