Charlie's Business Model

The Charlie Project ("Charlie") is planning a Lutheran led community approach to urban education and community economic development working hand in hand.   By treating the physical property of the school as a multi-purpose building and inviting and creating new ventures to reside as tenants, Charlie directly influences the design of the community and school-supporting commercial entities.  Initially, Charlie is focused on enterprise and property development that will establish the core foundation for an integrated and well-supported school model to follow.

The enterprises invited and ventured will have a clear alignment with Charlie's primary focus on ministry through urban community development and a competitive and sustainable school model.  This approach is intended to be replicable in various urban communities around the country.  Although each community is unique, the fundamental components of the approach can be applied across communities to ensure mission-alignment and school-supporting infrastructure.


The Charlie Model

The Charlie Model requires success in three areas as it launches sites across the country.

• Property acquisition and development - Charlie sites will be in the heart of underserved communities and will require enough space to house a school and several other enterprises that will serve the local community.  We expect the land to be acquired from existing stocks of underused sites owned by the Church and related entities.  These sites will usually require development to be able to house a school and several other enterprises that meet community needs.  For example, Charlie sites may include grocery stores that require large floor plans and loading docks.

• Enterprises - Each site will house a number of enterprises that serve particular needs of the community and which complement the mission of the school.  These enterprises will be revenue generating and most will be expected to pay rent or in other ways support the larger mission of Charlie.

• School - Each site will also have an elementary school established to serve approximately 300-500 students.  The schools mission will stress service, the same mission reflected in the other enterprises housed at the site. The schools will also run revenue generating enterprises traditionally associated with schools such as afterschool programs, summer camp programs, etc.  Each of these programs will be open to the broader community, not just to students at the Charlie school.  They will offer another opportunity to express Charlie's mission of education and service within the community.

 

Enterprise Options

Imagine a school with…

A grocery store where…

• Families shop for healthy food options
• Students learn about healthy eating habits and basic math
• Community workforce has additional employment options and training
• Revenue channels back into the school

 
A community garden where…

• Community members rent and manage a plot of land to grow their own vegetables
• Teachers design a curriculum that incorporates environmentalism, earth science and nature
• Church volunteers nurture a plot designed to support school lunches

Kitchen space where…

• Female entrepreneurs source food from the community garden, receive business training, have a cooking space to start restaurant and catering businesses, and prepare school lunches in exchange
• Students witness the transformation of the food from seed and soil to healthy meals

 

What else could be at a Charlie Site?

A Service Center

It is likely that all Charlie properties will also have a kiosk service center filled with kiosks that require no staff to run.  A bank ATM is the most common example.  Kiosks will be chosen that provide needed services to our underserved communities.  This development is low cost, low risk, replicable across cities and provides a convenient option for busy families.

Revolving Retail

Each Charlie site could have a raw retail space that changes throughout the year to meet current demand.  It could be a Christmas Store around the holidays, a Halloween store in October, etc.  Charlie could arrange for national businesses to run the operations across the country using a layout that includes shelf space, cash register area, etc.

Specific Design Space

Charlie properties can also be developed with specific space designed for uses unique to the community needs.  For example, art studio space, street level retail, or a gym. Some of this space may be used by the school and an outside entity.  For example, the gym could be used by the school and a local YMCA.  Other space, like the street level retail, could be rented out to outside entities, but always with an eye toward the needs of the community.

Open Floor Plan

Any Charlie Site could also have some open floor Plan space.  This could be office space, classroom space for adult education courses, a sheltered workshop for a job training program, etc.

Learn more about the concepts driving Charlie's business model.

To learn more about our business model, please contact Joy Anderson at anderson [@]criterionventures.com.