#Together We Can
The Challenge
We are facing growing pressures that are not solvable within the systems that created and perpetuate them. It is vital that community leadership generates positive societal change so that all life can enjoy a flourishing future.
Community Enterprise
By combining venture capital and holistic community philosophies, the community created OCS Community Enterprise takes a whole systems approach to transforming root causes of societal challenges.
Hybrid Ownership
The OCS not-for-profit acquires and grows for-profit businesses with local investment capital, at social returns.
Wholeness Practices
Individual and group practices begin to integrate head and heart wisdom for holistic well-being.
Self-Governance
Distributed leadership enables self-organization, evidence-based decision-making, and high-levels of trust.
Bio-regional Approach
Challenges are experienced locally, this is why the OCS takes a bioregional approach to solving them.
As an integrated self-governing Community Enterprise, the OCS begins to rebuild community wealth which is currently out of balance with private wealth, and foster larger psychological well-being.
Once financially self-sustaining, the excess wealth is reinvested back into community to fund additional ventures and initiatives.
Proven Community Leadership
The OCS was developed by community within the Okanagan coLab, an entrepreneurial community center with 11 years of leadership across tech, social enterprise, and arts and culture. coLab is being integrated into the OCS not-for-profit to continue its growth and to serve as the operations hub for the OCS.
Community Wealth Building
Community Wealth Building is an economic development approach that restores economic power to community.
Current economic approaches prioritize private wealth building, where businesses often seek to maximize shareholder profits at any cost.
Community Wealth Building approaches harmonize People, Planet, Purpose, and Profits for true prosperity, foundational for co-creating a flourishing future.
The OCS Community Enterprise begins to rebuild community wealth by utilizing local investment capital to acquire and grow businesses that have untapped potential to serve community well-being. Additionally, gifted funds and businesses accelerate the rebuilding of community wealth.
Case & Point
Over 50% of small business owners will be retiring in the next 5 to 10 years. This creates an opportunity for these businesses to be acquired and grown by community, with excess profits funding community initiatives.
For example, Patagonia, the ecologically conscious clothing company, inspired the world by donating into a not-for-profit so that excess profits would continually fund environmental initiatives.
Development Road Map
With a solid foundation built, OCS is ready to develop the larger Community Enterprise framework for rebuilding community wealth and well-being.
1
Foundation
- COMPLETE
- (Funded by grassroots community)
2
Framework
- Corporate Development
- Backlog of Businesses
- Food Resilience Initiative
3
Growth & Refinement
- Investment Capital
- Business Acquisitions
- Food Co. Growth
4
Community Development
- Additional Community Ventures
- Replicate Model to other Regions
5
Reinvestment
- Financially Self-sustaining
- Reinvest Co-created Wealth with Community
Once proven in the Okanagan, the Community Enterprise model can be replicated and scaled to other communities and bioregions. These can then be woven together into a global community economy with the social and economic capacities to co-create a truly flourishing future.
Resources
Learn about our philosophical approach, including the latest research on transitional economics and community co-creation. (PDF File)
Learn more about the OCS Community Enterprise framework and key initiatives in a concise 4-page OCS Overview. (PDF File)