America SCORES Boston - BoardSource | The Power of Possibility

America SCORES Boston

The Power of Possibility:
Strengthening the Field of After-School Enrichment

America SCORES

“It’s a great thing when mission-aligned nonprofits can combine forces to grow both reach and effectiveness. We are particularly excited about the leadership and vision of America SCORES Boston and its fit with our goal to help kids use business for social good – their own and their communities.”

Katie Smith Milway, co-founder and board member, One Hen, Inc.

The Moment

In early 2016, the executive director of One Hen Academy, a domestic-focused organization with the mission to empower kids to become social entrepreneurs who make a difference for themselves and the world, transitioned out of the organization. One Hen and America SCORES Boston, another youth enrichment organization, had been partnering for several years under a licensing agreement. When the moment of executive transition came, the One Hen board saw the opportunity to consider a more formal and structured alliance with SCORES.

The Power of Possibility

Recognizing that One Hen’s curriculum and program implementation were a solid success, SCORES saw that this executive transition moment provided it with an opportunity to create one of Boston’s most innovative and effective youth enrichment programs, uniquely positioned to serve the academic, physical, and socio-emotional needs of thousands of inner city youth. The two organizations discussed several different partnership options, and decided that a program and staff transfer was the best way to move forward as it would allow them to quickly implement the changes in time for the upcoming school year and migrate One Hen’s sponsors to SCORES’ fall gala.

The Results

The transfer has already yielded positive results both programmatically and financially. Fundraising is ahead of expenses, and there are plans to engage with the One Hen broader donor base to raise additional funds. This success story illustrates both organizations’ commitment to think strategically about the possibility of a strategic alliance or restructuring during a change in organizational leadership and to rely on other organizations’ pre-existing programs and expertise to increase mission impact. SCORES is now one of the largest and fastest growing school-based after-school programs in Boston.