CONSULTING
Drivers for Survivors
Through 180 Degrees Consulting, a worldwide pro-bono student organization dedicated to serving non-profits and organizations with strong social impact, I was able to provide an expansion strategy for Drivers for Survivors, a California-based non-profit serving free transportation rides for cancer patients by volunteer cancer survivors. Attached here is a link to our final presentation, but feel free to explore the interactive summary below.
Problem Statement
“Drivers for Survivors would like to expand from their single-location business model to a chapter-based model in Oakland and continue their existing services in other locations. They would also like to optimize their donor outreach and funding strategy”
Company and Project Overview
Drivers For Survivors is a California based non-profit that provides free transportation service and supportive companionship for ambulatory cancer patients. This service is provided in Fremont, Newark, Union City, Hayward, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Castro Valley, Ashland and Cherryland going to all cancer-related medical appointments within a 60-mile radius of ZIP code 94538, freeing them to focus on their health and essential treatment.
EXPANSION MODEL
Drivers for Survivors is looking to expand into an area with easy access to volunteer drivers, a large minority concentration and potential donors. Areas that are considered included Oakland, North Alameda County and East Alameda County.
FUNDING STRATEGY
Drivers for Survivors is looking for annual-based funding from San Francisco donors. We looked for grants that were specific to non-profits, located in Northern California, and would help D4S long-term. The goal for securing funding was set at $150,000.
DIVERGENT SOLUTIONS
Since we were eager to help Drivers for Survivors, we provided solutions that were outside the scope of the problem statement throughout the semester, including Partnerships, Social Media Marketing Strategies, and Volunteer Sourcing.
ExPANSION MODEL
To determine which place was the best area for expansion, we created a comparative analysis of the three locations. With a hypothesis driven approach, we believed that Oakland would be the most effective area for expansion due to its large size, low average income level, and high percentage of senior citizens.
Key Metrics Diagram
We began by brainstorming key metrics (as defined below), including both population-related criteria (size, age, diversity) and # of nearby medical providers, the supply and demand of volunteer drivers and patients, and average income level.
Comparative Analysis
Using the key metrics, we created a comparative analysis to discover how the three locations would compare against each other.
FUNDING STRATEGY
Similar to the methodology for the expansion strategy, our team decided to rank the possible grants based on assessment criteria.
Key Metrics Diagram
We began by brainstorming key metrics (as defined below), including if D4S could reapply annually, the difficulty of receiving the grant due to competition, the proximity of the grant to D4S’s location, and how close the deadline was to the date when we completed the project in Fall 2018.
Comparative Analysis
Using the key metrics, we created a comparative analysis to discover how possible grants would compare against each other.
DIVERGENT SOLUTIONS
Besides the expansion model and the funding strategy, we wanted to provide more recommendations on how Drivers for Survivors could be successful long-term. Our solutions included partnership discovery, social media marketing, and volunteer sourcing.
Partnerships
In order to create a long-term social impact, we believed that Drivers for Survivors could partner with or act under an umbrella organization for the possible health system listed below. We provided pros and cons for each one, but we did not rank them because it was outside the scope of the project.
Social Media Marketing
When we initially tried to learn more about Drivers for Survivors, we saw flaws in its social media campaigns. We listed how D4S could improve its social media marketing by increasing brand awareness, engaging with followers, and providing incentive-based approaches to retaining volunteer loyalty.
Volunteer Sourcing
Since Drivers for Survivors was founded, the organization had a larger demand for free transportation rides than the supply of driving cancer patients. We provided organizations that do volunteer sourcing and recommended that Drivers for Survivors look into volunteer sourcing to alleviate the imbalance.
