As a part of the Open for Business conference at Urbana 06, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA is sponsoring a business plan competition for triple-bottom-line businesses: businesses that have financial, social, and spiritual impact. A total pool of $40,000 is available to winning business plans! You do not need to be registered for the Open for Business conference, to be held December 27-31, 2006, to submit an entry. However, all finalists must present their idea and be judged at the conference on December 28 to be eligible to win. So start developing your business plan now!

We are holding this competition in order to:

1. Encourage the development of for-profit business-as-mission enterprises. God is doing a great work among businesses that not only provide needed financial and social impact to a community, but also build up the local body of believers. Many such companies will be presenting at the Open for Business conference. We want to multiply the number of these businesses around the world.

Deepen Christian understanding of business-as-mission success. A growing movement of Christian business people are building businesses with triple-bottom-line outcomes. This competition will deepen our collective understanding on questions such as: How do we develop businesses that embody the gospel? How should Christians define and evaluate success in a business? How do we define and measure spiritual impact?

2. Develop a multi-generational network of like-minded entrepreneurs. This competition will help those who have an idea or great passion find a network to develop their vision. It will also help seasoned business people find new opportunities and partners. This competition and conference will facilitate a multi-generational network of relationships that will help sustain the business-as-mission movement.

We are looking for triple-bottom-line businesses that have a vision for being: (Adapted from Great Commission Companies by Steve Rundle and Tom Steffen)

1. Socially responsible: The underlying goal is not pure profit, but rather a transformational business (e.g., consideration of workers' wages, working conditions, and professional development; non-exploitative or even beneficial to the environment).
2. Income-producing businesses: These are authentic businesses that create value-added products or services and are not sustained by donations.
3. Managed by Kingdom leaders guided by Kingdom principles: While some senior managers may be nonbelievers, critical decision-makers are Kingdom leaders who seek to reflect Jesus' teachings and Kingdom priorities in their management.
4. Focused on under-evangelized and/or under-developed parts of the world: While all places are in need of deeper influence of the gospel, we encourage focus on communities where either the indigenous church is nascent or the people suffer under oppressive poverty – Jesus came "to preach good news to the poor."
5. Contributors to the growth and multiplication of local churches: Spiritual impact coming out of the business supports or is pursued in partnership with the indigenous church in the community rather than done independently, in order to avoid simply transplanting North American church practices and customs.
6. Glorifying to God: The name of God is the ultimate object of praise, not the name of the business.

Here's how we intend to distribute the prize pool among the winners:

• First Place: $25,000
• Second Place: $10,000
• Third Place: $5,000

Want to develop an idea? Visit the Open for Business website to learn more about the competition's criteria and deadlines and about how to submit your entry. The first deadline is October 20, 2006. You must submit an email stating your intent to enter a two-page executive summary. The summary is due October 27, 2006.

We also encourage you to attend the Open for Business conference to meet other like-minded Christians who have a passion for both business and God's Kingdom.