NSAN is based on a comprehensive business plan that was developed by a team of students at Harvard Business School. The plan includes a complete industry review, market research, and membership and financial projections for the first 5 years. The plan was itself based on a much deeper research document on national service alumni.

All documents are in PDF format

Download the current overview presentation: NSANPresentation.pdf

Download the original Business Plan from April 2003: BPlan2_2.pdf

Download the ground-breaking research report on national service alumni: AlumniResearchReport.pdf

The Executive Summary

America suffers from a crisis of civic participation. Countless studies have highlighted our shrinking voter turnout and our decreasing involvement in public life. On issues from military policy to health care to poverty—the majority of Americans have ceded control to the loudest voices on the left and the right.

In contrast, by 2002, more than 500,000 Americans had participated in national service programs, ranging from the Peace Corps to VISTA to AmeriCorps. Yet despite their pledge of a “lifetime of service,” there is no mechanism for most national service alumni to stay in touch or to help each other continue to make a difference.

National service alumni can become the catalyst for a renewed sense of civic engagement and citizen activism in this country. NSAN will build a powerful and modern network of people committed to changing the world for the better. When national service alumni are empowered for a “lifetime of service,” our communities grow stronger.

The Problem

The Crisis in Civic Engagement
Americans are less involved with each other, with our government, and with social issues than at any time in recent history. Since the earliest days of this republic, civic participation—voting, doing service, starting a nonprofit, running for office—has been held up as an ideal in its own right.

Yet civic engagement is not just an abstract goal. Common sense, supported by recent scholarship, suggests that communities composed of people who get involved have less violent crime, better educated children, and a less disparate distribution of wealth. America cannot hope to solve our most difficult social, economic, and political problems without broad democratic participation.

The Opportunity

For the past 40 years, America has benefited from the modern national service movement, made up of such programs as the Peace Corps, VISTA, Teach for America, and Jesuit Volunteer Corps. Today, there are more than 500,000 national service alumni. While this cadre of alumni has always been held up as one of the great benefits of the service movement, to date, there has been no network to help them leverage their power to make change.

Alumni are a diverse and passionate group, with a demonstrated commitment to social change and valuable “street-level” experience. Alumni are ready to fulfill their pledge of a lifetime of service.

The Solution – The National Service Alumni Network

Our vision
One day all citizens will become fully engaged civic activists, participating in our democracy to improve our communities and the world.

Our belief
The 500,000+ alumni of national service programs are the greatest untapped reservoir of “civic power” in this country. These alumni are ethnically, religiously, economically and geographically diverse, yet united by their ground-level experience and their passion to make a difference.

Our plan
Build a locally vibrant and nationally powerful movement that:
1. Sustains the commitment to social change by building a national service community which lasts long after the year of service has ended.
2. Increases our members’ effectiveness tremendously, by allowing them to draw on the resources of 500,000 alumni across the country.

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Theory of Change

1. Large-scale social change is necessary.
2. Large-scale social change is possible.
3. Rather than a single charismatic leader, our communities need hundreds of thousands of local civic leaders who will make a difference in every area of need.
4. The 500,000 alumni of national service programs are the largest untapped source of those civic leaders. This is because, compared with the broader population, alumni are committed to social change, experienced change-makers, and represent the true diversity of our country.
5. To activate the latent power of these alums, we need to reinforce the belief that big change is possible and build the powerful network that will enable alumni to make a difference.

Services and Products
NSAN is a comprehensive nonprofit network designed exclusively for national service alumni. With headquarters in the Northeast, we will maintain satellite cities in key regions throughout the United States. 70% of national service alumni will live and work within 50 miles of an NSAN satellite city.

Online Services Alumni news National Service News Issues Member Benefits Action Center Community Calendar Member Network Email Forwarding

In-Person Experiences Social Events Reunions Issues Forums Action Sessions Guest Speakers National Summit Mentor Program

A Proven Business Model – The Membership Association
A key to success in the nonprofit arena is financial sustainability. During the initial start-up phase, NSAN will be funded by foundations, angel investors, and venture philanthropists. Upon reaching a critical membership density, NSAN will become entirely self-financed through membership dues.

The Rollout
Because so much of NSAN’s value comes via in-person experiences, the organization must have a local presence. A national office will manage online activities, member communications, organizational partnerships, and general administration. Starting initially in a single location, NSAN will launch nine additional NSAN Cities by the end of Year Five.

Measuring Results
· Leading Indicators (Short-Term): Membership level and growth rate, market penetration, revenue growth rate, number of corporate partnerships, geographic expansion.
· Inspiration and Skill/Education (Mid-Term): Controlled surveys measuring commitment to social change, awareness of social issues, and understanding of social change mechanisms.
· Civic Engagement (Long-Term): Extent to which NSAN members are more likely to run for office, attend a town hall meeting, launch a non-profit, volunteer, vote, etc.

For more information, contact Rich Leimsider: rich@nsan.org