LOUISVILLE CODE COLLABBusiness Plan

Natalie StarckAlan Vo

Lily CarothersTaylor Workman

Julie Parece

Cover Letter

Louisville Code CollabLouisville, KY

December 4, 2017

University of LouisvilleCollege of Business, Computer Information Systems DepartmentHarry Frazier HallLouisville, KY 40292

Dear Dr. Barker,

We at Louisville Code Collab are excited to share our proposed business plan with you.

Louisville Code Collab is a nonprofit organization that administers an after-school technology education program for students at Iroquois High School. Iroquois High School has had difficulty maintaining high test scores, so we believe establishing an after-school program would benefit the students.

Our program focuses on coding and Microsoft Office education. The program is offered each semester. It’s divided into two classes, Introduction to Microsoft Office which focuses on Excel and Access, and Introduction to C# which is centered on teaching the beginning concepts of the C# programming language. The classes will incorporate in-class lectures alongside weekly assigned projects to give students hands-on learning opportunities.

There are several forms of marketing implementation we will use to promote Louisville Code Collab. Firstly, we will use school affiliated platforms, such as morning announcements and the JCPS website. We have made promotional flyers to post around the school, to inform students of the program. We will also use social media platforms such as Facebook. We can use our Facebook page to not only promote Louisville Code Collab, but also share the progress of current students. It will be a great way to involve parents and potential new students by showing current students experiences and achievements.

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We strongly believe a partnership between Louisville Code Collab and the CIS Department will complement each other’s missions. Given the College of Business’ desire to increase its community outreach in Louisville, a partnership between our company and your department is a prime opportunity for social responsibility. Our after-school technology program could be implemented similar to J.B. Speed School’s outreach program. Through the partnership, we would be able to help students who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM gain proficiency in technology and to promote pursuing an education at the College of Business.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Natalie Starck, Alan Vo, Lily Carothers, Taylor Workman, and Julie Parece

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Table of Contents

Cover Letter 1

Table of Contents 3

Executive Summary 4

Description of Business 5

About Our Organization 5

Program Format 5

Marketing Implementation 7

Market Competition Analysis 9

SWOT Analysis 9

Competition Analysis 9

Competitive Advantage 9

Target Market Analysis 10

Location Analysis 11

Financial Plan 15

Conclusion 17

References 18

APPENDIX A 20

Examples of Currently Offered Applicable Grants 20

APPENDIX B 22

Gofundme Fee Calculations 22

APPENDIX C 23

Monthly Cash Flow Forecasting 2018 and 2019 23

APPENDIX D 24

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Executive Summary

Louisville Code Collab is an after-school program working with Iroquois High School that provides coding and Microsoft Office skills. We specifically focus on teaching C# and Microsoft Excel/Access. Instructors will be a combination of Iroquois staff members, volunteers, and one paid instructor for the C# course. This program will benefit students in and out of school. It gives additional learning opportunities to underprivileged children.

Louisville Code Collab faces competitors like local coding bootcamps, Code Louisville and The Software Guild. However, we provide a less intense and more convenient environment to younger individuals that may not have the chance to attend those bootcamps. We plan to engage our target market of the Iroquois students, their parents, and outside volunteers through a variety of actions. By demonstrating our program will provide students with future career and life skills along with being free, we believe it will appeal to both the students and parents. Likewise, to target volunteers we will convey how their help can greatly assist these students, as well as, the program being an outlet for them to gain service hours and provide ways to showcase their skills.

Iroquois High School was chosen due to Louisville Code Collab’s familiarity with the surrounding area and its proximity to Iroquois Public Library. We want students to have access to computers after the program is over, allowing them to continue any assignments. The startup costs for our program would be low, since there are no costs to secure a location or computer lab. Two of our main prospective costs would include labor and snacks. The salary for our C# instructor would be approximately $1500 per semester. Snacks will be provided to the students and will cost approximately $2160 per semester. To obtain funding for our program, we will apply for grants and receive donations.

Louisville Code Collab strives to provide education that’s more flexible, more affordable, and more individualized.

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Description of Business

Coding and Microsoft Office skills are in demand. There are coding classes that exist, but they are unaffordable and pertain to adults only, such as boot camp initiatives. Some are available for a younger audience, just not in Louisville. In addition to coding, Microsoft Office is a necessary skill in today’s workplace. We at Louisville Code Collab pose a solution by providing education for high school students that’s more flexible, more affordable, and more individualized.

About Our Organization

Louisville Code Collab works with Iroquois High School to enact our mission of serving low-income populations. Iroquois High School has struggled with maintaining high test scores, so we believe implementing an after-school program would benefit the students. Coding and Microsoft Excel/Access stimulate problem solving and critical thinking skills. We believe these skills could assist students in other course areas.1

Louisville Code Collab is a nonprofit organization, so individuals don’t have to pay to participate. We receive funding from technology grants, sponsoring tech companies and donations.

Program Format

Education is delivered via an after-school program consisting of two classes:

● Introduction to Microsoft Office is focused on teaching basic Microsoft Office skills, specifically Excel and Access. Excel and Access were selected as the primary focus because compared to Word and PowerPoint, they are more difficult programs to grasp.

● Introduction to C# (pronounced C Sharp) teaches the C# software programming language. C# was chosen as the programming language to teach because it’s a good starting place for beginners.2 Learning C# allows individuals to have an easier time understanding other C-based programming languages.3 Lastly, C# was chosen because it is the main programming language used in Louisville.

1 A Programming Course: to Foster Critical Thinking in Liberal Arts Students’ Mind2 Guide to Programming Languages3 Programming for Complete Beginners in C#

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The program occurs each semester, lasting from September to November in the fall, and from January to March in the spring. The after-school program will take place two days a week for two hours each day. Individuals taking Introduction to C# will meet twice a week, focusing on lecture materials the first day and working on their project the second. Students taking Introduction to Microsoft Office will only meet once a week, discussing Excel/Access concepts while simultaneously working on their project.

Both classes will incorporate in-class lectures centered on a topic in conjunction with weekly assigned projects. The lesson plan has been provided by a CIS professor at the University of Louisville’s College of Business. For more information, check the link in Appendix D. The projects will be reviewed at the end of the week. We believe in the trial and error aspect of learning and realize not all concepts are grasped on the first try. Computers necessary to complete projects will be available in the computer lab. Students will have dedicated class time to work on and ask questions about the projects. Students wanting to continue working after lab hours have the option to go to Iroquois Library nearby. They receive help from a staff of teachers, two for each class. One is a paid instructor for Introduction to C#, the remaining are Iroquois staff members, or outside volunteers.

Introduction to Microsoft Office’s class content will be mainly delivered through online resources, such as, gcflearn.org, or Microsoft Office Training. We believe by utilizing these online learning resources, individuals will have a better time understanding and applying C# and Microsoft Office concepts.

Introduction to C#’s class content will also mainly come from online coding resources. There are a variety of options to choose from, such as, Microsoft Virtual Academy, LearnCS.org, YouTube tutorials, sololearn.com, and many more. Learning a programming language requires a great deal of hands-on practice to fully understand the concepts.

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Marketing Implementation

Promotional materials:

● Facebook page● Morning announcement● Flyers in the school ● Potentially JCPS mass email through Iroquois High School● Feature on JCPS website

Promotional Flyer:

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Facebook Page:

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Louisville-Code-Collab-543534789334402/about/?ref=page_internal

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Market Competition Analysis

SWOT Analysis

Louisville Code Collab’s strengths as a nonprofit are directly correlated to the success of its students. It allows underprivileged children to gain access to skills that can significantly help their chances of getting a job later on. One of our major strengths is the direct contact with students. We go to the students themselves, unlike other competitors that exist as independent establishments unaffiliated with any schools. Our weaknesses are that we are limited to who we teach. Other companies teach anyone, not just students. We also are limited in the way we structure classes. We are confined to the semester and after-school type environment. We have many opportunities to expand in the future to other schools, to gain resources, and to give back in the future to the schools by buying new equipment. Our threats are other companies gaining more traction to grow since they have a larger consumer pool.

Competition Analysis

Some competitors to Louisville Code Collab are Code Louisville and The Software Guild. Since they are already established, these businesses have a much larger client base. They also do not limit themselves to just teaching students so more people are able to enroll into their programs. They are also structured as boot camps that compact a large amount of information into a smaller amount of time.

Competitive Advantage

Louisville Code Collab has very limited overhead costs since it does not require its own facilities. This also allows us the opportunity to contribute to the school’s equipment in the future. We also go directly to the students which gives them better access to the program. Other coding businesses allow people to take the class for free, but their wait lists are extremely long. Louisville Code Collab also makes taking the classes much more accessible for the students. Not only is the location more convenient at the student’s high school, but the structure of the program is better timed. The boot camps are very extensive; they require long hours that do not always cater to those who have other obligations such as work or school.

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Target Market Analysis

Working with Iroquois High School, Louisville Code Collab’s target market includes students of Iroquois High School, the parents of these students, and Louisville residents with coding experience interested in teaching as a paid or unpaid volunteer.

The aforementioned groups included in our target market will likely have different reasons to support Louisville Code Collab. Therefore, varying approaches will be deployed in an effort to maximize success within our target market.

The promise of a straight-forward path to mastery of life-long skills, the job opportunities available to those with coding experience, and free snacks available in after-school sessions, will directly appeal to students of Iroquois High School. According to Code.org, there are currently 486,686 open computing jobs nationwide. An opportunity to prepare for further study in such a growing market is sure to entice Iroquois students from low-income households.

An opportunity to provide their children with an extracurricular enrichment program for free, along with a skillset which could provide them with career opportunities in the future, appeals to the parents of Iroquois students and will hopefully lead to their support as well. After all, in 2015, 73.6% of students at Iroquois High had a family income under $15,1714, which is well under the impoverished line. According to research studies by Gallup and Google, “Two-thirds of parents think computer science should be required learning in schools. Parents in lower-income households are even more likely to have this view.”

The fulfillment derived from helping those in need, combined with an opportunity to utilize their unique skillset, will appeal to Louisville residents interested in teaching code. In a search for volunteers Louisville Code Collab will primarily target young adults looking to either fulfill service hour requirements, distinguish a resume, or utilize their coding knowledge in a unique way.

4 Demographic and Socioeconomic DetailsPage 10 of 24

Location Analysis

The mission of Louisville Code Collab is to elevate and to strengthen low-income Louisville neighborhoods through providing students access to technology education and resources to improve their technical knowledge and to develop technical skills. For the starting location of the program, the organization had the following criteria for location:

● Organization’s familiarity with the area● Access to computers after school hours ● An area comprised of underrepresented demographics in STEM

Iroquois High School met all of the organization’s requirements. Louisville Code Collab is familiar with the area and Iroquois High School’s proximity to the Iroquois Public Library was a major selling point. Access to computers after school hours was an important factor, because Louisville Code Collab wants to ensure that students can continue working on their assignments or on independent projects.

Figure 1: Scientists and Engineers Working in STEM OccupationsSource: National Science Foundation

As evident in Figure 1, women and minority groups are currently represented less in STEM occupations than they are in the US population. Nearly 50% of the occupations in STEM are

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occupied by white men. Furthermore, in all racial and ethnic groups, the number of men in STEM evidently outnumbered the women.

Figure 2: Ethnicity Composition at Iroquois High SchoolSource: GreatSchools

As shown in Figure 2, the students of Iroquois come from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. The majority of the high school population are students of color. Louisville Code Collab hopes that introducing technology courses at an earlier age will encourage and foster interest in pursuing an education and career in the STEM world.

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Figure 3: Median Income Iroquois Neighborhoods Source: Trulia

Often people from low-income backgrounds are forgotten in discussions on the lack of diversity in STEM. Shown in Figure 3, the students of Iroquois tend to live in less-privileged neighborhoods. In addition, 74% of the students at Iroquois High School are from low-income backgrounds.

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Figure 4: Percent of Students Enrolled in College the Fall Immediately After High SchoolSource: National Student Clearinghouse

In Figure 4, the percentage of Iroquois High School students enrolling in college immediately after graduation has started to decline after the graduation class of 2010. The school hasn’t reached its high of 50% ever since. Through a partnership with Iroquois High School, Louisville Code Collab hopes to aid in enriching the education of the students, to foster interest in technology, and to encourage underrepresented groups to pursue STEM which in turn will inspire students into enrolling in college after graduation.

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Financial Plan

Initial Startup Costs

Initial startup costs are minimal. By utilizing the facilities at Iroquois High School, there are no costs incurred to secure a location or set up a computer lab. Hardware and basic software, including Microsoft Office, should already be available in the computer lab. Microsoft Visual Studio Community is the preferred software for coding in C# and is free to download. By using volunteers to teach and mentor students, there are no initial labor costs.

Prospective Costs

Although the program can function with virtually no initial budget, funding will be sought for improvements:

Expenditure and Reasoning Approximate Cost

Labor- A salary for the instructors, particularly the coding course, would attract more talented individuals and increase accountability to the students.

$1500 per semester per instructor1

Snacks- Students will be hungry after school. This can be distracting. Some students from economically disadvantaged households may particularly benefit from availability of free, healthy snacks.

$2160 per semester2

Swag- Small promotional items, T-shirts for students, etc. Varies

Technology Investments- Ideally, the program would improve the school’s technology infrastructure as part of the ongoing partnership.

Varies

1 Instructor pay calculation: $15 per hour. Maximum 4 hours per week. 12 weeks per semester. 2 Snacks calculation: $3 per student. 20 students per class. 3 classes per week. 12 weeks.

Grants

Louisville Code Collab will seek funding by applying for grants. Grants are available in varying amounts through a variety of sources. Tentative application goal is for the program to apply to one grant per month. For examples of currently offered applicable grants, see Appendix A.

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Donations

LC2 will seek donations from friends, family and local businesses. A Gofundme will be established with a prospective end date in June. The amount requested will be set at $5000 to cover the snacks for the first year and Gofundme fees. Any donations collected in excess of the $4320 needed for the school year will be saved for the following year. Small periodic donations will most likely be received throughout the second year as well.

For Gofundme fee calculations, see Appendix B.

Financial Forecast

The total amount of revenue for the first year is estimated at $6000. The Gofundme goal should be reached by June 2018. With two additional donations of $500 from local businesses, the snack budget should be secured for the first year and part of the next. Grants are not expected to be awarded until approximately June 2019. The grant process is lengthy and often requires program statistics that may not be available the first year. Modest estimates were made for grant revenues. In total, $6000 is estimated to be awarded in 2019. The instructor for the coding class will become a paid position in the second semester of 2019, presumably after at least one grant has been awarded. Technology investments will probably not be feasible until after 2019. Large grant awards may be budgeted towards this purpose. Swag will be purchased as funds are available.

Please note that the amounts used for forecasting are assumptions. The actual totals will vary. Effort has been made to estimate expenses high, and revenues low, for the best possible budgeting outcomes. Cash Flow Forecasting Statements are available in Appendix C.

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Conclusion

Louisville Code Collab is your home for accessible, flexible, and supportive coding and Microsoft Office education. Iroquois High offers an exciting place to start because we’re offering coding and Microsoft Office skills that will benefit students in and out of school. Startup costs would be minimal. For the short-term, we plan for our classes to fill. We want to see evidence of students learning the skills, such as through feedback and completion of projects. Upon demand increasing for the classes, we hope to expand the number of classes held at Iroquois. Additionally, we’d like to improve Iroquois’ infrastructure by investing in new technologies and equipment. To continue serving others, we have a long-term goal of expanding our program to other schools.

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References

Code Louisville. (n.d.) Retrieved November 10, 2017, from https://www.codelouisville.org/

Community Foundation of Louisville. (n.d.) 2011 Annual Report. Retrieved November 09, 2017 from https://issuu.com/cflouisville/docs/cfl_ar_web_2011.

Demographic and Socioeconomic Details. (n.d.). Retrieved from StartClass: http://public-schools.startclass.com/l/36909/Iroquois-High-in-Louisville-Kentucky#Demographics&s=2iahF

Demographics of Iroquois. (n.d.). Retrieved November 16, 2017, from https://www.trulia.com/real_estate/Iroquois-Louisville/3347/community-info/

Explore Iroquois High School in Louisville, KY. (n.d.). Retrieved November 16, 2017, from https://www.greatschools.org/kentucky/louisville/809-Iroquois-High-School/#Low-income_students

Gallup. (2015). Searching for Computer Science:Access and Barriers in U.S. K-12 Education. Google.

Guide to Programming Languages. (n.d.). Computer Science. Retrieved November 04, 2017, from http://www.computerscience.org/resources/computer-programming-languages/

N. (2016, December 13). Sound Tracker for High Schools Aggregate Report. Retrieved November 16, 2017, from https://www.jefferson.kyschools.us/sites/default/files/studentTracker1617_335.pdf

Overall trends - Occupation - nsf.gov - Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering - NCSES - US National Science Foundation (NSF). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2017/nsf17310/digest/occupation/overall.cfm

Promote Computer Science. (2017, 12 1). Retrieved from Code.org: https://code.org/promote

Tasneem, S. (n.d.). A PROGRAMMING COURSE: TO FOSTER CRITICAL THINKING IN LIBERAL ARTS STUDENTS’ MIND. Retrieved November 7, 2017, from https://www.asee.org/documents/sections/northeast/2011/A-PROGRAMMING-

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COURSE-TO-FOSTER-CRITICAL-THINKING-IN-LIBERAL-ARTS-STUDENTS-MIND.pdf

Wise, E. (n.d.). C# Course - Learn C# Online. Udemy. Retrieved November 07, 2017, from https://www.udemy.com/programming-for-complete-beginners-in-csharp/#instructor-1

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APPENDIX A

Examples of Currently Offered Applicable Grants

Grant Agency Amount URL

17-565Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST)

National Science Foundation

$400,000- $2,000,000 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html

CNCS-08-24-17AmeriCorps State and National Grants FY2018

Corporation for National and Community Service

$800- $15,000 https://www.nationalservice.gov/build-your-capacity/grants/funding-opportunities/2018/americorps-state-and-national-grants-fy-2018

Madi and Jim Tate Fund

Community Foundation of Louisville

*unknown. Individual funds from this source range from $5000- $1,400,0004

https://www.cflouisville.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/FOI-Fund-Descriptions-for-website-final.2017.pdf

Dennis Reker Fund Community Foundation of Louisville

*unknown. Individual funds from this source range from $5000- $1,400,0005

https://www.cflouisville.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/FOI-Fund-Descriptions-for-website-final.2017.pdf

5 Community Foundation of Louisville: 2011 Annual ReportPage 20 of 24

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APPENDIX B

Gofundme Fee Calculations

Item Amount

Snack Budget for 1st Year 4320 00

7.9% Gofundme Platform/Payment Processing Fees 341 28

0.30 Transaction Fees6 259 20

Total Needed $4920 48

* Total will be rounded up to $5000 for an even request amount.

6 Gofundme has a $5 minimum donation amount. Assuming all donations for the entire $4320 are made in $5 increments, this would be the maximum transaction fee amount.

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APPENDIX C

Monthly Cash Flow Forecasting 2018 and 2019

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APPENDIX D

Donated by Dr. Wright of University of Louisville’s CIS Department:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VDDGaO1ic_jBBuXe7_qo6c2tdAYlrsHu/view?usp=sharing

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