The Sustaining Biological Infrastructure Training Initiative was created to help scientists gain key business, communication, and finance skills to enhance the sustainability of their projects. The culture surrounding business and science are very different, but business skills play an integral role in long term sustainability for any project, facility, or initiative, regardless of discipline.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”I searched for ‘business plan’ online and came back with thousands of results, I’m looking for the biologist’s perspective on what a business plan is and how it’s used” [/perfectpullquote]
Just like preparing and writing a grant proposal gives you the opportunity to explore a research idea, strategic plans and business plans give you the opportunity to explore your business idea. SBI’s courses have been running since 2014. Over those 5 years we’ve refined and expanded our courses and we know exactly why this isn’t an opportunity you should let pass you by.
These skills are essential and transferable.
No matter the discipline, leaders often deal with finance management, strategic planning, internal and external communication, and future planning. Your funding sources have competing priorities; make sure your project is a long-term top priority by learning to effectively quantify its worth and communicate a clear path for the future.
Our courses are taught BY Scientists
Instructor Jon Anderson interacting with participants during our Fall 2019 Strategies for Success training in Fort Collins, CO
[perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”Our audience is academia and we’re trying to sustain biological infrastructure, we’re not trying to overprice our product, we’re trying to sustain ourselves and establish respect, what works for the academic and research customer?”[/perfectpullquote]
Sure, you can sign up for any business or program management course online, but our courses address the unique issues you face as a scientist, and we leave out the business jargon you don’t need. Our instructors have decades of experience in successful fundraising, managing nonprofits, financial management, and communications. Odds are, they’ve already encountered some of the problems you’re facing and can offer tailored advice.
This course is about MORE than just content
In addition to the rich content, and empathetic instructors, our courses provide you with time and space in a conducive environment where you can devote your energy to focusing on this crucial, but often overlooked, aspect of your work. Spending two or three days (depending on the course) focusing on strategic planning, sustainability, and the future of your project, can help you get a solid start on deliverables like a strategic plan or a business plan. This will help you work more efficiently and strategically, and allocate your resources and time in better ways when you return to your busy schedule.
Over the past 5 years, our participants have reported increases in skills confidence at the end of the training across every skill category we cover
These categories include: Determining if my project is financially stable, understanding and communicating financial information, putting together a business plan, planning and prioritizing future activities, measuring and communicating project impact and success, analyzing stakeholders, communicating with stakeholders, approaching private funding sources, writing foundation grant proposals, and pitching my ideas to others. Overall participants exhibited a 51% increase in skills confidence when comparing pre- and post-training survey results.
Over the past 5 years, 100% of our participants agreed that the knowledge and skills they gained would make a meaningful impact in their projects over the next year.
This implementation leads to reaching indicators of success in your project sooner, identifying unique and innovative funding opportunities to help you diversify, and having a clearer and more productive vision for the future of your project/program/lab/etc.
This is a training you will refer back to countless times over your career, and as an alumnus of the program the SBI team is there to support you! We’re constantly updating our online resources, we use your feedback to develop new and relevant training opportunities, and we’re available via email to support you whether it’s been 6 months or 6 years.
Check out our courses page for our latest offerings, join the SBI community, and become one of our success stories!