BASES Pro Bono Minority Business Consulting Initiative
What types of businesses are eligible to apply?
- Businesses that are at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled on a daily basis by one or more (in combination) North American citizens of the following ethnic minority: African American
- Asian American or Pacific Islander (includes West Asian Americans (India, etc.) and East Asian Americans (Japan, Korea, etc.))
- Hispanic American – A U.S. citizen of true-born Hispanic heritage, from any of the Spanish-speaking areas of the following regions: Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean Basin only. Brazilians (Afro-Brazilian, indigenous/Indian only) shall be listed under Hispanic designation for review and certification purposes.
- Native American, including Aleuts
- Must be a profit enterprise and physically located in North America.
- Management and daily operations must be exercised by the minority ownership member(s).
- Must be a consumer packaged good manufacturer that would typically be offered in Food, Mass, Club, Drug and/or Convenience retail channels.
Why should I want to work with BASES?
BASES drives better innovation outcomes by helping clients prioritize the right innovations with confidence and accurately understand potential:
- Prioritize With Confidence: Innovations validated through BASES proprietary analytic frameworks have a 75% chance of success, versus the industry average of 15%.
- Accurately Understand Potential: Average BASES volume forecast validation is within ±9% of actual sales. BASES forecasts are the industry gold standard – the first & only MASB-certified forecasting model.
How will my business benefit from working with BASES?
BASES is a trusted research partner, with validated tools and objective insights that can help with both internal decision-making and external story-telling. Clients should expect to walk away from the research project with a clearer vision of their future, actionable next steps, and a host of resources to execute against their objectives. Beyond the project itself, our pro bono minority business clients will have multiple opportunities to engage with BASES on an ongoing basis:
- Unlock exclusive access to BASES thought leadership
- Connect with your BASES team about additional solutions that may help assess new business needs longer-term
What does the typical client engagement look like?
The project engagement timeline will vary depending on your business objectives and the scope of the work outlined. Most projects will last about 6 to 12 weeks from the first point of engagement to the final deliverable. In addition to the typical project engagement outlined below, additional email exchanges and live meeting touchpoints may be implemented by the client or the BASES team as needed. Please note that due to COVID-19, all engagements between the client and the BASES team will be 100% virtual until further notice.
- Screening Call – A phone call scheduled with all application finalists to confirm high-level objectives and project fit.
- Client Objectives Meeting – The initial meeting between the selected client and the BASES project team to discuss the client’s objectives in detail. This meeting is used to determine the project scope and develop the proposal.
- Pre-Field Check-In – A meeting to discuss project details, inputs, and high-level deliverables after the project scope has been finalized.
A detailed discussion with the client about what to expect from the research methodology and deliverables. - Report Delivery – The final report delivered to the client. Depending on the type of project engagement, there may be multiple phases of reports delivered to the client.
- Client Presentation – The final report presented to the client. Depending on the type of project engagement, there may be multiple phases of presentations to the client.
- Initial Follow-Up – A meeting to address any outstanding client questions and initiate any immediate follow-up needs.
- Intermediate Follow-Ups (0-6 Months Post Delivery) – BASES will continue to support the client throughout the duration of results implementation. Check-ins can be scheduled as needed to consult on business progress and developing objectives.
- Long Term Follow-Ups (6+ Months Post Delivery) – Meetings scheduled between the client and BASES regarding any additional consulting questions and/or additional BASES solutions that may help the client assess new business needs longer-term.
During this time, the BASES team may also share relevant content on the latest industry developments (i.e. Thought Leadership).
When is the application deadline?
We have multiple application deadlines throughout the year. The most current application deadline will always be posted at the bottom of the webpage under the application link.
If I am not selected for a project, can I apply again in the future?
Yes, absolutely! We want to serve as many minority business clients as possible but we won’t always have the capacity to work with all applicants. If you are not selected, we encourage you to re-apply to have your business considered for a project in the future.
How many projects do you take on annually?
The BASES team aims to take on 3 to 4 projects annually, typically one project per quarter. Project application deadlines will be posted on this website throughout the year.
As a business owner, what will I have to pay for a project?
Any projects/services provided to clients through the BASES Pro Bono Minority Consulting Initiative are 100% free of charge to the business owners. Any applicant/client who is selected for a project will not be required to furnish payment of any kind. The scope of the project will be agreed upon at the inception of the project engagement. Certain restrictions may apply.
Do you have an example of how you worked with Pro Bono winners in the past?
In Q4 2020, we selected Rocky Robinson as the winner. Our BASES consultants crafted a tailored analysis and recommendations that included category landscape dynamics, customer attitudes toward current offerings, future expansion possibilities and optimizing Rocky Robinson as a brand.
Download the Rocky Robinson case study here >>
What other diversity and inclusion efforts do you support?
In addition to the Pro Bono Minority Business Consulting Initiative, BASES supports a number of other efforts to promote diverse and inclusive communities. One example is our work with Lakeview Pantry in Chicago, Illinois.
