The economic viability of sustainable development is not an option, but a need. OPISAC programs focus on creating systemically sustainable human growth and development. Economic viability is a key part of this approach. Programs must be able to support themselves financially without having to spend additional resources continually chasing donations.
The ability to reach a sufficient level of economic maturity allows them to continue helping people without depending on outside donations or taxpayer funded government aid. Economic viability means that the programs can pay for their own costs and keep operating for many years.
Establishing a point of economic viability means that donations are not diverted for the sake of chasing additional donations. Neither are they routed to exorbitant administrative costs.
The Role of Commercial Operations for Economic Viability
OPISAC owns and operates commercial operations as the main way to achieve economic viability in sustainable growth and development programs. These commercial operations are businesses that generate economic proceeds and positive gains.
The proceeds generated are used to support the programs and pay for their activities.
Taxes are paid through Unrelated Business Income Taxes in the USA. In other locations, taxes are paid through Generally Accepted Accounting Practices or GAAP.
Commercial operations include businesses such as bakeries, food processing, construction, property management, and creative media centers. These businesses are designed to fit the needs and skills of the local communities.
The need to adapt to the specific local context means that each commercial enterprise is selected based on the needs and desires of the local population.
The commercial operations are not separate from these programs and the OPISAC constructed centers. Instead, they are a part of the Permaculture Centers and Rural Development Centers. These centers are places where vulnerable persons can access modern amenities, learn new skills, find jobs, and improve their lives.
The commercial operations also help support Local People’s Organizations. These organizations are managed by local people and focus on the needs of their own communities. The Rural Development Centers are the regional operational centers for OPISAC, and the Permaculture Centers are strategically located for reforestation efforts and agricultural security.
Collectively, the OPISAC centers of operations serve as the hub for a systemically sustainable, localized, circulatory system that increases local resilience. These programs provide a tangible benefit, primarily to the most vulnerable populations. However, those benefits extend to the entire community through the economic viability of operations and increased local resilience.
Installation of Commercial Operations in OPISAC Centers
OPISAC sets up commercial operations in both Permaculture Centers and Rural Development Centers. These centers are located in areas where people need jobs and support. The centers provide training and employment for local people.
They teach skills such as farming, food handling, construction, and business management. The commercial operations give people real work experience. They also create products and services that generate income through sales. The commercial operations that OPISAC owns further provide one of many opportunities for formerly vulnerable populations to find gainful employment.
Local People’s Organizations also run their own commercial ventures. Members of their respective communities manage these businesses. Each Local People’s Organization forms based on the specific needs of the community. They serve as training and employment centers, and each one creates approximately eighty jobs at the time of opening.
The people who plan the Local People’s Organizations recognize economic viability as a necessity from the very first day. Many of the locations face geographical isolation and vulnerability. Without support from OPISAC or similar groups, creating such a center through debt would not be viable.
Local communities work together to build the Local People’s Organizations. These centers include commercial facilities that, based on projected numbers, allow the facility to cover its own costs. Economic viability does not always mean making profits, but it should remove the need to seek outside funds for operating expenses.
The people who run these businesses use the profits to operate the centers, support local programs, and improve the quality of life for residents. This system keeps the benefits of the commercial operations largely within the community.
Importance of Economic Viability
Economic viability is important for operations, growth, and expansion, for several reasons.
First, economic viability allows the centers and organizations to focus on their main mission. When programs depend on donations, they must spend time and money looking for new donors. This can distract them from their real work.
Economic viability means that the centers have a steady source of income. They do not need to worry about running out of money or closing down.
Second, economic viability strengthens local resilience. Communities that support themselves demonstrate greater strength and independence. These communities manage job loss, disasters, and shifts in government policy more effectively. The centers continue operating without depending on external assistance. This operational consistency enhances program stability and reliability.
Third, economic viability enables OPISAC to scale its programs. Centers that generate income internally expand their operations and extend services to a broader population. Commercial operations produce profits, and OPISAC applies these funds to establish new centers in additional locations. This approach allows OPISAC to engage more communities and increase its overall impact both nationally and internationally.
Systemically Sustainable Human Growth and Development
A systemically sustainable approach means that all parts of the program work together to support long-term growth. Economic, social, and environmental goals are not only integrated, but adaptive to meet the specific requirements of each environment.
Commercial operations provide jobs and income. Training programs teach people new skills. Paid job opportunities are available in commercial efforts Environmental programs restore land and protect resources. Environmental programs also offer low-skilled employment opportunities to those without expansive training.
All these efforts support each other.
When the OPISAC centers of operations are economically viable, they can keep working for many years. They do not depend on short-term funding or outside donations. This makes the programs more stable and able to adapt to new challenges. Economic viability is not a goal but necessary for systemically sustainable program design and implementation.
Local People’s Organizations
The Local People’s Organizations operate as decentralized, semi-autonomous facilities that local communities own and manage. Each facility follows the limits and conditions of the local context. The local residents and the Local Government Unit, or LGU, carry out the implementation of programs.
These bodies provide a structure for community-led control, decision-making, and oversight. They also serve as the operational base where both Permaculture Centers and Rural Development Centers conduct their work.
The Local People’s Organizations use grant funding for construction and follow the financial limits set by the issued grant. The Local Government Unit works with OPISAC to identify available locations and understand the needs of the local community within the local context.
Each Local People’s Organization includes operations that meet the projected needs for achieving economic viability. Local operators, including the Social Support teams, receive direct guidance and support from OPISAC members and from the regional Rural Development Center.
Rural Development Centers
The OPISAC Rural Development Centers focus on economic development, employment, infrastructure, and the integration of local communities into the larger socioeconomic and sociopolitical systems.
They also include administrative offices and support local programs. Rural Development Centers aim to improve access to services such as education, healthcare, vocational training, and agricultural productivity.
Like the Local People’s Organizations, the Rural Development Centers also contain commercial operations in order to assure economic viability in operations.
Permaculture Centers
The OPISAC Permaculture Centers address environmental sustainability through practices such as reforestation, water management, and regenerative agriculture. They support local farmers, food and water security, organic farming, and environmental education. Permaculture Centers provide training, business opportunities, and ecological restoration initiatives tailored for agrarian and isolated, vulnerable communities.
Cooperative Economic Viability of OPISAC Operations
These three types of centers are not only operational structures but also essential components of the OPISAC system that collectively support poverty eradication, environmental preservation, and economic development.
Each center contributes to the broader framework of systemically sustainable human growth and development. The larger-scale commercial ventures of OPISAC further offer financial and logistical support to each of the local centers based on their respective needs and programs. This ensures that even during periods of financial disruption, economic viability remains for local operations.
OPISAC programs must be economically viable to achieve their goals. Commercial operations are built into Permaculture Centers, Rural Development Centers, and Local People’s Organizations. These businesses generate income, create jobs, and support local growth. Economic viability allows the centers to focus on their mission, support local resilience, and expand their impact. This approach is necessary for systemically sustainable human growth and development.