TEACHING EVERYONE TO MAKE MONEY
We support organizations that teach the following skills and concepts. We look for and amplify the efforts of people who are already doing this good work within their communities and help them do more.
Non-College Jobs: Finding good jobs that don’t require a college degree, like Elevator Technician.
Gender-Neutral Jobs: Alternatives to traditional Blue-Collar “Men’s” jobs that don’t require a college degree, like Flight Attendant.
Lesser-Known Jobs: Discovering career paths that aren’t well-known, like Skydiving Instructor.
Entrepreneurship: Starting and running your own business, from Hot Dog Stand to Small Business and beyond.
Smart College Choices: Choosing college programs that lead to high-paying jobs, Like Business and Advanced Technical Degrees (Math and Science)
The Blind Visionary Who Was Told “You can’t” and Responded “I will"
OUR FOUNDER
Russell G. Redenbaugh was blinded in a model rocket accident in 1962. The social narrative at the time told him he could expect to be a ward of the state, or perhaps sell pencils on the street corner. He refused this narrative and declared that he would be a useful member of society. He went on to be the first blind MBA from an ivy-league school, a titan of wall street, a self-made millionaire, the longest-serving member of the US Civil Rights Commission, and a three-time world Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Champion against sighted people. Now Russell is teaming up with similarly inspiring leaders, to elevate and lift out of poverty individuals and communities. See more about Russell.
A BRIGHTER FUTURE:
Abandoning Failed Ideas
We reject the failed ideas of the so-called "War on Poverty.” See Our White Paper on this subject. We believe citizens working together can solve the problems that the government has not.
The Federal Government has spent 22 Trillion taxpayer dollars since 1964, and there has been no change in the poverty level since 1970. increased spending on education in the last fifty years has not generated higher test scores and has mostly gone to schools' administration. Upward Mobility has decreased since 1960, and the poorest of the poor have been the hardest hit. We are sure that change in our poorest communities must come from within and our mission is to facilitate that change by supporting those with new narratives.
CURRENT PROJECT
YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM
The STN/UP Entrepreneurship Program empowers youth aged 9-15 by teaching essential entrepreneurial skills through hands-on experience. In collaboration with Fruitbelt, a healthier carbonated drink, participants learn how to manage products, handle sales, and navigate basic business operations. The program focuses on developing practical skills, financial literacy, and customer service, helping young participants shift their mindset from "I can't" to "I can." This initiative aims to foster a strong foundation for future success, encouraging personal responsibility and hard work as keys to overcoming poverty.
Our recent work on researching innovative solutions to the “food desert” problem of limited access to healthy food in poor communities has led us to redouble our efforts to support community members who are already doing good work where they live. Hundreds of millions of dollars are being poured into outside-in initiatives to solve the food desert problem, and it is getting worse by the month. This is first-hand from people working on the issue in poor communities. Poverty (and the food desert) is not a problem of money, but of narratives and a lack of exposure to such basic skills as how to make money and how to eat good food. It is our belief that the solutions to these problems must come from within the communities. It is our role to support and facilitate the multiplication of results from those already doing the work.
ONGOING PROJECTS
INCREASING MINORITY PARTICIPATION IN AVIATION
Our initiative seeks to significantly increase the representation of Black and other minority pilots in the U.S., where they currently make up only 1.6% of commercial pilots despite comprising 12% of the population. We aim to inspire and support Black youth from underserved communities to pursue careers in aviation, guiding them from potential cadets to accomplished pilots. By fostering this change, we hope to shift the narrative and make it normal for Black individuals to be seen in the skies, contributing to a more inclusive and diverse aviation industry.
TRANSFORMING FOOD ACCESS IN CHICAGO
Our project aims to bridge the gap in food access across Chicago, where significant disparities exist between affluent neighborhoods and those facing food insecurity, particularly in Black and Latino communities. We are building a collaborative, multi-strategy network of leaders, innovators, and community stakeholders to develop and implement sustainable solutions. By connecting diverse perspectives and scaling impactful initiatives, we strive to ensure that every Chicagoan has access to healthy, nourishing food. This effort is about creating lasting change and addressing both immediate needs and the systemic issues that have perpetuated food insecurity.
Elevating Local Leaders To Improve Upward Mobility
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How We Produce 12X Impact From Donor Dollars
We are a team of investors, economists and business people focused on increasing upward mobility. We view everything through the lens of Return On Investment. We identify and empower young leaders already doing good work and arm them with the tools to massively increase their effectiveness. See the details of our pilot project
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We Are Not Practitioners, We Support Those Who Are
When we launched our foundation, we thought we would guide local inner-city leaders towards areas we thought would result in the improvement in upward mobility. We were humbled to find out that the people with boots on the ground are the ones who know what needs to be done to change young lives and improved impoverished communities. We have come to understand our role to be one of supporting those already doing good work in their communities and providing them with tools to increase their impact.
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Measurements Matter
When we launched this project we were clear from day one that we would use metrics and measurements to determine outcomes and inform further action. We are using the principles of lean start-up to make hypotheses, gather data, analyze results and move in directions that the data, rather than our biases guide us. We are also teaching our boots on the ground leaders to do the same. They are able to better identify avenues for social impact and improving upward mobility once they start thinking in terms of measurements and outcomes.
Ensuring Your Dollars Have Measurable Impact
We consider ourselves stewards of your donor dollars. We are more careful with your money than our own. Our background is as economists, investors, and entrepreneurs. We always look for positive ROI on investments. Currently, we are supporting local leaders who are already making a difference in their communities to amplify their impact (see more about impact amplification). Our first grant of $10,000 resulted in large, measurable results and a return on investment of 12X on every dollar (see how it is calculated). Subsequently we launched a flock of young local leaders to further leverage donor dollars. The results were truly narrative changing for the participants and resulted in a variety of follow on effects.(see the incubator prototype). We invite you to to invest in the first mature iteration of the Impact Accelerator.
Donor Profile
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Willing to Give More Than Money
Our donors often collaborate with us to share skills and identify and mentor young leaders.
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Discerning Donors
successful professionals or business people who give to compelling causes
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Involved Philanthropists
Individuals or organizations who already have a budget for giving
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Four, Five and Six Figure Donors
Our donors typically give at least four figures.