Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation

People always ask us how we measure impact. It’s actually the easiest question to answer because we measure through the only lens that matters — lives impacted. Our newly released 2023 Annual Report showcases example after example of people and communities changed for good and the organizations and leaders who have driven that change. It tells a powerful story of what is possible when people lean into problems, not away from them, and when passion, empathy, and belief in something better drive human focus. This is what impact looks like. We hope you will feel as inspired as we do by these hundreds of organizations and people working day and night to make a difference in the lives of others. Read our 2023 Annual Report: https://lnkd.in/gCBcXDrX

In a world with seemingly endless challenges, it’s often hard to see the good that is taking place. At DRK, we see it every day through the work our portfolio organizations are doing to make a difference in the lives of hundreds of millions of people. This includes SaveLIFE Foundation (SLF), an independent, specialist non-profit organization saving lives on roads in India and beyond. They have facilitated the enactment of key legislation in India, including a Good Samaritan Law, and adopted 100 of India’s deadliest highways to build “zero-fatality” corridors. Building on policy successes of recent years, SLF is scaling to create a blueprint to encode road safety best practices at state and union levels, including guaranteeing the right to emergency care in law.

Anchored in research and guided by values of empathy and connection, Friendship Bench, a DRK Foundation portfolio organization, is lifting people out of depression in Zimbabwe through safe spaces that create a sense of belonging. Friendship Bench Zimbabwe trains community health workers, affectionately known as “grandmothers,” to bring mental health services to people with common mental health disorders. To date, Friendship Bench has reached nearly 575,900 clients and trained over 2,000 grandmothers to achieve an 80% reduction in depression. “Grandmothers are the custodians of local culture and wisdom. They are rooted in their communities and have the amazing ability to use what we call ‘expressed empathy’ to make people feel respected and understood,” says Dixon Chibanda, founder and CEO of Friendship Bench. Read the article in Voice of America, detailing Friendship Bench’s simple, yet effective mental health solution and how their approach is now inspiring pilot benches in New York and Washington DC: https://lnkd.in/gQ2DBv-Q

When children age out of the foster care system, they are often left on their own with no adult guidance, financial backstop, or social support of any kind. Through their “My First Place” model, First Place for Youth, a DRK Foundation portfolio organization, combines robust housing support with case management, education, and employment counseling to empower youth with the skills needed for a successful transition into self-sufficiency and responsible adulthood. And the data is promising: After exiting the program in 2023, 92% of My First Place participants achieved stable housing, 86% obtained employment, and 85% progressed in education. First Place for Youth is beginning to scale their successful model throughout the country and recently launched in New Jersey with the goal of expanding the program statewide. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gBXj8TMJ

Honeycomb Credit, a DRK Foundation portfolio organization, has announced a $6 million Seed+ funding round to expand their funding platform that connects small businesses with fair loans from their customers and community members – closing the funding gap for small businesses across America. To date, Honeycomb has mobilized more than 16,000 investors to fund over 400 small businesses, 85% of which are woman-owned, minority-owned, or based in low-to-moderate income areas, and 50% of which have no prior traditional loans. This new capital will enable Honeycomb to launch a mobile experience that will facilitate seamless in-store investments while expanding to serve more small businesses across the United States. “Small businesses are the heartbeat of the American economy. Their ability to access affordable growth capital has been steadily declining over the past 15 years. We started Honeycomb to level the playing field by getting resources to beloved small businesses while giving everybody the opportunity to invest in communities they love,” says George Cook, co-founder and CEO of HoneyComb Credit. Learn more about HoneyComb Credit’s catalytic raise: https://lnkd.in/gKVpPWBJ

One Acre Fund, a DRK Foundation portfolio organization, supplies smallholder farmers with the tools, training, and financing to grow more food and earn more money, working towards their vision of a world where all farmers have big harvests, healthy families, and rich soil. Through direct farm services and partnership programs, in 2023, One Acre Fund generated $421 million in new profits and assets for 4.8 million farmers.  “There are 50 million small-scale farmers in Africa who are chronically hungry. This is tragically ironic. People whose profession is to grow food don’t even have enough to feed their children all year round. Very basic training, techniques, and capital can dramatically improve the quality of life and food security of entire communities in Africa,” says Matthew Forti, Managing Director at One Acre Fund, about their simple, yet transformative solution. Listen to System Catalysts’ new episode to learn how One Acre Fund is building trust with local farmers and government agents to combat famine in Africa: https://lnkd.in/gaC7NCGY

On #WorldRefugeeDay, we're grateful for the tireless commitment of our portfolio organizations who are making the world a better, safer, and more inclusive place for refugees. Together, these inspiring DRK portfolio organizations have served nearly 2 million refugees and immigrants through humanitarian aid, resettlement support, legal services, and skills training. Amna Refugee Healing Network has trained 2,000 humanitarians working in crisis to provide vital support to over 25,000 refugees, helping them regain resilience by improving their access to psychosocial healing spaces. Immigrant Justice Corps’s one-of-a-kind fellowship program has mobilized over 400 young lawyers to represent over 103,000 immigrants who are facing the threat of deportation and are pursuing citizenship, with a 93% success rate. International Refugee Assistance Project has empowered over 1.1 million refugees with free direct legal aid, litigation, and policy change through their network of attorneys, law students, and staff. RefugePoint has empowered over 140,000 refugees to access resettlement and complementary pathways to safety and has supported more than 4,600 refugees in Nairobi to achieve self-reliance. Tarjimly’s free and accessible AI-driven translation app has helped 500,000 refugees access critical services, and has cut the inequity and response time of humanitarian services in half. Upwardly Global has supported nearly 11,000 immigrants and refugees in securing professional roles — eliminating employment barriers for refugee professionals while adding $600 million to the economy each year.  Welcoming America has supported 24 communities across the U.S. in building a welcoming society where every person, including immigrants, can fully contribute and shape our shared prosperity. Zarlasht Halaimzai Najwa Abdallah Jojo Annobil Becca Heller Sasha Chanoff Atif Javed Sara Haj-Hassan Jane Leu Jina Krause-Vilmar David Lubell Rachel Perić

“Jim was the fountainhead for Kresge’s development of a social investments practice, and his early and direct involvement in shaping its purposes, approaches, and aspirations continue to serve as the bedrock for the practice today. His approach was a model of how to bridge between a trustee’s governance role and the fostering of our social investment portfolio,” says Rip Rapson, CEO and president of The Kresge Foundation. Read the full announcement from Kresge: https://lnkd.in/gWt3dGNC Jim Bildner

In 2018, a study of community college students (including students in Dallas) found that over 70% of female students were unable to access their preferred contraceptive methods, and were forced to settle for less effective options. To address this issue, for the last five years, Child Poverty Action Lab (CPAL), a DRK Foundation portfolio organization, has persevered with partners Dallas College and Parkland Health to deploy a mobile health clinic offering immediate and affordable family planning options and women’s health services on community college campuses. The mobile unit – staffed with caregivers and financial counselors – will rotate among the seven Dallas College campuses, providing women who have long been underserved with the care they need. Learn more about CPAL’s healthcare win in Dallas: https://lnkd.in/gVu-pyVc

Digital NEST, a DRK Foundation portfolio organization, is a nonprofit tech training and collaboration space for youth from under-resourced agricultural communities in California, where poverty rates are high and opportunity is limited. At Digital NEST centers, members have access to technology, training, workshops, mentorship, job placement, and career advancement. These resources equip members with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to launch into successful and well-paying careers. Since 2014, Digital NEST has served nearly 4,000 young adults in Watsonville, Salinas, Gilroy, and Modesto, CA. “Tap the untapped, the often overlooked talent, whether you are in medicine, education, tech, or business. It can just take one introduction to break the cycle of poverty for generations to come. There is brilliance everywhere, and you have the power to help it shine,” says Jacob Martinez, founder and CEO of Digital NEST, about the importance of uplifting underserved youth and the power of networks. Watch Jacob’s TEDx Santa Cruz talk: https://lnkd.in/gh_zuPgr