New Partnership with Justice and Mobility Fund to Expand People Served and Reach More Justice-Impacted
STRIVE has launched an ambitious growth and impact plan to scale its nationwide programs and services over the next decade to expand from serving 2,000 annually in 2023 to 10,000 annually by 2033. STRIVE has worked with The Justice and Mobility Fund with support from The Bridgespan Group on an extensive action plan to measure milestones for success over the next two years. All STRIVE-operated sites will gain expanded programs and services with a focus on increased support for the justice involved. STRIVE aims to serve 2,800 annually across national sites by 2025. STRIVE New Orleans has just been announced to open in 2024.
“We are honored to be partnering with The Justice and Mobility Fund at this pivotal moment of growth for STRIVE. With this historic funding in hand we can clearly see the new road ahead and have begun vigorous steps with the announcement of STRIVE New Orleans for 2024. Over the next two years we will continue to work closely with The Justice and Mobility Fund to reach even further into some of our most disconnected communities across the nation and provide the much-needed access to mobility that our multi-barrier neighbors are fighting for—especially the justice-impacted,” says STRIVE President & CEO Phil Weinberg.
The Justice and Mobility Fund is a collaboration launched by The Ford Foundation, Blue Meridian Partners, and Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies. The Justice and Mobility Fund seeks to scale the impact, reach, and influence of solutions to problems caused by interaction with the criminal justice system, both nationwide and in targeted regions. Reducing convictions and incarceration and mitigating their negative downstream effects is critical to giving people – especially Black people and other people of color, who are disproportionately impacted — greater access to jobs, educational opportunities, and housing that will help break the cycle of poverty and injustice. With an 80% graduation rate, 75% placement rate and 70% retention rate STRIVE is a strong and promising investment for The Justice and Mobility Fund.
“The Justice and Mobility Fund is dedicated to organizations that serve those who face multiple barriers to economic mobility due to interactions with the criminal justice system. STRIVE has been doing this work for decades. Because of their strong track record of impact with people too often excluded from the workforce, we are excited to fund STRIVE as they scale to new cities and bring the hope of opportunity to thousands of individuals across the country. With nearly a third of Americans bearing the weight of a criminal justice record, it is essential that we invest in effective and reliable programs like STRIVE to help these individuals rebuild their lives and get a true second chance,” says Le’Ann Duran, Senior Director, Portfolio, Justice & Mobility Fund.
Today 92% of STRIVE students identify as BIPOC, 84% are unemployed upon enrollment and 44% are justice impacted. With strategies in place to increase support for those navigating the justice system to at least 50%, STRIVE’s new Growth Plan pairs seamlessly with The Justice and Mobility Fund investment to provide impactful, forward-thinking organizations with the growth capital needed to reach their goals.
“This is an exciting time for STRIVE. We are growing rapidly to meet a tremendous need, especially for people returning from prison. And we are confident that we will be able to maintain this growth and meet our goal in 2033. STRIVE works because we help fill the gap that society has left open for the vulnerable to fall into. Especially people returning from prison. It changed my life, and I know it can change the life of every single person who chooses to commit and trust the process,” says Founder & CEO of Castro Ventures, STRIVE Board Co Chair and ‘03 Graduate, Roy Castro.
STRIVE’s ambitious new growth plan aims to increase people served annually from 2,000 in 2023 to 10,000 in 2033. Even with this historic $5 million gift, STRIVE will need to secure significant additional support to fully fund this growth. STRIVE’s budget is projected to increase from $14 million in 2023 to $20 million in 2025.