The Silverbird Fund supports early and mid-stage social entrepreneurs.
We look for committed and talented changemakers building models that improve people's lives and lead to far-reaching and lasting transformation.
We work at both the local and national levels and look to create strong bridges between the two.
SILVERBIRD CT
In Connecticut, the fund provides catalytic support to locally rooted social entrepreneurs building models that improve people's lives and can scale or inform change beyond the state.
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A national nonprofit organization that trains, support, and sustains family child care providers. The mission of All Our Kin is to transform the nation’s child care system, which results in a triple win: child care providers succeed as business owners; working parents find stable, high-quality care for their children; and children gain an educational foundation that lays the groundwork for achievement.
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Black Boarders CT is a nonprofit organization that gives Black and Brown youth access to the slopes, promoting diversity and inclusion in winter sports, snowboarding in particular.
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This nonprofit organization focuses on promoting peace through sport. They provide Bridgeport families the tools to help stop the senseless trauma and violence affecting our youth. They use sports as a vehicle for conflict resolution based on a multifaceted approach of prevention, intervention, enforcement, and social-emotional tools. They empower youth with self-confidence, discipline, and skills necessary to succeed in sports and life.
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Catalyst CT works diligently to be a part of the solution to reduce youth and gun violence, advocate for healthier communities, and create a positive impact that extends far beyond today for the underserved and marginalized youth, families, and neighborhoods throughout Southwestern CT and beyond.
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Community Mindfulness Project is a nonprofit dedicated to delivering accessiblemindfulness training in under-resourced communities to promote a healthier Fairfield County.
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Faith Acts for Education are people of faith building power to get children the education they deserve. They believe that every child deserves the opportunity to graduate from college, take care of their families, and fulfill their God-given potential.
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Friends Center for Children provides early childhood care and education for children ages three months to five years. The year-round, full time program offers a child-centered learning experience, values-based curriculum and a community of care that includes skilled and dedicated educators, family participation, and a comprehensive emotional well-being program.
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GreenWave replicates and scales regenerative ocean farms to create jobs and protect the planet. They train and support ocean farmers, working with coastal communities to create a blue economy - built and led by farmers.
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Havenly is a non-profit organization in New Haven, CT that is housed in a community café that serves as a learning space, source of income and organizing network for refugee women.
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INTEMPO is a Stamford, CT-based youth-development organization that provides high-quality classical and intercultural music education to children predominantly from immigrant backgrounds and from communities underrepresented in the arts.
INTEMPO is committed to connecting the dots between intercultural music education and its influence on the overall development of children.
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Launchpad is a program of the Village Community Fondation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. LaunchPad creates and shares life-changing career opportunities in entertainment, sports, and finance for young adults facing barriers.
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YBI is committed to empowering underprivileged youth with workforce readiness & business development skills for community development. YBI’s vision is for all communities to be inclusive, stronger, and well connected for the benefit of every child.
SILVERBIRD US
Nationally, Silverbird supports organizations that identify and accelerate leading social entrepreneurs, connecting its Connecticut work to broader efforts across the country.
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Arbor Rising funds and supports promising social entrepreneurs so they can grow their ideas into sustainable forces for change. In addition to unrestricted funding, Arbor Rising grants include hundreds of hours of our capacity-building consulting support around key initiatives such as outcomes measurement, financial forecasting, and stakeholder management.
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Ashoka pioneered the field of social entrepreneurship forty years ago and have supported to date almost four thousand Ashoka Fellows across the globe with stipends, catalytic connections, strategic advice, and an unmatched peer community that is for life.
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Camelback aims to create a more diverse social innovation ecosystem that leverages the genius of all people. They identify local leaders with promising ideas, and empower them to enact change within their communities through initiatives which provide an intentional blend of coaching, capital, connections, community, and curriculum.
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DRK finds exceptional entrepreneurs and provides intense support, helping organizations to build capacity so that downstream they can absorb catalytic capital that can propel their impact in the world.
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The mission of Echoing Green is to find and support people with the best ideas to positively impact the world. Through an intensive 18 month fellowship program and beyond, Echoing Green provides the tools they need to bring their solutions to life and lead transformative change.
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Luminary Impact Fund is a venture capital philanthropy working to improve the mental health of parents and children.
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New Profit provides funding to nonprofit organizations led by high-impact social entrepreneurs who are expanding access and opportunity in America by leveraging their proximity to the genius, talent, and vision of the communities they serve.
In addition to our core initiatives mentioned above, the Silverbird Fund also supports several standout organizations in various locations that use innovative approaches to community support. These organizations use arts, meditation, mindfulness, literacy programs, and community strengths to create learning spaces for children and adults alike.
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Community Access to the Arts nurtures and celebrates the creativity of people with disabilities through the arts. Through dynamic arts workshops in painting, dance, theater, singing, drumming, juggling, yoga, creative writing, and more, CATA artists tap into their potential, explore new talents, and share their unique points of view.
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The Children’s Literacy Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire a love of reading and writing among children up to age 12 throughout New Hampshire and Vermont. Since 1998, CLiF has served over 350,000 children at higher risk of growing up with low literacy skills in communities across every region of the Twin States.
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Dharma Gates is dedicated to opening pathways into formal meditation practice for young adults. They connect young practitioners to a variety of Buddhist teachers and practice centers, working to eliminate conceptual, logistical, and financial barriers to practice. They foster connections through which practitioners can cultivate compassion, resilience, and clarity to meet the unique challenges of our times.
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Inward Bound’s mission is to provide in-depth mindfulness programming for youth and the parents and professionals who support them. Inward Bound’s programs guide participants in developing self-awareness, compassion, and ethical decision making, and empowers them to apply these skills in improving their lives and communities.
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Kite’s Nest is a center for liberatory education in Hudson, NY. Their mission is to build the collective capacity of young people to bring about personal transformation, social connection, healing, and systemic change. Their programs engage experiential education, the arts, meaningful job training, and civic action as tools for building community power.
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The Prison Mindfulness Project provides evidence-based mindfulness tools to incarcerated individuals, correctional staff, volunteers, and public safety professionals to
support personal growth, resilience, and healing. Rooted in restorative and transformative justice, the programs promote meaningful change,
reduce recidivism, and foster a more humane, restorative correctional culture. -
Room to Read envisions a world in which all children can pursue a quality education that prepares them to lead fulfilled lives and make positive change — in their families, communities and the world. They are achieving this goal by helping children in historically low-income communities develop literacy skills and a habit of reading, and by supporting girls as they build skills to succeed in school and negotiate key life decisions.
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The Student Diplomacy Corps (SDC) creates opportunities for underserved high school students from across the nation to access dynamic summer study away programs that build college readiness, deepen empathy and unleash the potential of youth.
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The Flight School supports young adults in the transition after high school through a global fellowship offering courses, coaching, and immersive experiences to help them develop purpose, self-awareness, and leadership.
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The Thich Nhat Hanh School of Interbeing is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of curious, compassionate community builders.
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Whole School Mindfuless envisions a mindful education system in which every school has access to a culturally responsive Mindfulness Director. They envision compassionate, resilient schools that support all community members to meet personal, relational, and global challenges with increased clarity and an unwavering commitment to justice.
Silverbird does not accept grant applications or requests for funding, however we are always interested to learn about new leaders and organizations in our focus areas. To be added to our inquiry and contact list, please share your email contact.