Give Online
At The Columbus Foundation Website. Click “Continue as Guest” to donate.
A big-hearted fund powered by the
Columbus startup community
START, the Columbus region’s first-ever entrepreneur giving fund, is a unique charitable fund supporting BIG ideas that work toward improving the lives and opportunities of the people who live and work in Columbus.
START provides entrepreneurs and startup teams a collective and efficient way to contribute financially to the very community that supported their innovation.
Led by an entrepreneur advisory committee, START funds non-profit organizations in the areas of STEM education, Workforce Development, Connecting Communities, and Sustainable Food Solutions. START is an ongoing donor-advised fund, set up at the Columbus Foundation.
START will target initiatives in four broad categories. The common thread is “starting up.”
Connecting Communities
STEM Education
Sustainable Food Solutions
Workforce Development
PROGRAMS FUNDED
Franklinton Farms is a non-profit urban farm dedicated to growing and sharing healthy food, creating beauty, and building community with our neighbors.
The Overwatch Partnership provides mentoring and career development support to the veteran community, while supporting local veteran hiring advocacy efforts.
The Jay Richardson Foundation (TJRF) is a non-profit organization that focuses on the long-term success of our adolescent youth. With a resounding motto to “breathe life into Team FAMILY”, this unique approach shifts the emphasis from our youth as individuals to a holistic, familial responsibility.
ROX equips girls with the knowledge and skills to live healthy, independent, productive, and violence-free lives. ROX exists to create generations of confident girls who can control their own relationships, experiences and decisions. ROX is committed to providing innovative, relevant and evidence-based programming that contributes to a safer, accessible and equitable world for girls.
No person should be bought or sold for sex. Freedom a la Cart brings hope and help to survivors of human trafficking so they can build a new life of freedom and self-sufficiency. Freedom a La Cart has created a safe place of restoration where survivors can heal, learn, and grow as they prepare for sustainable employment within our community.
Through electronic reuse PCs for People provides the opportunity for all low-income individuals and nonprofits to benefit from the life changing impact of computers and mobile internet.
Zora’s House is a space where women of color come to work, play, and socialize. Part social club, part co-working studio, part workshop and event space, at Zora’s House you can curl up with a new Toni Morrison book one day, attend a workshop on self-love or marketing a passion based business the next, and wrap up the week with a yoga class infused with jazz music and spoken word poetry.
Family Mentor Foundation seeks to help meet the unmet needs of children in our community through a variety of programs and resources that will help them to reach their full potential.
Blossom creates experiences that empower girls to explore Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. We envision a world where every girl, regardless of income, can feel welcome to pursue her passion for STEM.
Submit your initiative to be considered:
The Columbus Foundation – START Fund of the Columbus Foundation
ATTN: Steven Moore
1234 E. Broad St.
Columbus OH 43205
Phil George
CEO & Founder MentorcliQ
Rachel Roman
Director, Talent Management Updox
Hanad Duale
CEO & Founder Kare Intellex
Jane Fife
Chief Science Officer, 3 Bar Biologics
Steve White
CEO & Founder Clarivoy
Kristy Campbell
COO Rev1 Ventures
START is seeking broad and diverse participation from Columbus’ community of entrepreneurial founders, teams, and startups. Early advisors have helped us get the fund launched, coming up with a mission and a name. START welcomes additional input and support. To volunteer, contact Kristy Campbell at Kristy@rev1ventures.com.
START’S mission is to invest in BIG ideas in the Columbus region that support “starting up.” START is targeting four inclusive categories: Connecting Communities; STEM Education; Sustainable Food Solutions; and Workforce Development.
START is in build mode. START has raised over $40,000 and has awarded $15,000 in grants since its inception.
The Columbus Foundation manages distributions from the fund.
If you have a good idea for an initiative that will improve our community, we want to hear about it.
Here are the ways to give: