Together We Can End the Cycle of Poverty

We are pleased to share with you the main points of our campaign. We hope you’ll see this as an invitation to join us in this movement and make Grind + Growth your activist home to create a more just and equitable St. Louis.


Our Mission

Grind + Growth works to end poverty by being a support refuge and a pillar of strength for low-income families living in underserved communities. 

Our Vision

We envision a world in which resources and power are equitably shared and a future where everyone can live with integrity and flourish.


Our Instill the Value of Entrepreneurial & Financial Literacy Education plan has a significant fundraising goal of $150,000 to support and implement the 2022-2025 Grind + Growth three-year strategic plan initiatives: Each initiative is designed to provide access to life-changing programs for children and families from low-income backgrounds to empower and give them a sense of agency over their lives.



1. Kids Savings Program will promote financial literacy and educate young consumers in grades 3rd-12th attending a St. Louis Public School on the fundamentals of good financial habits. The program will be packed with incentives, tools, and resources - that help makes saving and learning financial responsibility fun for kids wishing to participate. Grind + Growth will team up with banks that want to get involved in their local communities and help us promote saving and healthy financial habits to children, and partner with schools to offer financial literacy education materials and lessons. 

OUR GOALS:
-An increased number of students grades 3rd-12th participating in financial literacy education and kid’s saving program. 
-In one year, open 200 new kids’ savings accounts and offer an opening deposit match of $25 that will total $5,000 per year. 
-In three years, a total of 600 new kids’ savings accounts will be opened with a total investment of $15,000. 
-Encourage each student to save a minimum of $5 per month with an incentive to win a prize every six months. 
-In one year, each child will have at least $105 in their savings.
-In one year, a total of $21,000 will be accumulated by all 200 kids’ savings accounts 
-$63,000 will be accumulated (by all 600 kids’ savings accounts) over the next three years. 

2. Financial Freedom Scholarship is a way to create a more equal financial playing field, this scholarship exists to support ambitious students who are motivated to improve his or her life through education. The scholarship is open to high school seniors from a low-income background that attends a St. Louis Public School and graduates during the years 2022-2025. 

OUR GOALS:
-Increase the number of minority students graduating high school and attending college
-In one year, award a total of $15,000 in scholarships to 15 ambitious students.
-Award a total of $45,000 in scholarships over the next three years to 45 ambitious students. 
-Award for each student will be $1,000 to go towards their college tuition.

3. Elevate Minority Entrepreneurs Fund is a social justice fund with a mission to support and empower small businesses led by people of color building power in St. Louis City. This will be a semi-annual grant awarded each year to 15 entrepreneurs who are currently building or who aspire to build a new business and who have completed the Grind + Growth 10-week Small Business Development program that’s offered each year in the Spring and Fall. 

OUR GOALS:
-In one year, award a total of $15,000 in grants to 15 minority entrepreneurs. 
-Award a total of $45,000 in grants over the next three years to 45 minority entrepreneurs.
-Award for each entrepreneur will be $1,000 to go towards starting or growing their business.
-Increase local minority small business income to drive sustainable economic growth in low-income communities
-Increase individuals and family’s economic mobility through entrepreneurial and financial literacy education
-Reduce poverty through employment and job creation 

Our Community Impact Goals for 2022-2025
-$45,000 in scholarship funds invested in 45 high school seniors attending a St. Louis Public School
-$15,000 in matching funds invested in 600 kid’s saving accounts to motivate and help them save for college 
-$45,000 in grant funding invested in 45 minority entrepreneurs who completed the Grind + Growth Small Business Development program 
-128 living-wage jobs created as a direct result of our Small Business Development program
-64 investment-grade start-ups launched
-$2,646 average monthly full-time living-wage of new jobs created
-$1,323 average monthly part-time living-wage of new jobs created
-$308,760 projected economic impact in low-income communities

As you can see, our purpose here at Grind + Growth has not changed. We are more focused and passionate than ever. The need is more significant than ever, and the chance to make an impact is even more remarkable still.

Suppose you believe, as we do, that entrepreneurship and financial literacy education can transform lives and communities. We invite you to join the movement!

Thank you so much for being so supportive! Please visit Grind + Growth to learn more about our services.