BUILDing for the Future:

A Strategic Vision

Updated Fall 2016

Building for the Future:

2014-2019
Increase Organizational Capacity
Make key investments in program, human capital and infrastructure to
support an organization with national impact

Refine Program for Scale and Impact

Refresh the curriculum to improve academic rigor and relevance and redesign program
model for lower cost-per-student

Achieve Fiscal Sustainability

Shift to regional fund-raising strategy, diversify funding sources, and design fee-forservice and curriculum sales plans

Expand Widespread Impact

Grow existing regions to scale, serve students in five regions, identify at least 10 regions
total and expand curriculum and pedagogical partnerships
Introduction | 1

From Our Founder and CEO

BUILD has grown from serving four students annually to serving
2,000 this year; from partnering with one school to partnering
with more than 30; and from working in one city to now working
in five cities. Since 2012, 96% of students who complete the
BUILD program graduate high school on time, and 98% of those
are accepted to at least one postsecondary opportunity.
But that is just the beginning; if Ive learned anything over the
past 17 years it is that we can and must do more. This document
More than seventeen years ago, I had the opportunity to help

outlines BUILDs plan to increase the impact we have on our

four young men start a business. But before I agreed to help,

students, expand our direct service model and in the process

I made them commit to stay in high school and graduate. And

become a catalyst for wide-spread change in how this country

they did.

educates all children.

It was then I realized the power of entrepreneurshipthe skills

Thank you for your interest in BUILD. I sincerely hope these

and confidence the students developed by starting their small

materials inspire you to join our exciting and important work,

businessto engage students, who would otherwise drop out

and I look forward to partnering with you in the future.

of school and face a life of tragically diminished potential.

Sincerely,

Half a million students drop out of high school every year.

Since those four young men approached me, BUILD has become
a model for the power experiential, entrepreneurship-based

Suzanne McKechnie Klahr, Esq.

education can have on ending our nations drop-out crisis.

Introduction | 2

Our Vision
BUILD envisions an educational system in which all
students, regardless of background, are engaged and
prepared for their personal and professional success.

Our Mission
To use entrepreneurship to ignite the potential of
youth from under-resourced communities and propel
them to high school, college and career success.

Introduction | 3

Our History

Our Results

1999 BUILD founded to help low-income entrepreneurs

in East Palo Alto, CA

* Incubated more than 750 youth businesses

2001 BUILD receives 501c3 status and switches to a

youth-oriented program
2004 BUILD expands to serve Oakland, CA
2007 BUILD opens in Washington, DC
2011 BUILD opens in Boston, MA
2013 BUILD adopts strategic plan for ambitious growth and
wide-spread impact

* Partnered successfully with over 30+ schools

* Expanded service from one city to five
* Grew budget from $37,000 to $15M
* Grew staff from 1 to over 100
* Since 2012, 96% of students completing the BUILD program
graduate from high school on time, and 98% of those are
accepted to at least one postsecondary opportunity

2014 BUILD announces plans to open in New York City

2015 BUILD hires first NYC-based staff
BUILD announces expansion plans for Los Angeles
2016 BUILD launches in NYC with 500 students in 10 schools
BUILD hires first LA-based staff

Introduction | 4

FY17

BUILDs Impact
WHAT ARE BUILDS OUTCOMES?
96%

96% of BUILD seniors graduate high school on time,

100%

compared to 73% of low income high school seniors

80%

nationwide and 83% of all students nationwide.

In other words, BUILD seniors Graduate high school on time

73%

83%

96%
52%

60%

75%

40%
20%
0%

at a rate 32% higher than their peer group.

High School Graduation Rate

(4-Year On-time)

Comparison Group

75%

66%

College Enrollment Rate

in Fall after High School

National Average*

BUILD**

75% of BUILD high school graduates enroll in

college immediately after graduation, compared
to 52% of students who graduate from low-income,
high minority urban high schools and 66% of all high
school graduates nationwide.

In other words, BUILD high school graduates enroll in college

immediately after graduation at a rate 44% higher than their
peer group.

BUILD ALUMNI:
BUILD alumni persist into their second year of college at a rate
on par to all college students nationwide, which is about 80%.
BUILD alumni are well on their way to beating the national
average on-time college graduation rate among their peers
and we are still counting! Well have the final 6-year on-time
college graduation data available in late 2017.

Sources:
National High School (HS) Graduation Rates based Adjusted Cohort Graduate Rate (ACGR) for Low-Income HS Students (Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics, 2013).
National HS graduation rates based on ACGR for all HS students (Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics, 2013).

Introduction | 5

Table of Contents
Realizing Our Theory

Phase One (2014-2019) Outcomes

Outcome One: Increase Organizational Capacity

Outcome Two: Refine Program for Scale and Impact

Outcome Three: Achieve Fiscal Sustainability

10

Outcome Four: Expand Widespread Impact

11

Phase One, Year Three (2015-2016) Goals

12

Phase One, Year Four (2016-2017) Goals

13

Introduction | 6

Realizing Our Theory

Phase One:

Phase Two:

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE 2014-2019

BUILDING A MOVEMENT 2020-2025

* Increase organizational capacity to support

national expansion

* Serve additional regions with direct service model

* Refine and launch enhanced programmatic model

* Grow all regions to serve 10,000 students annually with

the direct service model

* Expand to five regions serving students

* Expand licensed partnerships

* Serve over 4,000 students annually

* Publish findings of programmatic impact in order to inform

the discussion of experiential education

* Complete $10M National Growth Campaign

* Increase annual budget to $18M

* Partner with school districts and schools of education

to facilitate wider adoption of our pedagogical approach
in order to improve the education of students all across
the country
* Grow annual budget to $45M+

Realizing Our Theory in Two Phases | 7

20142019:

Phase One Outcomes

OUTCOME ONE:
INCREASE ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY

OUTCOME THREE:
ACHIEVE FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY

To ensure our goals are reached, we will make key annual

investments in human capital, infrastructure and
programmatic capacity ONGOING

To ensure the continued viability of the organization,

and in support of ambitious plans for growth, we will:

OUTCOME TWO:
REFINE PROGRAM FOR SCALE AND IMPACT

* Position all regions to be fully self-sustaining and paying

a national service fee ONGOING

To scale programs, we first need to:

* Begin raising an organizational reserve COMPLETE

* Design a program model that is repeatable and

more cost effective ONGOING

* Design and initiate a fee-for-service model with partner schools

ONGOING

* Articulate the impact points we hold ourselves

accountable for COMPLETE
* Strengthen our curriculum to ensure it aligns with
partner schools academic goals COMPLETE
* Pilot and study this redesigns impact ONGOING
* Begin exploration of digital learning enhancements
ONGOING

* Complete a $10M National Growth Campaign to support

immediate capacity building and expansion ONGOING

OUTCOME FOUR:
EXPAND WIDESPREAD IMPACT
In addition to growing our existing regions toward scale,
* Begin programs in New York City and Los Angeles, serving
students in five regions ONGOING
* Identify five additional regions for Phase II growth COMPLETE
* Design licensed partnership and teacher training initiatives
ONGOING
Phase One Outcomes | 8

Outcome One:

Increase Organizational Capacity

Using a robust cost model, BUILD has projected the increased investment needed
to Increase Organizational Capacity the vast majority of investment going to
Organizational Growth, Widespread Impact initiatives and Programs.

OVERALL INVESTMENT INCREASE*

Organizational Growth and Programs

55%

National Operations

24%

Development

21%

* Over FY14 spending levels

Phase One Outcomes | 9

Outcome Two:

Refine Program for Scale and Impact

Through a significant refinement of our program curriculum, we will ensure our
programs have a stronger academic impact for our students. Through significant
structural changes, at scale we will lower our cost-per-student by up to 40%.
YEAR 1: BUILD ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Skill Acquisition
* Plan & launch a small business
* Discover personal strengths & passions
Teacher taught; in school; for-credit
YEAR 2: BUILD EXPLORATION

Skill Development
* Grow a business or start a new one
* Explore college & career options
Teacher facilitated; after school
YEAR 3 & 4: BUILD EXPERIENCE

Skill Application
* Participate in expanded business &/or community internship
* Experience career options & navigate college application process
BUILD facilitated; after school
Phase One Outcomes | 10

Outcome Three:

Achieve Fiscal Sustainability

In order to make the significant investments in our human capital
and infrastructure, we are executing three initiatives to ensure BUILDs
fiscal sustainability lasts beyond Phase One and supports our efforts
in future phases.

NATIONAL GROWTH CAMPAIGN

FUNDING SUSTAINABILITY

FEE-FOR-SERVICE MODEL

* Raise $10M in additional capital by

summer of 2018

* Regions will continue to cover 100%

of local expenses and pay a percentage
to National

* School partners will contribute a set

amount to support programs, reducing
the dependency on annual fundraising

* Secure multi-year funding where

possible
* Begin raising an organizational reserve

Phase One Outcomes | 11

Outcome Four:

Expand Widespread Impact

During Phase One, BUILD will serve 4,000 students in five regions.
Expansion to additional regions will continue through Phase Two.

Seattle

Boston

Chicago

NYC
Denver

Metro DC

San Francisco Bay Area

Atlanta

Greater Los Angeles

Texas

Current Regions
Opening 2017
Additional Phase 2 Expansion Possibilities
Phase One Outcomes | 12

FY16: 2015-2016

Phase One, Year Three Goals

OUTCOME ONE GOALS:
INCREASE ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY

OUTCOME THREE GOALS:

ACHIEVE FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY

* Complete unified/upgraded database platform ONGOING

* Meet $11.9M annual expenses (including 5% to Regional and

Organizational Reserves) COMPLETE

* Upgrade enterprise operating software COMPLETE

* Continue strategic hires per growth plan ONGOING

OUTCOME TWO GOALS:

REFINE PROGRAM FOR SCALE AND IMPACT
* Roll out E1 to all Regions COMPLETE

* Raise additional $2.5M in Growth Campaign Commitments

COMPLETE
* Design Fee-for-Service Model COMPLETE
* Explore local Government funding COMPLETE

* Pilot E2 in Bay Area and Boston COMPLETE

OUTCOME FOUR GOALS:

EXPAND WIDESPREAD IMPACT

* Design E3-E4 Program Model COMPLETE

* Support Regional growth in Boston and DC ONGOING

* Design E1 Curriculum for Sale REVISED

* Achieve Year One Benchmarks in NYC (per Opening Protocol)

COMPLETE
* Announce Regions Five and Six and achieve Year Zero
Benchmarks (per Opening Protocol) REVISED
* Pilot Curriculum for sale to Off-Mission Schools REVISED
* Formalize Licensed Partnership definition COMPLETE
* Pilot Licensed Partnership in Los Angeles COMPLETE
PHASE ONE,
YEAR
THREE
GOALS | 13
12
Phase
One
Outcomes

FY17: 2016-2017

Phase One, Year Four Goals

OUTCOME ONE GOALS:
INCREASE ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY

OUTCOME THREE GOALS:

ACHIEVE FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY

* Make key hires on all national teams per cost model and
expansion plan

* Continue growth campaign

* Make continued investment in organizational IT, HC and

Finance systems per cost model and expansion plan
* Develop and execute national communications plan,
including the creation of an organization-wide intranet

OUTCOME TWO GOALS:

REFINE PROGRAM FOR SCALE AND IMPACT
* Complete E3 and E4 program redesign
* Implement revised E1 and E2 curriculum organization-wide
* Complete market analysis for and redesign of multi-tiered
program design to meet bigger portfolio of school needs

* Meet $15.2M annual expenses

* Launch fee-for-service model in all partner schools in New York

OUTCOME FOUR GOALS:

EXPAND WIDESPREAD IMPACT
* Licensed partnership program designed and prepared for
FY18 pilot
* New York program launches with 500 freshmen
* Los Angeles prepares for 2017 launch with 500 students,
making key hires and securing launch funding

* Explore potential of E-learning enhancements to BUILD

program

PHASE One,
ONE, Year
YEAR Three
FOUR GOALS
13
Phase
Goals | 14

Join Us
Contact Kristina Ver Foley
Vice President, Development and Communications
650.743.6600

@BUILDNational

kverfoley@build.org

/build.org

/user/build1600

/company/build

***
Appendix

Building Futures:

Spark Skills
COLLABORATION

COMMUNICATION

To work in a team to achieve a common goal.

To express and clarify ideas orally and in writing.

GRIT

INNOVATION

To demonstrate perseverance and passion for

short and long term goals.

To think creatively and take positive risks to

develop new ideas or improve on existing ideas.

PROBLEM SOLVING

SELF-MANAGEMENT

To define and analyze problems; identify and

To act in their own best interest by

execute solutions; and evaluate and improve

based on experience.

regulating emotions and identifying their

strengths, weaknesses and growth.

BUILD Board Members

National Board Chair

Greater Boston Advisory Board

Los Angeles Advisory Board

David Marston, PwC Partner Silicon Valley, PwC

Executive Committee

Austin Clements, Associate, TenOneTen Ventures

Roy Hirshland, Chairman, President, T3 Advisors

Erik Huberman, Founder, HawkeMedia

Amy Villeneuve, Vice Chair, Advisor, Hourly Nerd

Jeff Reynolds, President, LRW Worldwide

Adam Beard, Senior Vice President, Jefferies, LLC

Ricci Rukavina, Founder, Kung Fu Factory

Scott Friend, Managing Director, Bain Capital Ventures

Gillian Sheldon, Senior Vice President, Marketing,

Participant Media

National Board Members

Ajay Agarwal, Managing Director, Bain Capital Ventures
Brandee Barker, Co-Founder, The Pramana Collective
Doug Brien, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Mynd
Emily Chang, Anchor, Bloomberg West
Brian Cohen, Chairman, New York Angels
Jack Dorsey, Emeritus, Founder & CEO, Twitter,
Founder & CEO, Square
El Gray, Emeritus, Managing Director, Seven Post
Investment Office LP

Jeff Glass, CEO, StartingFive Partners

Frank Graziano, Partner, PwC
Dennis Kunian, Chairman, The Kunian Group
Sarah McMillan, Vice President / Psychologist, McMillan,
Howland & Spence
Jeffrey Newton, Founder & Managing Director, Gemini Investors

Brandon Vongsawad, Partner, Kirkland & Ellis

Metro DC Advisory Board

Timothy Garnett, Board Chair, Partner,
The Avascent Group
Jeffrey H. Blum, Senior Vice-President and
Deputy General Counsel, DISH Network LLC

Liane Hornsey, Chief HR Officer, Uber

Board Members

Karl Jacob, Serial Entrepreneur

Paul Blandini, Director of Business Operations, Autodesk

Suzanne McKechnie Klahr, Founder and CEO, BUILD

Amy Choi, Director, SVB Financial Group

Jean Kovacs, President, HBS Alumni Angels

Kimberly Churches, Vice President for Institutional

Advancement and External Relations, Brookings Institution

Matt Flanagan, Founding Partner, fama PR

Mike OBrien, CEO, iMentor

Alex Johnston, Practice Leader, Corporate Executive Board

Jon Frisch, Vice President, T3 Advisors

Joanna Rees, Managing Partner, West

Stephen Jones, Partner, SineWave Ventures

Andrew Gates, CEO, Azigo

Baratunde Thurston, Co-Founder and CEO,

Cultivated Wit and About Race podcast

Adeleke Omitowoju, Co-Founder and Partner, GhostNote

Sasha Hoffman, CEO, Fuzzy Compass

Gideon Yu, Emeritus, Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder,

EVA Automation

Curt Hunnewell, Sales Performance Manager, Bank of America

Harold B. Pettigrew, Jr., Operations and Business

Development Executive

Jon Lang, Partner, Ernst and Young

Scott Plumridge, Principal, The Halifax Group

Rizwan Mallal, Co-Founder and VP, Crosscheck Networks, Inc.

Suzanne Roske, Partner, Government Contracts Practice

Bay Area Advisory Board

Freddie Martignetti, General Partner, Suffolk Equity Partners

Courtney Straus, Executive Director, JPMorgan Private Bank

Maz Sharafi, Board Chair, Head of Monetization Product

Marketing, Direct Response, Facebook

George Moker, Director of Entrepreneurship Programs

and Instructor of Management, Suffolk University

Amy Wright, President and CEO, Macro Solutions, Inc.

Sabrina Aery, Senior Public Health Account Director,

Bristol-Myers Squibb

Rob Parsons, President, Synergy Dining

Louis Chang, Sector Head, Criterion Capital Management

Shari Redstone, President, National Amusements

and Vice Chair, CBS and Viacom

Lynda Galligan, Partner, Goodwin Procter

Venkat Srinivasan, President, Rage Frameworks, Inc.

Alana Karen, Service Delivery Director, Google Fiber, Google

Ed Sullivan, Jr., Partner, KPMG LLP

Ellen Levy, Managing Director, Silicon Valley Connect

Richard Vieira, Vice Chairman Technology, Stifel Financial Corp

Todson Page, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Guru Pangal, General Manager, WSSC StorSimple, Microsoft
Ralph Schmitt, President and CEO, OCZ Technology
Cindy Worthington, Vice President Business
Development, Wells Fargo
Denise Yamamoto, Nonprofit Consultant

Shawn Chang, Counsel, Wiley Rein

Irving Yoskowitz, Senior Counsel, Crowell & Moring LLP

BUILD Board Members Cont.

New York Advisory Board

Associate Board Metro DC

Associate Board New York

Kat Adams, New York University

Sarah Deisz, Clark Construction

Kat Adams

Steve Anastos, Bain Capital

Christina DiBitetto, Newman Grubb Knight Frank

Steve Anastos

Christina Nixon, Accenture

Lindsay Freeman Avaglian

Jaime Russo, Cambridge Associates

Alison Burnett

Tre Scott, Microsoft

Charles Choice

Matthew Weinberg, US Small Business Administration

Max Cohen

Lindsay Freeman Avagliano, Empire State Development

Alison Burnett, Macys
Charles Choice, Play Study Win
Max Cohen, LRN Corporation
Trace Cohen, New York Venture Partners

Associate Board Los Angeles

Trace Cohen
Michelle Cooprider

Felicia Gorman, Co-Chair, Gorman Analytics

Jullien Gordon

Naveen Shahani, Co-Chair, Apollo Global Management LLC

Mike MacCombie

Shan Aggarwal, Greycroft Ventures

Jamie Merkrebs

Kat Calvin, Lilypad Consulting

Jamie Merkrebs, Deloitte Consulting

Sean Merriweather

Michelle Cumpston, Kirkland & Ellis LLP

Yvonne Najor

Sean Merriweather, The Weather Company

Ramsey Haddad, Microsoft

Jonathan Naymark

Yvonne Najor, Co-Founder and VP, Business Development,

John Householter, UCLA Anderson School of Business

Kris Nelson

Host Committee

Shauna Nep, Fundamental Philanthropy

Tommy Patek

Jonathan Naymark, Senior Manager, Strategic Partnerships,

Paige Smith, Cooley LLP

Carli Roth

Michelle Cooprider, Chief of Staff, Trigger Media

Jullien Gordon, Founding Partner, New Higher
Michael MacCombie, The Influencers

Intent Media

Nicole Rubin

Kristopher Nelson, Associate, PwC

Eugene Suarez

Tommy Patek, Bain Capital

Carli Roth, Co-Founder, VP, Business Development, Fevo
Nicole Rubin, Managing Director, New York Venture Partners
Brian Russell, David Polk
Jonathan Schwebel, Axial
Eugene Suarez, MediaMath
Lauren Week, D.E. Shaw & Co.
Dan Zurek, M Particle

Lauren Week