Why Not Incubator

Team Leader

Jacqueline Sanderlin

Solution Overview & Team Lead Details

What is the name of your organization?

Why Not Incubator

Is your organization registered as 501(c)(3) status with the IRS?

Where our solution team is headquartered or located:

Inglewood, CA, USA

Which dimension of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?

Offering focused guidance/professional development for building specific functional skills for internal staff such as strategic planning, human resources, process improvement, and research and testing products/services

What is the name of your solution?

The Why Not Challenge

Provide a one-line summary of your solution.

Community partnership support for under-resourced schools

What is your solution?

To assist schools in high poverty communities to partner with their local community businesses to create pathways for youth into work and careers.

What specific problem are you solving?

The Why Not Incubator helps parents, students and teachers build partnerships with local businesses and philanthropists to create powerful pathways for youth in underserved communities. There are three areas of focus:

1) Connecting principals and their teachers with local business leaders and philanthropists so that they can build trusting, respectful relationships.

2) Training educators through in-product nudges and coaching modules that help them work with local business leaders and philanthropists.

3) Building an embedded team within the school community to use the approaches that will create opportunities and a more productive environment.

We provide personalized education/training for both principals and teachers. Educators get specific coaching, talking points and reference materials.

Explain how the problem you are addressing, the solution you have designed, and the population you are serving align with the Challenge.

In the County of Los Angeles, the many under-performing and under-resourced schools have limited support and relationships that yield career pathways for youth. This must be changed. Oftentimes, it is not because of the lack of Fortune 500 companies or philanthropists, it's often due to the lack of outreach on behalf of our school communities. This is where the Why Not Challenge comes in. We want to show them how to give them the power, confidence and training on how to develop these needed relationships. I am targeting the kind of school districts I worked in and made similar results (over 350 community partnerships and counting)!

Who does your solution serve, including demographics, and how does the solution impact their lives?

The demographics and target population I am seeking to serve are under-served K-12 school communities that teach black and brown students. The Why Not Challenge will support and develop teams (within the school) that will be taught, empowered and coached how to create powerful partnerships for their youth.

Is the solution already being implemented in at least one of the Truist Foundation’s target geographies: North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Indiana, Texas, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., Delaware?

Are you planning to expand your solution to at least one US state? If so, please provide an overview of your expansion plans. What is the market opportunity for your business or product here?

Yes, I would like to because there are many underserved school communities in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Indiana, Texas, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and Delaware!

Is your organization’s mission to help launch small businesses and/or to sustain small businesses?

Our mission is to support underserved school communities and create lasting partnerships and pathways for youth.

What is your theory of change?

If we support underserved school districts with embedded coaching on how to develop community partnerships, then the school leaders will be empowered to create pathways and future partnerships for the youth they serve and create future jobs.

Our solution's stage of development:

Growth: an established product, service, or business model that is sustainable through proven effectiveness and is poised for further growth into additional communities.

Film your elevator pitch.

—

What is your organization’s stage of development?

Growth: A registered 501(c)(3) with an established product, service, or business model in one or several communities, which is poised for further growth. Organizations should have a proven track record with an annual operating budget.

Solution Team:

Jacqueline Sanderlin