START Giving Fund Awards First Grant to Franklinton Gardens
Charitable Fund Driven by Entrepreneur Donations Doubles in Size in Three Months
Columbus, OH—March 14, 2017— Today START, a community-supported fund powered by Columbus startups, announced it has donated its first grant to help Franklinton Gardens launch its new educational garden. START brings capital and startup support from an entrepreneur-led advisory board to help initiatives and people in Central Ohio that are “starting up” something special in the community.
Launched in December with an initial seed investment from Rev1 Ventures, START has doubled its amount with help from entrepreneur donations and another match from Rev1 in just three short months. Beyond financial support, START helps raise awareness for impactful programs, like Franklinton Gardens, by connecting people with great ideas to people with great experience building businesses.
“START is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs give back to the Columbus community that has supported their growth,” said Kristy Campbell, chief operating and marketing officer at Rev1 Ventures and an advisor to START. “Support for Franklinton Gardens is our first step in making this connection in a meaningful way. We’re amazed at the early response from the startup community, who, while knee-deep in their own ventures, recognize the importance of helping fund ideas that will improve Central Ohio.”
Franklinton Gardens started as a lone community garden on a small vacant lot and is now a thriving network of gardens and food production sites scattered throughout the neighborhood’s urban landscape. Its organic food production efforts provides fresh produce to more than 30 local families and its programming offers a wide range of garden-based activities, educational initiatives, and employment opportunities to empower neighbors and build a healthy community.
“This grant enables us to continue building momentum for our educational garden so that we can better serve an under-served part of the community,” said Nick Stanich, executive director of Franklinton Gardens. “This project is a great demonstration of the collaborative potential between the nonprofit, city, and entrepreneurial sectors of Columbus.”
About START
START is a big-hearted fund powered by the Columbus startup community. START enables entrepreneurs to collectively give back to the community that has supported their growth. START is focused on supporting non-profit initiatives in Central Ohio that are “starting up” something special in the community within four broad areas: Connecting Communities, STEM Education, Sustainable Food Solutions, and Workforce Development. To donate to START – or submit an initiative for funding consideration – visit https://cbusstart.org/
About Rev1 Ventures
Rev1 is a venture fund that helps entrepreneurs build great companies. Combining investment capital with a unique blend of services through our startup studio, we propel innovation for startups and corporate innovation teams. Our seasoned, data-driven team helps lay the foundation for scalable growth with the skills to evolve a product, sell to customers, and build the right team. Named a top VC investor in the Great Lakes Region, Rev1 manages a continuum of financial support from corporate and community partners, as well as the Ohio Third Frontier. Rev1 was named the Most Active VC in Ohio in 2017 by CB Insights. For more information, visit https://www.rev1ventures.com.
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