Defy Ventures has received a grant of $1 million from SmartRecruiters to increase economic opportunities for justice-impacted individuals. The unrestricted grant will support Defy Ventures’ streak of initiatives, with the nonprofit eyeing an expansion to new locations.
Defy Ventures to advance workforce reintegration with $1 million grant
According to a press release, Defy Ventures has joined a raft of nonprofits to receive grants from talent acquisition provider SmartRecruiters. Defy Ventures confirmed in an official announcement that it obtained a $1 million grant from the SAP company.
The grant, unrestricted in its nature, will allow Defy Ventures to carry out its initiatives as it deems fit. At the moment, the national nonprofit is working to slash recidivism in half by offering ex-offenders and currently incarcerated individuals with entrepreneurship support.
Defy Ventures President Andrew Glazier disclosed that the grant brings the nonprofit one step closer to achieving its target of doubling its reach before the end of the decade.
“We are very grateful to SmartRecruiters for this catalytic gift that jump-starts our efforts to double the number of justice-impacted people we serve annually by 2030,” said Defy Ventures President Andrew Glazier.
Meanwhile, SmartRecruiters CEO Rebecca Carr stated that the choice to support Defy Ventures stemmed from her personal experience of volunteering for Defy Ventures in its in-prison volunteer business coaching days.
As part of the pledge to donate 1% of its earnings, Carr confirmed that SmartRecruiters is backing 20 nonprofits supporting job readiness and economic mobility.
One step closer to its lofty goals
While not expressly stated in the release, sources say a significant chunk of the unrestricted grant will go toward expanding Defy Venture’s six to nine-month in-custody training program dubbed CEO of Your New Life (CEO YNL).
Furthermore, the organization has plans to bolster its entrepreneurship program for ex-offenders keen to launch a business. There are also plans to improve upon a career and reentry program for previously incarcerated individuals upon their release from prison.
At the heart of each program are volunteers providing guidance to help participants “pursue meaningful work trajectories.” Glazier told Charity Journal that volunteers at the programs dispel the misconception that ex-convicts are irredeemable after close encounters with them.
“When corporate volunteers spend time with us, they learn that so many people in prison have talents and skills, take responsibility for their past, and have tremendous capacity for growth and change,” said Glazier.
So far, program graduates have a three-year recidivism rate of less than 15% compared to the national average of 39%. The project’s success is also evident in its workforce integration metrics, with 85% of participants securing employment within six months of release.
Despite racking up impressive milestones, the project is not all smooth sailing. Apart from funding concerns, Glazier told Charity Journal that expansion to a new location poses the challenge of partnering with correctional institutions that are receptive to its programs.