Learn more and meet four non-profits selected
We’re opening our doors to nonprofit organizations across our global network to offer free workspace and resources.
Why?
We believe in the power of connection to create a lasting impact in the local communities where we live and work. That’s why we’re proud to launch our first-ever global social impact initiative, Powering Purpose. Through this program, we’re opening our doors to nonprofit organizations in the cities we serve to offer both workspace and resources at no cost. That includes helping nonprofits looking to direct more of their resources to critical mission-driven work and deepen their connections within the local community.
Our first cohort consists of 30 nonprofits across the globe. These folks have access to a free workspace for two years, including a private office with up to four memberships, 10 meeting room hours a month, or five coworking access passes depending on their individual needs and preferences. With Industrious locations worldwide, the Powering Purpose cohort has the opportunity to network with other nonprofit partners, collaborate with our social impact partner Raised By Us, host two community events per year at an Industrious location, and feature their impact on our social media channels.
The registered charitable organizations had to have an annual operating budget of $5 million or less, be located in a city where Industrious has a physical location, and have leaders who are excited to be members of our communities.
“It is powering our purpose,” said Syd Stewart, founder and CEO of one of the nonprofits in the first cohort. “Sometimes support like this is overlooked. Monetary gifts are important, but the power of community is strong. This strengthens our core community with gifts like these. It’s important for organizations to work together in one space and have the opportunity to bond.”
And that is exactly what we hope to provide these nonprofits the opportunity to do with this assistance.
Here are a handful of members from our first cohort to share more about their nonprofits and how they plan to leverage Industrious and our resources over the next couple of years.
A youth mentoring and media arts nonprofit organization, founded by CEO Syd Stewart
In a time when connection is needed now more than ever in Los Angeles following the wildfires, Stewart is able to have a sigh of relief after Better Youth was awarded this opportunity.
Although they have a location for its youth to visit for programming, it’s not a space for admin work. When someone in her network forwarded the application for Powering Purpose, she decided to give it a go.
“We’re kind of displaced,” said Stewart. “We don’t have our own designated space, and if we wanted it, it was just too expensive. We’re growing and adding more staff to our roster. When this came, we were like ‘wow, this will be great.’”
The team plans on meeting frequently at Industrious and utilizing the conference room space to create a newfound cohesiveness that will allow them to potentially provide expanded resources to the community through Better Youth. Specifically, if any problems do arise, they will be together to do solution-based work at any given time. Solving problems quicker will have a significant impact for the organization.
Supporting Tennessee’s local food networks through education, resources and connections, with Executive Director Natalie Ashker Seevers
This nonprofit is set out to educate others about the value of a community-based food system and ways to access locally grown food by supporting local farmers with offering educational workshops on sustainable business and production practices. That includes connecting various stakeholders from the food system, including everyone from producers and distributors to consumers and policymakers, in an effort to strengthen the local food shed.
Since its inception as a nonprofit three years ago, and an annual conference since 2011, its organizers have operated fully remotely to serve the state. With a staff of two and a board of nine, an opportunity for routine in-person connections could go a long way.
When her brother, who works in the real estate industry, passed along Industrious’ Powering Purpose application, Ashker Seevers knew right away she was going to apply.
“I always thought it would be interesting for us because our work is completely community-fueled,” said Ashker Seevers. “We made this happen through grassroots community organizing. It’s the community that keeps this going. That’s why the community-centered piece of Industrious was appealing to me.”
She’s especially excited to leverage the opportunity to meet other local entrepreneurs and business people from the Nashville Germantown Industrious and has hopes to create new partnership opportunities that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.
Operates the largest pro bono legal services program for Black entrepreneurs and small business owners in the country, founded by National President Angela Majette
With growing chapters of Black Connect, Majette knew it was time to have a location for its leaders to convene and for potential new leads to find additional mentors to support other Black entrepreneurs.
Black Connect has worked with Industrious’ nonprofit partner Raised By Us for the last five years, so when it was suggested Majette apply for Powering Purpose, she did right away.
Majette founded Black Connect after she provided her son with advice on starting a business and then stopped to ask herself “What about other people who don’t have someone in their life to get this information?”
“When we think about justice reform, we always hear about it in the context of criminal justice reform, but so much wealth gets lost in the civil justice system because the entrepreneurs can’t afford attorneys to represent them, so they make costly legal mistakes,” said Majette. “We’re trying to close that gap.”
Since it’s been founded, they’ve operated completely virtually. With the help of Industrious, an office in Tampa will be its first physical location, which will offer a designated space where it can have consistent events to attract more partners. They plan to celebrate their anniversary of Black Connect in June from Industrious.
On a mission to restore dignity and hope to people experiencing, transitioning from, or at risk of homelessness
Established in 2015 by Ray Young, Bridge of Light is an Atlanta-based, non-profit organization that provides hygiene and laundry services to encourage self-sufficiency and inspire self-advocacy.
Since it was founded ten years ago, the team of ten volunteers touches base at a storage facility where they house its three mobile resource units. When one of their partner’s beneficiaries told Young about Powering Purpose, she knew right away it would be a good fit for the nonprofit.
“We decided to apply to help with collaboration, getting more work done, networking and sharing our mission and what we are doing with others in the community,” said Young. “We hope others get involved or interested to volunteer or donate.”
She’s also looking forward to hosting meetings in downtown Atlanta instead of just being there with their mobile resource units. To date, they’ve helped over 11,000 people, averaging around 500 to 600 people a month more recently.
“Allowing us to be in person more often and see what is going on day to day in the city will give us more insights on what is happening,” said Young.
She hopes that the more people that get to know Bridge of Light, the more they can expand their team and have a bigger impact on the community.