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At SmartJob, we have reached a new milestone, launching the donor counseling experience for new “donor pools” to the SmartJob Fund at ImpactAssets’ Donor Advised Fund. Donor pool members work together to make decisions about catalytic investment and philanthropic opportunities in a small group, under the guidance and counseling of the SmartJob team.


After beta testing this new feature of our platform during the first half of this year, we have observed the power of a diverse small group of donors coming together in common cause to close the disability wealth gap, while we at SmartJob source deals and opportunities to build meaningful change in the disability market, provide strategic insight, and measure the impact. It’s been thrilling!


Here’s what we know so far: we have learned that when donors unite together to pool and invest their philanthropic assets, they have access not just to a dynamic experience, but also to a collective scale and powerful set of insights often out of reach if they sought to invest in impact opportunities individually. This democratizes impact investing, allowing more people to participate at a range of contribution levels, and it unlocks the considerable possibility for learning and change in donors, investees, and grantees. Together, we are building an ecosystem and community for disability innovation.

Individual donors can approach SmartJob with a target area of disability impact that they are passionate about (i.e. investing in entrepreneurs with autism or the next generation of blind technology), or alternatively, donor pools can be groups interested in investing and philanthropic opportunities across SmartJob’s areas of impact to close the disability wealth gap (i.e. circles of friends or family, alumni clubs, corporate ERGs or affinity groups). If one is not already a part of a group, SmartJob can pair donors with a pool.


How it works is quite simple: individuals donate their tax-deductible philanthropic dollars to the SmartJob Fund at ImpactAssets, are brought together in a multi-donor pool, and start impact investing (and making grants) as a small group as soon as the total pooled capital reaches $300,000 across no more than 10 pool members.


SmartJob just released a short informational video that you can view here (and, an Audio Described version is here). If you want to learn more, visit www.smartjob.net, and if you're ready to start your journey with us, you can donate via credit card here. For more information as to how to transfer money via ACH or between DAFs, please email comms@smartjob.net.


The information contained within this blog post is not a solicitation to buy or sell securities, nor a private placement offering. It describes charitable donations, and charitable activities that may be undertaken therewith. The investment activity that is described is made from the donor pool to charitably oriented, social purpose investments that do not accrue financial benefit to donors other than the potential tax deduction for the donation.



Image: A photo of SmartJob founder and CEO, Gina Kline smiling at the camera.

In today's edition of his Forbes column, SmartJob Board of Advisors member Jonathan Kaufman discusses SmartJob's mission and why the ideas of people with disabilities are critical to the future of work:

"It is vital to look beyond the present and take a creative approach to the possible and appreciate that the business ecosystem of tomorrow is ever-expanding and those with disabilities can play a central role in shaping its future."

You can read the full article here:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathankaufman/2021/06/18/mindset-matters-how-an-upstart-like-smart-job-llc-is-disrupting-the-impact-investing-world-and-offering-a-vision-for-the-future

Updated: Jun 15, 2021


SmartJob Board of Advisors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 8, 2021


Contact: Margaret Knowles

Email: comms@smartjob.net

Website: https://www.smartjob.net/


New Company that Facilitates Impact Investments to Close the Disability Wealth Gap Announces Inaugural Board of Advisors


WASHINGTON, D.C., June 8, 2021—As companies contemplate a post-pandemic return to the workplace and business as usual, many people are pointing out that “business as usual” excludes millions of people with disabilities, who stand to lose access to the job opportunities provided by remote offices and new and flexible ways of working.


At this critical moment, the market is demanding that we reimagine the future of work itself to be more flexible, sustainable, and inclusive. For this reason, people with disabilities may be the most skilled designers of the future of work.


SmartJob, LLC was formed to help make work more inclusive, through better designed, or “smart,” jobs, including by facilitating investment and support in new skills training, innovative work-related technologies, accelerators, incubators, and innovation hubs, and giving founders with disabilities access to venture capital.


SmartJob has assembled an exemplary team of advisors from the financial, tech, nonprofit, and government sectors, including:

  • Long-time disability rights activist Judy Heumann

  • ClearMask CEO Aaron Hsu

  • VC advisor and Neurodiversity Pathways Director Ranga Jayaraman

  • Forbes columnist Jonathan Kaufman

  • Motley Fool Vice-President John Keeling

  • Google Head of Brand Accessibility KR Liu

  • Immediate Past Past President of the National Federation of the Blind Marc Maurer

  • Facebook Policy Communications Manager Erin McPike

  • Georgia Advocacy Office Executive Director Ruby Moore

  • Southern Bancorp Advisor Jan Piercy

  • Activist, Award-winning Humanitarian, and Global Goals Advisory Senior Partner Eddie Ndopu

  • National Federation of the Blind President Mark Riccobono

  • SHRM President and CEO and USA Today columnist Johnny C. Taylor Jr.

  • Inclusively CEO Charles M. Trunz III

With the wide-ranging talent and support of its exceptional advisors, SmartJob will work to close the disability wealth gap by facilitating impact investments in the people, products, and companies that can dramatically improve access and opportunities for people with disabilities in the workforce, and in turn, strengthen work for everyone.


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About SmartJob

SmartJob’s mission is to close the disability wealth gap and make jobs “smarter,” by expanding access to investment, financial services, and technology, and by improving public policy.


We do this by engaging with innovation partners across the world and delivering better economic opportunities to people with disabilities through our impact investments in disability-led, early-stage companies and non-profits that are building an inclusive future of work.


SmartJob investments enable people with disabilities to access capital, supports, and products to gain meaningful employment and access upward mobility. The result is measurable improvements in labor market participation and reduction in disability poverty.


Contact:

Margaret Knowles

comms@smartjob.net

https://www.smartjob.net/


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