As an investor, I spend a lot of time backing founders who use tech-enabled innovation to solve some of our world’s most vexing problems. I also believe companies should build generosity into their corporate DNA from the beginning. That is one reason I encourage portfolio companies to join the Pledge 1% and commit a portion of their equity to charitable causes. When a company creates long-term value, that value can and should also create long-term community impact.
For me, that philosophy shapes the kinds of leaders and organizations I look to invest in. It also extends to the community-based organizations I support. DignityMoves and their practical solution to end street homelessness is one of those organizations.
DignityMoves is tackling one of the most visible and urgent challenges facing communities across California: unsheltered homelessness. What drew me in is the simplicity of their interim supportive housing model, offering a pragmatic, cost-effective solution to a complex problem. And in just 5 short years since its founding, DignityMoves is demonstrating that street homelessness can be reduced and even ended when communities scale interim housing and commit to a clear, coordinated plan.
That plan starts with three steps
Step 1 is to count your unhoused residents and build enough interim supportive housing units to match that number, fast.
Step 2 is to ensure people move indoors by enforcing camping bans only once there’s truly somewhere safe for everyone to go.
Step 3 is to address the deeper housing-market pressures that push people into homelessness in the first place, especially rent burden and the shortage of homes affordable to working people.
That is where DignityMoves is helping change the equation.
The root causes of homelessness are complex, but one thing is clear: The longer someone remains living on the street, the more likely they’ll become trapped in a cycle of escalating health crises and high-cost interventions. That’s why speed in developing housing is not a luxury, it is a humanitarian necessity. The faster we create safe interim housing, the better chance we have of services reaching the homeless and beginning the recovery process.
DignityMoves partners with cities to turn vacant or underused land into dignified interim supportive housing quickly and cost-effectively. Using prefabricated, movable units and faster delivery methods, DignityMoves develops communities with private rooms, safe shared spaces, and service-enriched environments far faster than traditional development approaches. In doing so, it gives cities the practical housing capacity they need to bring people indoors now, while they continue the longer work of expanding permanent affordable housing.
What excites me most is that DignityMoves has already demonstrated real traction. I liken it to an early-stage company with a proven model and clear product-market fit. It’s seeing surging demand from cities and is operating in a policy environment increasingly aligned toward bringing people indoors quickly and humanely. And it has a Founder and CEO in Elizabeth Funk who combines urgency, strategic discipline, and a vision for scale.
I have watched DignityMoves grow from an early proof point into an organization with the potential to transform how cities respond to street homelessness. A big reason for that confidence is Elizabeth Funk. She brings a rare Silicon Valley sensibility to nonprofit leadership: bold in vision, rigorous execution, and a relentless focus on scale. Over the past two decades, Elizabeth has led impact investment funds and championed the use of market-based solutions to address social problems at a scale traditional philanthropy cannot reach alone. Earlier in her career, she helped build products at Microsoft and Yahoo!, experiences that shaped her belief that large, stubborn problems can be solved with the right combination of innovation, discipline, and partnerships. That is exactly how she leads DignityMoves today.
And that is why I am leaning in
For the Pledge 1% community interested in tackling street homelessness, the time to embrace step 1 is now. Supporting organizations like DignityMoves is one way to do exactly that.
DignityMoves has completed 12 projects totaling 898 beds and is on track to serve approximately 13,000 people over a decade through those communities. That alone is a meaningful impact. But what is even more compelling is what comes next.
With $3.7 million in capacity funding, DignityMoves projects it can scale to 6,450 beds by 2029, serving close to 100,000 people over a decade — transforming more than five times as many lives. That is the kind of leverage that should get the attention of any business leader, investor, or philanthropist interested in scalable social impact.
DignityMoves has a proven model, measurable impact, and a credible path to scale. The time to support this work is now.
If this resonated with you, join me in supporting DignityMoves’ Capacity to Scale Campaign. Please reach out to Elizabeth Funk at Elizabeth@dignitymoves.org for more information on how you can support this effort to help end street homelessness.
For all the complexity inherent in his leadership role at ADAPTOVATE Inc., Ghaleb El Masri easily zeroes in on his two essential goals. “It’s crucial to secure the right workplace culture for the high-quality team members we worked so hard to find,” says the global consultancy’s managing director, Canada.
“It’s both sides of the coin for us in terms of creating opportunity and being able to fulfill those opportunities for our people. They’re our greatest asset and, frankly, our only asset.”
Toronto-based ADAPTOVATE’s welcoming workplace is supported by employee benefits frequently found among top employers, El Masri notes, including tuition reimbursement, a minimum of four weeks of paid vacation, and flexible work hours and locations. And by some far less common perks as well.
“There’s $5,000 that can be spent as a flex budget for personal or wellness costs like a gym membership or for new experiences like going to another ADAPTOVATE office, whether in L.A. or Sydney or elsewhere,” says El Masri, “and we’re committed to Pledge 1%.” Under that global program, 19,000 member companies donate one per cent of staff time, product, profit or equity for social impact.
Pledge 1% is a core aspect of ADAPTOVATE’s deep involvement in community engagement. “In part, that reflects the company’s values, but we find it’s also very important for the type of people we’re looking to have join us,” El Masri says. “And we’d certainly hear from our people if they didn’t feel the company was aligned to what they care about. We have heard this in the past, with objections about certain companies or environmental practices — and it does factor into our business decisions.”
It’s an equally strong part of ADAPTOVATE’s appeal for management consultant Janelle Calvert, who works remotely for the most part from Bracebridge in Ontario’s cottage country, two hours north of Toronto. “I have previously volunteered here with Muskoka Victim Services, a non-profit, community-based organization that provides 24/7 emergency support and practical assistance to victims of crime and tragic circumstances,” says Calvert.
“Volunteer-run charities don’t always have access to training budgets, so ADAPTOVATE is volunteering the time to facilitate a one-day event to provide leadership training and an opportunity to network for a number of community organizations,” she says. “So, I suggested this to Ghaleb, and he thought it was a great idea.”
The response was no surprise to Calvert. “This is a pretty special place. We’re small and we’re all involved with everything involving our clients — from business development to marketing initiatives to coaching — while learning from each other,” she says. “The personalities we have within the company are all geared toward this mindset and this style of working.”
It’s all part of practising what you preach when you help clients adjust to a changing world, according to El Masri. “We are always holding up a mirror and asking, ‘Are we the cobbler’s child who has no shoes?’” he says. “We decided recently we really had to grow in our technical capabilities, and in 2025 everyone in the firm had to learn some basic AI programming and achieve Microsoft Azure certification.”
“I’ve always said this place is a unicorn,” says Calvert. “Its entire premise is to help people work together better, and that means both clients and employees.”
At Compass Furnished Apartments, our commitment to Pledge 1% is rooted in a simple belief: it’s more than housing, it’s about people, community, and sustainability.
Through our Compass Cares program, we dedicate 1% of our product and profit to supporting patients and families traveling for medical care, in addition to meaningful community and sustainability initiatives. These stays become more than just accommodations—they provide a sense of stability during uncertain times, a place to rest after long hospital days, and a space where families can feel together, supported, and at home when it matters most.
In partnership with organizations like Hospitality Homes, we provide both discounted and, when possible, fully complimentary stays—helping ease the financial and emotional weight of being far from home when it matters most.
In 2025 alone, this commitment resulted in 170 Compass Cares stays, including 1,915 discounted nights and 69 complimentary nights, delivering more than $25,000 in savings to families navigating medical challenges.
Beyond housing, we extend our impact through revenue-based giving and employee-led initiatives that reflect what matters most to our team. We’ve donated over $6,000 to nonprofits chosen by our employees and planted over 50 trees, turning meaningful moments into meaningful impact. From these contributions to sustainability effort, our commitment to care extends far beyond every stay.
For us, this work goes beyond giving back. It’s about driving meaningful impact—supporting patients and families, investing in our communities, and advancing a more sustainable future.
How often do we stop to consider the true cost of our clothes? As I learned more about the fashion industry, it became impossible to ignore the environmental damage and harm to garment workers baked into the way most clothing is made. I wanted to shop more responsibly, but finding truly sustainable brands felt overwhelming and unclear.
That led me to a simple question: What if buying clothes included giving back by default?
I started Eco-Stylist to help make sustainable fashion easier to navigate for conscious consumers — and to make it easier for shoppers to give back simply by supporting brands that are doing fashion better.
As part of this work, Eco-Stylist certifies sustainable fashion brands using rigorous sustainability standards, helping shoppers identify companies that truly align with their values. Behind the scenes, we also work directly with brands to improve their sustainability practices and communicate their impact more clearly. Through our commitment to Pledge 1%, we donate a number of our brand certification services (valued at $499 each) every year to small sustainable brands that otherwise couldn’t afford them.
So far, this has helped emerging brands earn certification, build consumer trust, and grow without compromising their values. It’s not just about a label — it’s about giving brands the tools they need to succeed responsibly.
As a social enterprise, impact is already central to our work. But pledging 1% allows us to also give back in an intentional and accountable way. As a small business, we especially value that 100% of our 1% goes directly toward causes we believe in.
Our hope is that more businesses begin to see giving back as a standard part of doing business. When generosity is baked into the model from the start, impact becomes scalable — and collective.
Astonous joined Pledge 1% with a simple commitment: to integrate meaningful community impact into the way we work. Through this pledge, we dedicate time and company effort toward initiatives that promote dignity, connection, and wellbeing within our local communities.
As part of this commitment, our team recently visited Atmanirbhar Vridhashram – Ashadeep Sansthan in Jaipur, a home that provides a safe and caring environment for elders supported through community-driven care. Our intention was to contribute through presence spending time with residents, engaging in light activities, and helping create a warm and inclusive atmosphere.
During our visit, our team spent time interacting with residents, participating in light activities, and supporting the daily rhythm of the home. These moments highlighted how thoughtful engagement and shared experiences can help strengthen emotional wellbeing and create a sense of togetherness.
For Astonous, the Pledge 1% movement reflects our long-term commitment to purposeful social responsibility. We remain dedicated to supporting environments that honor dignity and nurture meaningful human connection, and we look forward to continuing our contribution to community wellbeing in the years ahead.
At Salesforce Ventures, we believe that values drive value — and that the companies that endure are those grounded in purpose from day one. As a founding member of Pledge 1%, we’ve seen firsthand how this framework empowers startups to translate values into action, embedding social impact into a business’s foundation.
One powerful example of that belief in action comes from G2. In 2023, G2 formally joined Pledge 1%, committing 1% of the company’s equity to charitable causes, with a focus on expanding access to STEM education for underrepresented communities worldwide. Their example showcases what it means to blend purpose with action and how a business can have a lasting positive impact in more ways than one.
A Commitment Rooted in Kindness
Over a decade ago, G2 was founded on a set of values: Performance, Entrepreneurship, Authenticity, and Kindness, or “PEAK” for short. Regardless of how the business evolved, founders Godard Abel, Tim Handorf, Mike Wheeler, Mark Myers, and Matt Gorniak agreed that G2 would remain rooted in these ideals.
After Salesforce Ventures invested in G2 and invited them to take the pledge, the founders agreed it would be a perfect opportunity to live their value of Kindness.
“At G2, we’re driven by Kindness and the desire to create real, lasting impact through compassionate leadership,” says Abel, G2’s CEO. “Joining Pledge 1% was a natural extension of this ethos, offering a structured way to make philanthropy part of G2’s DNA.”
The G2 team chose to center their philanthropic efforts on expanding access to STEM education for underserved communities. By opening doors to the tech ecosystem for those who might otherwise be left out, Abel and co. believe they can help ensure that the next generation of innovators has the opportunity to bring their ideas to life.
“By concentrating on this specific area, we’re ensuring our efforts can scale with intentionality,” says Abel. “We want to help build the next generation of software experts and builders.”
In practice, G2 structured their pledge around a handful of commitments:
- The company has pledged to donate 1% of its equity to charitable organizations focused on improving access to STEM education for underserved populations.
- The company has already begun its philanthropic efforts by volunteering with and donating to organizations such as Chicago Tech Academy, Ennovate Labs, Girls Who Code, and the American Cancer Society, aiming to deliver a positive impact in communities both in the U.S. and globally.
- Through its G2 Gives program, G2 donates $10 to organizations like Girls Who Code every time a user submits a software review on the G2 platform.
- Employees at G2 are granted 20 paid volunteer hours per year to volunteer with a philanthropic organization of their choosing.
To promote buy-in for this program, Abel, Handorf, Wheeler, Myers, and Gorniak agreed to personally pledge 1% of their own equity in addition to 1% of the company’s corporate equity.
“We wanted to set the tone from the top,” Abel explains. “This wasn’t just a corporate move; it was a personal one.”
That leadership example quickly resonated across the organization. Abel says Chief People Officer Priti Patel helped champion the initiative internally, ensuring that G2’s philanthropy efforts became a shared mission embraced across teams and geographies.
The Result: Engagement and Growth
G2’s philanthropic efforts to date have already raised over $1 million for charitable organizations through its G2 Gives program and resulted in thousands of employee volunteer hours across G2’s 600-person team. Further, it’s having a real impact on the ground. As part of G2’s pledge, Handorf has made multiple trips to Nigeria to serve as a guest teacher at a local school and speak at LAUTech University about entrepreneurship — witnessing firsthand how encouraging entrepreneurship and financial support can open doors to opportunity.
The G2 team shares these benevolent efforts via a philanthropy page on its website, blog, and via social media posts to amplify their work to customers and employees.
“Our Pledge 1% commitment reinforces our culture of purpose and kindness,” says Abel. “It reminds employees they are part of something bigger — a company committed to making a difference.”
Outside of increased employee engagement, Abel says customers and partners have taken notice of G2’s commitment to values-driven leadership.
“Our commitment signals to customers and partners that we are a values-driven organization,” Abel says. “We often collaborate with our partners to raise funds for G2 partner organizations and help them scale their impact.”
That alignment of purpose and partnership reinforces G2’s long-term vision — a company that helps others grow while growing itself responsibly.
Advice for Founders: Don’t Wait to Start
When asked what he’d tell early-stage founders considering Pledge 1%, Abel’s advice is simple:
“Don’t wait. Purpose is most impactful when embedded early. Committing something now — even just 1% — sends a strong message to your team and community. It’s a small stake today with the potential for massive impact tomorrow.”
For founders who feel unready to make a full financial commitment, Abel encourages starting small — through mentoring, volunteering, or supporting local nonprofits — and letting those efforts evolve into a long-term giving framework.
“Anchoring philanthropy in your company’s foundation helps shape culture and scale impact as you grow,” Abel says.
Since our founding in 2013, Circle has been focused on our mission of raising global economic prosperity through the frictionless exchange of value. And, for more than a decade in parallel, we’ve deployed our people and technology to expand access to financial tools that help people thrive — from enabling more efficient delivery of humanitarian aid, to helping entrepreneurs solve pressing global challenges. Now, we’re taking that commitment further.
Today, we’re proud to introduce Circle Foundation, a new philanthropic initiative dedicated to advancing financial resilience and inclusion in the United States and around the world. Seeded by Circle’s Pledge 1% equity commitment — a global initiative uniting thousands of companies in dedicating a portion of their equity and resources to philanthropy — the Circle Foundation will support groups that strengthen the financial systems people rely on every day. This includes organizations that work with small businesses in US communities and international groups modernizing the infrastructure of humanitarian aid.
From moments of impact to systemic change
Circle has seen firsthand how access to better financial tools can change lives, and over the years we’ve worked to help provide that access. We’ve continuously sought ways to collaborate with global organizations to help humanitarian organizations deliver aid faster, more securely, and at lower cost, while supporting entrepreneurs creating new models for financial access.
In Ukraine, we worked with the UN Refugee Agency to help deliver assistance via USDC to thousands of displaced people, giving them the means to start rebuilding their lives. In Venezuela, a collaboration with humanitarian and fintech partners helped route nearly $18 million to more than 60,000 healthcare workers at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. And, through Circle’s Unlocking Impact Pitch Competition, past winners like Rahat in Nepal and Ensuro in Kenya, and 2025 winner ATEC Global in Cambodia, demonstrated how they used USDC and open, digital infrastructure to build financial resilience against climate and economic shocks. Each of these efforts demonstrates the same truth: when financial systems are open, efficient, and inclusive, people gain access to opportunity.
Circle Foundation exists to build upon that impact by turning individual programs into systemic change, focusing on building durable infrastructure for economic participation that gives people and communities the tools, knowledge, and access they need to thrive.
Supporting access and resilience, starting at home
In its first phase, Circle Foundation will focus on strengthening the financial resilience of small businesses across the United States. Small businesses employ nearly half of all US private-sector workers and drive more than 40% of GDP, yet many still struggle to access affordable financing, digital tools, and the capital readiness they need to grow.
Through grant making, Circle Foundation will address this challenge by partnering with mission-driven lenders, known as Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), that fill critical gaps left by traditional finance. The Foundation will prioritize results-driven, technology-forward CDFIs that share best practices and data-driven insights across their networks, amplifying the reach and effectiveness of every dollar of support.
Expanding opportunity globally
While our initial grants will be made in the US, Circle Foundation’s mission is global. Around the world, billions remain excluded from financial systems that enable a prosperous future. The Circle Foundation will work with international organizations to modernize the infrastructure behind humanitarian finance, helping aid reach more people, more efficiently, and with greater transparency.
These efforts build on Circle’s long-standing collaborations with multilateral institutions and NGOs, and reflect our belief that financial access is a foundational element of global economic prosperity.
More than money: a commitment of time, expertise, and trust
Circle Foundation’s impact won’t be measured in dollars alone. Through our participation in Pledge 1%, Circle has committed both financial resources and employee time toward advancing social good. Every Circle employee will have up to 40 hours of paid volunteer time annually to contribute to nonprofits and community organizations of their choice.
Circle Foundation is also structured for independence and longevity. As a donor-advised fund housed with Fidelity, it is separately governed and focused entirely on mission-aligned giving. Circle covers the operational costs, so that Foundation dollars are directed where they matter most — right to impact.
Leading with purpose
After 9 years serving as Circle’s Chief Operating Officer, Elisabeth Carpenter has turned her attention to accelerating and giving permanence to Circle’s broader mission as Chief Strategic Engagement Officer and Founding Chair of Circle Foundation.
Circle Foundation marks the next step in Circle’s mission to raise global economic prosperity. Where Circle’s technology has helped move value faster and farther, Circle Foundation will help those benefits reach deeper through systems-level change at home and abroad.
In 2019, Jambo™ officially joined Pledge 1%, a global movement that encourages companies worldwide to contribute 1% of their profits, products, equity, or employee time to meaningful causes. By joining this movement, Jambo strengthened its commitment to giving back and creating lasting, positive change.
Jambo has pledged 1% of its profits to Classrooms for Africa, a Canadian charitable organization that supports community-driven school construction projects in disadvantaged regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. Instead of relying on foreign volunteers or imported materials, Classrooms for Africa funds local labour, locally sourced supplies, and community-led project management, ensuring each project is sustainable, culturally aligned, and beneficial to the local area.
Jambo’s name (pronounced jam-bo!) comes from a Swahili greeting similar to “Hello.” While simple, the word reflects something deeper: all engagement begins with a greeting. Because Swahili is widely spoken across Sub-Saharan Africa, the name also symbolizes Jambo’s commitment, through Pledge 1%, to expanding access to education in the region.
Each year, a member of the Jambo team travels to Africa to witness the impact of this pledge. Eilbhe Kennedy, Jambo’s Head of Marketing, visited Classroom for Africa projects in Uganda and shared these thoughts, “Seeing the impact of the support we provide made me incredibly proud to work for Jambo. Our contributions go a long way, and I am confident that our company makes a lasting impact, as each project will continue to provide a safe and clean space for learning for years to come.
This pledge reflects Jambo’s belief that meaningful, long-term change happens through both the work enabled by the Jambo platform and thoughtful corporate social responsibility. Jambo is proud to help expand access to education for children across Sub-Saharan Africa through its partnership with Pledge 1% and Classrooms for Africa.
Hace unos años, me detuve frente al reflejo de un negocio que daba buenos resultados… pero no me llenaba.
Había procesos improvisados, equipos que trabajaban con buen corazón pero sin claridad, clientes que regresaban… pero algo faltaba.
Fue en ese momento cuando descubrí algo más grande que resultados: una llamada a hacer las cosas con propósito.
Entonces encontré el movimiento Pledge 1%, un regalo para mi visión. Una filosofía que dice: “Tu empresa puede ser rentable y al mismo tiempo ser un agente de cambio”.
Comprendí que el orden, la estructura y la excelencia operativa no son solo para el negocio, sino para las personas: tus colaboradores, tus clientes, tu comunidad.
Con Monte Alto nace una promesa: no solo ayudarte a optimizar procesos, estandarizar operaciones y formar equipos… sino a construir una empresa que se convierta en una fuerza para bien.
Imagina un negocio donde cada empleado se siente parte del sueño, cada cliente vive una experiencia memorable, y tu crecimiento se convierte en participación, impacto y legado.
Esa es la realidad que podemos alcanzar juntos. Porque cuando adoptas los valores de Pledge 1% —dar un % de tu tiempo, de tus recursos, de tu talento— el crecimiento deja de ser solo personal y se vuelve comunitario.
Hoy te invito a que des el paso: estructura, propósito, corazón. Que Monte Alto sea tu guía para construir NO solo un negocio rentable… sino un negocio que importa.
Y recuerda: cuando defines hoy un % de tu éxito para los demás, estás sembrando un futuro que trasciende. Porque el verdadero crecimiento empieza con la claridad de saber que tus resultados son también una oportunidad.
Bienvenido a Monte Alto. Bienvenido al cambio.