Caitlin Conner

I’ve been up to my eyeballs in research building Be More Adaptive®, and next month I’ll have the chance to pitch the platform in Boulder. What started in 2016 as a small online group of friends trading disability resources has grown into thousands of members, a 501(c)(3) in 2018, and a registered trademark this year.

There were moments I wanted to quit, but every time someone reminded me why this has to exist—a clear, centralized place to find disability resources. People who heard my idea years ago have circled back to say, “You were right, this is needed,” especially after life circumstances change their needs. That’s what’s kept me moving forward.

Now comes the hard part: funding and building at scale. In my research, I’ve seen how often VC and private investors overlook the value of investing in nonprofits—despite the risk reduction, market insights, tax advantages, and brand lift it can bring. I pulled the data together to show what’s being missed and why it’s worth reconsidering.

If you’d like to learn more about the platform or explore being a future beta tester, I’d love to connect. And to everyone who’s kept me on course, thank you!

Why VC and Private Investors Should Add Nonprofits to Their Portfolios Venture and private investors traditionally chase risk-adjusted financial returns. Yet a growing body of research shows that targeted investments in nonprofits—via grants, program-related investments (PRIs), recoverable grants, and co-funded pilots—lower portfolio risk, surface new markets, conf...