REDF (formerly the Roberts Enterprise Development Fund) provides leadership and investment to a portfolio of nonprofit social enterprises, changing the lives of people who face poverty, homelessness, and other barriers to employment. Through REDF's Farber Program, MBA students use their business and management skills within social mission-driven enterprises. See examples below of Farber Internships from 2011 and prior years. The MNC's summer jobs also include public broadcasting positions, Summer Associate jobs and the Packard Environment Fellows program.
Jahanzeb Burana (Harvard)
San Francisco Clean City Coalition
(REDF Portfolio social enterprise)
The San Francisco Clean City Coalition - a nonprofit focused on cleaning, greening and beautifying the city - runs a social enterprise that offers urban maintenance services, including sidewalk cleaning and special event recycling, while employing very low-income and formerly homeless people. Jahanzeb worked with Clean City on a social enterprise feasibility assessment. Learn more about the San Francisco Clean City Coalition and REDF, or view previous placements with the San Francisco Clean City Coalition. (Summer 2009)
Gordon Chan (Haas)
Weingart Center Association
(REDF Portfolio social enterprise)
The Weingart Center Association provides men and women with the skills, resources and hope they need to break the cycle of homelessness and lead self-sufficient lives. In preparation for the launch of Weingart’s first social enterprise, Gordon developed a marketing and implementation pilot plan, including analysis of the target market and a pricing tool. He also developed strategies to optimize the operational efficiency of work performed in the social enterprise and assisted in the development of double-bottom-line financial statements for the organization. Learn more about Weingart Center Association and REDF. (Summer 2011)
Marilyn Chen (Kellogg)
REDF
REDF provides funding and business assistance to a portfolio of nonprofit enterprises that employ very low-income individuals who have experienced incarceration, mental illness and/or homelessness. Marilyn worked on three projects: developing a tool that audits a social enterprise’s eligibility for programs that advantage certain businesses in the marketplace, analyzing best practices for an affiliate model that could support broad business development activities on behalf of network members, and completing a feasibility analysis for potential new social enterprise. Learn more about REDF or view previous placements with REDF. (Summer 2011)
Adam Deromedi (Booth)
Urban Strategies/Green Streets
(REDF Portfolio social enterprise)
Urban Strategies helps lead distressed, urban-core residential communities and low-income families toward positive social and economic mobility. Urban Strategies works closely with the affordable housing property management company McCormack, Baron, Ragan (MBR) to oversee Green Streets, a social enterprise that provides recycling and composting services at MBR-managed housing developments in San Francisco. Adam worked on an expansion strategy for Green Streets’ business into additional properties in Richmond, CA and Los Angeles. He also created double-bottom line financial statements for Green Streets and recommended pathways to financial self-sustainability in their current San Francisco locations. Learn more about Urban Strategies and REDF. (Summer 2011)
Lauren Foukes (Ross)
REDF
REDF provides funding and business assistance to a portfolio of nonprofit enterprises that employ very low-income individuals who have experienced incarceration, mental illness and/or homelessness. Lauren extended REDF’s research on fresh-cut produce to the southern California market and created a pipeline of related business ideas. She also developed a map of the Los Angeles-based stakeholder community to help determine optimal strategies for REDF to strengthen its presence in the region. Learn more about REDF or view previous placements with REDF. (Summer 2011)
Levi Goertz (Haas)
Buckelew Programs
(REDF Portfolio social enterprise)
Buckelew helps individuals with mental illness to live, work, learn and participate fully in their communities. Levi worked with Buckelew on assessing the feasibility of launching a new social enterprise. Learn more about Buckelew Programs and REDF. (Summer 2010)
Whitney Hewitt (Fuqua)
Community Housing Partnership
(REDF Portfolio social enterprise)
Community Housing Partnership (CHP) is a nonprofit community development corporation that has provided housing, social services and economic opportunities to formerly homeless persons since 1990. Whitney worked with CHP on a market expansion plan for their property management social enterprise. Learn more about Community Housing Partnership and REDF or view previous placements with Community Housing Partnership. (Summer 2009)
Calvin Tam (Kellogg)
San Francisco Conservation Corps
(REDF Portfolio social enterprise)
The San Francisco Conservation Corps (SFCC) provides job and academic training to young people ages 18-26. Corpsmembers develop their job skills through employment in social enterprises that offer recycling, playground construction and trail maintenance services. Calvin worked with SFCC on creating an agency-wide performance dashboard and implementing double-bottom-line accounting. Learn more about San Francisco Conservation Corps and REDF, or view previous placements with San Francisco Conservation Corps. (Summer 2010)
Frances Weld (Stanford)
St. Vincent de Paul
(REDF Portfolio social enterprise)
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County (SVdP) serves more than 100,000 homeless and low-income people a year, offering assistance such as food, clothing, access to health care, educational classes and job training. Fran worked with SVdP on developing a real estate strategy for the organization’s properties, focusing on options that would create social enterprise jobs. Learn more about St. Vincent de Paul and REDF, or view previous placements with St. Vincent de Paul. (Summer 2010)