Your investment builds businesses that outlast any grant cycle.
Fund refugee entrepreneurship
Rock Forward is seeking funding to support 30–40 refugee entrepreneurs through our Year 1 12-week Entrepreneurship Bootcamp. Every dollar goes toward curriculum, mentorship, and the wraparound support participants need to succeed.
The global refugee population has hit 120 million. The ecosystem of support hasn't kept up.
Most refugee support programs focus on employment — getting people into jobs as fast as possible. Rock Forward focuses on what happens when a refugee wants to create jobs, not just take them.
We are building the infrastructure that turns displaced people into business owners.
Year 1 budget — two cohorts, 30–40 participants
| Budget line | Year 1 (2 cohorts) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Program coordinator (0.75 FTE) | $45,000–$55,000 | Curriculum delivery and participant support |
| Curriculum development | $8,000–$12,000 | One-time; adapted from IRC and UNHCR |
| Mentor stipends | $6,000–$8,000 | Honoraria for 10 mentors across 2 cohorts |
| Participant wraparound | $5,000–$8,000 | Transportation, childcare, language |
| Demo Day events (x2) | $4,000–$6,000 | Venue, materials, investor invitations |
| Technology and CRM | $2,000–$3,000 | Tracking, surveys, resource hub |
| Impact measurement | $3,000–$4,000 | Survey design, annual impact report |
| Overhead (15%) | $11,000–$14,000 | Admin, legal, insurance |
| Total Year 1 | $84,000–$110,000 | Under $3,500 per participant |
How we build toward sustainability
Citi Foundation, JPMorgan, Tent Partnership, WES Mariam Assefa Fund
SBA, IRC SNAP E&T, municipal workforce grants
Demo Day sponsors, diaspora corporations
Demo Day donors, board network
Waived for newly arrived refugees
What funders get
Transparency
Quarterly updates, annual Impact Report, participant outcome data
Alignment
Named recognition, co-branding for strategic partners
Leverage
Every $3,500 creates a business. Every business creates 1.2 jobs average.