Strive Together is a Cincinnati-based left-of-center collective impact organization. It is mainly focused on improving educational outcomes for children by maintaining a country-wide network of local partner organizations to which it provides coaching, training, programs, and funding. The group is explicitly focused on intersectional and racial equity concerns. ^{1 2 3}

Background

Strive Together was established as an independent charitable organization in 2017. It was founded in 2011 as part of the group Strive Partnership, a Cincinnati area group focused on improving the educational outcomes of children, especially those in poverty. The group eventually began working to facilitate the partnership of existing community groups around the country. Since it became independent, Strive Together has focused on what it terms cross sector systems change to increase economic mobility. ⁴

Financials

In 2022, Strive Together reported $24,548,359 in revenue, of which $23,468,145 was derived from contributions and grants, $959,304 from program service revenue, and $120,910 from investment income. It had $25,982,410 in expenses, of which $10,871,000 was paid out in grants and $6,484,176 was allocated to employee compensation and benefits. It ended the year with a deficit of $1,434,051 and net assets of $13,228,861. ⁵

Funders of Strive Together include the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Pritzker Children’s Initiative, and the Wallace Foundation. ⁶

Programs

Strive Together seeks connect on the ground local organizations through its Cradle to Career Network, with the goal that these groups will work together and make use of Strive Together’s training, coaching programs, and funding in its local efforts focused on eliminating racial disparity. ⁷

Organization Philosophy

Strive Togher maintains a left-of-center oriented organizational philosophy that is focused on intersectional and identity issues. The group states that its goal is to eliminate racial, ethnic, and economic disparities, and its theory of action regularly identifies people who are Black, indigenous, Hispanic, and Asian as being the focus of the group’s work and asserts that people in such groups are in key decision-making roles in organizations and attempts at social change. ^{8 9}

Leadership

Jennifer Blatz is the president and CEO of Strive Together. She previously worked as the deputy director and senior director of operations before she began her current role. She was a founding member of Strive Partnership, the organization from which Strive Together was formed and was previously the executive director of the Ohio College Access Network. ¹⁰

1. Strive Together. “Our History.” Accessed January 29, 2024. https://www.strivetogether.org/who-we-are/our-history/.
2. “Our Approach.” Strive Together. Accessed January 29, 2024. https://www.strivetogether.org/what-we-do/our-approach/.
3. “Theory of Change.” Strive Together. Accessed January 29, 2024. https://www.strivetogether.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/ST_TOA-Overview-102021_Final.pdf.
4.   Strive Together. “Our History.” Accessed January 29, 2024. https://www.strivetogether.org/who-we-are/our-history/.
5. Strive Together, Return of an organization exempt from taxation ( Form 990) Part I, 2022.
6. “Our Partners.” Strive Together. Accessed January 29, 2024. https://www.strivetogether.org/who-we-are/our-partners/.
7. “Our Approach.” Strive Together. Accessed January 29, 2024. https://www.strivetogether.org/what-we-do/our-approach/.
8. Strive Together. “Our History.” Accessed January 29, 2024. https://www.strivetogether.org/who-we-are/our-history/.
9. “Theory of Change.” Strive Together. Accessed January 29, 2024. https://www.strivetogether.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/ST_TOA-Overview-102021_Final.pdf.
10. “Jennifer Blatz.” Strive Together. Accessed January 29, 2024. https://www.strivetogether.org/team/jennifer-blatz/.