Burton D. Morgan Foundation expands YIPPEE program for teachers
Burton D. Morgan Foundation Trustees recently voted to expand access to YIPPEE by authorizing a statewide fund to provide all Ohio teachers with a one-stop-shopping experience for entrepreneurship education grants.
YIPPEE-- short for Youth. Ideas. Product. Points. Entrepreneurship. Education. -- is an online platform launched in 2022 by Burton D. Morgan Foundation and Young Entrepreneur Institute. Originally targeted to just Northeast Ohio, educators across the state now have access to curated resources designed to build their students’ entrepreneurial skills and connect them with entrepreneurs in their communities.
There are currently 120 products on the growing YIPPEE site, which can be filtered by grade level and category, including educator training, curriculum, guest speakers, supplies, and field trips. Products focus on 19 entrepreneurial skills, such as collaboration, adaptability, business acumen, and grit. They are available online, in-person, or to be sent directly to the educator.
YIPPEE offers a free-market approach to philanthropy in which teachers drive funding decisions through their use of points. By signing up, educators get 500 points to spend on resources. That equates to $500 that gets passed along to providers based on what educators buy. All parties involved get a say in what resources reach our students:
Educators choose the products that work best for them.
Providers decide where and how they want to offer resources.
Sponsors decide how they will direct their support.
When all three align, a match is made, and educators get a grant without any paperwork.
Educators can find out more and sign up at https://yippee.exchange/ online.
Those with a product to share on the site, or for those who want to sponsor educator orders, email the YIPPEE team at info@yippee.exchange.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Grant program expanded statewide by Burton D. Morgan Foundation
