As we close out my first year leading ideas42, I'm filled with gratitude and excitement about the power of what we can accomplish together. This year has been a testament to the idea that we are greater than the sum of our parts.
This belief that we can accomplish more together is the heartbeat of our organization. When we combine our behavioral science expertise, the insights and infrastructure of our partners, and the lived experience of the communities we work with, we create ripples of change that become waves of meaningful impact.
We’ve collaborated with partners in a range of fields. Here are a few that showcase how much more we accomplish together.
Advancing a more inclusive and equitable credit ecosystem. Working with nonprofits, fintech, and financial service providers, we're innovating ways to unlock economic opportunities for millions of consumers with low to moderate incomes so that more people can access the benefits of the credit system.
Helping more dollars flow to nonprofits advancing equity. Donors receive a constant stream of requests for their attention and money. Working with Charity Navigator, we explored novel ways to encourage donors to give to smaller, equity-focused organizations that create powerful change but, too often, get lost amid the noise.
Supporting girls in Burkina Faso and Ghana take control of their reproductive futures. Unintended pregnancies can severely alter the life course of adolescent girls. Working with partners, we designed a board game that allows teenage girls to reflect on real-life scenarios and make decisions about sex and contraceptive use. It has since been adapted and implemented in two countries to help young women pursue their life goals.
Reshaping higher education for working adults. Alongside university and research partners in California, we’re designing school programs that help people enroll and persist in college. Through personalized timelines, proactive peer tutoring, and learning communities, we’re helping more people achieve their educational goals.
None of this would be possible without you—our donors, volunteers, community partners, and dedicated team members.
As I look toward the coming year, I’m not just hopeful but energized. The challenges are significant, but so is our collective capacity to address them. Along with the entire ideas42 team, I will continue to listen, learn, and innovate, always guided by our core belief that understanding human behavior is the first step to creating meaningful change.
Thank you for being part of our journey.
