Impact Report · 2021–2024
Four years of building the infrastructure that under-resourced founders deserve — and proving that when equity is designed in from the start, impact compounds at every level.
BGV Foundation · bgvfoundation.org
Founder's Foreword · Omi Bell, CEO
— Omi Bell, Founder & CEO, BGV Foundation
Executive Summary · 2021–2024
Between 2021 and 2024, BGV entered a defining era — moving from building momentum to building an institution. Founders applied because they trusted the brand. Donors gave because they believed their dollars mattered. Partners invested because they saw BGV Foundation emerging as a national leader in access-centered entrepreneurship.
Part I · Programs & Impact
Each program was designed to meet founders at a different stage — from first idea to operational scale. Together they form a continuous pathway from visibility to capital to community.
BGV Pitch is the front door to the ecosystem — a designed experience that centers dignity, storytelling, and collective belief. Powered by Raisify, our proprietary crowdfunding platform, each competition turned thousands of community donors into investors.
12+ Cities. One Mission.
A 12-week cohort experience for early- to mid-stage founders ready to move from reactive decision-making to intentional growth. ELF combines peer accountability, applied strategy, and structured learning grounded in the realities of building a business through inequitable systems. With a 30:1 application-to-slot ratio, the demand far exceeds current capacity.
BGV NextGen bridges education and entrepreneurship, introducing college-aged founders — primarily from HBCUs — to business ownership as a tool for leadership, economic mobility, and community impact. For many, this was their first time being encouraged to see themselves as a founder.
Designed to remove invisible barriers keeping founders from ever entering a funding space. Pull Up & Pitch brings entrepreneurship into neighborhoods, parks, and campuses — meeting founders where they are. No polished deck required. No insider access needed. Many founders described this as the moment they first believed their ideas were worth pursuing.
The connective tissue of the BGV ecosystem. What began as a pandemic adaptation became permanent infrastructure — a shared space where founders exchange resources, celebrate milestones, and build relationships with peers who understand the realities of under-resourced entrepreneurship.
ELF · Outcomes at a Glance
With a 30:1 application-to-slot ratio, the fellows you see here represent only a fraction of the founders waiting for this support.
For every founder we serve through ELF, 29 more are waiting. This is the most honest measure of unmet need in our ecosystem.
Of 78,899 registered platform users, 18.4% actively donate — a conversion rate that outperforms most comparable platforms in the nonprofit sector.
Donors don't give once to BGV — they come back. A 94.5% retention rate reflects deep community trust built year over year.
Community Voices · Founders in Their Own Words
These are the stories behind the statistics — founders who took a chance on an idea, and a community that believed with them.
Aisha's medical technology company experienced significant growth after participating in BGV programs. BGV x PIMCO support fueled the expansion of her customer base globally, with patents spanning wound care, post-surgical, asthma inhalers, EpiPens, diabetic shots, and Narcan markets.
Since completing the BGV ELF program, Yes Girls Create has grown in revenue, visibility, and community impact. The program provided tools, mentorship, and a supportive network that helped enhance organizational operations, form new partnerships, and refine their long-term strategic vision.
Deja leveraged BGV's programs to gain critical skills and network access — transforming her business from a modest annual revenue to a nationally and internationally scaling operation.
Founder Testimonials · Survey Voices
Part II · Visibility, Demand & Reach
BGV invested in visibility not as promotion but as a pathway — creating consistent, trustworthy entry points for founders to find us, understand us, and engage meaningfully with our work.
Platform Spotlight · TikTok
BGV leveraged TikTok as a funding and community-building engine — using authentic founder stories to drive direct donations, grow a national audience, and train founders in digital marketing and TikTok Shop skills.
“TikTok has given us a platform to showcase our impact, share real stories, and connect with people who may have never heard of us before.” — Omi Bell
Platform Deep Dive · Raisify
Raised through Raisify from 16,009 individual contributions — averaging $28.04 per donation.
60% of donors give $5–$10
Context · The Decade in Funding
The 2021–2024 period represents BGV at full institutional strength. View the full ten-year timeline →
↑ Illustrative funding momentum. 2021–2024 (shaded) is this report's scope.
Part III · How Change Happens
When under-resourced entrepreneurs advance economically, entire ecosystems shift with them.
Financial Transparency · 2021–2024
Corporate and foundation partnerships are BGV's primary funding source. 87 cents of every dollar reaches programs directly.
$4M+ distributed directly to founders through grants, pitch prizes, and fellowship stipends.
87 cents of every dollar goes directly to program delivery — because every dollar that doesn't reach a founder is a dollar that didn't close the gap.
Corporate & foundation partners who made this possible
Looking Forward · The Crossroads
BGV has spent four years proving that access can be designed — and the numbers in this report are the evidence. But the political and philanthropic climate has shifted dramatically. Corporate DEI commitments have pulled back. The funders who once championed this work have gone quiet. We are at a crossroads. What happens in 2027 is determined by who chooses to fund what we build next.
