Locally funded youth entrepreneurship toolkit goes statewide

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 a first-of-its-kind online platform launched in 2022 by Hudson-based 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. Just 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. For more information, visit bdmorganfdn.org. ∞