Homeless Housing Innovator DignityMoves Has Catalyze Session with Knowledge Pledge Signatories

March 3rd, 2022

DignityMoves reimagines housing for those experiencing homelessness by creating fast and cost-effective interim housing units. Taking advantage of unused land from cities and developers, it places small, temporary housing units on the land creating safe, dignified, interim housing where those in need can move off the street and start to rebuild their lives.

After launching pilot programs in Santa Barbara and San Francisco, DignityMoves is expanding to several other metro areas. 

DignityMoves’ leadership asked the Signatory participants in its Catalyze Session to explore:  1) What is the ideal business model and legal structure for growing the organization? and 2) What is the right financing model to scale quickly?

The group discussed how to crystalize the investment case to make sure the fundraising strategy galvanizes the network of donors within DignityMoves’ reach. The Signatories also stressed that if DignityMoves’ central mission is to help people who need interim housing to become self-sufficient, it should identify the kinds of partners it will need to achieve that vision.  Finally, from a positioning standpoint, they encouraged DignityMoves to define its role in solving the broader homelessness challenge within the ecosystem.

The Signatories committed to continue to help DignityMoves by, among other things, connecting it to a wide range of companies and organizations.

Elizabeth said the TKP Catalyze Session “brought together an impressive array of thought leaders to help us grapple with some of the biggest strategic questions we are working through as we plan the next phase of our organization’s growth. The insights were invaluable, and many follow-up conversations and introductions have already transpired.”

Knowledge Pledge Signatories involved in the discussion included Alexandre Bensahel, Director at Eastern Union; Clay Johnson, Executive, former advisor to President George W. Bush; Sonia Luginbuhl, Coordinator for Housing Displacement Response Program, City of Monrovia & Pastor of Neighborhood Engagement, Mountainside Communion; Kari Stoever, Chief External Relations Officer, On Demand Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; and Stuart Sundlun, President, Knollwood Capital LLC.  The session was facilitated by Juan Carlos Velten, Co-Founder at Swim, Partner at InnovationLab.

Social Venture team members who attended included Elizabeth Funk, Founder, DignityMoves; Sharon Lai, Executive Director, DignityMoves, and Jack Lorenz, Vice President of Development, DignityMoves.