A Running Start Foundation
Esta presentción ha sido seleccionada como finalista del desafío
Sport for a Better World .
We are one of the first non-profits to utilize the immense running talent in East Africa to improve the lives of youngsters there.
Sobre ti
Ubicación
Project Street Address
Project City
Project Province/State
Project Postal/Zip Code
Project Country
tu idea
Sport
Running
Year the initative began (yyyy)
2004
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Project URL (include HTTP://)
Posicionamiento de tu iniciativa en el diagrama del mosaico:
Which of these barriers is the primary focus of your work?
Few effective tools for personal improvement
Which of the principles is the primary focus of your work?
Include through sport
If you believe some other barrier or principle should be included in the mosaic, please describe it and how it would affect the positioning of your initiative in the mosaic:
In terms of barriers, we see the lack of infrastructure and coaching in particular to be a bigger obstacle to youth development through sport. In terms of principles, we are striving to provide an education and financial independence through sport.
Name Your Project
A Running Start Foundation
Describe Your Idea
We are one of the first non-profits to utilize the immense running talent in East Africa to improve the lives of youngsters there.
Innovación
What is your signature innovation, your new idea, in one sentence?
We are one of the first non-profits to utilize the immense running talent in East Africa to improve the lives of youngsters there.
Describe your innovation. What makes your idea unique and different than others doing work in the field?
Several worthy non-profits in Africa use sports and games to give impoverished youngsters a chance to enjoy themselves and work together as a team. We utilize sports in a new and fundamentally different way - by identifying a smaller segment of very talented students & athletes and harnessing their gift in a way that permanently changes their lives, by securing them a U.S. university education or a career in athletics. This model is well-suited to East Africa, which has by far the greatest concentration of running talent in the world. To date, no non-profit has tried to harness this natural resource - this is the mission of A Running Start Foundation.
What are the existing barriers, the biggest problem, your innovation is hoping to address/change?
There is endless demand for elite African athletes and athletic scholarship candidates, this is not the barrier. The challenge is identifying a large enough pool of talent that a central "clearing-house" can be created. We've done so, and hence sports agents & U.S. university coaches can and do reach out to us for athletes and students. The other barrier is the lack of awareness of the power of sports in very remote but talent-rich corners of Africa.
Delivery Model: How do you implement your innovation and apply it to the challenge/problem you are addressing?
We can do three main things to alter the life of a talented young African runner. First, we fund coaches who identify and develop the next generation of Olympic athletes. We sponsor many training camps throughout East Africa for youth/junior-level runners. We then help them secure agents and a career in athletics - one victory on the European Grand Prix circuit and a young athlete can purchase a home for their parents. Second, we sponsor local clubs that identify and assist runners who are also performing well in school. We offer them SAT prep and other assistance, and ultimately help them secure then full athletic scholarships to U.S. universities. Third, we fund the local foundations established by the athletic superstars in East Africa in order to pay secondary school fees of talented youngsters.
How do you plan to grow your innovation?
There is significant demand for talented students and athletes. As our funding grows, we can bring more coaches into the organization, fund more camps and establish scholarship clubs outside of Kenya that can identify and nurture students who are eligible for U.S. scholarships.
Impacto
Provide one sentence describing your impact/intended impact.
We fundamentally alter the lives of the talented few, and enable them to support their families, give back to their communities and inspire others.
What impact has your innovation had to date/or what is your intended impact? Exactly who are the beneficiaries?
In terms of our first goal - developing young athletes - we are now housing, feeding or coaching about 300 youngsters (aged 14-20) in East Africa. Four of the top 10 runners in the world come out of these camps. Note that government or commercial funding for youth/junior-level athletes is effectively nil. In terms of our second goal - helping student/athletes secure scholarships - our projects in 2007 will send about 40 youngsters to the U.S. on full 4-year scholarships. On average, we can secure a young Kenyan a full U.S. scholarship for less than $500 - the demand from U.S. coaches is huge. In terms of our third goal - using sports to assist primary school kids - we recently rebuilt a rural primary school in Ethiopia and in 2008 we intend to donate to the Foundations of Kenyan running stars, with the money going to pay school fees for talented kids.
How many people have you served directly?
We estimate that about 500 kids have passed through the various training camps that we fund. About 75 young Kenyans have secured full U.S. athletic scholarships since we began funding these programs and we've helped over 100 with their SAT prep.
How many people have you served indirectly?
When a young East African earns money racing on the international circuit, or comes to the U.S. on a full scholarship, they usually assist their extended families. So, we estimate that perhaps 1,000 have benefited indirectly from these initiatives. We estimate that over 3,000 young Ethiopian kids benefited from the refurbishment of the rural primary school we donated to.
Please list any other measures reflective of the impact of your innovation?
When a talented Kenyan high school graduate secures a place at a U.S. university, we'd like to think that the university community benefits from the presence of this African in their class and on their athletic team. Back in Africa, the community celebrates not only when a "son or daughter" secures an education abroad, but the country celebrates when one of their elite athletes succeeds.
What are the main barriers to creating or achieving your impact?
The limited supply of talented athletes is one barrier, although the talent pool in East Africa is almost endless. The other barrier is the availability of qualified and honest African coaches. Finally, in the U.S., we are limited by the number of university coaches interested in African athletes, although with the scholarship funding so plentiful, this is not yet an issue.
Esta presentación se trata de
Sustenibilidad
How is your initiative financed (or how do you expect your initiative will be financed)?
U.S. runners helping African runners - this is our fundraising goal. In early 2007 we were admitted to the charity programs of several major U.S. races, including the NYC Marathon, Chicago Marathon, etc. The races give us gauranteed race slots, which we give to runners seeking admission (often after registration has closed) in return for a minimum donation to the Foundation. The runners, in turn, seek donations from family & friends, using our online fundraising tool. In 2007, about 100 runners from across the U.S. joined our teams, and are expected to raise over $75,000. The program has been wildly popular - our slots for the Chicago Marathon sold out in less than 2 weeks.
If known, provide information on your finances and organization.
In 2007 we expect to raise about $75,000, all of which will be used to fund projects in 2008. In 2008, we are on target (given our success in 2007 and our inclusion in several new races) to raise over $125,000. The organization still consists of one U.S.-based individual - Karl Keirstead - who manages the Foundation, as well as several volunteer individuals based in East Africa. The use of the internet for fundraising by our charity running members greatly reduces the overhead required.
What is the potential demand for your innovation?
There are over 50 road races in the U.S. that have charity programs. We'll raise over $75,000 in our first year as charity program participants in just 4 races. There are hundreds of thousands of runners in the U.S. - this fundraising tool could raise over $500,000 within a few years.
What are the main barriers to financial sustainability?
We must continue to appeal to the race directors to include us in their charity programs, and we must offer good service to the individuals who join our event teams.
La historia
What is the origin of this innovation? Tell us your story.
I am a former marathon runner myself, running 4 marathons between the ages of 12 and 14. At the time, I idolized the great distance runners, many of whom were impoverished East Africans, and I never lost this fascination. In 2004, at the age of 39, I decided to take a few years off to establish a non-profit that would focus on Africa, and that would offer a unique model based on assisting the very talented, not necessarily the most impoverished or sick. I was watching the 2004 Athens Olympics on television and vividly recall the track races, which were dominated by East Africans. I decided that there must be a way to better harness this extraordinary athletic talent in East Africa. So, I traveled to East Africa in late 2004 and spent a month meeting with everyone involved in the sport - agents, athletes, coaches, government officials, etc. A Running Start Foundation was formed soon after.
Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers marketing material.
I am a Canadian, growing up in Toronto. After finishing my MBA in 1994, I was recruited by one of the large Wall Street investment banks, Lehman Brothers, and moved to NYC. I spent 9 years there, becoming a senior vice-president and equity analyst covering technology stocks. I left in 2003 to pursue other interests and formed A Running Start Foundation in 2004.
How did you hear about this contest and what is your main incentive to participate? (this is confidential)
I was notified of the contest by Ashoka. The contest could raise the profile of A Running Start Foundation and put me in contact with others who share a passion for using sports as a tool for youth development. We'd also love to come to the attention of firms such as Nike.
Affiliation (please list all that apply)
None.
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| runningicon.gif | 1.4 KB |
 | 212 weeks agoSamit Shah said: Dear Karl: Thank you for participating in this collaborative competition. We value the time and effort you’ve put forth and we would ... about this Competition Entry. - leer más > |
| 222 weeks agoA Running Start Foundation has been chosen as a finalist in Sport for a Better World. |
| 227 weeks agoHeather Cameron said: Dear Karl Thanks for telling us about your running programme. I am still trying to imagine my 12 to 14 year old self running marathons. ... about this Competition Entry. - leer más > |
| 236 weeks agoKarl Keirstead said: Good morning Dana. In terms of growth, there are many avenues. Most African countries offer NO support for youth/junior-level ... about this Competition Entry. - leer más > |
| 237 weeks agoDana Frasz said: Hello Karl, Could you expand on your response to "How do you plan to grow your innovation?" What are some of the step by step plans ... about this Competition Entry. - leer más > |
| 238 weeks agoKarl Keirstead said: thanks Tyler, great questions. Our goal is clearly to have these kids eventually contribute to their home countries...this is exactly ... about this Competition Entry. - leer más > |
| 239 weeks agoTyler Ahn said: Dear Karl, We found this to be a fabulous identification and capitalization of this resource pool, it's the open economy of talent in ... about this Competition Entry. - leer más > |
| 242 weeks agoKarl Keirstead said: Thanks Steve. I certainly hope it's a pathway that can now carry them to a U.S. university or at least a measure of financial ... about this Competition Entry. - leer más > |
| 242 weeks agoKarl Keirstead said: Thanks for the comment Eli. In general, we are too small a charity to also manage the student/athletes when they arrive in the US - we ... about this Competition Entry. - leer más > |
| 242 weeks agoKarl Keirstead said: thanks Dana. In terms of marketing, not much is required, as we now know most of the agents & coaches in East Africa and have a good ... about this Competition Entry. - leer más > |