Redefine Alliance

New from the Roberts Impact Investing Fund: the 2025 Impact Report is now live! This report reflects how five years of flexible, workforce-focused capital is helping inclusive employers grow quality jobs, strengthen communities, and create lasting pathways to economic mobility — even during periods of disruption and recovery. As CEO Carrie McKellogg writes, “Capital can and should be a tool for economic mobility.” Read the full report at #linkinbio.

For nearly 30 years, we’ve witnessed the life-changing power of employment social enterprises (ESEs) — mission-driven businesses that hire and support people overcoming the steepest barriers to employment, like experiencing homelessness or returning from incarceration. But we’ve also learned something important: even the strongest organizations can only go so far alone. Real systems change happens when employers, funders, policymakers, and community organizations work together, creating ecosystems that open more pathways to quality jobs and build long-term economic power. In our newest blog, Jeff Bergquist, our vice president of strategy, shares why we believe regional ecosystems are the key to scaling impact, and why we’re starting in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Central Appalachia. Read more about our ecosystem approach and where we’re headed next at #linkinbio.

We’re hiring an Illinois Ecosystem Manager! This role is about bringing people together to help create more inclusive pathways to employment and economic power across Illinois. You’ll work alongside employers, community organizations, advocates, and policymakers to strengthen partnerships, support employment social enterprises (ESEs), and help move meaningful change forward. Illinois is one of three pilot regions helping shape our ecosystem strategy, so we’re looking for someone who’s excited to build relationships, connect dots, and help turn good ideas into action. If you’re relationship-oriented, strategic, and motivated by work that connects people around a bigger purpose, we’d love to hear from you! Join us: #linkinbio

Moms (in all the ways that role can look and feel) carry an extraordinary combination of strength, compassion, adaptability, and determination. These are not just parenting strengths. They are some of the most valuable skills in the workplace. Yet too many moms, especially those navigating systemic barriers to employment, continue to be overlooked by traditional hiring systems. That’s why employment social enterprises (ESEs) matter. Across the country, these mission-driven businesses are creating jobs, providing support, and building workplaces where all people can grow, lead, and thrive. This #MothersDay, we’re celebrating the ESEs that create new pathways and possibilities for moms in the workplace.

Central Valley — we’d love to see you on May 12! Join us for CA RISE Discovery Day, — a half-day event to welcome the second CA RISE cohort and explore what it takes to launch an employment social enterprise (ESE). ESEs are revenue-generating businesses that create paid jobs and support for people facing barriers to employment, and California is home to a thriving community of ESEs. On the agenda: ➡️ What employment social enterprises are and why they work ➡️ What we’ve learned about building pathways to quality jobs across California ➡️ What’s new in CA RISE 2.0 and how you can get involved ➡️ Optional hands-on workshop to explore if launching an ESE is right for your org — no business idea needed If you’re part of the ecosystem working to expand economic opportunity, we’d love to see you there. Register here at #linkinbio. 𝘊𝘈 𝘙𝘐𝘚𝘌, 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘖𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘈𝘥𝘷𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦, 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘫𝘰𝘣𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.

In Los Angeles, @mayorofla has just issued an Executive Directive to expand second chance hiring — opening pathways to employment for people with justice system experience. This is great news for LA! And this Directive has the opportunity to build on what’s already working. For over a decade, LA: RISE and a thriving network of regional employment social enterprises (ESEs) have connected thousands of Angelenos facing systemic barriers to paid work, training, and long-term employment — a proven model that works. Programs like LA:RISE mean LA doesn’t have to start from scratch. This region has already built one of the most effective second chance employment systems in the country. By connecting with LA:RISE, we can advance even further towards an economy that works for all Angelenos! Read our latest blog → #linkinbio.

This Mother’s Day, we celebrate the mother figures in our lives — the women who work tirelessly for their families, their communities, and themselves. Honor them with a gift that reflects that same strength. Our Social Enterprise Shop Guide features mission-driven businesses across the country creating pathways to work, stability, and new beginnings. Every product in these shops is made by people who are overcoming systemic barriers to success. The best gifts don’t just say thank you, they create ripple effects of good. Explore the full Shop Guide to find a gift that gives back at #linkinbio.

For too long, business has been defined by limits — who gets hired, who gets a fair chance, what success looks like. But across the country, a different model is taking hold: one that expands opportunity, strengthens communities, and proves that impact and profitability can go hand in hand. Employment social enterprises are leading the way. This is bigger than a tagline. It’s a movement. Businesses Breaking Barriers. Discover more at redefinealliance.org

Who might you be overlooking? This question feels apt to ask during #FairChanceMonth, but it’s one that should shape how we show up year-round. For too long, employers have missed out on extraordinary individuals, not because of these individuals’ lack of talent, but because systems were never designed to recognize that talent in the first place. At Redefine Alliance, we believe it’s time to redefine what talent looks like, so we can recognize the lived expertise people gain through their experiences. Read our latest from President & CEO Maria Kim at #linkinbio and consider: whose potential are you not seeing? 𝘍𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩, 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩, 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘸𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.

Last week, a crew of Redefiners met up in Central Appalachia, one of the regions where we’re working to strengthen an inclusive employment ecosystem that’s rooted locally. At Redefine Alliance and Roberts Impact Investing Fund (RIIF), our ecosystem approach is simple: lasting change happens when employers, funders, and community partners work together to expand opportunity, especially for those too often excluded from the economy. In Appalachia, that means supporting small businesses, unlocking flexible capital, and creating pathways to quality jobs that work for everyone. Here’s a glimpse of what that looked like in action last week: ➡Five Redefine Alliance and Roberts Impact Investing Fund (RIIF) team members joined partners at the @appfundersnetwork (AFN) Gathering in Ashland, KY. RIIF is a proud AFN member and sponsor of this year's Gathering. ➡Strategy Senior Manager Megan Christenson and Appalachia Ecosystem Manager Annie Forrest co-led a session with Jacob Hannah and Cassidy Riley from @coalfielddevelopment on how capital and capacity-building can help employers create quality, supportive jobs. ➡Our team visited sites across Kentucky and West Virginia, including the Harlan Hotel, @heritagefarmwv , and @printmythreads , where local businesses are breaking barriers and reimagining opportunity. We finished the week reminded that big ideas are already taking root, powered by people who know this region best. This is what ecosystem work is all about: strengthening the ties between capital, community, and employers, so that more people can access quality jobs, build wealth, and create lasting stability for their families. Because an economy that works for everyone isn’t built in isolation, it’s built together. Learn more about our ecosystem work at #linkinbio.

Last week meant a lot. Redefine Alliance and the Roberts Impact Investing Fund (RIIF) were honored to receive the 2025 @conservationcorpsnorthbay (CCNB) Partner of the Year award. RIIF’s own Emilie Linick visited CCNB to accept the award for all of us. Our partnership with CCNB goes back nearly a decade, and this collaboration has involved so much more than funding or programs. Working with CCNB has been about learning together, growing together, and staying grounded in what young people and the communities CCNB serves need to thrive. CCNB inspires us regularly with their team’s willingness to share what they are learning so others can grow too. That spirit has elevated not just our partnership, but the broader field. Deep thanks to CCNB CEO Angel Minor and the entire team for the trust, partnership, and heart you bring to this work. We are proud to be in this together. 𝘊𝘊𝘕𝘉 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘫𝘰𝘣 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘢, 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘢. 𝘌𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘱𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘺𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬, 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘮𝘢, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺.

This #EarthDay, we’re celebrating the businesses that are redefining what it means to invest in both people and planet. This year’s theme, “Our Power, Our Planet,” is a reminder that the everyday work of communities, businesses, workers, and families plays a real role in protecting our planet. At Redefine Alliance, we’re proud to support over 35 employment social enterprises leading the way in building planet-friendly businesses, in industries spanning from renewable energy to electronics recycling to tree planting. They are creating real opportunities for people breaking through barriers to employment while contributing to a healthier environment. We also get to bring some of these leaders together through our Green Jobs Affinity Group, where they can learn from each other and share what’s working. Because a healthy planet and an economy that works for everyone are built the same way: together.