Better Futures Minnesota

We work to support men who want to walk a new path in life. And we work to support Minnesota's environment through reuse practices that give men the good jobs they need to build their success stories. 

Better Futures Minnesota (BFM) embraces a group of people living in chronic poverty with histories of persistent unemployment, untreated mental illness, addiction, incarceration, and homelessness. Their circumstances are a public health problem that originates in the core hurts and trauma experienced by these adults. Their circumstances are also a tragic example of how racial, economic, and social inequities keep these men locked out of our society.

For over 15 years, Better Futures Minnesota has worked to build a unique social enterprise that supports the personal transformation of men while also creating jobs, promoting a healthy environment through deconstruction and reuse, and changing policies that lead to mass incarceration and cycles of dependency that disproportionately affect the men we serve. 

Your support is appreciated and needed now more than ever. Donations will go directly to more than 50 participants at Better Futures get the 24/7 Mentorship and Life Coaching Support they need to succeed. 

MAKING A REAL IMPACT:

Since its founding, BFM has attacked the policies, practices, and perceptions that undermine a man's personal transformation. BFM's integrated care and social enterprise model offers participants and their children a fair shot at a better life. The model is highly effective since it addresses the root causes of social and economic despair experienced by African American men and their families.

By every key measure, the enterprise is a resounding success. Compared to a similar group of men not engaged with BFM, employment, income, and child support payment rates for BFM participants are higher and return to prison rates are much lower.

The enterprise has engaged more than 1,200 at-risk men and employed over 930 of these men since 2007. The business lines have generated more than $10 million in operating revenue. Business income is more than 40% of overall revenue. One dollar invested in BFM results in a $3.61 Social Return on Investment, a rate exceeding the national average. Our 7% annual recidivism rate—the percentage of men returning to prison—is roughly 15 times better than the status quo. 

BFM operates skillfully at the intersection of environmental, social, economic, and racial justice. The agency’s Board and staff have fine-tuned a profitable social enterprise to advance justice goals in all four arenas. BFM is also one of the very few environmental enterprises led by African Americans and employs mostly people of color. Moreover, it's one of the few enterprises documenting the environmental impact of its work.

We know our integrated-care model achieves real results for the men we serve and the broader community. Please help us to continue to achieve these phenomenal results.

We thank you in advance for supporting men who want to transform their lives and walk a positive path in life!