About Stand Together Trust
Why we exist
History demonstrates that people are capable of extraordinary things when they have the freedom and opportunity to learn, contribute, and succeed.
But too often, barriers of all kinds stand in the way of people realizing their potential. By supporting and inspiring social entrepreneurs, we empower the people who break these barriers so that every person can live a life of meaning and purpose.
We support social entrepreneurs across society working in education, communities, business, and government. We do this by supporting applied research that turns great ideas into practical solutions and investing in projects that demonstrate new and better ways to tackle the root causes of our country’s biggest problems.
Our vision
Stand Together Trust is working to move toward a society where everyone has the opportunity to live a life of meaning and succeed by benefitting others.
That vision is informed by history’s profound lesson: lasting progress comes from enabling everyone to contribute and realize their potential. Todd Rose, a best-selling author and co-founder of the think tank Populace, explains why this lesson is so relevant today.
The principles that guide us
The principles of human progress are time-tested and universal truths. History shows that when people apply them, they improve their own and others’ lives
These principles inform everything we do at Stand Together. We help thousands of partners apply them to transform their results, people’s lives, and society as a whole.
Dignity
Every person has equal dignity and worth and deserves to be treated as an individual. That belief is what drives us to protect equal rights for all and empower each person to author their own life’s story.
Bottom Up
Every person can contribute to progress. Because each person has unique gifts and knowledge, we empower everyone to spot and solve problems.
Openness
No one person has all the answers. A multitude of ideas, experiences, and inputs from a diversity of people is the most effective way to make progress.
Self-Actualize
Every person has potential. People can experience meaning in life as they fulfill their potential by continually discovering, developing, and applying their unique gifts to benefit others and drive progress.
Mutual Benefit
Meaningful success comes from creating value for others. These win-win relationships can create exponential growth and drive progress for everyone.
Our Founder
Stand Together Trust was founded by Charles Koch, one of America’s leading philanthropists and chairman and co-CEO of the largest private company in America. Charles has donated an estimated $1.8 billion to nonprofit causes over his lifetime, with a focus on education, poverty alleviation, and reforming the criminal justice and immigration systems. A New York Times bestselling author, his most recent book is Believe in People: Bottom-up Solutions for a Top-down World.
The Stand Together community
Stand Together Trust is part of a broader philanthropic community called Stand Together, which helps America’s boldest changemakers tackle the root causes of our country’s biggest problems – driving solutions on education, economic opportunity, health care, bridging partisan divides, and dozens of other pressing issues.
