Audacious Impact: Khadijah Butler Of The Craig D Butler Scholarship Foundation On Leading An Audacious, Visionary, Impact-Focused Program
An Interview With Russ McLeod
…If you have a compelling idea, patience, and passion, be the pioneer that this world needs and get started! Your mission could be the catalyst to change the narrative and can impact someone’s life that you have not anticipated. Serving the greater good is a calling that reverberates far beyond your wildest dreams…
In an era where social and environmental challenges are increasingly pressing, certain organizations stand out for their bold and innovative approaches to creating meaningful impact. These trailblazing organizations are not just meeting the status quo but are setting new standards for what can be achieved through dedicated, impact-focused programs. What does it take to pioneer such transformative initiatives, and what can others learn from their successes? I had the pleasure of interviewing Khadijah Butler.
Khadijah Butler is an Around-the-Way girl with a thirst for knowledge and a hunger for education equality amongst minorities. She is the Founder and President of the Craig D. Butler Scholarship Foundation, a Philadelphia Nonprofit Memorial Scholarship honoring her father, Craig. Khadijah is also the Author of “Laying the Foundation Brick by Brick” “The CDB Scholarship Monthly Planner” and “The CDB Scholarship Monthly Planner — College Edition.”
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you share a bit about your background and what has led you to your current role?
I started the Craig D. Butler Scholarship Foundation for two reasons: to honor my father and to redirect the youths’ focus from violence to education. I discovered there were no scholarships offered to people of color specific to the Philadelphia community that was not funded by a corporate sponsor, a celebrity, or a national nonprofit. I also knew I wanted to change the paradigm shift and the narrative of what Philly represents.
What inspired you to start or join your organization, and what is its core mission?
My father’s passing may have been the impetus for starting my nonprofit, however, arming future scholars with the tools, resources, and access necessary to receive an education is the true assignment. Our core mission is to provide financial assistance to minority high school seniors in pursuit of higher education in the aftermath of gun violence. We are committed to ensuring that youths from underserved populations are not economically disadvantaged from receiving a quality education.
Could you tell us about your journey in the industry and any significant experiences that have shaped your approach to impact-focused programs?
My journey in the nonprofit industry has certainly had its fair share of twists and turns but the one experience that has shaped my approach is having cause marketing partnerships. Our first partnership was with the 100 Black Men of Philadelphia as part of their college readiness initiative. Having symbiotic partnerships with organizations that share a similar mission has been key in brand awareness, credibility, and nurturing long-lasting relationships.
Can you describe your company’s mission? Does your organization solve societal problems? If so, tell us how. What customer problems are you solving?
Our organization’s primary mission is to award (2) $1,000 scholarships annually to deserving high school seniors. However, one of the pillars of our foundation is taking a public health approach to reducing the gun violence epidemic by redirecting the youths’ focus on education. Our mission statement is to provide scholarships in the aftermath of gun violence, so our target audience is those suffering from the negative health effects of gun violence, including chronic trauma, lack of sleep, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, just to name a few. Focusing on education as a prevention strategy is how we pay it forward to our community.
Do you have a big hairy audacious goal for your organization and its impact on the planet?
My audacious goal for the Craig D. Butler Scholarship Foundation is to become a national nonprofit offering (5) annual scholarships at $10,000 each.
Can you describe one of the most audacious impact-focused programs your organization has pioneered? What was the inspiration behind it?
Creating our monthly scholarship planners has been monumental. I was hosting a scholarship workshop and a student asked if there was a book out there with a list of scholarships that he could carry with him, and since I tend to create things I do not see, I made one. The original planner is a 12-month organizational tool with over 150 nationwide scholarships for students from K-12th grade and the college edition has 200 nationwide scholarships for college students.
What were the biggest challenges you faced while developing and implementing this program, and how did you overcome them?
Our biggest challenges when we first started were funding and awareness. We established the foundation in January 2020 and in March, the world shut down due to COVID-19. We overcame this challenge by pivoting and using pure ingenuity: We had an online fundraising auction, we used round-up campaigns with PayPal and Walmart, and we utilized fundraising campaigns through social media.
Tell us how your program has been received by customers. What struggles have you had generating customer interest? Please share what successes you’ve had with customers.
Our donors and scholars are inspired by our story and our mission and support our quest in narrowing the gap of education inequality. Where we struggle is convincing donors, individuals, and businesses alike to provide funding and resources for services that may not benefit them directly. Being a niche nonprofit that serves a specific target population of students and parents of marginalized communities doesn’t garner widespread success but the immediate gratification we get to witness firsthand is priceless.
How do you measure the customer success, business success and impact of your programs? Can you share any specific metrics or outcomes?
We measure the success of our programs by the number of scholarships awarded, graduation rates, number of planners sold, and our testimonials. To date, we have awarded 10 scholarships in 4 years with all 10 scholars currently enrolled and thriving in their collegiate journey.
How do you ensure that your programs are sustainable and scalable over the long term?
Craig D. Butler Scholarships’ Business Model is Donation Based and Merchandise Revenue. The funding we receive is from various fundraising platforms including direct donations on our website and social media (Facebook Charitable Giving), Round-Up programs via PayPal, I-Give, and Walmart, and T-shirt Fundraising via Bonfire and Merchandise sales.
What are your “5 Things You Need To Bring An Audacious Idea to Fruition”?
1 . Action! An idea will remain an idea without action behind it.
2 . Be Prepared! Being diligent in your research, asking questions, and having a plan will ensure that you’re ready for anything.
3 . Take your time! Bringing an idea to proof of concept has a TON of moving parts. Appreciate the journey without the angst of rushing.
4 . Be Open! An idea has an interesting way of forcing you out of your comfort zone and being willing to step out and be fearless is why most succeed in ways that others will not.
5 . Be Passionate! Being passionate about your ideas is what inspires others to invest in you. It is the battery in your back that propels your idea forward.
What piece of advice would you give to other organizations looking to pioneer their own impact-focused programs?
If you have a compelling idea, patience, and passion, be the pioneer that this world needs and get started! Your mission could be the catalyst to change the narrative and can impact someone’s life that you have not anticipated. Serving the greater good is a calling that reverberates far beyond your wildest dreams.
Can you share a story of someone who has inspired you in your journey?
Meeting one of the parents of our scholars and hearing his kind words still sits with me. I was presenting one of our scholars with his award when his father pulled me to the side to thank me for starting my organization, for being a positive role model for our youth and for really seeing his son and his potential. To date, I still receive his grades, Christmas Cards, or even a hello from time to time. It is people like his father that reinforce why starting this nonprofit was essential.
How can our readers further follow your work or your company online?
You can visit our website at www.craigdbutlerscholarship.com and you can follow our social media channels at @cdbscholarship.
This was great. Thanks for taking time for us to learn more about you and your business. We wish you continued success!
About the Interviewer: Russell McLeod is an experienced business leader, social entrepreneur, and mentor. A champion of profit with purpose, the circular economy and of collaboration for positive progress.
Russell is the founder of Mightyhum a Toronto-based impact enterprise dedicated to supporting growing organizations. And, while it’s not a requirement, the Mightyhum team has a passion for collaborating with purpose-driven businesses. Mightyhum specializes in providing consulting services and turning hairy audacious concepts into achievable ventures & projects. The Mightyhum team work with C-suite executives and leaders, developing new product offerings, effective go-to-market strategies, building for profitability, and streamlining operations. Before Mightyhum, Russell was involved in the world of social enterprise as the Executive Director of ME to WE, one of Canada’s best known and most awarded social enterprises. While at ME to WE, the team demonstrated that being profitable and impactful was indeed possible. During his tenure, ME to WE delivered $20M in cash and in-kind to WE Charity, helping transform the lives of over 1 million people through access to clean water; the lives of 200,000 children with access to education; and 30,000 women-led businesses launched globally.
Russell’ personal mission is to inspire others that there is ‘a better way to do business,’ ‘that through business we can solve some of the world’s problems at the same time.’ You can follow Russell’s work at https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-mcleod1/ or www.mightyhum.com.
