MADE FOUNDATION Back to Home

Turning Culture into Capital for Community

Managing licensing and royalty revenues from MADE-certified products to fund community programs, education, and entrepreneurship.

$0M
Projected Annual Royalties by Year 3
0%
Returned Directly to Creators
0+
Creators Receiving Direct Payment
0
Community Programs Funded

The Problem We're Solving

For decades, Black culture has generated trillions in economic value while the communities that create it see minimal financial return. MADE's Royalty Reinvestment Program creates a new model: verified cultural IP generates licensing revenue, and 100% of platform fees are reinvested into the communities that created the culture.

How It Works: The Royalty Engine

Step 1: Certification

Creators register their cultural IP through MADE CX platform. Each work is verified, blockchain-certified, and assigned licensing terms.

Step 2: Licensing

Brands license MADE-certified cultural IP for products, campaigns, and media. All licenses include transparent royalty splits.

Step 3: Distribution

70% goes directly to creators. 30% platform fees fund community programs through MADE Foundation.

Step 4: Reinvestment

Foundation deploys capital into education, entrepreneurship, grants, and policy reform benefiting Black and Brown creators.

Impact Story

From Street Art to Sustainable Income

DeAndre Williams, a 28-year-old muralist from Atlanta, spent years creating art that brands would photograph and use in campaigns without permission or payment. When a major sneaker company used his geometric pattern design, he had no legal recourse and no compensation.

Through MADE's platform, DeAndre registered 12 of his signature designs. Within six months, three major brands licensed his work for apparel collections. DeAndre earned $47,000 in licensing fees—more than his total art income from the previous three years combined.

The 30% platform fee ($20,000) went to MADE Foundation, which funded a "Business of Art" workshop for 25 emerging Atlanta artists, teaching IP protection, contract negotiation, and pricing strategies. Five of those artists have now registered their own work through MADE.

This is the multiplier effect we're building at scale.

$47K
Creator Earnings (Year 1)
$20K
Reinvested in Community
25
Artists Trained
5
Now Registered on MADE

Investment Opportunities for Philanthropic Partners

We're seeking catalytic capital from mission-aligned philanthropists to scale the Royalty Reinvestment Program and demonstrate proof of concept at a transformative level.

Catalyst Partner

$5M
Launch the national royalty infrastructure and establish proof of concept
  • Seed the Community Royalty Fund with initial capital for grants
  • Build technology infrastructure for automated royalty distribution
  • Fund legal framework for cultural IP licensing standards
  • Support 200 creators in onboarding and IP registration
  • Establish 5 regional community program hubs
  • Endow annual Cultural Equity Index publication
  • Named partnership recognition in all program materials
  • Quarterly impact reporting with audited metrics
  • Board observer seat for grant term

Systems Builder

$2M
Scale operations and expand creator reach across multiple cities
  • Fund platform development and blockchain integration
  • Support 100 creators through registration and licensing
  • Establish 3 community program hubs in key cities
  • Deploy legal support for IP protection and disputes
  • Fund research partnership with university on cultural IP economics
  • Annual impact report with donor-specific metrics
  • Recognition as Founding Systems Builder

Community Accelerator

$500K
Power direct creator support and community education programs
  • Fund community workshops in 10 cities (IP literacy, business skills)
  • Support 50 creators through platform onboarding
  • Deploy legal aid for contract review and negotiation
  • Establish emergency fund for creators facing IP theft
  • Bi-annual impact reporting
  • Recognition as Community Accelerator partner

Why This Model Works: Theory of Change

Market Validation

Brands are already using Black culture in products worth billions annually. We're simply ensuring creators get paid and communities benefit.

Sustainable Revenue

Unlike grants, this creates perpetual revenue streams. Every license generates income for creators AND funds for community programs.

Multiplier Effect

Each successful creator becomes a teacher. Platform fees fund education that creates more successful creators. The cycle compounds.

Systems Change

We're not just helping individuals—we're changing the rules. Our legal framework and policy work will benefit ALL creators, permanently.

Join Us in Building Economic Justice

For philanthropists committed to closing racial wealth gaps through systemic change, the Royalty Reinvestment Program offers a proven model with measurable outcomes. Let's discuss how your investment can transform cultural equity.