Step 1 · Starts Oct 20 · Only 30 spots
Financial Literacy Classes
A free 4-week money class for kids and youth ages 6–14. Launching now in Utah at the Hartland Partnership Center, Tuesdays 4–5 PM. Ghana and Kenya coming soon.
Programs · Economic Opportunity
Money skills and small businesses that build futures.
Two steps for young dreamers: learn how money works in our Financial Literacy class, then build a real small business in Dreamers Founder Academy.
Budget
plan spending with confidence
Save
build habits that grow over time
Start
turn an idea into a real small business
Our two programs
Step 2 · Coming soon
Dreamers Founder Academy
Entrepreneurship and small business creation, ending with Demo Day. Prerequisite: the Financial Literacy class.
2026 campaign
Young Founders Fund 2027
$2,500 goal · Be one of the first to give
Where the money goes
- Utah: 2 Dreamers Founder Academy cohorts (printing, prototype supplies and Demo Day, about $500 each)$1,000
- Seed support for Demo Day teams to launch their first small business$1,500
The need
Why it matters.
Refugee and immigrant families in Utah, and young people in rural Ghana and Kenya, often have the drive to succeed but not the money know-how, connections or capital to build savings or start a business.
“Our entrepreneurship program builds a pipeline toward self-sufficiency and small-business ownership.”Dreamers Wish Foundation
Our approach
What we do.
Financial Literacy classes for kids & youth
Earn it, grow it, protect it, build it. A free 4-week bootcamp where kids ages 6–14 learn to budget, save, spend wisely and dream big. Starts Oct 20.
Dreamers Founder Academy Coming soon
Entrepreneurship and small business creation: young founders spot a real problem, build a business idea and pitch it on Demo Day. Prerequisite: the Financial Literacy class.
Registration open · 30 spots
Financial Literacy Kids Bootcamp
Step 1 for every young dreamer: a free 4-week class that teaches kids and youth how money works, taught by our Board Chair, Lesley-Anne Lawrence, and sponsored by 1st Class Real Estate – Renaissance.
- Earn it, grow it, protect it, build it
- Utah: ages 6–14 · Tuesdays 4–5 PM · Oct 20 – Nov 10
- Ghana and Kenya: coming soon
Where
Hartland Partnership Center, 1578 W 1700 S, Salt Lake City
Next
Graduates can join Dreamers Founder Academy
Coming soon
Dreamers Founder Academy
Step 2: a free 10-week entrepreneurship bootcamp focused on small business creation. Young founders go from spotting a problem in their community to pitching a real business on Demo Day.
- Prerequisite: the Financial Literacy class
- Find an idea, build a prototype, set prices and profit
- Brand, pitch and Demo Day, with mentors and seed support
Status
Coming soon · Utah pilot planned for early 2027
Who
Financial Literacy graduates · Ghana and Kenya to follow
Coming soon · Dreamers Founder Academy
From a problem to a pitch in 10 weeks.
A free entrepreneurship bootcamp where young dreamers spot a problem in their community, build a real business idea and pitch it on Demo Day. It follows the same model as our robotics bootcamp: free, after school, once a week, hands-on, and taught by changemakers. Prerequisite: complete the Financial Literacy class first.
Weeks 1–3Dream it
Founder mindset, spotting real problems, design thinking and ideas.
Weeks 4–7Build it
A first prototype, pricing and profit, a business model and a brand.
Weeks 8–10Pitch it
Storytelling, rehearsal and a public Demo Day.
Week by week
See the week-by-week plan
- Week 1Dream itThink like a founderHear a real founder story, learn the 4Cs and form a team. Teams list 10 problems they see in their school or neighborhood.
- Week 2Dream itFall in love with the problemInterview real people about one problem and write a one-sentence problem statement.
- Week 3Dream itIdeas that could workGenerate 20+ ideas, then pick one that solves a real problem, can be built and that someone would pay for.
- Week 4Build itYour first prototypeBuild the smallest thing you can sell or test: paper, cardboard, a service or a tech prototype.
- Week 5Build itMoney: costs, prices and profitList startup costs, set a price, work out profit per sale and find break-even.
- Week 6Build itThe business model canvasMap customers, problem, solution, how to reach people, costs and revenue.
- Week 7Build itBrand and storyName the business, sketch a logo and write a one-line pitch, with a guest founder.
- Week 8Pitch itTell the storyBuild a 3-minute pitch: problem, solution, business and the ask.
- Week 9Pitch itRehearse and polishPractice under time and answer audience questions.
- Week 10Pitch itDemo DayPitch to families, donors and community partners. Every team is recognized.
Who it's for
Utah pilot: graduates of our Financial Literacy class, ages 10–16, including immigrant and refugee youth in Salt Lake City, in teams of 3–4.
Next: a low-tech version for our partner schools in Ghana and Kenya, with services, farm and garden products and crafts.
Get involved
Are you a founder or business owner, especially with an immigrant or refugee background? Mentor a team or speak as a guest founder.
Mentor a founderLearning together · Utah & the village
Classes that feel like a celebration.
Our workshops bring people together, in a meeting room in Utah or under the trees in a Ghanaian village. Neighbors, parents and young people learn side by side, ask questions out loud and leave with a plan.
What your gift does
Choose your impact.
Real costs from our 2026 program budget. Every gift is tax-deductible, and Zeffy charges us no fees.
Utah
Launching now: the Financial Literacy Kids Bootcamp, Tuesdays 4–5 PM at the Hartland Partnership Center in Salt Lake City, then Dreamers Founder Academy for graduates.
Ghana
Financial Literacy classes coming soon to our partner schools, then a low-tech Founder Academy.
Kenya
Financial Literacy classes coming soon at Mijomboni Primary, then a low-tech Founder Academy.
$500runs one Founder Academy cohort for 20–30 young dreamersGive $500 $1,500gives seed support to Demo Day teams launching a small businessGive $1,500 Any amountfunds financial literacy workshops and small business coachingAny amount with us MentorShare your business or finance experience with a young founderMentor with us PartnerSponsor a pitch event or seed support for new businessesPartner with us
Explore our other programs