Make It Right Foundation

What Make It Right Foundation does

Make It Right Foundation is a 501(c)-style nonprofit founded by Brad Pitt in 2007 to build affordable, sustainable housing for families in need, primarily those displaced by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward. The foundation constructs LEED Platinum certified, solar-powered homes using Cradle to Cradle design principles, structural insulated panels (SIPs), and pervious concrete, with designs contributed pro bono by world-renowned volunteer architects including Frank Gehry, Shigeru Ban, and David Adjaye. By 2015, it had completed 109 homes within a 20-block area of the Lower 9th Ward and expanded its geographic footprint to Kansas City, Newark NJ (housing for disabled veterans), and the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana.

The foundation's core products are LEED Platinum single-family homes (~$200/sq ft for prototypes, ~$130/sq ft for replicable models), 496 sq ft solar-powered tiny houses launched in 2015 with FYI's Tiny House Nation, and supporting knowledge resources including a Library (48 articles) and Laboratory discussion forum (60+ discussions). Homes include 4.2 kWh solar systems, Energy Star appliances and fixtures, and Cradle to Cradle certified materials, delivering an average of $130/month in utility savings to homeowners (per a Greater New Orleans Foundation study). Recipient families receive comprehensive financial counseling (60 days to 2 years), forgivable or low-interest loans totaling $5.2M, and $482,767 in closing cost assistance.

The business model is donation-driven rather than commercial: Make It Right generates revenue through tax-deductible contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations, supplemented by donated materials from a deep partner ecosystem (Samsung, Benjamin Moore, Shaw Floors, Kohler, Owens Corning, DuPont, Alcoa Foundation). Annual fundraising between 2008 and 2014 averaged roughly $6.2M, peaking at $12.3M in 2008 and bottoming at $2.0M in 2011 before recovering to $6.1M in 2014. The foundation has cumulatively hired and trained 790 New Orleanians, partnered with 17 local vendors, recycled 524.8 tons of construction waste, and conserved an estimated 1.375 million gallons of rainwater daily through pervious surfaces.

Name

Make It Right Foundation

Legal name

Make It Right

Website

https://makeitright.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Make It Right Foundation is a nonprofit founded by Brad Pitt in 2007 that builds LEED Platinum, solar-powered, Cradle to Cradle certified affordable homes for disaster-affected, veteran, senior, and other underserved families, operating across New Orleans, Kansas City, Newark, and Fort Peck.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Affordable Housing Development

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (236115), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Green / High-Performance Home Construction (Net-Zero, Passive House) (IMAFABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC), Sustainable/Green Building & LEED Consulting (BPAHAKAG)

Keywords

• Affordable housing nonprofit
• Green building construction
• Sustainable home development
• Disaster recovery housing
• Charitable home building

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Make It Right is a non-profit organization that generates revenue through tax-deductible donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization raises money through direct donations, corporate giving programs, material donations, and special events.
2. Annual Fundraising: Annual fundraising amounts from 2008-2014: 2008: $12.3M, 2009: $8.8M, 2010: $3.5M, 2011: $2.0M, 2012: $6.8M, 2013: $3.6M, 2014: $6.1M.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Make It Right Foundation designs and constructs affordable, solar-powered, LEED Platinum certified homes using Cradle to Cradle building principles and donates them to low-income families in disaster-affected and underserved communities. The organization also delivers financial counseling, forgivable and low-interest loans, and closing cost assistance to qualifying homeowners, and shares its green building expertise through a free online Library and Laboratory.

Product overview

Make It Right Foundation offers a portfolio of affordable, sustainable housing products and green building knowledge resources. The core offerings include LEED Platinum certified solar-powered homes in disaster-affected communities, with 109 homes completed in New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward. The organization also builds tiny houses (496 sq ft) in partnership with Tiny House Nation, featuring the same sustainability standards as standard homes. All homes utilize Cradle to Cradle certified materials and are solar-powered. Supporting these core housing products are knowledge resources including a Library of green building documentation and a Laboratory forum for professional discussions. The organization operates across multiple locations including New Orleans, Kansas City, Newark, and Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LEED Platinum Certified Affordable Homes Affordable, solar-powered homes built to LEED Platinum certification standards in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, with 109 homes completed in a 20-block area and designed by world-renowned volunteer architects. Homes are donated to qualifying low-income families at no cost.
• Tiny Houses Compact 496-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom solar-powered homes built in partnership with FYI's Tiny House Nation, featuring solar power, ENERGY STAR appliances, sustainable floors, recycled countertops, and Cradle to Cradle materials. Donated to qualifying individuals such as the first recipient, a Lower 9th Ward school teacher.
• Solar-Powered Home Systems Solar energy systems installed on every Make It Right home, with a typical 4.2 kWh system for single-family homes that produces enough energy to cover all household usage in many cases, with excess sent back to the grid.
• Cradle to Cradle Communities Sustainable community developments built using Cradle to Cradle design principles — materials defined as biological and technical nutrients for safe reuse, products designed for disassembly and recovery, renewable energy prioritized, and social fairness honored. Includes the Kansas City Manheim Park housing complex and Newark veterans apartment building.
• Native American Reservation Homes Sustainable homes built on Native American reservations in partnership with tribal organizations, including 20 prefabricated homes constructed on the Fort Peck Reservation in Montana in collaboration with Method Homes for Native American families experiencing substandard housing and high energy costs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average monthly utility savings of $130 per household
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Eagle OutfitterscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDay of Service partner for the Katrina 10th anniversary. Collected thousands of pairs of unwanted jeans to be turned into denim insulation for tiny house construction.
• New Belgium AmericacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDay of Service partner for the Katrina 10th anniversary events.
• Benjamin MoorecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGreen Building Product Partner providing paints for homes. Used Sweet Daphne and Gray Owl colors on the tiny house project.
• Shaw FloorscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGreen Building Product Partner providing flooring materials including Epic Engineered Hardwood line that is Cradle to Cradle certified.
• KohlercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGreen Building Product Partner providing plumbing fixtures for homes.
• LevitonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGreen Building Product Partner providing electrical products.
• Owens CorningminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGreen Building Product Partner providing building materials.
• Integrity Windows and DoorscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGreen Building Product Partner providing windows and doors. Used in the tiny house project.
• Silestone (Cosentino)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerGreen Building Product Partner providing ECO recycled glass countertops and Silestone Eco line products.
• FYI (Tiny House Nation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedia partner and co-development partner for tiny house projects. TV show Tiny House Nation featured Make It Right's tiny house builds, generating national exposure.
• HyattminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWelcome Reception Partner for Katrina 10th anniversary events.
• Architecture for HumanitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreservation Partner for the Katrina 10th anniversary.
• DuPontcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRebuilding partner providing building materials and products.
• Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Challenge. Three winners shared a $250,000 cash prize for product designs that can be Cradle to Cradle Certified for use in affordable homes.
• AutodeskcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of the Cradle to Cradle 2015 Design Challenge in partnership with the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.
• Method HomescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for the Fort Peck Indian Reservation project in Montana, building prefabricated sustainable homes.
• One Roof EnergyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided solar panels for the tiny house project.
• Joule Solar EnergyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInstalled solar panels on the tiny house roof.
• WayfairminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided furniture including a queen-size bed for the tiny house project.
• GrouponminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner offering tickets for the Solange benefit concert at $60 each.
• Hanley WoodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner and co-organizer of the Greenbuild 2014 Show Home with LivingHomes and USGBC.
• USGBCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for the Greenbuild 2014 Show Home expo, promoting LEED certification and green building practices.
• LivingHomescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for the Greenbuild 2014 Show Home expo showcasing latest green building technologies.

Scale indicators27 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kaempfer Consulting / Community Housing Partners: Non-profit that develops and operates affordable housing with an emphasis on energy-efficient, sustainable design and resident services. Comparable in combining green building with affordable housing delivery and resident counseling.
• Enterprise Community Partners: Non-profit developer and investor that builds and finances affordable housing across the US. Comparable in mission and multi-geographic delivery, though it operates at much larger scale using LIHTC and debt capital rather than donations.
• Habitat for Humanity: Global non-profit that builds affordable housing for low-income families using volunteer labor and donations. Most directly comparable peer given shared mission, donation-based funding, and homeowner-support model.
• Self-Help Enterprises: Non-profit that develops affordable housing and community facilities for low-income families in California's Central Valley. Comparable as a community-led, mission-driven affordable housing builder.
• Mercy Housing: Non-profit affordable housing developer serving low-income families, seniors, and people with special needs. Comparable in serving vulnerable populations with comprehensive wraparound services and a national footprint.
• BRIDGE Housing: California-based non-profit affordable housing developer producing rental and ownership housing for low-income households. Comparable in non-profit ownership model and sustainable design focus.
• Rebuilding Together: Non-profit that rehabilitates homes for low-income homeowners, particularly vulnerable populations. Comparable in donation-funded, volunteer-driven delivery and homeowner-preservation mission.

Emerging players

• Method Homes: Prefab manufacturer of sustainable, energy-efficient modular homes. Direct partner on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation project in Montana, making it a comparable in green modular construction techniques.
• LivingHomes: For-profit modular home builder focused on net-zero, LEED-certified sustainable homes. Direct strategic partner on the Greenbuild 2014 Show Home, making it a relevant peer in sustainable construction technology.

Others

• Architecture for Humanity: Was a non-profit that connected architects with humanitarian projects including disaster rebuilding (preservation partner for Make It Right's Katrina 10th anniversary). Comparable as an adjacent design-and-disaster-recovery ecosystem participant.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/MakeItRight
• Facebookfacebook.com/MakeItRight
• Instagraminstagram.com/makeitright_9
• Pinterestpinterest.com/makeitright
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/make-it-right

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Make It Right Foundation