It Started With a Simple Question!
What if philanthropy didn’t require wealth, and a small amount of money, in the right hands, could create extraordinary change?
Traveling through the US, Africa, and the Caribbean following devastating disasters, I met community leaders, chiefs, parents, elders, women, and young visionaries with powerful ideas for strengthening their communities – ideas that could uplift women, protect children, improve heath, empower individuals and strengthen resilience. Yet, again and again, I encountered the same barrier: Funding.
I recall visiting a coastal village off the coast of Africa that had an innovative sea-level rise solution using coconut husks that would improve living conditions while creating a natural barrier. Another community in the Caribbean had an innovative concept around regenerative oyster shells which would strengthen natural barriers and generate revenue supporting community stability. When I asked what it would take to bring these ideas to life, the answer often surprised me: $500 – $7,500.
I remember thinking “You can change the entirety trajectory of your community with just $5,000?” Immediately followed by “I wish I could just give everyone the money, but I don’t have it like that.” Because I didn’t have it, I found myself doing nothing because I felt what I had to offer wasn’t enough. Until I came home after an international trip and, following the loss of a loved one, watched a group of my friends come together to support funeral costs with nominal amounts of $20-$250 across the collective which resulted in over $5,000 of support for our friend and his family.
The truth sank in for a moment, often times people want to do something impactful, but don’t feel like their contribution is significant. These weren’t million-dollar projects waiting for massive investment. They were locally led solutions with the potential to create meaningful change – yet even relatively small amounts of funding remained out of reach.
The realization stayed with me – you don’t need to be wealthy to be a philanthropist. There are people who want to do good but may not have much to give. This led to a simple question:
What if we could bring enough people together to give even the smallest amounts and create big impact?
The Conversation That Changed Everything
What would you do if you won the lottery?
The answer to that simple, opening question began taking shape in an unexpected place: a conversation with my kids.
When asked what I would do if I won the lottery, my response was simple: I’d give away 80% of the money to people and communities around the world who could use it to create something meaningful and keep 20% to take care of family.
In typical kid fashion, they asked, “why would you just give it away?” And I responded, because people around the world need it more and 20% of the lottery is more money than most people see in a lifetime and that money can be stewarded and invested in a way that we will always be blessed.
Generosity has always been more than giving. It’s recognizing that we’ve been blessed and choosing to sow into the lives of others is great stewardship and servitude.
That conversation became the foundation of the 80/20 philosophy: 80% to sow directly into communities and 20% to grow and sustain the organization.
Meet our Founder
Antoine B. Richards, DSc(c), MPH, CNP
“Because Giving is a Calling and Because God Said So(w)”
Antoine B. Richards is an Emmy and Telly Award-winning social entrepreneur, Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP), public health professional, and emergency management practitioner. His leadership is grounded in more than 20 years of community service and volunteer work with organizations including the American Red Cross, Tampa Metropolitan YMCA, Feeding Tampa Bay, and the American Cancer Society. With a passion for servant leadership, he has mentored Emerging Leaders through the Tampa Bay Chamber’s Mentor-Protégé Program and is a former Chair of the Chamber’s Collegiate Leadership Program.
Richards began his international nonprofit work as a Volunteer Research Assistant and later volunteered his time as the Director of Research and Operations for Peacebuilding Solutions, supporting refugees and internally displaced persons in Haiti. As Deputy Director of I-DIEM Global, he helped lead more than 100 partnerships with NGOs, governments, and corporations to advance climate resilience while expanding the organizations global footprint into Africa and the Caribbean. His work has included coordinating responses to major U.S. disasters, contributing to federal legislation and policy, and testifying twice before Congress.
He has held volunteer leadership and advisory roles with the Emerging Leaders of Tampa Bay Inclusion Committee, Georgia Trauma Foundation, Gulf of Mexico Climate Community of Excellence, Association of Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Professionals (AHEPP), Alliance for National and Community Resilience (ANCR), and the Hummingly Foundation. Recognized by Forbes for his contributions to DEI in scientific research, he is also a Morehouse School of Medicine Top 10 Under 40 and IAEM Top 40 Under 40 honoree.
Richards holds a Master of Public Health from Morehouse School of Medicine and is a Doctor of Science (DSc) Candidate in Emergency Management at Jacksonville State University. He founded Seed Change Collective to make philanthropy more accessible—connecting everyday generosity with locally led solutions and lasting community impact.
