Governance & Transparency

Board of Directors

Option C Foundation is governed by a board of directors responsible for organizational oversight, ethical decision-making, and ensuring the foundation fulfills its mission with integrity and accountability.

Leadership

Our Board

Option C Foundation is led by a founding board committed to expanding access to entrepreneurship for adults facing serious employment barriers.

Kyle K. Peterson

Kyle K. Peterson

Founder & Board Chair

Kyle founded Option C Foundation to create a practical pathway to entrepreneurship for adults who face barriers to traditional employment. He oversees the foundation's strategic direction, program development, and organizational operations.

Jennifer Nou

Jennifer Nou

Director of Communications & Operations

Jennifer leads organizational communications and internal operations for Option C Foundation, ensuring consistent messaging across all public-facing channels while maintaining the day-to-day administrative systems that keep the foundation running effectively. She serves as a key point of coordination between board leadership, program staff, and the participants the foundation serves.

Tyler Torgrimson

Tyler Torgrimson

Director of Program Operations

Tyler oversees the end-to-end execution of business launches for Option C Foundation participants, managing project timelines, deliverable milestones, and cross-functional coordination to ensure each participant moves through the program with structure and accountability. His work translates the foundation's framework into real outcomes — helping participants cross the finish line from business concept to operational reality.

Policies & Oversight

Nonprofit Governance

Option C Foundation operates in accordance with applicable federal and state nonprofit regulations and is committed to the highest standards of transparency and ethical conduct.

501(c)(3) Status

Option C Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization. EIN: 41-3208039. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Conflict of Interest Policy

Board members and key staff are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from decisions where a personal or financial interest may influence judgment. The foundation maintains a written conflict-of-interest policy reviewed annually.

Financial Oversight

The board of directors is responsible for reviewing and approving the annual budget, monitoring financial performance, and ensuring donor funds are used appropriately in service of the foundation's charitable mission.

Whistleblower Policy

Option C Foundation maintains a whistleblower policy that protects board members, staff, and volunteers who report good-faith concerns about organizational conduct. Reports may be submitted confidentially to info@optioncfoundation.org.

Public Records

As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, our IRS determination letter and annual Form 990 filings are available upon request. Contact us at info@optioncfoundation.org.

Our Principles

How We Run This Organization

Option C Foundation is a small, focused nonprofit. We hold ourselves to clear standards in how we use donor funds, how we treat participants, and how we make decisions.

Participant-First Decision Making

Every major program and resource decision is evaluated first through the question: does this make the participant outcome better? We don't add program complexity, reporting requirements, or organizational overhead that doesn't directly serve participants.

Responsible Use of Donor Funds

Donations fund participant business launches directly — LLC fees, website development, branding assets, Google setup, and mentor time. The board reviews financial performance against budget quarterly and approves any significant deviation from the spending plan.

Measured Outcomes

We track whether participants successfully launch and whether their businesses remain operational after six months. Anecdotal success stories matter, but we hold ourselves to the harder standard of real outcomes over time. This data informs how the program evolves.

Accessibility by Design

The program is free because cost is a barrier. The program is remote-first because geography is a barrier. The program is structured because uncertainty is a barrier. Every design decision is made with the specific challenges of our participant population in mind, not the convenience of the organization.

Get Involved

Support the Work

Option C Foundation runs on donor support and volunteer mentorship. If you share our belief that economic barriers should not determine a person's ceiling, there are concrete ways to help — donating to fund a participant's launch, volunteering as a business mentor, or referring people in your network who could benefit from the program.

Donate to Fund a Launch Volunteer as a Mentor