I’m honored to share that I will be leading an exciting new initiative at the Texas A&M University School of Law: a program specifically designed to empower social entrepreneurs from disadvantaged and low-income backgrounds.

Thanks to a generous $20,000 grant from the Texas Bar Foundation, this program—“Empowering Social Entrepreneurs”—will offer free legal services, hands-on workshops, and pro bono assistance to aspiring changemakers across Texas. Through the Texas A&M Entrepreneurship Law Clinic, we’ll support founders who want to create for-profit businesses that deliver real social impact. Learn more: https://empoweringsocialimpact.org/

This initiative is deeply personal to me. Social entrepreneurs often face systemic hurdles: lack of affordable legal services, limited understanding of the right legal structures, and the complexities of state and federal regulations. These barriers shouldn’t stop anyone from building businesses that do good. Our goal is to break those barriers down.

Starting this August, the program will provide:

• Legal help with entity formation, contract review, and asset protection
• Free educational workshops
• Training for law students, giving them practical experience and opening their eyes to the power of social impact law

KEY DATES:

• Session 1 – 8/14/25, 9:00 am, Virtual
• Session 2 – 9/15/25, 9:00 am, Texas A&M University School of Law
• Session 3 – 9/15/25, 9:00 am, Texas A&M University School of Law

As an adjunct professor and long-time advocate for social enterprises, I’ve seen the transformative power of equipping entrepreneurs with the legal tools they need. I’ve previously delivered similar programs under grants from the U.S. Small Business Administration. This new partnership with Texas A&M Law and the Texas Bar Foundation takes that work to a new level—one that directly supports inclusive economic growth and builds a stronger foundation for the next generation of social-impact businesses.

Thank you to the Texas Bar Foundation for making this possible. Since 1965, they’ve awarded more than $29 million to support law-related programs. Their support enables us to reach social entrepreneurs where they are and help them grow businesses that uplift communities.

Let’s build a Texas where doing good and doing business go hand in hand.

Tisha Dodge
Attorney | Founder, Start Up Greater Good
Adjunct Professor, Texas A&M University School of Law