Focus Areas – Judah Spinner Foundation

Areas of Impact

The foundation aims to address income inequality, incarceration, health-care costs, and the federal deficit.

Reduce Income Inequality

We are committed to narrowing income inequality and improving economic mobility by expanding access to lucrative and fulfilling trade careers through the Judah Spinner Scholarship.

Lower Incarceration Rates

We believe that steady, dignified work is one of the most powerful deterrents to crime. A dollar invested in expanding opportunity yields far greater returns for society than a dollar spent sustaining the prison system.

Fix the US Healthcare System

The United States devotes nearly 18% of GDP to health care costs, more than any other nation yet our outcomes lag behind peers. We collaborate with other like-minded donors to support political candidates committed to reforming the U.S. health care system.

Decrease Federal Deficit

The U.S. national debt recently surpassed $38 trillion, reaching levels not seen since the end of World War II. Our initial efforts focus on lowering health-care costs, which would reduce the debt burden as a powerful secondary effect.

Featured Initiatives

Explore our flagship programs making a real difference

Judah Spinner Scholarship

Through the Judah Spinner Scholarship, the foundation will fund trade-school tuition and essential tools for driven students pursuing certifications in welding, HVAC, electrical work, plumbing, and other skilled trades.

America’s construction and maintenance sectors currently face a shortage of hundreds of thousands of skilled workers, a gap that inflates costs, slows critical infrastructure projects, and leaves capable individuals underemployed. According to Associated Builders and Contractors, the U.S. construction industry will need to attract roughly 439,000 net new workers in 2025 to meet demand.

Unlike traditional four-year degree programs that often saddle students with debt long before they earn a paycheck, many trade credentials can be achieved in a matter of months. Welding certificates, for example, can be earned in as little as four to eight months at specialized academies, and even sooner at some community colleges. Entry-level HVAC programs can prepare students for employment within a year.

These credentials often lead to wages that quickly exceed the national median. With focused training and practical experience, a retail associate or restaurant server can transition to a stable, well-paying career within months.

The foundation will prioritize scholarships for students from low-income households, veterans entering civilian life, and formerly incarcerated individuals seeking a fresh start. Awards will cover tuition, safety equipment, exam fees, and professional tools. Candidates are welcome to apply by visiting Bold.org or the Judah Spinner Scholarship.

Lower Incarceration Rates

The United States incarcerates roughly 2 million people, more than any other country in the world. Despite this, crime rates remain stubbornly high, and recidivism continues to plague communities nationwide.

“It has always struck me as absurd to take someone who has committed a crime, surround them exclusively with other criminals for years, and then expect them to emerge as better people,” said Spinner. “We tend to become like those we spend the most time with—it should come as no surprise that years spent among the worst influences rarely improve anyone.”

While overhauling the prison system lies outside the foundation’s direct mandate, the Judah Spinner Foundation intends to address the root causes of crime and help reduce recidivism among those who have served their time.

The foundation believes that steady, dignified work is among the most effective deterrents to crime. “When someone is self-sufficient and proud of their career, they are far less likely to turn to crime in the first place,” Spinner added. “As Ben Franklin said, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. A dollar spent on trade school is far more productive than a dollar spent on prison operations.”

By funding trade education nationwide, the Judah Spinner Foundation aims not only to expand opportunity but also to contribute to lower incarceration rates as a natural byproduct. “In my work at BlackBird, I’m always focused on value per dollar,” Spinner said. “And in philanthropy, I can hardly think of a cause that would have more impact per dollar.”

Healthcare Cost Reduction

The United States devotes nearly 18% of GDP, or roughly $5 trillion annually, to health care, equating to almost $15,000 per person, according to federal data. Yet the nation’s health outcomes lag behind peers. In Singapore, where health spending totals only about 5% of GDP, life expectancy exceeds 83 years, compared with 78 years in the U.S.

“I’ve made money buying poor-quality businesses at bargain prices and great businesses at higher prices,” Spinner noted. “Our health-care system is like paying a fortune for a terrible business, it's a very bad deal.” Spinner argues that America need not reinvent the wheel. “We should look to nations like Singapore and adopt what clearly works” he said.

The foundation intends to collaborate with other like-minded donors to support political candidates committed to reforming U.S. health care and reducing systemic inefficiencies. “America is the most innovative nation on Earth,” Spinner added. “There’s no reason our health-care system shouldn’t reflect that.”

Deficit Reduction Initiative

The U.S. national debt recently surpassed $38 trillion, reaching levels not seen since the end of World War II. Unlike that era, when wartime spending was followed by disciplined repayment, the nation now faces record deficits amid peacetime and economic expansion.

“The debt problem is one of those issues that seems invisible until it’s too late,” Spinner said. “It happens slowly, then all at once. We’re moving toward a cliff, and the public doesn’t realize it.”

The foundation believes the federal deficit cannot be sustainably reduced without tackling its structural drivers, chief among them, runaway health-care costs. Medicare and Medicaid together account for roughly a quarter of the federal budget.

If the U.S. reduced its health-care spending to Singaporean levels, the resulting savings, more than $1 trillion annually, could bring the deficit below 3% of GDP. With nominal GDP growing at over 4%, that shift would begin lowering the debt-to-GDP ratio, averting a potential fiscal crisis.

While the Judah Spinner Foundation may eventually engage more directly on fiscal issues, its initial efforts will focus on lowering health-care costs, which would reduce the debt burden as a powerful secondary effect.