Written by Heejae Lim
I recently had the honor of being invited to join the first-ever Forbes Impact Summit in New York City. It was inspiring to be in a room full of today’s most prominent philanthropists. What stood out most was not just the passion of the leaders in the room, but also the collective willingness to dream bigger and imagine what is possible when we center people to drive social change.
Across conversations on clean water, climate, economic mobility, and education, one truth stood out: lasting impact requires philanthropy to be transformational, not transactional.
I was able to share the story behind TalkingPoints and how our journey has shaped my belief in this kind of transformation. As an eight-year-old immigrant student in a new country, I saw firsthand the power of my mum partnering with my teachers. This planted a seed. Years later, I worked with a school district to test and launch what would become TalkingPoints – a way to help families and educators connect to drive stronger student outcomes.
From there, educators shared it organically, families embraced it, and together we began building a movement. Along the way, we have served over 24 million students, families, and educators, and facilitated over 1 billion conversations. We have proved our impact through rigorous research and built trust with schools and districts.
None of this would have been possible without the partnership of forward-thinking philanthropists investing in a shared vision where every student has the support they need to thrive. Our supporters see potential where others see problems, and trust those closest to the challenge to lead.
The under-resourced communities we serve are navigating increasingly complex and fractured systems. Yet, families continue to show up for their children every day, with courage, hope, and unwavering love. It’s our responsibility to meet their resilience with investments that unlock their full potential.
At TalkingPoints, we’re building that future: one where every family feels seen, every educator feels supported, and every student has the opportunity to succeed. I am grateful to the Forbes team for creating space for these essential conversations and invite others to join us in imagining what is possible when we move beyond transactions and invest in transformations.
Celebrating 10 years of partnership and impact
For a decade, TalkingPoints has supported students, families, and educators through the power of effective family-school partnerships. We connect 9 million+ educators, students, and family members annually and have facilitated more than one billion conversations—building trust, fostering relationships, and fueling student success. Named by Common Sense Education as “the best overall family communication platform for teachers and schools,” TalkingPoints drives measurable gains in attendance and academic achievement, backed by rigorous, causal research.
TalkingPoints is the only nonprofit platform with the impact focus and funding model to turn engagement strategies into lasting results—helping systems improve and every student succeed.
Join us in building a future where every child has the support they need to thrive.
