Know Better Do Better is KBDB

What are the organizational values of KBDB?

KBDB’s organizational values are engagement, progress, integrity, and curiosity.  These values frame, for us, the necessary perspective to create the next threshold of food security in America.  Engagement means more than participation.  It means reading, reflecting, giving feedback, and being open to what others have to say.  Progress is more than activity.  It is activity, plus rigorous discipline in both thought and action leading to new answers to create and sustain food security.  Integrity is making sure that we are doing more than virtue signaling.  It means creating proof of concept for each issue and admitting when we don’t know the answer.  It is not just honesty, it is vulnerability and a willingness to change when something doesn’t work.  Curiosity means keeping an open mind even when others have a different point of view.  Learning from each other and embracing the surprises along the way are a necessary ingredient for reaching new heights in our work together.

 

What is the role of the advisory committee and how do they help assure quality content?

The advisory committee is made up of people who exemplify the values of KBDB.  They are watchers of our posts and process and communicate regularly with the team to ask questions, point out errors, or offer constructive criticism.  They are deeply experienced community members who have made a commitment to solving food insecurity. They help keep us focused and aligned on our mission through their regular counsel.  They are not responsible for any content.

 

Who do you consider a “subject matter expert?”

Subject matter experts have a unique and specific connection to an issue either through their lived experience, their career success, their recognition in the field, or in some other tangible way.  There are many kinds of subject matter experts and we value all of them for their meaningful contributions to our understanding and ability to do better.

 

Is Know Better Do Better a nonprofit (501(c)(3)) organization?

Know Better Do Better is a mission-driven social enterprise, organized as an LLC (with an S-corporation tax election). We are not a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

We chose this structure for a few practical reasons:

• Our primary revenue is earned, not donated. KBDB is designed to sustain itself through memberships, sponsorships, advertising, and select projects, rather than fundraising from the same donor pools that many food banks and frontline nonprofits rely on.
• We do not want to compete with the organizations we serve. Many of our members and partners are nonprofits working directly on food security. As a social enterprise, we can support their work without competing for philanthropic dollars.
• A social enterprise model supports speed and accountability. This structure gives us flexibility to invest in technology, research, and product development; pay subject matter experts fairly; and deliver consistent, measurable value to members and sponsors.
• Tax exemption is not a major driver for our model. Because our work is service- and technology-oriented, nonprofit tax exemption would not materially change our operating costs compared to what we gain in flexibility and sustainability as a social enterprise.

Our bottom line is impact. We exist to help changemakers turn knowledge into action to end food insecurity, and we operate with a mission-first mindset while using an earned-revenue model to stay durable and scale what works.

 

How are guests chosen for Food Secure Nation?

Guests are chosen based on their contribution and commitment to ending food insecurity in America.  They may be directly or indirectly active in the issue, for example, an economist will have an important perspective on food insecurity even if they are not personally engaged in a particular solution to the problem.  Guests are willing to share their history, experience, and knowledge with a nationwide audience in an engaging and meaningful way.

 

When will KBDB offer membership as part of the KBDB Hub?

Memberships are a critical aspect of the KBDB community and will be offered in April 2026.  There will be a membership fee.  A member will have additional access to information and be invited to ongoing dialogue with other members through a member-only subreddit.

 

What is the value of becoming a member once it is offered?

The value of membership is unique access to a community of changemakers seeking to find new answers to food insecurity in America.  Members get greater input options, deeper summaries, and ongoing dialogue that is refreshed based on member input, further research, and discovery of best practices.  Members are the heart and soul of progress.

 

What are the “levels of understanding” and why are they important?

The levels of understanding are a way to affirm the knowledge and experience of different people on different topics that impact solutions to food insecurity.  Food Insecurity is a complex, multi-dimensional, large-scale issue.  No one can be an expert at everything, in fact, no one can be even familiar with all of the aspects of a problem like this.  Acknowledging different levels of understanding on any specific topic or issue is a way to bolster integrity, encourage vulnerability, and also help change makers to aspire to the next level. The levels are: