Our Programs
Overview: Transforming T1D from Every Angle
At the Kopp Foundation for Diabetes, our programs are designed to attack the T1D crisis holistically—through research, access, education, and youth empowerment. While headquartered in Philadelphia, we’re building scalable models for nationwide and global replication. Every initiative prioritizes equity, innovation, and young people at the center of change.
🏫 Leadership & Entrepreneurship Academy
Our cornerstone youth development program identifies and mentors high school and college students who are living with or impacted by Type 1 Diabetes. Participants explore health innovation, entrepreneurship, and social impact, all while building real-world skills and networks.
Philadelphia-based activities include:
- Innovation bootcamps with engineers and public health mentors
- Youth-led design sprints for T1D-related tools
- Mini-grants for student-run community initiatives
- Speaker series featuring T1D researchers and tech entrepreneurs
Impact Goal: Train 10,000 youth innovators globally by 2030.
❤️ Healthy Futures Campaign
T1D is often misdiagnosed or detected too late—especially in underserved communities. Our Healthy Futures Campaign mobilizes Youth Ambassadors to raise awareness, fight stigma, and bring early screening into neighborhoods and schools.
Key components:
- School-based and community pop-up screening events
- Culturally relevant education materials created by youth
- Art, media, and storytelling workshops to change the narrative around T1D
Impact Goal: Reach 2 million individuals with education and screening by 2028.
🧪 Innovation Hub
We invest in high-impact research with a unique twist: young people are part of the process. We partner with Philadelphia’s top research centers and biotech startups to accelerate technologies like non-invasive glucose monitors, AI tools, and regenerative therapies.
Youth are embedded in every phase through:
- Summer research internships
- Hackathons and design challenges
- Co-creation teams offering usability feedback on prototypes
Impact Goal: Launch 10 youth-supported technologies by 2030.
🩺 Access to Care & Equity Initiative
We believe no young person should suffer due to affordability or geography. This initiative ensures equitable access to insulin, CGMs, mental health care, and school-based support systems.
Program offerings include:
- Free or subsidized CGMs, insulin, and supplies for low-income youth in Philadelphia
- T1D advocacy toolkits for students and parents
- State-level policy work to ensure access through Medicaid and school health plans
Impact Goal: Reach 20,000 youth in the U.S. and 500,000 globally by 2030.
📊 Cross-Cutting Strategies
- Youth Fellowship Program: Cross-program fellowship for youth innovators, advocates, and storytellers.
- Impact Dashboard: Real-time data on program reach, outcomes, and community stories.
- Mentorship Network: Pairing students with scientists, doctors, and social entrepreneurs.
