Our view: Gen Z entreprenuers get boost from legacy grants

This article was originally published by the Pacific Coast Business Times. You can read the full article on their website.

Ventura County entrepreneurs Dawn and Dave Gross have taken steps to make sure their philanthropic efforts to help high school students in Ventura County will be part of their legacy.

The couple, who graduated from Newbury Park High School in 1987, have designated the Ventura County Community Foundation to steer the assets of their NewCo Foundation.

They simultaneously designated Intentional Schools LLC to guide their NextGen Ventures operation; both initiatives are part of an effort to capitalize on the entrepreneurial impulses of Generation Z students.

Beginning in 2015, with the funding of California Lutheran University’s entrepreneurship competition, the couple has been providing support for a variety of ventures including the design lab at the Camarillo Boys & Girls Club and over 1,000 scholarships administered by VCCF.

The moves will help the couple continue to build their Hiatus Craft House venture, with all profits going to the fund, in addition to planned gifts.

“Our goal is to pay it forward by providing transformative experiences that help motivated young people achieve their potential,” said Dave Gross, co-founder, in a statement. VCCF is one of the largest foundations in the Tri-Counties; it administers the Pacific Coast Business Times scholarship.

Since 2017, NextGen Ventures has partnered with five school districts in Ventura County, providing paid apprenticeships at 10 schools across the county to jump-start businesses and build career awareness.

Dr. Tiffany Morse, a veteran educator who has helped grow NextGen Ventures, will steer the program through Intentional Schools with the goal of growing it countywide, according to a release.

“The needs and interests of today’s students have changed dramatically over the years,” Morse, founder of Intentional Schools, said in the release.

Research from the Bank of America Institute shows Gen Z contributing disproportionately to the recent rise in new business founders, with Gen Z business applications having climbed 66% year over year in June 2026, according to a BofA study.

We applaud this new endeavor and the effort to encourage free enterprise ideas in a new generation.