Venture philanthropy, which originated in the United States, is growing in popularity around the world (and Impetus Trust is proud to be playing a leadership role in helping that to happen). Its effectiveness has been proven by the tremendous growth of the charities and social enterprises that have received support from venture philanthropy funds.
Below are a few examples of organisations that have
benefitted from venture philanthropy in the USA and in
Australia.
USA
Teach For America
Teach For America recruits recent college graduates from all
backgrounds and career interests to commit to teach for two years
in urban and rural public schools. It provides the training
and ongoing support necessary to ensure their success as teachers
in low-income communities. New Profit Inc. invested in Teach For
America from 2001 to 2006. The impact of this investment was that
the number of lives Teach For America touched increased more than
three-fold, from 139,000 in the year prior to investment, 2000, to
440,000 in the year after investment, 2007. (Source: New Profit
Inc. Annual Report, 2007-08)
Harlem Children's Zone
Harlem Children's Zone Inc. (HCZ) works to "rebuild the very fabric
of community life" through a set of programmes that engage local
residents and community stakeholders to provide a safe learning
environment and positive opportunities for children and families in
New York City's Harlem community. Since 2000, The Edna McConnell Clark
Foundation has invested in HCZ and in this time HCZ has grown
from serving 6,100 youth over a geographic area of 24 blocks in
2000, to over 10,500 youth in 100 Harlem blocks. By 2011, it plans
to expand the number of youth served each year to 15,000. (Source:
Edna McConnell Clark Foundation)
Pictured above: Impetus charity COUI - Teens and Toddlers
Pictured above: Impetus charity Leap Confronting
Conflict
Heads Up
Heads Up provides after-school and summer programmes for
at-risk elementary school children in the Washington, D.C. area's
most underserved neighbourhoods. Through its intensive,
literacy-based program, children gain the skills they need to
succeed in school and later in life. Venture Philanthropy Partners
invested in Heads Up and over four years it has more than doubled
the number of students served daily, expanded its hours of service
by 70%, and garnered a parental approval rating of 94%. (Source:
Venture Philanthropy Partners).
Australia
Hands on Learning
Hands on Learning offers an alternative learning framework for
young people struggling in mainstream education. It provides
a supportive in-school learning programme where the young people
can reconnect with their school and community. Social Ventures Australia (SVA) invested
in Hands on Learning in 2004 and by 2008 the number of participants
in the programme had increased from 63 in the year prior to
investment to 225 in 2008. As a result of the positive impact
of the programme - 89% of participants report a positive impact on
their interest in school and engagement with learning - there are
plans to introduce the programme into a many more schools. (Source:
SVA).
Read more about the impact Impetus has achieved with our portfolio charities and social enterprises.
Our staff love the fact that the charities progress. Returning to work with a charity several years after you first meet and seeing that the work you did set them on a successful path is just phenomenal.
David Krucik
OC&C Strategy Consultants, Impetus pro bono corporate supporter