SVP “FastPitch” Discussion + Wine and Cheese

Tuesday, April 10 | AMN Healthcare | 4:00 - 5:30 PM

We're exploring a high-energy, possibly high-profile event at which local nonprofits showcase their plans for social impact and compete for funding and SVP expertise. In January, the SVP Board of Directors approved exploring the test of an all-in-one-day “FastPitch” competition, contingent upon raising the funds to be awarded from local and national sponsors. We need your input on April 10th whether we should bring this event to San Diego, and if so, what it would look like.

Award-winning wine and gourmet cheese reception to follow.

For more information, contact Sherri Neasham at sneasham@gmail.com.

Social Venture Partners on the Move!

There’s a buzz around town…SVP is an organization on the move! Our new collective impact initiative and opportunity to bring Fast Pitch to San Diego are creating an excitement that is re-energizing our Partners and attracting new ones. As we continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with current Investees and local nonprofits, we’re helping take their vital work to the next level. We are delighted that our Partner base has grown to 130 Partners. Our goal is to have more than 145 Partners as we enter our next fiscal year, so we can continue to grow and expand our impact with San Diego nonprofits.

San Diego Social Enterprise Venture Competition

With San Diego Social Venture Partners support, the Academies for Social Entrepreneurship and its Venture Competition was a great success. Fourteen nonprofit organizations participated in the program, developing a variety of earned income strategies which will expand their impact as well as their revenues. They received training through five workshops including a marketing session led by Partner John Burnett. Those who chose to “pitch” their venture to a panel of private and social investors, were matched with successful entrepreneurs including PartnersKaren Brailean, Patrick Duffy, and Duane Trombly for one-on-one mentoring.

Social Venture Partners Convene for Good

In late October, SVP Partners and Staff from all over North America and Japan gathered in Long Beach, CA for the annual Social Venture Partners Conference. The first night started off with a bang at LASVP’s Social Innovation Fast Pitch where 10 innovative nonprofit finalists made three-minute “pitches” to win grants totaling up to $20,000. During the conference we heard from thought provoking key note speakers David Haskell and Sean Stannard-Stockton who encouraged us to dream big and think outside the box to make a bigger impact. SDSVP Partners David Lynn, Sherri Neasham, Joyce Ross, Alan Sorkin and Duane Trombly led breakout sessions on topics such as board development, nonprofit capacity building, and new initiatives such as the Mezzanine Fund. On the final day of the conference, Mandy Sherlock represented SDSVP at the first annual SVP Idol Storytelling Showcase where San Diego’s story about Partner David Cornsweet and his taking the SVP model to India won a silver medal. As a result of our time together, the SVP network is re-energized and striving to bring big dreams into action!

Click here to see more photos