Making a Difference Where it Matters

Social Venture Partners International announced results from its latest in-depth, longitudinal study assessing the effectiveness of its unique model of engaged philanthropy. Specifically this study measured Social Venture Partners’ role in influencing its 2,100 Partners to increase their philanthropic development and engagement.

Key findings include:

• Partners’ giving increases because of SVP. 65% of respondents indicated that their giving has increased since joining SVP.
• Partners give more strategically because of SVP. 96% cite SVP as impacting the way they give.
• Partners are more involved in the community because of SVP. 91% credit SVP for increasing their community involvement: 51% cite SVP as the leading factor.

This report demonstrates what happens when committed, passionate people are connected with the issues they care about and given the tools to engage: the impact is seen on both the issues and the individuals. SVP Partners give more and in a more strategic fashion, and they dive deeper into leadership roles and service opportunities – helping their communities reach their potential. Click here to read the full report.

Global Social Venture Partners Meet in Minneapolis

In October, SVP Partners and staff from all over North America and Japan gathered in Minneapolis for the annual Social Venture Partners Conference. The conference was an inspirational sharing of new ideas and transformational stories and as a result, the SVP network was recharged and ready to unleash its full potential!

Click here to read highlights and see more photos.

Social Venture Partners Flourishes Despite Recession

Nonprofits nationally received $3.75 Million and countless hours of volunteer expertise

from 2,022 SVP citizen philanthropists in 2010

At a time when charitable gifts to nonprofits declined, a report released by Social Venture Partners International (SVPI) revealed an upward trend in its latest numbers associated with grant making, volunteer service and its organizational growth in 2010. Despite the recession, the collective of 26 Social Venture Partners experienced growth two consecutive years and is poised to hit its 11 percent growth target in 2011. In total, 136 nonprofits across North America and Tokyo received $3.75 million in SVP funding last year.

Fundamental to the SVP model is engagement in which individual members give of their time, professional business experience and creativity to work in partnership with nonprofits and local leaders to meet vital community needs. Therefore, cash grants are only a portion of the value that grant recipients gain through their relationship with SVP. In volunteering professional skills and strategic council, SVP members, or “Partners” as they are called, help nonprofits reach their full potential. This level of volunteer engagement translates to effective philanthropy and a high level of satisfaction among Partners throughout the SVP network.

“We have extensive data in this report which points to the strength and effectiveness of engaged philanthropy and what that can mean to a community,” says Alan Sorkin, President of the Board of Directors of Social Venture Partners International. “Community needs are increasing and nonprofits feel the strain in trying to deliver services. Never before has the SVP business acumen and unrestricted, multi-year funding been more valued and critical. And, those involved in SVP have never been so energized.”

“The collective strength of 2,025 partners across the network is increasing and more importantly, unlocking the philanthropic potential of the both the individuals involved in SVP as well as building the long-term capacity of the nonprofits,” says Ruth Jones, CEO of SVPI, “People are eager to get involved in their communities and give more than a financial contribution to a cause. The data shows new people are joining SVP because they see our model of citizen philanthropy as a proven and effective way to make a difference in their communities,” Ms. Jones added.

The partner satisfaction and engagement rate sits at 92 percent. Rogers Weed, Director of the Washington State Department of Commerce and Partner in Seattle since 1997, says he continues to be involved with SVP because of what he and his wife Julie receive in return. “The flow of information is terrific. I would never have heard about many of the organizations we support today, if not via SVP. Plus, the SVP model of funding gives us higher confidence that the nonprofits being supported are constantly improving effectiveness against their mission,” he says. “As an efficient way to give to the causes we care a lot about -- children, education and the environment -- SVP is a winner.” Mr. Weed adds, “The network of partners in Seattle and across the US have been instrumental in providing me access to people or events that have helped me raise my understanding of, and figure out how to be more personally effective against, issues I care about. Finally, SVP ensures that when I volunteer, my experience is a good one, for me and for the nonprofit.”

Report Highlights:

Ø SVP distributed $3.75 million in grants to 136 nonprofits in 2010.

Ø SVP is investing in communities and making a difference for children and the environment. Last year, 136 nonprofits across North America and Tokyo received $3.5 million in funding from 26 SVPs.

Ø Cumulatively, the network had 2,022 individuals in 2010.

Ø The SVP network continues to grow and give – despite a recession.

Ø The number of individual partners grew by 5.6% The retention rate for individuals was 80%.

Ø Go here to see a summary of the report.

About Social Venture Partners International

Social Venture Partners International (SVPI) is the membership association for Social Venture Partners – an international network comprised of 2,000 accomplished individuals who combine their professional skills and financial contributions with a passion for philanthropy. Partners belong to local SVP member organizations and SVPI supports each SVP by providing technology, professional development, an annual conference and peer networking opportunities designed to share knowledge and promote best practices throughout the network. The SVP network stretches across 25 cities in United States, Canada and Tokyo North America. To learn about SVP or how to start an SVP affiliate in your city, please visit www.svpi.org.

To learn about the SVP annual conference Oct 13 and 14, please visit: SVPI Annual Conference website.

San Diego Social Venture Partners collects community donations for Japan earthquake relief.

SAN DIEGO (March 14, 2011) – On the heels of Friday's mammoth 8.9 magnitude earthquake off Japan's northeastern coast, a local nonprofit, San Diego Social Venture Partners, is partnering with its team in Tokyo to collect and distribute relief funds. "San Diegans are no strangers to the devastating power of earthquakes," says Peggy Kidd, Executive Director of San Diego Social Venture Partners "so it's natural they'd want to do their part to help in this time of need. The challenge is knowing the best way to give."

San Diego Social Venture Partners (SDSVP) is a chapter of Social Venture Partners International, a network of engaged philanthropists who give of their time and business expertise to build more effective nonprofit organizations throughout North America and Tokyo.

SDSVP will collaborate with its Tokyo affiliate to ensure donations collected here are distributed to organizations taking a lead role in helping Japan's people and towns rebuild.

Weekend reports say the death toll from Japan's massive earthquake and the resulting tsunami could top 1,800 and entire cities have been destroyed.

There is also growing concern about potential danger from a damaged nuclear plant.

The Social Venture Partners team on the ground in Tokyo reports that the public railway system is rapidly recovering, though the full impact in the area closest to the quake is still unclear.

People are helping each other, though there is concern over the impact of repeated exposure to video of the devastation, especially on children. Efforts to calm the situation, involving many non-government/non-profit organizations, are underway.

Social Venture Partners unique leveraged model of giving time and expertise alongside money means donations sent through San Diego Social Venture Partners to Tokyo have the potential to be worth many times the dollar amount contributed.

In San Diego last year, donations made through San Diego Social Venture Partners were valued at a leverage of 11 to 1.

Peggy Kidd continues "One of the concerns people have when donating overseas is their ability to monitor the effectiveness of the organizations they give to.

Our Partners in Tokyo know the community, and will make sure monies are used where they're most needed."

To donate to Tokyo earthquake relief through San Diego Social Venture Partners or to learn more about the organization, visit http://www.sdsvp.org/.

ABOUT SAN DIEGO SOCIAL VENTURE PARTNERS (SDSVP)
Established in 2001, San Diego Social Venture Partners is a nonprofit organization of professionals who invest time and money in innovative nonprofits in San Diego County while becoming more educated and involved givers. Recent Investees include A Reason to Survive, Audeo Charter School, ElderHelp of San Diego, Reality Changers and the Tariq Khamisa Foundation. To learn more about SDSVP, call (858) 724-6065 or visit http://www.sdsvp.org/.

SDSVP’s College Volunteer Visits SVP Tokyo

For those who I haven't gotten a chance to introduce myself to yet, I am Lindsay Ujiie. I have been volunteering with SDSVP since last September and it has definitely been a great and inspiring experience. I am a senior at UC San Diego and study political science. I grew up in Japan until I turned 18 and came to the States for college.

I took a trip back to Japan this winter for job hunting and also had an opportunity to visit SVP Tokyo. Although I was not able to make it to their Network Meeting, I attended the dinner party held afterward and met a lot of their Partners and prospects. I was very surprised to see that the people there were mostly in their 20's and 30's and there weren't as many retired ones. Since the concept of "philanthropy" is still very new in Japan compared to the States, it seems that it’s attracting younger people. (The term "volunteer" was first introduced in Japan when San Francisco Earthquake happened in 1989. A group of 38 students came to help and it was the very first time Japanese people made a physical move instead of just writing a check in the interest of helping others.) Also, the gate to SVP seems to be more open to younger people there because their annual donation is lower. The biggest difference I saw is that SVP Tokyo has to put more effort in defining what philanthropy really is when recruiting new Partners, while SDSVP starts with why it is needed. However, according to their executive director, Junko Kishigami, they do share some common goals to pursue such as increasing the percentage of engaged Partners and broader recognition of SVP.

Although it was just a two hour dinner party, it was great to meet the people from an international SVP office and I was able to learn a lot more about how each office could be run differently. I hope this amazing SVP network will continue to grow both nationally and internationally, and someday become a Partner myself after I gain more business experiences and money to invest!

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

I Have a Dream...

by Alan Sorkin, SDSVP Partner and SVP International Board President

I have been involved with charity and philanthropy since high school. My work has been extremely rewarding and at times frustrating because there is a problem with the way nonprofits and philanthropy are working today.

Here are some of my thoughts about my frustration. I’m sure you have others:

1. There is no correlation between giving and performance.


2. The social sector is really good at innovation; but not so good at getting to scale. Size is critical to have real impact. 90% of nonprofits have budgets of less than $500,000.


3. Americans have been giving for hundreds of years and since 2007 we consistently give about $300B or 2% of GDP every year but not much has changed. Without a dynamic sector shift it is unlikely that much will change.


4. The current recession has left many people even worse than before and our growing deficit means social programs and dollars will continue to be cut putting more pressure on the nonprofit sector.


5. Washington is grid-locked and little or nothing is going to get solved so it behooves Philanthropy and Social Venture Partners (SVP) to take a more proactive leadership position.

It’s time for our entire sector to step up and SVP can lead the way. Here are my suggestions for how we can lead and connect various strategic partners to move the needle in our sector.

1. We need to move “Donors” from random giving to effective, strategic giving.


2. We need to move them from “feel good giving” to giving based on “rated” performance.


3. We need to move nonprofits from seeking funds for service delivery to more revenue generation.


4. We need to move Everyone from being competitive to being more collaborative.


5. Specifically for SVP, as said by Paul Shoemaker, we need to move from saving the whales (or nonprofits) to saving the oceans (the sector).

At the Social Capital Conference in San Francisco two weeks ago Stacy Caldwell from Dallas SVP, Lance Fors from SV2 and me along with 1200 Social Entrepreneurs declared war on previous philanthropic behavior. We agreed that we must think bigger, act bolder, adapt better and deploy assets more effectively. We committed to creating and measuring impact and moving the needle to change the status quo.

Several people I greatly respect told me that the SVP model is a game changer. I think they are right and I have a dream:

SVP will catalyze a movement that will bring hope to those at the end of the line.

There are many SVP affiliates focusing on early childhood and education so here is just one example of what success could look like if we can learn, connect and lead all the necessary organizations: Imagine a different world; a world with education reformed with no more achievement gap where the poorest child can get a quality education and every youth grows up with a sense of possibility rather than hopelessness.

Our original Venture Philanthropy concept was to build capacity in smaller organizations that if taken to scale would have significant impact in their community. Ten years later we now know how incredibly hard it is to scale nonprofits because there are so few vehicles for growth capital. The nonprofit sector is starved for risk and growth capital and that undermines their ability to grow and become sustainable. Only 144 nonprofits have reached $50 million compared to 46,136 for-profit companies. The private sector connects money to good ideas that can scale quickly; there is no counterpart for nonprofits.

To get growth capital, you need to communicate value to existing stakeholders. Nonprofits are not very good at this. There is a cry for accountability, but few measurement tools and even fewer ways to communicate effectiveness to donors. The Charity Navigator rating system focusing on the percent of overhead forces nonprofits to have almost all their money go to the cause leaving nothing to invest in infrastructure.

There are two types of funders: builders and buyers. Today’s capital structure has a few builders, like SVP who provide the talent and growth capital; most funders are buyers who provide money for services. SVP was the first to champion capacity building and only a few have followed our lead.

It’s fairly easy to get $20,000 but not a million. The average large foundation grant is risk averse and makes $50,000 grants on average as they are wedded to current solutions. Most funders avoid dealing with root causes because it is too hard for them to show results. They fund pilot programs, but what is needed is more money to show proof of concept, and then money to take organizations to scale. We have a burning platform issue: Year by year government funds are decreasing, while needs are increasing. For these reasons, I believe SVP with its emphasis on accountability is uniquely positioned to channel information to potential donors by championing our version of a Mezzanine Fund which will harness the power of our SVP network. SVP provides a vehicle for partners to accomplish much more collectively than we could accomplish individually.

Initially we will look to partners and our alumni partners to fund our Investees who have shown they can deliver the right intervention to the right party to achieve the right result and are capable and interested in going to scale. Once we have proven this concept, we will go to funders like The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, New Profit and donors everywhere.

Dream Big! Thoughts from SDSVP's Board Chair

I recently returned from my fourth SVPI Conference, held this year in Long Beach, CA. Hundreds of fellow SVP Partners from around the world gathered to learn, share best practices and, of course, have a great time. For me, the conference was especially poignant because of the keynote speaker Friday morning, David Haskell. David is the CEO of Dreams InDeed International. He spoke of dreams, not the kind of dreams when you sleep, but the dreams you imagine when you are awake. He spoke of big dreams like Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream.”

Coincidentally, at San Diego Social Venture Partners we have just begun a process of outcome planning where imagining a bold dream for the future is part of the process. I am so very excited that in the next few months, we will have settled on a dream for SDSVP’s future. We will be more than a great organization that cultivates philanthropists and helps San Diego nonprofits. We will be an organization that has a dream so big and so bold that we fundamentally improve the San Diego region. We will have a dream so big and so bold that philanthropists from around the world will look to SDSVP and San Diego for their inspiration. We will have a dream so big and so bold that we will attract the best, the brightest and most importantly, the most caring people to help achieve this dream.

What are your dreams? What should SDSVP dream of accomplishing? What do you want to accomplish? I hope something really BIG!

Mark Fackler

Check out Mark's Blog at http://facklerfamily.org

Investing in Nonprofit Effectiveness

By San Diego Grantmakers

Investing in Nonprofit Effectiveness
Community Resource Center (CRC) empowers North County families in need with safety, stability, and a path to self-sufficiency. Yet CRC itself needed greater stability in the face of the economic downturn and dwindling funding. San Diego Social Venture Partners (SDSVP) ensured that CRC could survive and thrive by helping the group reframe its mission to focus on core strengths. Concurrent with completing its new strategic plan, CRC won $1.6 million in stimulus funds to help homeless and impoverished San Diegans.

SDSVP links the power of business with the passion of giving in order to help San Diego nonprofits be more effective. The organization was created in 2001, modeled after a Seattle group that applies venture capitalist ideas to philanthropy: investing in innovative nonprofits and supplying expertise to nurture those investments. The approach evolved into an international network of Social Venture Partners.

Matching Volunteer Skills to Organizational Needs
SDSVP is made up of over 140 people committed to being engaged givers. Partners pledge $5,000 per year for three years and leverage these funds by sharing their skills with “investee” nonprofits selected as part of SDSVP’s annual funding focus, which has included improving the environment, reducing hunger and homelessness, and supporting military families. SDSVP researches and identifies organizations that have the potential to achieve significant results.

SDSVP matches the needs of investees to the skills of volunteer Partners, deploying “Resource Teams” to work in areas like leadership development, fiscal management, strategic planning, technology, and public relations. Rachel Humphreys, founder of SDSVP investee organization La Cuna, notes that the “hands-on coaching and infrastructure support...has been more valuable than the funding we received.”

Strategic Donors and Funder Collaborations
SDSVP not only strengthens nonprofits, but also helps members become more strategic donors. Partners Ray and Gina Ellis joined to go beyond giving by participating in substantive ways, while David Lynn appreciates peer mentoring and learning. Bill Carpenter comments, “It seems more powerful to help charitable organizations launch lasting projects rather than just doling out money.” SDSVP connects Partners with their passions, catalyzing increased giving and volunteering.

SDSVP also fortifies philanthropic connections by seeking out “other funders who will pick up where we leave off,” says Alan Sorkin, longtime SDSVP leader and now president of SVP International. SDSVP has leveraged over $17 million by collaborating with grantmakers like The Legler Benbough Foundation and Union Bank. SDSVP members themselves often make additional grants: when SDSVP helped launch Junior Achievement BizTown,TM Partners assisted with the facility search and then contributed $3 million.

What Does This Mean About Philanthropy?
Some donors fund programs without considering how nonprofits will maintain them. San Diego Social Venture Partners uses a business-like approach to help organizations become successful and self-sustaining, because, as Sorkin points out, “A dollar given to an ineffective organization is a dollar wasted.” By engaging individuals to donate both money and know-how, and collaborating with other funders, SDSVP is working on multiple fronts to create positive change.

The Case for Social Venture Partners

By Alan Sorkin, SVP International, Board President & San Diego SVP, Partner

It has been said, “No amount of travel on the wrong road will get you to where you want to go.” Our most respected charitable foundations have spent billions of dollars in the last 100 years and the world’s population seems worse off, not better. Today’s intractable problems require innovative solutions. Throwing more money at the same organizations will not yield different results.

If Boston College’s Paul Schervish is correct about the $41 trillion wealth transfer that is occurring as baby boomers inherit, we have a unique opportunity if we can do something different.

Social Venture Partners (SVP) believes one of the best ways to deal with these issues is to dramatically leverage the number of donors. There is a new generation of successful business people turned social entrepreneurs. Examples like: Skoll, Gates, and Buffett. SVP attracts these same types of donors.

We are network of 2000+ engaged donors who care passionately about changing the world one community at a time. We are having a positive impact by using effective, innovative strategies to address complex social issues and our model is readily scalable.

SVP transforms individuals who in turn transform nonprofit organizations who transform their community by bringing together worlds that typically do not overlap: grant making, volunteerism, nonprofit capacity building, and philanthropic education.

A recent USC Study found “79% of SVP partners report increases in their amount of giving, 86% said they have changed how they give; and 27% report they gave more than $50,000 last year.”
Our Partners are taking on leadership roles in the nonprofit and public sectors and exerting their influence in important public policy debates including public education, affordable housing, early childhood services and youth aging out of the foster care system.

SVP is the largest network of engaged donors in the world. I believe we engage donors better than anyone else. We have 26 member organizations in 3 countries. Partners give their time, professional skills and creativity to work in partnership with hundreds of local children's, education, and environmental nonprofit organizations.

Our business-like approach is cutting edge. Major philanthropic organizations now validate much of what we began saying for 12 years. More and more funders and foundations are recognizing that building capacity is more important than funding another innovative program year after year and almost everyone is now looking for impact accountability and sustainability.

With more visibility, come more donors providing their time, talent and resources to most of our world’s problems. Imagine how many more nonprofit organizations will be dramatically impacted with SVP involvement?

With your help we can change even more in the world.

Social Venture Partners Continues to Grow Despite Sluggish Economy

SAN DIEGO (June 11, 2010) – During 2009 when the nonprofit sector suffered a 3.5% reduction in charitable contributions, San Diego Social Venture Partners increased its impact to the community, donating a record $3 million of cash and value-added services to nonprofit organizations in San Diego County.

San Diego Social Venture Partners (SDSVP) are community minded professionals who contribute time, money and business expertise to help innovative nonprofits chosen through a rigorous selection process. The organizations selected for investment – called Investees – have a clear vision, strong leadership, a commitment to measuring successful outcomes and a desire to collaborate with high-level volunteers.

SDSVP’s mission is to accelerate social change by developing the organizational capacity and sustainability of each nonprofit they support, empowering them to serve the community more effectively and efficiently. Its Partners are diverse in their interests, but all are united in their commitment to strengthening San Diego County, helping its people achieve long-term social change.

Social Venture Partners International (SVPI) recently announced its latest numbers associated with organizational growth, grant making, and volunteer service. Based on member data, the SVP network grew 2% in 2009. The SVP network of personal philanthropists contributed $3.16 million to 149 nonprofits last year and SVP Partners contributed thousands of hours of volunteer service to nonprofits in 25 cities throughout North America and Japan.

“Our Partners continued to be highly engaged in their communities in 2009.” says Alan Sorkin of San Diego, president of Social Venture Partners International. “For the ninth year in a row, Partner satisfaction continues to improve. About 77% are involved as active volunteers.” SDSVP Executive Director Peggy Kidd said today: “SVP Partners were more engaged than any year to date. Despite the economic downturn, people are eager to get involved in their communities and give more than a financial contribution to a cause. The data shows new people are joining SVP because they see its model as a proven and effective way to make a difference.”

ABOUT SAN DIEGO SOCIAL VENTURE PARTNERS (SDSVP)
Established in 2001, San Diego Social Venture Partners is a nonprofit organization of professionals who invest time and money in innovative nonprofits in San Diego County while becoming more educated and involved givers. Recent Investees include A Reason to Survive, Audeo Charter School, the Community Resource Center, the Corporation for Supportive Housing, ElderHelp of San Diego, Reality Changers and the Tariq Khamisa Foundation. To learn more about SDSVP, call (858) 964-0290 or visit http://www.sdsvp.org/.

Interview With Social Venture Partners: A Longtail Philanthropy Model

Social Venture Partners (SVP) is an innovative organization that combines contributions of many sizes from individual philanthropist partners into larger, venture-capital type gifts. Accompanying these gifts is strong capacity building expertise and volunteer efforts from the philanthropist partners themselves. This model of giving is ideal for philanthropists who want to be involved in community efforts, share their expertise with local nonprofits, and meet and socialize with other local philanthropists.

As part of our series on Longtail Philanthropy, I’m interviewing Stacy Caldwell of Dallas Social Venture Partners, and Ruth Jones of Social Venture Partners International.

Click here to read more.

Meet SDSVP Partner & SVPI Board Chair, Alan Sorkin!

Since co-founding members of San Diego Social Venture Partners in 2001, Alan Sorkin has been the driving force in inspiring hundreds of men and women to become deeply involved and contribute their time, talent and resources to their local community. Alan's message: "You have more to give" - has resonated with the 275 individuals who have joined SVP San Diego since then.

Alan heard about the Social Venture Partners model and fell in love with it. "It changed my life. The idea of encouraging talented people (the Partners)to pool their time, professional skills and money and work collectively to solve social issues was brilliant. I have spent the last nine years recruiting people to the concept in San Diego and North America and plan to do so indefinitely."

SVP is volunteering and grantmaking with a twist: the Partners' shared goal is to work with promising organizations which are making a difference and build their capacity to effect real social change. Using their professional skills, insight and experience, Partners work hand in hand with nonprofit staff and boards to strengthen every aspect of their operations and maximize their impact.

"We're encouraging people to take their entrepreneurial skills and professional experience and apply them to the community's most serious challenges. People have so much more to give than just money. SVP is the perfect vehicle: it builds great volunteers and philanthropists and catalyzes social change," says Alan.

The SVP network has invested more than $36 million and hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours in 350 nonprofits in its 13 year history. Since 2001, the San Diego Partners have contributed cash and in-kind services to 18 community organizations: nonprofits which help families and children living in poverty achieve greater self-reliance; which provide elderly people with the services and support they need in order to remain in their homes; build permanent, supportive housing for formerly homeless people; and find stable,long-term, loving families for foster children.

"Alan's like Johnny Appleseed," said San Diego businessman and SDSVP Partner Mark Fackler, "but he's not planting apple seeds - he's seeding philanthropy throughout San Diego. His message is that if we come together, if we roll up our sleeves and learn about what is happening in our city and community, we can really have an impact: we can be a powerful force for good in San Diego."

One influential outcome of this message was the establishment in 2007 of the Equinox Center. The center was founded after members of SVP realized that while balancing the economics and ecology of the region - an issue affecting urban development, habitat preservation, transportation, quality of life, economic sustainability and climate change of the region is vital, the San Diego community had no resources devoted to strategically plan for responsible growth. A nonprofit, non-partisan organization, the Equinox Center researches innovative solutions aimed at balancing San Diego's regional development with finite (and fragile)local resources.

Founder and CEO of companies in real estate construction, development, management and food services, Alan founded two 501(c)3 organizations in the 1990s which supported people living with a drug addiction and their families. In 2001, semi-retired and struggling to persuade San Diego’s business community to invest in the fight against teen substance abuse, Alan heard about SVP, jumped in with both feet and has been a catalyst in the strategic philanthropy network ever since.

Peggy Kidd, Executive Director of SDSVP sums it up: "Alan has created more new philanthropists than anyone in San Diego. It's his personal mission to drive new money to our community, and in a strategic way. He has a gift for finding a person's passion and connecting them to an organization which creates a win for the nonprofit and a win for the volunteer. Joining SDSVP has transformed the lives of many of the partners, connecting them to a meaningful experience at a time in their lives when they were searching for ways to give back."

Alan's leadership goes beyond his local community. He has travelled across the US on his own dime to mentor and advise burgeoning SVPs and has been instrumental in securing resources -funding, experts and tools - beneficial to all 25 SVPs and the 2000+ partners they represent.

Alan took the helm as SVPI's President at a time of great economic upheaval - particularly in the nonprofit sector. In keeping with his solutions-oriented outlook, Alan has chosen to focus on the possibilities rather than the challenges. He is currently leading SVPI through a visioning and planning process, reimagining SVP's impact on philanthropy and civic engagement, compelling people to take ownership in and personal responsibility for the health and well-being of their communities.

Learning BIG at the SVPI Conference

SDSVP Staff along with Partners, Alan and Louarn Sorkin, Mark Fackler and David Lynn attended the annual SVPI conference in Dallas, Texas. SDSVP enjoyed learning from SVP Partners from around the world. Many great ideas were shared through key note speakers, workshops and even hallway conversations. In addition, our own Alan was inducted as the Social Venture Partners International Chair!

Some Key Learnings:

• Stories are key: SDSVP needs to have stories. Andy Goodman suggested that we could build a story around each one of our Investees. Every staff member, board member, and key player should know 5-7 core stories about the organization, and be able to tell them passionately and effectively; take advantage of social media.
• Measuring outcomes is hard: Keep it simple: it’s nearly impossible to get to the point of causal relationships with any sort of outcomes, it’s hard enough just to measure if you’re having any short term effect.
• Venture Fund – create a leverage fund where others can invest in our portfolio of Investees; foundations who don’t have staff, could utilize SVP as a resource.
• Partner Advisory Board - Quarterly meetings open to all Partners to maintain transparency and distribute responsibility.

Report Reveals SVP Partners Give More

San Diego SVP and 17 other SVP affiliates around the world recently conducted outcomes research among our Partners to measure changes in how much Partners give, how Partners give, and Partners’ involvement in their communities. Over 600 Partners participated, and the results are impressive.

•Partners’ giving increases because of SVP. 60% of respondents stated that their giving has increased since joining SVP, and 79% of them credit SVP with at least some impact on their giving.
•Partners give more strategically because of SVP. Respondents’ use of each of ten giving criteria has increased by 67% ‐ 232% since joining SVP.
•Partners are more involved in the community because of SVP. Respondents report increases in nine areas of community involvement, including a 64% increase in volunteering.
•The longer a Partner is involved in SVP, the larger the changes in all three outcomes. Almost twice as many (79%) long‐term Partners report an increase in their giving than new Partners (43%).

We are proud that the SVP network is making a significant difference in our local communities. These internal findings have also been corroborated by a USC study done by Dr. Michael Moody, “Becoming a Venture Philanthropist: a Study of the Socialization of Social Venture Partners.”

Read the SVP International report at the following link: Strong Partners, Stronger Communities

Social Venture Partners Gave $3.4 Million in Grants and Thousands of Hours in Volunteer Service to 132 Nonprofit Organizations in 2008

Social Venture Partners International (SVPI) announced its latest numbers associated with organizational growth, grant making and volunteer service. Based on 2008 affiliate network data and capacity building outcomes, the network contributed $3.4 million to 132 nonprofits in 2008. SVP Partners also contributed thousands of hours of volunteer service to nonprofits in cities throughout North America and Japan.

A key finding from the report on capacity building is that nonprofit organizations funded by SVP gave an overall rating of 4.8 out of 5.0 when asked to rate the value of Partner time and talent in helping an organization build its capacity.

San Diego Social Venture Partners (SDSVP) is one of 24 chapters in the SVP network. SDSVP Partners currently make grants and provide business expertise to nonprofit organizations in the San Diego community serving youth and children, the elderly, and the homeless. In 2008, SDSVP gave $193,000 to 6 nonprofits along with 13,000 hours of volunteer service. Since 2001, San Diego Partners have given more than $1.45 million in grants to local recipients.

“SVP Partners were more engaged in 2008 than any year to date,” says Peggy Kidd, Executive Director at San Diego Social Venture Partners. “Despite the economic downturn, people are eager to get involved in their communities and give more than a financial contribution to a cause. The data shows new people are joining SVP because they see its model as a proven and effective way to make a difference.”

Fundamental to the SVP model is engagement in which members give of their time, professional experience and creativity to work in partnership with nonprofits and local leaders to meet community needs. Therefore, cash grants are only a portion of the value that grant recipients gain through their relationship with SVP. Partners also volunteer professional skills and strategic counsel to help nonprofits build capacity and make vital connections within the community. This level of engagement translates to a high level of satisfaction among donors/volunteers throughout the SVP network which is comprised of 24 affiliates in the United States, Canada and Tokyo.

“I think SDSVP is a place where people can contribute a little money and some time in a meaningful way to help the San Diego community,” said Alan Sorkin, SDSVP Partner and SVP International President-Elect. “It is extremely rewarding. Whatever you contribute, you will get back many times over.”

The total number of grants awarded by an SVP affiliate in 2008 ranged from $25,000 to $855,500, with a median of $115,000. Since its inception in 1997, the SVP network has made $32.2 million in grant investments to 335 nonprofit organizations.

About San Diego SVP
San Diego Social Venture Partners (SDSVP) develops philanthropy and volunteerism for the purpose of positive social change in San Diego County. Using the venture capital approach – contributing expertise, time and money – we are committed to creating partnerships that build successful and sustainable nonprofit organizations. To learn more about SDSVP, please visit http://www.sdsvp.org/.

About Social Venture Partners International
Social Venture Partners International (SVPI) is the membership association for Social Venture Partners – an international network comprised of 2,000 accomplished individuals who combine their professional skills and financial contributions with a passion for philanthropy. Partners belong to local SVP affiliates and SVPI supports each affiliate by providing technology, professional development, an annual conference and peer networking opportunities designed to share knowledge and promote best practices throughout the network. The Social Venture Partners network currently has 24 affiliates located throughout the United States, Canada and Tokyo. To learn about starting an SVP affiliate in your city or for more information on Social Venture Partners, please visit http://www.svpi.org/.

Philanthropy is HOT!

Well known author and philanthropist, Sean Stannard-Stockton, attended the SVPI Conference in Cleveland this year! Sean, principal and director of Tactical Philanthropy, reports on the Conference and shares his thoughts about the direction in which philanthropy is going.

Click here to read his article.

More Passion Than Ever!

By Mark Fackler

The model of San Diego Social Venture Partners is truly amazing. I hear the statistics of the incredible leverage that our dollars produce. I hear the feedback from the Investees about the amazing value of our time, expertise and recourses. I hear the stories from our Investees and how lives are being changed. Now multiply that by 25 cities and you get more than 2,000 dedicated individuals, giving more than $26.5 million in grant investments to more than 300 non-profit organizations. I just spent a few days at the Social Venture Partners International Conference in Cleveland, Ohio and I am more passionate than ever!

The night before the conference started, we partied at the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame. The museum, in itself, was cool enough, but that was nothing compared to the live band that played for the guests. Our own SDSVP Partners Ray and Kim McKewon flew out to join in the one and only performance of Limited Capacity, a pick up band of SVPers. They ROCKED!

In addition to Ray and Kim, other SDSVP attendees were Alan and Louarn Sorkin, Peggy Kidd, and Mandy Sherlock. The conference started out with a keynote from John Wood. This former Microsoft executive founded Room to Read, an organization that has helped more than 1.7 million children across the developing world break the cycle of poverty through the power of education. He inspired the two hundred attendees from the US, Canada and Japan. Stephen Lewis, the former Special Envoy to the UN Secretary-General and current co-director of AIDS-Free World, provided the other keynote. He spoke about Africa, AIDS, sexual violence, death and luckily, hope. Simply put, he numbed the room.

There were breakout sessions ranging from how to measure, govern, plan and collaborate in the non-profit world. For me, the best part was hearing the innovative practices from other SVP chapters. The advocacy initiative in the Seattle Chapter is fascinating and makes so much sense. If SVP is going to create social/sector change, which is a fairly common vision for all the chapters, advocacy is a powerful tool to use.

SDSVP’s reputation is known throughout the chapters. Partners from around the SVP network wanted to know how we are able to continue to grow our organization. They wanted to know about our Environmental Accelerator Fund (EAF). They wanted to know how we get so many volunteer hours donated. They wanted to know how we have such great social events. My answer is always the same. SDSVP has smart, kind and great Partners who believe in giving back!

I hope to see at the 2009 SVPI Conference in Dallas Texas on October 16 and 17. I hear the first night might be a hoedown. Think the McKewons do hoedowns?

Click here to view pictures