Selected Readings
2002 - From Donor to Investor: Applying a Venture Capital Model to Foundations - Conservation and Community Investment Forum
From Donor to Investor: Applying a Venture Capital Model to Foundations, Conservation and Community Investment Forum
Philanthropic foundations and venture capital (VC) firms, for all their differences, share the goal of creating disproportionate returns on their investments. Foundations have become interested in the VC model and some are intrigued by the prospect of developing world-class programmatic-related investment (PRI) capability, others are finding that their program goals require investments in for-profit, entrepreneurial activities, and others seek ways to apply the speed, rigor, and flexibility of the VC model to the foundation context. CCIF collaborated with the David and Lucile Packard Foundation to investigate potential ways to bring together the best features of both worlds. In interviews with Silicon Valley’s leading venture capitalists, a number of models were developed which would allow foundations to establish VC delivery capability within the organizational and structural constraints of a typical Foundation.