What is Venture Philanthropy?
Venture Philanthropy is an approach to charitable giving that applies venture capital principles – such as long-term investment and/or hands-on support – to the citizen sector. Venture philanthropists work in partnership with a wide range of organizations that have a clear social objective. These organizations may be charities, social enterprises or socially-driven commercial businesses.
Venture philanthropy in the US is a well-recognized concept, and has been supported by many of the larger US foundations as a way to both improve the operational effectiveness of charities and to give donors more confidence that their charitable donations are being used efficiently.
European donors and grantmakers began experimenting with venture philanthropy in a quantifiable form within the last 10 years.
As venture philanthropy spreads globally, specific practices may be adapted to local conditions, yet it maintains a set of
widely accepted key characteristics.
The partners and managing partners of Essensys have supported venture philanthropy since 2004, through hands-on support of charities and social enterprises. Among others,
Foundation Demeter (Paris) and the
Venture Philanthropy Fund of the King Baudouin Foundation (Brussels) have benefitted from our support.