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The Social Venture Capital Foundation, Inc. (SVCF) |
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Helping new nonprofits build a better world for all
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SVCF 4200 Rosemary St. Chevy Chase, MD 20815 jeff.svcf@att.net
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Seed Money - Entrepreneurial Support Grants
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The SVCF strives to serve as a new "Johnny Appleseed for democracy" and for constructive social change. -- Dykeman & Stokely, Seeds of Southern Change: The Life of Will Alexander (1962) |
Like profit-oriented venture capitalists, the SVCF will provide seed money and/or entrepreneurial support grants to select promising new leaders and nonprofit organizations.
Unlike traditional venture capitalists, however, these seed money grants (or in the case of existing nonprofits, entrepreneurial support grants) will be modest. Ultimately, we hope to provide seed money grants in the range of $5,000-50,000. Until the Foundation can raise additional funds, however, (beyond those currently available), these grants will tend to fall in the $2,000-$5,000 range. See Grant Application and Evaluation Criteria.
Yet we know that even a small amount of seed money or entrepreneurial support can make a tremendous difference to a new non-profit. We know this from our own experience in starting the National Vaccine Information Center.
Furthermore, unlike for-profit venture capitalists, we know that it may take many years for the seeds we plant to bear fruit. To persevere and become self-sustaining, these new non-profits must not become too dependent on charity or philanthropy. Instead, to become truly empowered, they must cultivate an entrepreneurial approach to their mission.
A prime objective of SVCF is to help grantees become more entrepreneurial and financially self-sustaining. We do so in part by providing entrepreneurial support grants along with mentoring and Management/Entrepreneurial Counsel. We also provide our grantees with the support of other grantees through a Mutual Support Network.
We are developing a group of volunteer entrepreneurs, management experts, and business professors to help provide free consulting support to grantees. (If you are interested in volunteering to become part of this support team, please Send us a Message.)
With these resources, SVCF helps non-profit grantees identify markets, customers, products, and services. We assist grantees in developing market-based action plans that are central to their core mission to generate needed levels of revenue and become essentially self-sustaining.
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