The Center for Venture Philanthropy (CVP) was launched in 1999 with the goal of creating an environment where community donors could collaborate and drive positive change in our communities. Using a venture capital model, investors base "social venture funding" on results-oriented business plans. Investors work directly with the CVP staff and nonprofit leaders to understand community and nonprofit issues, problem-solve, and structure their investments.



The CVP's first social venture fund, the Assets for All Alliance, has won national recognition for its anti-poverty efforts and leads the country in terms of documented results. The Raising A Reader® venture fund, which provides take-home book bags and children's books to encourage early literacy, continues to expand its local and national outreach, garnering praise from child development experts.



Today, the CVP has one of the largest and most successful venture philanthropy portfolios in the country. Within three years, two Social Venture Funds have made documented differences in the lives of more than 31,000 local, low-income children and families. Both funds have made an impact at the national level as well, spreading best practices and innovations to other community from New Jersey to Hawaii and Mexico. In 2003, the CVP will continue to set precedent by launching the first marriage of the venture philanthropy model with the environmental movement.