I'm just back from a meeting of venture philanthropists from all across the US, hosted by the Dean of the Drucker School of non-profit management from Claremont, CA. They are setting up a fund that will create a new financial instrument for people who want to "do well while doing good." (i.e., make a decent financial return AND a decent social return.)
We were one of three groups invited to present a proposal, and gave them both barrels about what we could do with values-based film, live internet youth tv, and a project with 45 cameras and kids from Israel, Palestine and the USA.
The financial dance between the academicians and the potential investors and the altruistic world-changers was the most interesting part. Some wanted to operate the fund just like any other venture capitalist, operating with the $ as the main judge of success. Others wanted a better balance. The jury is out on who will win that one.
The conference ended with the group getting ready to search for a fund manager who would run the effort. If they stay on track, they'll be funding 20-40 projects - all with high growth potential.
Lauren Redpath and Rick Barron came up and sang for them. My friends Arlen Nordhagen and Lem Schaffer joined me (to keep me from doing anything stupid). Chris Tribble from Versatile Productions did a fine job of presenting his idea for a youth tv show called "Be Heard." Christy Smith, the deaf woman from Survivor Amazon, talked during the evening banquet. And, of course, I did my Teddy Roosevelt impersonation. (No, really)
I'll keep you posted if anything comes of it. If nothing else, it was a good education.
Sounds like an awesome plan my friend. Good luck to you.
Posted by: Trogdor | July 11, 2005 at 04:48 AM