• Why do 1 in 8 kids live in poverty in this community?

• Why did 1 of every 5 kids fail to graduate on time?
   

• Why are so many kids getting in trouble and are on the wrong side of the law?

• Is there something we can do for “babies who are having “babies” as Jesse Jackson once said?

• How can we help the 40,000 emotionally disturbed children or the 10,000 abused and neglected kids in Minnesota?

Investment

Partners who join SVP/MN are asked to make an annual tax-deductible commitment of $5400.  Some partners choose to give higher amounts. Most of the money is directed toward nonprofits but some is used for program and operating expenses. Contributions will be pooled and distributed to non-profit organizations as directed by the Partners.

Our Core Beliefs
We believe that:

Doing something is a good thing

Doing it together is even better
Doing it now beats doing it later
 

Mission

Social Venture Partners Minnesota seeks to advance philanthropy and volunteerism to achieve positive social change for children in the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota. Using the venture capital approach as a model, SVP/MN is committed to devoting time, money and expertise to create productive partnerships with entrepreneurial not-for-profit organizations in communities statewide. 

SVP/MN is a dual mission organization. SVP/MN offers a range of information and resources to further develop the personal philanthropy of its Partners. By informing and educating its Partnership, SVP/MN seeks to be both an engaged grantmaker as well as a catalyst for smart giving. 

1. SVP/MN is a dual mission organization. SVP/MN:

   • Provides grants consisting of both financial and human-resources contributions to non-profits

   • Stimulates, educates, and catalyzes individual philanthropy of Partners.

2. SVP/MN is a community of people, a network that collaborates with and supports each other. It is organic/bottom-up/grassroots, and grows from within the community.

3. SVP/MN is Partner-driven. Partners do most of the work, and drive its future course. The staff’s role is facilitative, supportive, acting as an archive.

4. Leadership comes from the business and entrepreneurial sectors and is not Board or community foundation-driven.

5. Criteria for Partner membership: (1) Individuals, not corporations, are Partners. Although corporations may contribute, they must appoint an individual as a Partner; (2) No political agenda or age limits; (3) Minimum contribution is $5400 or more annually; (4) SVP/MN supports spousal involvement—$5400 includes the couple’s membership, and if both spouses are engaged, each one has one vote on a grant committee.

6. SVP/MN espouses a long-term approach (3-5 years) to grant making, in terms of financial and time commitments to non-profits. This is an adaptation of some elements of the venture capital model to working with non-profits.

7. The focus of volunteer work with Nonprofit Partners is on capacity-building and sustainability of the non-profit, and not on shifting or impacting the non-profit’s mission. Grants are for general operating support.

8. SVP/MN believes in investment as a relationship. SVP/MN forms a close, working relationship with non-profits where SVP/MN mutually invests in their success.

9. Measurable results are important.

10. An exit strategy is defined with Nonprofit Partners.

Our Team

Advisory Board
Burt Cohen, founder of MSP Communications
Chuck Denny, former chair and CEO at ADC
Dave Koch, former chair and CEO at Graco
Reverend Kevin McDonough, vicar general of the Archdiocese of St Paul/Mpls
Dick McFarland, former chair of Dain Rauscher
Kathy Tunheim, president/CEO of GCI Tunheim

Founding Benefactors
Lowell & Cheryl Jacobson Family Foundation
George Ellis, CEO Softbrands, Inc. 
Tom & Sally Morin
 

Current Partners

Dean Bachelor                                                            
Managing Partner, Platinum Group
and Kathy Bachelor

Mike Bingham
CEO, Twin Cities Rise!
and Paige Bingham

Gary Blauer
EVP, Dougherty & Co.

Steve Bloom
CEO, Pragmatek Consulting Group
and Terry Bloom

Jeremy Bupp
VP, Pragmatek Consulting Group

Robert Coughlan
CEO, Coughlan Companies
and Michelle Coughlan

Jeff Dekko                                          
CEO, Wealth Enhancement Group
and Christie Dekko

Tom Geiger
Owner, Heritage Bancshares Group, Inc.
and Cindy Geiger

Robert Hagemen
President, J&B Group, Inc.
and Colleen Hagemen

Eric Jackson
COO, Lube Tech
and Kim Jackson

Alex Johnston
President, Show Me Learning, Inc.
and Catherine Johnston

Tom Kieffer
CEO, Agiliti

David Latzke
SVP/CFO, SoftBrands, Inc.

Joe Lethert
Chairman of the Board and CEO, Performark, Inc.

Mac Lewis
Partner, Sherpa Partners
and Mary Lewis

JP Little
CIO, RxHub
and Lynn Mattson Little

Bill Mills
President, Executive Group, Inc.
and Lisa Mills

Tim Morin
Softbrands, Inc.
and Mary Morin

Thomas and Sally Morin

Joan Moser
President, Spoken Impact
and Mike Moser

Blake Nixon
Associate, The Rahn Group
and Varinie Nixon

Bob Olson
Chairman of the Board and CEO, Stellant Inc.
and Rita Olson

Rich Ostlund
Partner, Anthony, Ostlund & Baer
and Mary Ostlund

Dale Peterson
Private Capital Management
and Jeri Peterson

Stephan Rodgers
United Healthcare
and Robin Rodgers

Tom Salonek
CEO, Intertech & Go-E-Biz
and Linda Salonek

Steve Schmidt
President, AbeTech
and Cindy Schmidt

Margie Soran
Compellent Technologies
and Phil Soran

Susan Voigt
MAP for Nonprofits
and Hugh Voigt

Corporate Partners

Hunt Adkins – A full service marketing communications and design agency that created SVP/MN’s graphic identity.
The Minneapolis Foundation – manages SVP/MN’s donor advised fund and committees and provides consulting services to SVP/MN’s Board.
Harris Bank - Preferred affiliate relationship with Social Venture Partners International.

FAQs

How does Social Venture Partners Minnesota differ from a typical foundation?
Unlike most foundations that are funded by a single person or family, SVP/MN is a community of philanthropists comprised of dynamic individuals from diverse professional backgrounds, that hopes to achieve a greater impact by pooling partner resources. Partners working in small, entrepreneurial teams make grant decisions and create in-depth, long-term partnerships with nonprofits in Minnesota. 

In addition to working with nonprofits, SVP/MN provides seminars, workshops, and resources to its Partners to help them further develop their personal philanthropic objectives. This "curriculum" of Partner Education provides in-depth information about philanthropic planning, community involvement, social entrepreneurism, and the social challenges facing our region.

What is the "venture capital model?"
SVP/MN looks into the community to identify needs and promising solutions in the same way that a venture capitalist would try to find good ideas and entrepreneurship in emerging companies. Venture capitalists not only find a company and make an investment of dollars, but also assess the company's overall needs and infuse that company with the knowledge, skills, and contacts of its Partners. 

Their time and expertise are as important as money in helping a new business move towards profitability. SVP/MN invests in self-sustainability and organizational capacity by taking a long-term approach, providing professional expertise and working together towards annual objectives and measurable outcomes. 

What type of programs will you fund?
SVP/MN will focus on children’s programs with special emphasis on community organizations dedicated to supporting children with special needs and their families, as well as children and families in economically disadvantaged situations.

Will you support children’s programs outside the Twin Cities metropolitan area?

Our long-term goal is to support programs throughout greater Minnesota but our engaged grantmaking model requires that we have Partners available to support Nonprofit Partners in non-metropolitan areas.  In our first stage of implementation, SVP/MN will focus on programs within the Twin Cities and surrounding areas. 

What does SVP/MN mean by "measurable results?" How can you measure outcomes in the nonprofit sector? 
Without profits, there is indeed no absolute bottom line like Earnings Per Share. While some outcomes in the nonprofit world are value-laden and subjective, SVP/MN will establish 6 and12 month goals and objectives with each of its Nonprofit Partners. What can be measured are project objectives, milestones and means to the end, like positive factors in a child's life.  SVP/MN also works with and relies on the nonprofits’ expertise in reporting progress in outcomes. In short, there are two kinds of goals established with each Nonprofit Partner - 1) specific program outcomes and 2) organizational capacity building. SVP/MN has invested in nonprofit leaders that they believe have the vision and experience to know which programs and objectives lead to long-term positive outcomes.

Are there other organizations and foundations following this venture capital approach?
A few foundations around the country are taking a "venture philanthropy" approach and focusing on long-term funding, organizational capacity building, and mezzanine/scale-up funding. Some of the more notable ones SVP has learned from and that provided a role model are the Roberts Enterprise Development Fund, Ashoka, and the Robin Hood Foundation. In recent years, other similar organizations have emerged around the U.S., including The Entrepreneurs Foundation, New Schools, New Profit, Inc., and Youth Social Ventures.

Steve Bloom
CEO, Pragmatek Consulting Group
steve.bloom@pragmatek.com

How is SVP/MN funded year after year?
SVP/MN's funding comes directly from the financial resources of its partners who actively support and engage in participatory philanthropy. Each partner contributes to this initiative with a minimum gift of $5,400 annually. Some partners choose to give higher amounts.  Most of the money is directed toward nonprofits but some is used for program and operating expenses.   

Are there SVP groups in other cities?
Yes, there are 25 SVP groups in various stages of formation in cities across the U.S. and Canada, with some also beginning to form overseas. We share the same name, mission, and organizational model along with a set of 10 core principles. Other aspects of the organization and implementation of the model are locally determined. These locally determined issues include grantmaking focus, grant decisions, board composition, etc. See Resources for links to other SVP organizations.