grant guidelines

Nonprofit Eligibility
SVP/MN has chosen to work with organizations who focus on the improving children’s lives.  We seek organizations or programs that will be significantly impacted by the contribution of SVP/MN funds and skills.  We provide multi-year funding consisting of grants generally ranging in size from $20,000 to $70,000 which can be used for specific programs or general operating support. 

Volunteer Consultants
Hands on involvement by individual partners provides a variety of skills in areas such as:
Management Systems

• Board and Governance

• Finance

• Fund and Revenue Development 

• Information Technology

• Marketing and Media

• Evaluation and Outcomes

• Replication/Expansion

• Other Technical and Volunteer Support

What SVP/MN does not support
SVP/MN will not consider grant requests from individuals; organizations that discriminate; religious organizations for sectarian purposes; sports teams; and political or lobbying organizations.  Furthermore, it does not make grants to organizations for the sole purpose of fundraising events/auctions, debt reduction, endowment funds, land acquisition or capital campaigns, or litigation/legal expenses.  That said, any of the above activities may be considered as part of an entrepreneurial or expansive organizational strategy designed to positively impact the lives of children.

SVPN Grantmaking Information
 

TO:  Individuals and Groups Interested in Social Venture Partners Minnesota (SVP MN)

FROM:  Jeremy Bupp, VP, PRAGMATEK Consulting Group, and Grantmaking Committee Chair SVP MN

RE:  Welcome and Pertinent Grantmaking Information

On behalf of Social Venture Partners of Minnesota, I want to welcome you to our philanthropic organization and the elements we seek to bring to the dynamic relationship between funder and grantee.  As Chair of SVP/MN’s Grantmaking Committee, my job is to help bring values, form, and challenge to the grantee selection process.  This letter and attachment should give you a better understanding of what we’re hoping to accomplish in this arena.

SVP/MN is searching for organizations that are entrepreneurial in their thinking and practice.   We are committed to giving two forms of assistance—time/expertise and financial—to groups that demonstrate passion and strategies to realize their visions.  We seek to support the development of compelling stories and leaders who truly want an intimate working relationship with SVP/MN’s partnership. We are all about bold initiatives with results having a positive effect on the lives of children.

With regards to the partnership with SVP/MN, not only will we provide funding, but we will also want to partner with the grantee by providing the expertise of our partners where needed and wanted.  SVP/MN engages partners to contribute time, money and business expertise to selected non-profits.  SVP/MN is comprised of individuals with a wide range of expertise and experience.  Volunteer teams work in partnership with the grantee to strengthen their organizational capacity. We recognize that non-profit employees are the program experts.  Our goal is to complement their expertise with a set of skills that will help build organizational, management and technology infrastructure, thereby enhancing a non-profit’s ability to carry out its mission.

SVP/MN believes that the application/selection experiences for entrepreneurial nonprofit leaders should be dynamic for foundations and funding sources.  Each and every step should stimulate creativity and innovation; offer a forum for displaying the entrepreneur’s passion for the proposed work; and should engage the SVP/MN partners in a relationship with the organization from the very start. 

The first step in the process is that we would ask you to write a brief letter of interest (LOI) following the outline below, and answer the questions, which are attached in the LOI.  Please keep your response to 3 pages in length and email them to jeremy.bupp@pragmatek.com.  Next, the 9 person Grant Committee will utilize the LOI ‘scorecard’ to determine whether it will be a good use of everyone’s time to advance our relationship.  If  both parties—your team and our Committee members--believe a ‘fit’ exists after the LOI, we’ll then ask to meet with you in person for a presentation of your innovative story.  

Based on a positive outcome from that meeting, a site visit will follow, and we’ll finalize a deployment plan that includes partner service arrangements, project evaluation and communication of results to a broad community audience.  This is intended to be an interactive and gratifying experience for all.  We recognize that this process will be different than most.  We will do our best to keep your time commitment to 7 hours should you go through the entire process.

For this grant cycle, we anticipate that we will be able to award $25,000.  We also expect to have a long-term relationship with the organization that we partner with, based upon a successful annual review.  We hope to award more grants in the future to the organization(s) we partner with.

Please note that SVP MN will consider organizations who focus on the betterment of children, and who are able to partner with us by allowing us to commit our expertise, in addition to our financial resources.  If your organization does not meet these requirements, we wish you success, but will not review your proposal.  This is very important if you are interested in applying for a grant.  Thank you!

Our anticipated time frame follows:

April 15: Call for Letters of Interest (LOIs)

May 15: Full LOI Applications Due

June 15: Reviews and Down Selection

Selection: Grant Investee Announced in Late June

Once again, I express the thanks of all SVP/MN partners for your interest in venture philanthropy.  Together, let’s learn, discuss, laugh and ultimately see how we can make something significant happen for kids.

For more information

Jeremy Bupp, Grantmaking Committee Chair, SVP MN
C/O PRAGMATEK Consulting Group
One Main ST SE, Suite 400
Minneapolis, MN 55414
612/333-3164
jeremy.bupp@pragmatek.com

Letter of Interest Scoring Criteria/Tool

Please address each of the following questions in your response.

General questions

      1.        Does your organization in some way advance the quality of children’s lives in the state of 
                 Minnesota?

2.        Is your organization a registered 501(c) (3) or are you working with a registered organization as
     a fiscal agent?

3.        Does your organization support a sports team or political cause?

4.        Will funds be used for fundraising events/auctions, debt reduction, endowment funds, land
     acquisition, capital campaigns, or litigation/legal expenses?

      About your organization

      1.        Tell us about the genesis of the idea, brief history and your goals and 5 year vision.

2.        Describe the compelling problem to be solved, and the implications if it is not addressed.

3.        Summarize financial profile, range of funds needed for 2003; forecast of needs for next 2-4
     years.

4.        Summarize your organization’s leadership team.

     About the people

      1.      Describe how the project’s leader(s) possess strong passion for this cause and realizing results.

2.      Describe how your thinking/proposed approach is entrepreneurial (i.e. innovative, visionary and
         creative).

3.      Describe whether or not your organization has the ability to work at an entrepreneurs pace (i.e. quick
  decision making, agile, willingness to take risks).

       Impact on kids

       1.     Describe how this work has the potential to make a significant difference in kids’ lives.

      Strategic Value

      1.     Describe how SVP MN’s involvement will have a significant impact within your organization and
               your program/cause.

      2.     Describe your methodology or process as to how we will measure success.

      Organization/Finance

      1.        What do you plan on using the funds for?

      2.        Describe how your model/process is sustainable for the long term.

      3.        Briefly describe your implementation plan.

      Partnership with SVP/MN

      1.       Describe your plan for a strategic partnership with SVP/MN from a service perspective, using
                 our skills to help you.

      2.       How would you set up the partnership to manage it over 2 years.

      Your thoughts

      1.     Why do you think SVP/MN and your organization should partner to make a difference in kids’
                lives?

Current Nonprofit Partners

Athletes Committed to Educating Students (A.C.E.S.)

A.C.E.S. is a unique structured learning program provided to inner-city youth in Minneapolis and Saint Paul during the after-school hours.  The mission of A.C.E.S. is to provide inner-city youth with opportunities to build the skills necessary to succeed academically, develop personally and stand as equals to their peers in the community.

The A.C.E.S./SVP MN relationship began last fall and the team is focusing on two priorities:

1.    Develop a strategic plan to improve A.C.E.S. financial stability and guide future growth.

• Implemented a new board governance structure

• Developed goals and strategies for fund raising

• Conducted fundraising training with associate board

2.    Develop an e-Mentoring program for inner city students.

• Defined pilot program, goals and objectives

• Developed curriculum

• Recruited and trained 25 e-mentors from SVP MN Companies and Partners:

  • Team One - Performark, Joe Lethert, CEO

  • Team Two - Soft Brands, Dave Latzke, CFO

  • Team Three - SVP MN Friends – Margie Soran, Rich Ostlund, Bill Mattox, Mike Bingham, David Levi

• Conducted kick-off meeting

Key SVP MN Volunteers – Dale Peterson & Dave Latzke (Lead Partners), Dale is also on ACES Executive Board, Margie Soran, Mike Bingham, Joe Lethert, Rich Ostlund, David Levi, Bill Mattox.

For more information, visit the A.C.E.S. website:  http://www.acesforkids.org/

Lundstrum Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA):  

The Lundstrum Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts school offering the highest caliber of training and performing arts experiences to youth in North Minneapolis. Serving youth of all ages, income and experience levels, the Lundstrum Center uses the performing arts to help youth improve their lives, discover their unique gifts, build depth of character and imagine new possibilities. Since 2003, SVP/MN has been helping the Lundstrum Center develop strategies, organizational structure and business systems to become more effective in serving its mission.

Working in close partnership over the past 14 months, the Lundstrum Center for Performing Arts (LCPA) and SVP MN teams focused on building LCPA’s organizational capacity.

1. Implemented a new board governance model.

2. Executed a strategic planning process (mission, vision, core values, strategic objectives).

3. Planned a fundraising event for LCPA’s Silent Auction.

4. Developed the first draft of a 3-year business plan.

5. Improved financial management and reporting systems.

6. Evaluated the technology infrastructure for LCPA’s client management system.

7. Invested in strategic leadership by hiring a Business Manager in 01/04.

8. Participated in LCPA’s facilities relocation team.

9. Provided support for student registration, performances, etc.

10. Engaged Community Capital Alliance, a team of young philanthropists, to provide fundraising support to LCPA.

Key SVP MN Volunteers – Margie Soran & Tom Geiger (Lead Partners), Dave Latzke (LCPA Board Member), Bill Mills, Steve Schmitt, Susan Voigt, Alex Johnston.

For more information, visit the LCPA website:  http://www.lundstrumcenter.com 

FAQs

What can you say about your Nonprofit Partners? What are their characteristics? 
The organizations that SVP/MN currently funds fit our Guiding Principles. They are in need of and committed to an infusion of SVP/MN volunteer support to build and strengthen their organization's capacity to deliver programs. Most are seeking to replicate or expand an existing innovative program or to launch a new program. The organizations are committed to developing or enhancing program evaluation and measuring outcomes. And, finally, they have a long-term perspective on their impact on the target population.

What kind of people do you look for in the nonprofits you fund? 
SVP/MN’s Nonprofit Partners are led by social entrepreneurs - innovative, passionate leaders with vision and ideas about effecting change and solving problems in the community, and creating more social value from their limited resources. They often use traditional business skills to achieve their goals and make creative use of limited resources to doggedly pursue their social mission!

What are SVP/MN’s funding priorities? 
The focus areas that SVP/MN invests in are voted on by the entire partnership at our Annual Meeting.  Our focus is currently on improving the lives of children.

Who is eligible to apply for funding? 
Eligible organizations must serve communities within Minnesota. Applicants must qualify as tax-exempt under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service code. Guidelines and key dates for the current cycle appear on this web site.

How large are the individual grants given by SVP/MN?
We anticipate awarding grants which range in size from $20,000 to $70,000. SVP grants are typically general operating grants. 

Can an organization that is not funded receive SVP/MN Partner volunteer services? 
No. SVP/MN's partnership is made up of business people with valuable skills that can be used to help nonprofits build the back-end, "business" side of their organizations. Although this is a critical element in selecting organizations to invest in, organizations cannot apply for SVP/MN Partner assistance alone. All nonprofits wishing to partner with SVP/MN must apply through our grant cycles.

Can Partners nominate nonprofits? 
Yes, they can. Some Partners have worked in the community and know of good candidates for grants. SVP/MN encourages Partners to bring those organizations to light but these organizations are subject to the same application procedure as any other organization. SVP/MN has conflict-of-interest policies to prevent any preference given to a prospective nonprofit based on a prior relationship with a Partner. Grant decisions are the sole and objective responsibility of the SVP/MN Grant Committees. 

What criteria will SVP/MN apply to choose the programs? 
SVP/MN will look at its potential social investments the same way venture capitalists do, focusing on strong leadership, bold ideas that have achieved small scale success, people with vision to have a broader, growing impact on the community, and measures of performance.

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