SVPRI is educating the next generation of philanthropists. We catalyze community solutions by investing our Partners' time, expertise and resources to build stronger nonprofits. Our focus is twofold:

• Educating our Partners to be well informed, effective, and engaged philanthropists; and
• Collaborating with innovative nonprofits to strengthen their organizations through the launch of mission-related social enterprises.

We donate our money and our time to selected nonprofits (we call them "Investees") and work with their leadership to help them be more effective and successful in their mission.

Our core values are well summarized by the following:

Engaged Venture Philanthropy: SVPRI adheres to a venture capitalist style of investing with these characteristics: innovative, partner-driven, low overhead, accountability, and non-bureaucratic.

Entrepreneurial Spirit: SVPRI uses innovative approaches to achieve leveraged results in our nonprofit partnerships and communities. We empower our Investees, those closest to the work, to make the most effective decisions for their organizations while our Partners provide resources, expertise and a valuable sounding board.

Philanthropic Education: SVPRI Partners educate themselves and each other to become informed, lifelong philanthropists. Hands-on experience and education catalyze our Partners' ongoing individual philanthropy.

Community and Collaborative Action: SVPRI believes in the power of collective, self-organized effort. We are a highly participatory, Partner-driven organization that uses non-hierarchical, low-overhead communications and operating practices. SVPRI supports an open exchange of knowledge and lessons learned, and avoids partisan, religious or political activities.

Mutual Respect: SVPRI respects the expertise of community nonprofit organizations. We form close working relationships with organizations where we can invest together in the nonprofits' success.

Accountability and Results: SVPRI Partners are mutually accountable to each other, our Investees and the community. We achieve and document measurable results, both in our own work and through our partnerships with nonprofits.