New Ventures in Philanthropy FAQs

What is the New Ventures in Philanthropy initiative at the Forum?
Why was the New Ventures initiative started?
What does new giving mean?
What does it mean to promote new giving?
What is a Knowledge Center?
What is a Knowledge Lab?
Does the New Ventures initiative award grants?

What is the New Ventures in Philanthropy initiative at the Forum?

New Ventures in Philanthropy a program of the Forum, is designed to grow philanthropic giving. This means we work to get more money into philanthropy and to attract new donors to philanthropy. We are particularly interested in attracting those people who have not traditionally been involved in philanthropy.

New Ventures provides communities (and the people, organizations, and networks within them) with tools and resources to increase the money available to address pressing community needs. We create and share knowledge to attract new donors. We also work with philanthropic organizations to promote new giving. We stay on top of the newest trends in charitable giving and share that information widely.

The current priority areas for New Ventures are: giving circles; racial, ethnic, tribal philanthropy; rural philanthropy; and professional advisors.

Why was the New Ventures initiative started?

New Ventures in Philanthropy was launched in 1998 with the support of a group of national foundations including the Ford Foundation, Atlantic Philanthropies, the Lilly Endowment, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. In its first five years, New Ventures funded innovative projects which focused on growing philanthropic giving. The initiative invested $14 million – and leveraged an additional $7 million – in 41 community-based coalitions that created programs to reach and inspire new donors. These coalitions led to the creation of more than $570 million in community related endowments. They also produced meaningful knowledge and resources on how to grow new giving. The current activities of the New Ventures initiative build on the lessons learned during those first five years.

What does new giving mean?

When we talk about “new giving”, we are referring to the ways in which individuals give money to causes and organizations that help to improve their communities. This is in contrast to the more traditional means of philanthropic giving which is done by foundations. More than 80% of charitable giving is done by individuals. The New Ventures in Philanthropy initiative of the Forum works to increase charitable giving, by sharing information on the many ways that people can give, who these “new givers” are, and how to connect to them.

What does it mean to promote new giving?

To promote giving, to grow giving, and to promote philanthropy all mean the same thing: to increase the amount of financial resources (i.e. money) which goes to nonprofit organizations and other charitable groups for the public good. The Forum, through its New Ventures in Philanthropy initiative, works to get more dollars and more people involved in philanthropy.

What is a Knowledge Center?

The Forum’s Knowledge Centers represent a growing body of resources to describe, support, and increase giving by foundations, corporations, and individuals. Each Knowledge Center provides comprehensive information on a specific topic area. Currently, the Forum has knowledge centers on the following topics:  giving circles, racial, ethnic, tribal philanthropy, and rural philanthropy.

What is a Knowledge Lab?

Knowledge Labs engage leading-edge practitioners to advance practical knowledge and identify quality resources related to the growth of new giving. Knowledge Labs result in the development of tools and strategies that have been analyzed, vetted, and tested.  Simultaneously, the process builds awareness of and demand for this knowledge by creating ambassadors to existing networks of practitioners. The New Ventures initiative has implemented knowledge labs on:  giving circles; racial, ethnic, tribal philanthropy; rural philanthropy; and donor education.

Does the New Ventures initiative award grants?

During the first five years of its existence, the New Ventures in Philanthropy initiative provided financial support to projects which focused on innovative ways to grow philanthropic giving. In the current phase of its work, New Ventures does not award any grants.