VPF invests in those that are working to improve our community to make them even more effective after our partnership. By combining individuals’ financial resources, skills, and connections, VPF builds the capacity of emerging groups that are using innovative approaches to address persistent problems in New York City. VPF’s innovative approach to philanthropy also includes a democratic decision-making process.

How VPF Works

We engage New Yorkers as social investors in our city – giving you the opportunity to create sustainable, real change by investing in local, innovative organizations whose work benefits New Yorkers.

We are Effective

We foster growth with local non-profit organizations by giving them the resources they need most: cash, capacity building, and contacts.

Cash: VPF investors give a least a $1 a day ($365 a year) to a pooled fund. Collectively, this money creates VPF’s annual cash grant that is awarded to a non-profit in NYC. The grant process is democratic and done with investor participation. Grants range in size but are typically between $7000-$10,000 and are unrestricted.

Capacity Building: VPF investors have the opportunity to actively participate with our annual investee through pro bono service.

Each party benefits: investors gain the experience and added insights by volunteering on a team with other VPFers in discrete projects that benefit our investee – and investee organizations/programs are strengthened by this added human capital.Through this activity VPF investors and investees work on projects such as grants, fundraising, events, program development and communications.

Contacts: VPF investors leverage their unique contacts from across sectors to expand our investee’s reach; often times creating new long-term partners that help sustain these non-profits.

We are Engaged

Our core principle is the power of collective effort. Collectively we pool our financial and professional resources and put them to work in the community. Collectively we decide on the grant recipient(s). Each fall, after each applicant has gone through the preliminary qualification stage, we invite all investors to meet and vet the finalists; ultimately voting on the organization they most want to invest their resources in.

We are a Community

Together we form a community that is open, inquisitive, supportive and democratic – with the focus on the outcome of doing giving differently to create real social change.

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