As Service Year Alliance launches, we are very proud and honored to announce we were accepted into the portfolio of the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation.
Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation is a venture philanthropy firm, which has invested in major social sector players like Kiva, The Mission Continues, IDEO.org, One Acre Fund, Taproot Foundation, and many more.Since 2002, DRK has funded a variety of extraordinary organizations and social entrepreneurs making lasting change in the world. DRK was founded by William H. Draper, III and Robin Richards Donohoe, and later joined by Robert S. Kaplan, who developed a model to apply their successful investing backgrounds towards advancing the nonprofit sector.
DRK is not your typical funder, and their investment model is designed to catalyze early growth for startup organizations. They typically invest in early stage organizations that are between idea phase and three years. After a thorough due diligence process of evaluating strategic plans, business plans, Boards, staff, and a variety of other factors, DRK provides a blend of start up funding, support, and a network of entrepreneurs to all organizations in their portfolio.
Service Year Alliance is thrilled to partner with DRK in its next phase of growth. While Service Year Alliance is the result of a merger between three organizations that have been operating for many years, Service Year Alliance is a startup in many ways. We are learning how to make an ambitious mission--to make a service year a common expectation and opportunity for all young Americans--a reality. Jim Bildner, DRK’s CEO, will serve on Service Year Alliance’s board over the course of their three-year investment. We are thrilled to have their leadership, expertise, guidance, and support as we enter this next phase of growth for the service movement.
