About Draper richards kaplan foundation
The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation: Empowering Social Entrepreneurs to Change the World
The world is facing a myriad of complex and pressing challenges, from poverty and inequality to climate change and healthcare access. While governments, non-profits, and corporations are working hard to address these issues, there is also a growing movement of social entrepreneurs who are using innovative approaches to create positive change in their communities and beyond.
One organization that is at the forefront of this movement is the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation (DRK). Founded in 2002 by venture capitalists Bill Draper, Robin Richards Donohoe, and Steve Kaplan, DRK aims to find, fund, and support early-stage social enterprises that have the potential for high impact.
What sets DRK apart from other philanthropic organizations is its approach. Borrowing from its founders' experience in venture capital investing, DRK seeks out exceptional entrepreneurs who have bold ideas for solving social problems. Once selected as a DRK portfolio organization, these entrepreneurs receive three years of unrestricted funding as well as ongoing support from DRK's team of experts.
But it's not just about writing checks. As part of its commitment to building capacity in its portfolio organizations, DRK also joins their boards of directors for the duration of the grant period. This allows them to provide strategic guidance and help with scaling up operations so that these organizations can achieve even greater impact.
Over the past two decades, DRK has supported over 190 social enterprises across a wide range of issue areas including education reform, environmental conservation, healthcare access for underserved populations,and criminal justice reform among others . Some notable examples include:
- Kiva.org: A pioneering microfinance platform that connects lenders with borrowers around the world.
- VisionSpring: An organization that provides affordable eyeglasses to people living in poverty.
- The Bail Project: A national nonprofit organization designed to combat mass incarceration by disrupting cash bail systems across America.
- One Acre Fund: An agricultural nonprofit serving smallholder farmers in East Africa.
These organizations represent just a small sample of what can be achieved when visionary leaders are given both financial resources and strategic support. By empowering social entrepreneurs who are tackling some of our most challenging problems head-on,DRA has been able make significant strides towards creating lasting change on both local & global levels .
In addition to providing funding & board-level support ,DRK also leverages its network & expertise within various sectors such as technology ,media etc..to help amplify their portfolio companies' messages & reach wider audiences .This helps them gain more visibility which ultimately leads towards more partnerships ,funding opportunities etc..
If you're interested in learning more about how you can get involved with or contribute towards this impactful work being done by DRA foundation then please visit their website or follow them on Twitter @drkfoundation