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Partners in Purpose
Summer 2004 In This Issue:
A Note from Kristen Burns, REDF’s President
Partnership has always been central to our approach to social enterprise and engaged philanthropy. We partner with our portfolio of nonprofits, building long-term relationships based on communication, trust, and mutual accountability. We have partnered with other foundations to provide joint support for major projects like OASIS, to build our portfolio’s capacity to assess their own impact. And we partner with several talented and dedicated consultants, such as BTW Consultants, Dayspring Technologies, and Third Strand, who have worked closely with us as we’ve implemented and refined our social outcome measurement strategy. Developing these relationships over many years has enabled us to share knowledge, build trust, and accomplish far more together than either party could alone. Collaborating with the Hewlett Foundation
I’m pleased to announce that we created a new partnership this spring: The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation has made a three year, $2 million commitment to REDF, to support our work with our portfolio as well as our continued focus on sharing our learnings about social enterprise, engaged philanthropy, and measurement with others in the field. Hewlett and REDF share a dedication to transparency, collaboration, and effectiveness, and we’re delighted to partner with them in the years ahead. Partners, Advisors and Friends
We’ve also been shaping new partnerships through the creation of our Advisory Council this year. A select group of professionals who are leaders in their fields have graciously agreed to contribute their specialized skills to REDF and our portfolio. Their collective expertise includes public relations, marketing, leadership development, networking, and other areas where REDF and our organizations can benefit from outside advice. One advisor, for instance, recently led a portfolio-wide session on market positioning that proved to be helpful for enterprises and parent nonprofits alike. The council includes people we’ve turned to many times over the years. We’re happy to have a formal way to acknowledge their role with us. Sharing Profits and Penguins
New partnerships have been emerging in our portfolio organizations as well. For the first time, cakes and tarts from Rubicon Bakery are now available at the Chestnut Street Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop operated by Juma Ventures in San Francisco. Customers can purchase a slice of cake to enjoy on the spot (a la mode, of course!) or a full-sized dessert to take home — while knowing that they’re supporting not one, but two businesses that move people out of poverty. “Customers have been enjoying the chance to try something new with their ice cream,” says Elijah Pfister at Juma. “And we really value the chance to build business partnerships with others who share our social mission. For both Rubicon and Juma, success here will lead to more opportunity for the individuals we employ.”  Grow Café employees await the lunch crowd at the California Academy of Sciences
New Door Ventures (then known as Golden Gate Community, Inc.)’s newly-launched Grow Café, located in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood, is the result of another new collaboration. New Door Ventures (then known as Golden Gate Community, Inc.) established a strategic partnership with the California Academy of Sciences, which recently opened a new museum facility in San Francisco (complete with army ants and penguins) and wanted to create a socially and environmentally responsible café inside for visitors.
The result: Grow Café, which serves serves organic, fresh food including a variety of oven toasted sandwiches, housemade salads and desserts. More importantly, Grow Café provides jobs, training and mentoring for youth committed to breaking out of the cycle of poverty, addiction and homelessness. As Caroline Pappajohn, Golden Gate’s Enterprise Director and former Farber Fellow puts it, “Our multi-year partnership with the Academy allows us to help more at-risk youth achieve sustainable lives, and the Academy’s support and its steady traffic promotes both our financial and social mission goals. It’s a unique and exciting opportunity.”
If you’ll be in the San Francisco Bay Area in the coming months, we encourage you to check out both of these exciting developments from our portfolio organizations in person.
In the meantime, we wish you a happy start to your summer season!
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