Pitching Social Innovations

As many of you may know, DSVP is celebrating our ten year anniversary next year. We have already begun planning the celebration with an event that will blow your minds. As part of the planning, we have researched an array of socially impactful experiences to consider for our celebration. What we have loved, is the idea of a pitch event.

Pitch events are a known experience in the world of venture capital. You get a room full of investors to listen to a handful of entrepreneurs pitch their idea or business model. The value for the investor is getting exposed to a broad array ideas of which they might consider investing. The value for the entrepreneur is to pitch to a room full of potential investors and make new connections. (Think Shark Tank)

Now consider applying this to the world of nonprofits. Get a room full of social investors (donors, foundations, and corporate philanthropists) and pre-select and prepare a group of nonprofit leaders and social entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas, programs and organizations. This is exactly what took place at the recent Social Innovation Fast Pitch, co-hosted by Los Angelos Social Venture Partners, the Social Enterprise Institute and the University of Southern California.

After a six weeks of preparation and coaching, ten nonprofit organizations took the stage for three minute pitches without visual aids. That's right, NO Powerpoints! They were not only competing for $20,000 worth of award money, they were pitching to be seen and heard among a community of social impact investors. To see the list of presenters and winners click here.

DSVP will bring the fast pitch experience to North Texas with our big event in 2010. (think big BANG!) It is a refreshing take on the traditional grant writing approach to fundraising. Although it might not be a replacement, it certainly enhances community awareness of missions and puts the leaders to the test to present their mission, vision and needs!

Learn more by listening to the Maximizing Social Impact Podcast: Social Innovation Fast Pitch