Monday, July 19, 2010

Local Social Enterprise - Dallas CityScape!

There's only two more weeks left for you to go see Dallas CityScape! Don't miss this awesome opportunity to see this exciting recreation of the Dallas skyline – all made from toys! Kids and adults alike are sure to awe at the size and artistry of each building.

DSVP is proud to have helped be a part of this idea from the seed stage. Back in 2007, a group of DSVP Partners helped social entrepreneur and visionary David Mathews flesh out and seed-fund an idea he had to create a social enterprise that would help fund a mission for kids. Three years later, David has launched CityScape! in Oklahoma City and now in Dallas!

Proceeds from Dallas CityScape! benefit the East Dallas Community Schools (EDCS). For more information about the school and the exhibit click here!

LOCATION:
Northpark Mall
Level Two, between Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom.
Next to Barneys New York.

ADMISSION:
Adults $5
Children $3 (Ages 12 & Under)

HOURS:
Open 7 days a week during regular NorthPark Center hours.

Friday, July 16, 2010

KIPP leverages with a bigBANG!

DSVP is proud to announce that within thirty days of the bigBANG! Social Innovation event, $250,000 was attracted to the mission of KIPP TRUTH Academy.

Photo: (left) Stacy Caldwell -President of DSVP ; (right) April Crosse - Executive Director of KIPP TRUTH Academy
As one of DSVP’s newest nonprofit Investees, several DSVP partners “pitched” on behalf of KIPP TRUTH Academy to a room of impact investors. They shared a vision to help build KIPP's local capacity to serve more kids throughout North Texas. DSVP partners described their strategic work to strengthen KIPP's business model to help expand KIPP’s vision and impact across the region.

Boone Family Foundation took the lead in this vision at the bigBANG! by issuing a thirty day challenge grant. The effort would help build awareness of KIPP’s efforts, grow their donor base, and encourage further capacity building to help them grow. The challenge promised $1 (up to $25,000) for every $2 raised making the total potential contribution to KIPP TRUTH $75,000.

April Crosse, KIPP TRUTH's executive director, led the effort that far exceeded that vision. Just three months on the job in her new position, April got to work and brought in $70,000 of donations for the match and then circled around to prior requests and closed an additional $160,00. Resulting in more than $250,000 for the mission! KIPP parents, teachers and students along with community donors and funders all worked together to show their support and help accomplish this amazing result!

Founded in 2003, KIPP TRUTH Academy is the Metroplex branch of the nationally renowned Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP). KIPP is a network of charter schools designed to transform and improve the educational opportunities available to low-income families, and ultimately, prepare students to enroll and succeed in college. KIPP has grown from a core of two middle schools established in the mid 1990s to a nationwide network of 82 schools in 19 states and the District of Columbia. All KIPP schools are free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools located in under-resourced communities throughout the United States.

A hearty congratulations is in order to KIPP. A big thank you goes to our friends at the Boone Family Foundation for their vision and leadership. And, a wink and thumbs up to all our DSVP partners who continue to maximize social impact with their efforts!

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Strategic Plans Underway

Two very important strategic plans are underway by our partners here at DSVP. Our partners are putting that important intellectual capital to work both for Dallas Community Light House and DSVP!

Dallas Community Lighthouse
DSVP Partners and Dallas Community Lighthouse (DCL) Board members and staff began the first stage of DCL's Strategic Planning process with a productive Board Development planning session on Wednesday, July 7th. Gary Capshaw, DCL co-Lead Partner led the session attended by DSVP Partners Carol Maier, Phyllis Bernstein, Charlotte Keany, Susan Hoff, and Robin Minick (DCL co-LP) and DCL Board members, Paula DeGroat, Bishop Miller E. Johnson, Jr., and Executive Director Diana Baker. Carol Maier, a new DSVP Partner with extensive Board development experience provided the initial guidance for the planning session. Process and calendar details were negotiated along with goals and actions items identified. We look forward to learning more about this important work as the process unfolds.



Dallas Social Venture Partners

What would we be without strategic visioning and planning for a mission. At DSVP, our board and partners have reflected on ten years of impact and look into their crystal ball to envision the next evolution of our work. Multiple data-points (located on the Portal) have been collected in preparation of this auspicious work: Center for Nonprofit Management's Organizational Assessment, Richards Group Brand Audit, and a Partner Satisfaction survey are the three main informing documents leading to this outcomes based work. Partners are invited to participate in three work streams as our board gathers comments and ideas around the outcomes that we seek. for more information and to get involved call our committee chair, Brad Logan, or Meghan Hale at mhale@dsvp.org.