Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation

Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation
Name	Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation
Formed	2002
Founders	William H. Draper III; Robin Richards Donohoe; Robert Steven Kaplan
Type	Philanthropic foundation; nonprofit accelerator
Headquarters	Palo Alto, California; New York, New York
Area served	Global
Focus	Social entrepreneurship; nonprofit incubation; scale of impact
Methods	Seed grants; capacity building; mentorship; board development

Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation

The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation is a philanthropic grantmaker and social enterprise incubator that provides early-stage funding and governance support to nonprofit organizations worldwide. Founded by venture capitalists and philanthropists associated with Silicon Valley Bank, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, and private equity practices, the foundation adopts an investor-like approach to philanthropic risk-taking and organizational scaling. It operates at the intersection of philanthropic capital, nonprofit leadership development, and strategic grantmaking, collaborating with funders, advisors, and institutions to accelerate high-impact interventions across sectors.

History

The foundation traces roots to philanthropic initiatives led by William H. Draper III and networks from Draper Fisher Jurvetson investors, with formal establishment processes influenced by principals such as Robin Richards Donohoe and Robert Steven Kaplan. Early activity unfolded in the context of the post-2000 expansion of venture philanthropy exemplified by organizations like Acumen Fund, New Profit, and Omidyar Network, and drew on mentoring norms from Silicon Valley and Stanford University entrepreneurial ecosystems. Over successive funding cycles the foundation partnered with accelerators and intermediaries including Echoing Green, Ashoka, and Skoll Foundation-affiliated initiatives, adopting seed-stage support strategies similar to those used by Y Combinator and Techstars in the private sector. Its evolution encompassed geographic diversification from the San Francisco Bay Area to hubs such as New York City, London, and emerging markets where social enterprises operate.

Mission and Strategy

The foundation’s mission centers on identifying, funding, and mentoring early-stage nonprofit leaders who demonstrate novel, evidence-informed solutions to entrenched social problems. Strategy emphasizes rigorous selection, time-limited seed grants, structured governance support, and board development to enable scale and sustainability. Influences on strategy include models from venture capital-inspired philanthropy practiced by entities such as The Rockefeller Foundation and MacArthur Foundation program-related investments, and learning from impact-focused investors like Bridges Fund Management and Omidyar Network. The organization prioritizes leadership quality, measurable outcomes, and replicability across domains that intersect with partners such as Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation initiatives and multilateral programs spearheaded by United Nations agencies.

Programs and Initiatives

Programs combine financial awards with nonfinancial supports: mentorship, leadership coaching, board recruitment, and strategic planning. Initiative types mirror those of peer intermediaries like Echoing Green Fellowship and Ashoka Fellowship, including seed-stage fellowships, capacity-building workshops, and cohort-based learning networks. Cross-sector initiatives have included education partnerships with Teach For America-style approaches, health interventions aligned with Clinton Health Access Initiative methodologies, and livelihood projects informed by Grameen Bank microfinance learnings. The foundation also engages in convenings with academic partners such as Harvard Kennedy School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, and London School of Economics to disseminate best practices and build practitioner networks.

Grantmaking and Selection Process

Grantmaking follows a competitive application and vetting pipeline that emphasizes leadership, innovation, and potential for scale. Selection panels have included experienced social investors and leaders from organizations like Acumen Fund, Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, and Nonprofit Finance Fund; due diligence incorporates operational assessments used by Kauffman Foundation and scenario analyses familiar to McKinsey & Company consultants. Typical awards are time-limited seed grants accompanied by governance covenants and mentorship commitments that echo terms used by mission-driven investors such as BlueOrchard and Calvert Impact Capital. The foundation leverages networks of angel philanthropists and institutional funders, coordinating follow-on financing akin to syndication practices in venture capital.

Notable Grantees and Impact

Grantees have spanned global nonprofits addressing education, healthcare, economic inclusion, and human rights. Past recipients include organizations whose profiles align with entities such as Room to Read, Khan Academy, Partners In Health, Barefoot College, and rights-focused groups comparable to Human Rights Watch in advocacy intensity. Impact reporting emphasizes growth in beneficiary reach, governance strengthening, and fundraising capacity; evaluations often reference methodologies used by GiveWell-style analysts and impact-evaluation frameworks promoted by The World Bank and J-PAL (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab). The foundation’s portfolio has demonstrated cases of scale where early seed capital and board development catalyzed national expansion and replication in regional contexts including Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America.

Governance and Leadership

Governance is administered by a board and executive team composed of philanthropic leaders, former investors, and nonprofit practitioners, reflecting cross-sector representation similar to boards at Ford Foundation and Carnegie Corporation of New York. Leadership has included founders and executive directors with backgrounds at Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Goldman Sachs, and academic affiliations with institutions like Harvard Business School and Stanford University. Advisory councils and mentors draw from networks that include senior leaders from Echoing Green, Skoll Foundation, Omidyar Network, and major philanthropic families. The foundation coordinates external audits and impact assessments consistent with standards promoted by Charity Navigator and Council on Foundations practices.

Category:Foundations in the United States