SVP works to build and nurture an equity-driven community of philanthropists and nonprofit organizations committed to disrupting the structures that enable intergenerational poverty. We envision a Philadelphia where leaders working closest to the issues have the power and resources necessary to make lasting change.
Philadelphia has the highest poverty rate among the ten largest cities in the United States, with 1 in 4 of our neighbors living in poverty. That's more than 350,000 people living on less than $26,000 a year for a family of four. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this issue, heavily impacting Philadelphians already living below the poverty line, specifically Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities.
The nonprofit sector is an essential force in responding to poverty in Philadelphia. While many nonprofits have adapted to meet the unique needs of a post-pandemic City, many are still struggling.
While shaping its strategy, SVP Philadelphia synthesized publicly available data and conducted multiple stakeholder interviews with individuals from key sectors. Together, Partners examined fundamental questions about poverty in Philadelphia and its root causes, existing philanthropic models, and best practices in the SVP network. The outcome was Reducing Poverty Together: Implementing an Engaged Social Venture Partners Philanthropic Model in Philadelphia.
Map by the Pew Charitable Trusts (2017)
Philadelphia’s Poor: Who they are, where they live, and how that has changed.
Traditional philanthropy emphasizes the wants of investors, or donors rather than the needs of our community. Support rarely goes beyond the check, and the skills and expertise of the people involved aren’t fully leveraged.
SVP goes beyond traditional philanthropy.
With the right combination of time, treasure, talent, ties, and training, SVP is a support system for and catalyst of change.
Come expand your network, roll up your sleeves with others and engage in more effective and collaborative ways to disrupt poverty in our region.
We have an opportunity to evolve. There’s an opportunity to think about who has been left out of the picture, who has not been given the opportunity to really scale up their impact, and then provide them with the resources they need.
Sulaiman Rahman
Founder and CEO, DiverseForce
SVP Board Member and Partner
