International Philanthropy 

While PVF does most of its giving in the Bay Area, we also work with the international community. Read below to find out about our recent work with China, Vietnam and more!  

Philanthropy in China is coming online. Various delegations come to the US to observe and learn.  One such delegation specifically asked to meet with Philanthropic Ventures Foundation, and PVF has been invited to sit in on several meetings.  There is a genuine desire to conduct philanthropy in China and a frank admission that China is a generation behind the U.S. in doing so.

We are pleased to announce that Philanthropic Ventures Foundation's book Grassroots Philanthropy; Field Notes of a Maverick Grantmaker has been translated into Chinese and the Dean of Beijing Normal University has notified us that there are plans to make the book a text book at the University. In addition, Bill Somerville has been invited to give two lectures in China on philanthropy.

OneVietnam, a group of Vietnamese American citizens doing

A member of OneVietnam talking with youth in Vietnam about proper oral care

philanthropic projects in Vietnam, is using Philanthropic Ventures Foundation as depository and advisor. There are 3.5 million Vietnamese in the US and they send $7 billion a year to relatives in Vietnam which represents 10% of national income. The group sponsors building schools, libraries and other facilities in Vietnam.

 

Students in front of a school funded by the Kapani School Project, through Generosity in Action

For 7 years Philanthropic Ventures Foundation has served as the depository for the Generosity in Action Fund to which donors can give money for projects in other countries. Usually such donors are tourists who have visited a country, seen a need for schools, libraries, a well, etc., and who want to give something back. This Fund was started by PVF Board Member Duncan Beardsley who has a background in the travel industry.

PVF handles the international giving for several family foundations. In addition some PVF grantees do extensive work internationally - such as Ecology Action - which is one of the preeminent organic farming schools in the US.

Many years back Bill Somerville was asked by a donor to go to Palestine to make grants to human service programs and he spent two weeks in Gaza and the West Bank. His interest was to see if one can do grassroots funding in a foreign setting with a language barrier and the answer was 'yes'.  Grants were made for health care, youth programs and for schools, with the assistance of ANERA/American Near East Refugee Aid.  

If donors would like to discuss international giving, we invite them to contact Bill Somerville at (510) 645-1890 or bsomerville@venturesfoundation.org.

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Philanthropic Ventures Foundation has come to depict exciting philanthropy - grassroots giving that is born out of creative thinking. If readers would like to explore new possibilities in their giving, we are ready to meet at your convenience. We believe your giving should be fun, satisfying and significant.

We can be reached at (510) 645-1890.

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