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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 05/31/2000

AUSTIN SOCIAL VENTURE PARTNERS AWARD SECOND GRANTS TOTALING $115,000

Venture Philanthropy Organization Doubles in Size and Awards Nearly Quarter Million Dollars in Grants in First Year

AUSTIN, TX, May 31, 2000 – Austin Social Venture Partners (ASVP) today announced that its second round of grants, totaling $115,000, has been awarded to five central Texas organizations – Communities in Schools, Girl Scouts-Lone Star Council, The Medical Institute, Odyssey School, and the Sustainable Food Center.

ASVP has more than doubled the number of partners and volunteers in its first year, bringing its membership to 60 community members, according to David Lunsford, ASVP founder. The organization donated nearly $250,000 in its first year to central Texas organizations providing education as well as health and human services.

"ASVP invests more than financial resources in its community partners—it also provides individual expertise and business know-how," said Lunsford. "The opportunity to work with nonprofits much like you would with a start-up company is a familiar and exciting one for our members."

As part of its growth, ASVP has named McKeever Darby as executive director to manage the day-to-day operations of the foundation, including recruiting additional partners and volunteers, and coordinating with the Austin Community Foundation and other nonprofit organizations and philanthropic groups. Darby recently moved to Austin from Dallas, where he was involved with the Center for Nonprofit Management and the start-up of SVP/Dallas, in addition to his position with Trammell Crow.

The most recent grant recipients include:

$30,000 to Communities in Schools, an organization that provides school-based social services to help young people stay in school, for a program to help at-risk children develop strong math skills and introduce them to careers in technology.

$25,000 to Girl Scouts-Lone Star Council, an organization dedicated to helping girls develop skills for success in the real world, for the creation of a Girl Scout Tech Center to foster the interest of more girls in science and technology.

$10,000 to The Medical Institute, an educational organization confronting the epidemics of sexually transmitted diseases and non-marital pregnancy using incisive scientific information, for modifications to its informational Web site.

$25,000 to the Odyssey School, a private school for children in grades 4 – 9 with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, for Parent and Professional Workshops and to expand the number of Odyssey Scholars and the school’s testing and evaluation center activities.

$25,000 to the Sustainable Food Center, an organization that promotes personal and community food security – access to affordable, nutritious, and satisfying food on a non-emergency basis and grown with sustainable practices – for The Happy Kitchen (La Cocina Alegre), a cooking school to increase shopping, budgeting, and healthful cooking skills for at-risk families.

Today’s grants follow ASVP’s premier round of grants in September 1999, which distributed $117,000 to the Capital Area Mental Health Center, Knowbility, Inc., Living Books Literacy Center, Parents Anonymous, and GirlStart (formerly SmartGrrls).

ASVP is an organization of technology professionals – partners – dedicated to developing focused, committed and effective community givers, said Darby. The group is modeled after venture capital partnerships: it pools resources, actively partners with organizations through teams that seek to provide business expertise in areas the organization most needs, and helps develop focused goals and measurable objectives for philanthropic activities.

"We hope others in the high-tech and business community of Austin will give their talent and financial support to the local Austin community," Darby said. "ASVP helps bridge the gap between giving and seeing the outcome of your gifts."

ASVP seeks partners who are willing to commit at least two years to the organization. The required partner donation is $5,500 per year. For partner information, call 512.305.0566 or e-mail partner@asvp.org.

ASVP, McKeever Darby, 512.305.0566

Austin Community Foundation, MariBen Ramsey, 512.472.4483

Communities in School, Don Loving, 512.462.1771, x.117

The Odyssey School, Dr. John Barton, 512.472.2262

Girl Scouts-Lone Star Council, Judy Waxman, 512.453.7391

The Medical Institute, Melissa Cox, 512.328.6268, x. 211

Sustainable Food Center, Karen Enyedy, Suzanne Santos, 512.385.0080

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Copyright 2000, Austin Social Venture Partners




	Press Releases FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 05/31/2000 AUSTIN SOCIAL VENTURE PARTNERS AWARD SECOND GRANTS TOTALING $115,000 Venture Philanthropy Organization Doubles in Size and Awards Nearly Quarter Million Dollars in Grants in First Year AUSTIN, TX, May 31, 2000 – Austin Social Venture Partners (ASVP) today announced that its second round of grants, totaling $115,000, has been awarded to five central Texas organizations – Communities in Schools, Girl Scouts-Lone Star Council, The Medical Institute, Odyssey School, and the Sustainable Food Center. ASVP has more than doubled the number of partners and volunteers in its first year, bringing its membership to 60 community members, according to David Lunsford, ASVP founder. The organization donated nearly $250,000 in its first year to central Texas organizations providing education as well as health and human services. "ASVP invests more than financial resources in its community partners—it also provides individual expertise and business know-how," said Lunsford. "The opportunity to work with nonprofits much like you would with a start-up company is a familiar and exciting one for our members." As part of its growth, ASVP has named McKeever Darby as executive director to manage the day-to-day operations of the foundation, including recruiting additional partners and volunteers, and coordinating with the Austin Community Foundation and other nonprofit organizations and philanthropic groups. Darby recently moved to Austin from Dallas, where he was involved with the Center for Nonprofit Management and the start-up of SVP/Dallas, in addition to his position with Trammell Crow. The most recent grant recipients include: $30,000 to Communities in Schools, an organization that provides school-based social services to help young people stay in school, for a program to help at-risk children develop strong math skills and introduce them to careers in technology. $25,000 to Girl Scouts-Lone Star Council, an organization dedicated to helping girls develop skills for success in the real world, for the creation of a Girl Scout Tech Center to foster the interest of more girls in science and technology. $10,000 to The Medical Institute, an educational organization confronting the epidemics of sexually transmitted diseases and non-marital pregnancy using incisive scientific information, for modifications to its informational Web site. $25,000 to the Odyssey School, a private school for children in grades 4 – 9 with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, for Parent and Professional Workshops and to expand the number of Odyssey Scholars and the school’s testing and evaluation center activities. $25,000 to the Sustainable Food Center, an organization that promotes personal and community food security – access to affordable, nutritious, and satisfying food on a non-emergency basis and grown with sustainable practices – for The Happy Kitchen (La Cocina Alegre), a cooking school to increase shopping, budgeting, and healthful cooking skills for at-risk families. Today’s grants follow ASVP’s premier round of grants in September 1999, which distributed $117,000 to the Capital Area Mental Health Center, Knowbility, Inc., Living Books Literacy Center, Parents Anonymous, and GirlStart (formerly SmartGrrls). ASVP is an organization of technology professionals – partners – dedicated to developing focused, committed and effective community givers, said Darby. The group is modeled after venture capital partnerships: it pools resources, actively partners with organizations through teams that seek to provide business expertise in areas the organization most needs, and helps develop focused goals and measurable objectives for philanthropic activities. "We hope others in the high-tech and business community of Austin will give their talent and financial support to the local Austin community," Darby said. "ASVP helps bridge the gap between giving and seeing the outcome of your gifts." ASVP seeks partners who are willing to commit at least two years to the organization. The required partner donation is $5,500 per year. For partner information, call 512.305.0566 or e-mail partner@asvp.org. ASVP, McKeever Darby, 512.305.0566 Austin Community Foundation, MariBen Ramsey, 512.472.4483 Communities in School, Don Loving, 512.462.1771, x.117 The Odyssey School, Dr. John Barton, 512.472.2262 Girl Scouts-Lone Star Council, Judy Waxman, 512.453.7391 The Medical Institute, Melissa Cox, 512.328.6268, x. 211 Sustainable Food Center, Karen Enyedy, Suzanne Santos, 512.385.0080
Contact Us \| Site Map Copyright 2000, Austin Social Venture Partners