by: James Higa, Executive Director 

Last month, we talked about tackling the Inequality Gap through immediate response. This month, we want to talk about another way PVF is tackling this gap: radical collaboration.

I've recently retired from Apple after 20+ years.  I come from the land of plenty.  I know what it's like to have a cafe overflowing with abundant food, with every perk an employee could want: the air conditioned coaches, a day care center, dry cleaning, having your car washed in the parking lot.      

Photo Credit: Evelyn Rusli/The Wall Street Journal

Yet, now in my current position as Executive Director at Philanthropic Ventures Foundation, I know that two blocks away kids are going hungry, mothers are in want of a decent education for their children, and there are survivors of trafficking who have suffered unimaginable misfortune and hope to have an opportunity for a good job and a meaningful life.  

Silicon Valley can't claim to, can't aspire to change the world, if they can't even change our own backyard.  This is why PVF is compelled to act.  We want to tackle the Inequality Gap, and the way we want to do this is through our belief in the power of radical collaboration.

Why is it that the worlds of high tech companies, grassroots community organizations, venture funds, non-profits, family foundations, and community foundations rarely intersect? What if all of these circles could join together to reinvent philanthropy?  This is exactly what we saw at the launch of the Invention Hub last Tuesday night in the Dogpatch neighborhood of San Francisco.  

The Invention Hub's launch was abuzz with inspiration.

The Invention Hub is part non-profit workspace, incubator of socially good businesses, corporate brainstorming hub, and a job creation program.  The very first project to launch here illustrates the nature of what we mean by radical collaboration.  Just Business, a venture fund, is raising the capital to invest in a socially good coffee business, Amor Perfecto.  Not for Sale, a non-profit that fights human trafficking, is creating a training program for survivors of human trafficking to work at Amor Perfecto.  PVF is funding MISSSEY, an Oakland based nonprofit that serves sexually exploited youths, to send their youths to this training program.  Companies like Juniper Networks, SalesForce, and Blue Bottle Coffee are lending their support.  A portion of the profits from this business will go back to help this nonprofit cause.  Lest you think this idea isn't scalable, take a look at what Not For Sale has done with REBBL tea which can now be found at a Whole Foods or market near you.  

You can learn more about the Invention Hub and the work of PVF here in a recent Wall Street Journal profile.