SVP DE, part of a growing movement of engaged giving, or "following your charitable dollars," uses a new model based on the venture capital concept. Much like venture capitalists who invest their money as well as their expertise to build and grow a company, venture philanthropists also nurture their investment with time and expertise, in addition to financial resources, to ensure success. SVP DE is focused on providing financial support and personal expertise to improve early childhood education for poverty-level children in the First State.

SVP DE is committed to giving time, money, and expertise to create partnerships with nonprofit organizations called investees. SVP DE investees are tax-exempt, charitable, not-for-profit organizations. 

SVP DE works in partnership with organizations that:

• Are providing quality early childhood education programs and demonstrating an innovative approach to accomplishing change.

• Are seeking to launch, expand or replicate an innovative program.

• Have the ability to make use of and interact with SVP DE's volunteer and professional resources.

• Have a long-term perspective on their organization's impact.

• Are willing to evaluate their programs and measure their outcomes.

• Are community oriented and collaborative, involving volunteers and other organizations and coordinating their services with others serving the same populations.

Serving these children is a complicated task because the needs are so great and the stakes are so high.  We need each other to succeed and we all benefit from one another.  SVP DE partners learn from our investees and they learn from us.  Lessons learned at one site can be applied at another.  In addition, SVP DE has initiated several programs, and provided funds to help launch others to help support our investees in their challenging task – needs like teacher training, behavioral health, curriculum coordination, student assessment and statewide rankings.