Blue Ridge Foundation of New York

On Tuesday I went by the office of Blue Ridge Foundation of New York, a venture philanthropy organization based in Brooklyn, to speak with its executive director, Matt Klein. The office is on the second floor and behind its rather unimpressive wooden door is a modern facility with high ceilings. A meeting room sits at the center and along the sides are rooms housing the different social entrepreneurs that Blue Ridge funds - they are required to spend their first few years working out of the Blue Ridge office so they can form a network and support each other. Matt Klein's office is at the back.

Never having filmed an interview, I found the set up process quite complicated and awkward. Usually I pull out a notebook and a digital recorder and can start talking and interviewing right away. But with the camera, I have to get the interviewee to sit in a good spot and set up the camera. I rushed through the whole process, worried that Matt would think I'm wasting his time and cancel the interview. Also, I hadn't taken the time to see which input - red and yellow - was the one for the external mic. So I just plugged it in and started my interview - not knowing if I would get any sound.

About Blue Ridge (from the interview): they review about 100 applications by social entrepreneurs a year, on a rolling basis, and usually pick two or three, though this year they may not even have so many. This isn't because there aren't good companies out there, but sometimes it's a matter of fit. Those that are chosen receive both funding and a place to set up - the Blue Ridge office - plus supplies and so forth. Selected companies are receive help from Blue Ridge partners, who help with technological and other kinds of consulting services. Blue Ridge supports a range of companies, what it calls its Portfolio. Most are youth-oriented, but the venture philanthropy firm also has a program for senior citizens. Matt said the Portfolio isn't entirely coherent.

On where venture philanthropy fits into the philanthropy field, Matt said that many of the larger foundations usually give money to organizations that have a track record. Venture philanthropists try to find ideas that come with a good plan and get them started. This simplification is mine - obviously foundations have also started new projects - but my generalization captures the general difference between the older foundations and the new venture philanthropy.