Today’s teens will one day receive a tremendous amount of wealth transfer in this country – to the tune of $41 trillion. Social Venture Partner Teens (SVP Teens) is a youth philanthropic project of SVP Arizona designed to better prepare our youth for a lifelong commitment to thoughtful, strategic charitable involvement.
What is SVP Teens?
Social Venture Partners Arizona (SVP Arizona) introduced the SVP Teens program in the fall of 2002 to give teens the same opportunity for philanthropic education and grant making as SVP Arizona Partners. Through bi-weekly meetings from September through May, teenagers (ages 11-18) raise funds and learn about the challenging issues facing less fortunate young people in their communities. The participants learn how to raise funds, write grant guidelines, evaluate proposals, conduct site visits and read financials in a way that mirrors the SVP Arizona strategic investment process. Then the teens collectively decide which issues to focus on and determine to which nonprofit agencies they wish to award grant money. SVP Teens commit to approximately 60-70 total hours of participation during the academic year.
Who are SVP Teens?
SVP Teens is open to 11-18 year-old children of SVP Arizona Partners and their friends. Launched in 2002 with 7 teen participants, SVP Teens has grown over the years to include more than a dozen participants annually.
What is The Impact?
SVP Teens’ donations to nonprofit organizations in the Phoenix area topped $35,000 in the first four years of the program. Cash grants were given to nonprofits helping young people stay in school and improve academic performance. Also, a large donation of children’s clothing was made to two Valley children’s shelters. The following are just a few of SVP Teens’ choices for fund allocations:
- A $5,000 grant was awarded to Gabriel’s Angels to help break the cycle of child abuse. The teens also spent time in hands-on volunteer activities with a School Serve-a-Thon, Phoenix Youth at Risk and De Colores Women’s Shelter.
- A $3,500 grant was awarded to AZ Quest for Kids to provide innovative educational activities to more than 30 disadvantaged children at a Madison school.
- A $3,500 grant was awarded to All-Star Kids Tutoring for the purchase of books and supplies. All 160 children in the tutoring program were able to take home a new book each month of the school year.
- A $10,000 grant was made to Project Exito to provide assistance to immigrant families of students in south Scottsdale to enable them to become mentors and educational advocates for their children.
- Over $10,000 in brand new children’s clothing was collected and donated to Crisis Nursery and the Vista Colina crisis shelter.
- A $7,000 grant was awarded to West Valley Child Crisis Center for services for abused and neglected children.
Teen Spotlight
Nick Perez
For the last five years, Nick has developed a wealth of grant-making experience as an active participant in SVP Teens. The teen grant-making process begins with fundraising through car washes, raffles, garage sales, and even a virtual tea. Once funds are raised, teens solicit grant proposals from nonprofits, review the proposals, conduct site visits, and make final funding decisions. Nick believes that the most productive part of the grant-making process is the site visits. The teens have an opportunity to get to know the organizations as a whole and analyze exactly how each are being run. Nick also feels that he has learned patience through the group decision-making process and better understands issues confronting his community. Nick likes making a difference in the community, whether big or small. According to Nick, "SVP Teens is a great way to learn what is important and I gain satisfaction from feeling needed while helping others.”
How to get connected
Contact SVP Arizona at 602.224.0041.