What is a Partner?
“Partner” is the term we use to describe our team of people who have chosen to contribute their time, talent and treasure (money) to help our chosen Not-For-Profits. We call them Partners due to our hands on collaborative approach with the NFPs we support
What does a Partner do?
Partners choose to contribute in multiple ways. All partners donate funds and have some input into where that funding goes. They often also volunteer their time and skills to helping out our NFPs. This could be as simple as providing some mentoring or support in your area of expertise, or it could involve participating in workshops with our NFPs. There are multiple ways to contribute – find out about our Partners experience here (link to Our Stories)
What happens when I become a Partner?
Once you sign up, a Partner or our Executive Director can meet with you and your co-partner (if you have one) to talk about your interests. They will recommend ways for you to get involved and introduce you to your Buddy, who can assist in getting to know SVP Melbourne. We will recommend a not for profit organisation and committee to join, matched to your interests, to ensure you are as involved as you want to be.
What do I have to commit to?
We can find ways for you to be involved that fit your schedule, your passions, and your skill set.
All our partners also contribute either $1,000 or $2,000 per annum (depending on their situation), plus a tax-deductible donation, which is aggregated and subsequently granted to Investees. The size of the donation is determined by ‘what is meaningful’ for the partner. Volunteering with our NFPs (‘Investees’) involves approximately 4-8 hours a month and each of our committees meets for around one hour each 4-6 weeks.
What does the contribution get me?
The benefits of investing are:
- Your entire household can participate
- Your money is thoughtfully invested by you and a group of peers through a rigourous evaluation of reputable and deserved organisations that we grant to.
- Your investment is amplified through the time and talent the partners volunteer with the NFP.
- You get transformational, hands-on experiences to help you better understand the NFP sector including impact investing, philanthropy, and advocacy.
- You are part of an international network of like-minded, passionate, engaged people who want to make their communities better
- A portion of your contribution is tax deductible.
For those who have contributed in prior years, and want to step up their giving to leading, we offer a range of options:
- Become a lead partner – this enables you to get up close with one of our not-for-profit organisations and direct the course of our investment with them. For those that are passionate about the causes and organisations we invest in, this is often the most rewarding leadership pathway.
- Join our Community Impact Committee which assists in assessing organisations we want to partner with.
- Join our Partner Development Committee – which helps coordinate our events and development sessions.
- Join our Investee Services Group – which assists with coordinating our consulting and professional advise to NFP.
- Join the Social Venture Partners Melbourne Board – which provides direction and leadership for Social Venture Partners Melbourne.
