Mission

The Laura and Gary Lauder Family Venture Philanthropy Fund aims to solve social challenges in our communities through the dual methodologies of informed tzedakah – righteous giving – and venture philanthropy. The Fund invests in visionary leaders and projects that have the potential to create lasting impact. This approach requires a high tolerance for risk, a willingness to learn from mistakes, and a strategic vision to stay focused on the larger goal. Our guidelines principles are:

• Personal. We play an active role in supporting organizations and leaders who have a positive impact and lasting effect on wellbeing and community life. We give our personal leadership and full complement of resources and networking to our philanthropy.
• Measured Risk-Taking. We view risk-taking and learning from our mistakes as important functions of venture philanthropy.
• Invest In People. We invest in highly-motivated, high-achieving, visionary leaders who have the potential to create lasting change.
• Impact. We prioritize giving larger grants to a smaller number of organizations to maximize impact.
• Partnerships. Our grants are more effective when part of collaborative of engaged, like-minded philanthropists who can help bring projects to scale.
• Leverage. We prioritize grants that leverage existing resources to catalyze organizational excellence and social change.

Our preferred grantmaking strategies are:

• Entrepreneurial, strategic initiatives created by the Fund
• Capital grants for local Jewish communal institutions
• General operating and program support for key institutions in the Fund’s fields of interest