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New Venture Fund

Annual Giving
$600.0M
Grant Range
$150K - $1.2M

New Venture Fund

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $600,000,000 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Varies by program
  • Grant Range: $150,000 - $200,000+ (varies significantly by program)
  • Geographic Focus: National (US) and International
  • Projects Supported: 170+ active projects with 900+ employees
  • Organizations Funded: 1,000+ domestic and international organizations (2023)

Contact Details

Overview

Founded in 2006 and tax-exempt since January 2007, the New Venture Fund (NVF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates as both a fiscal sponsor and grantmaker. Administered by Arabella Advisors (transitioning to Sunflower Services as of November 2025), NVF distributed nearly $600 million in grants in 2023 to over 1,000 organizations. The organization's mission is to help build a just, equitable, and sustainable future by getting the right types of philanthropic capital into the hands of people with the right ideas, at the right times, in the right places. NVF provides fiscal sponsorship for 170+ progressive projects across nine regions worldwide, including 48 states and the District of Columbia. The organization pioneered a fiscal sponsorship model that enables nonprofits to incubate new initiatives, accept tax-deductible contributions, and execute projects without building the infrastructure of an entirely new nonprofit organization—launching projects "in weeks that could otherwise take more than a year."

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

NVF for Global Policy and Advocacy (NVF for GPA)

  • Provides targeted and timely grants to domestic and international projects
  • Focus areas: Global health and development issues, family planning efforts, tobacco control initiatives
  • Grant seekers apply directly to NVF for this program
  • No public information on specific grant amounts

NVF for Global Health Agencies & Funds (NVF for GHAF)

  • Small and nimble project grants up to $250,000
  • For specific global health institutions
  • Separate eligibility requirements from NVF for GPA

Catalytic Capital Consortium (C3) Grantmaking [CLOSED]

  • $10 million initiative funded by MacArthur Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, and Omidyar Network
  • Research grants: $150,000 - $200,000
  • Network partner grants: $650,000 - $1,200,000 per cohort
  • Final grants awarded March 2023
  • Targeted foundations, development finance institutions, family offices, and ultra high net worth individuals

Fiscal Sponsorship Services

  • Not traditional grants; NVF hosts projects and receives/manages donor contributions on their behalf
  • Projects seek their own funding from foundations, corporations, and individual donors
  • NVF provides administrative, accounting, and legal support services

Priority Areas

The organization supports work across five primary issue areas:

  1. Environment: Climate solutions, conservation, sustainable communities, and energy issues in the US and abroad
  2. Youth Development and Education: Early learning, literacy, connected learning, support to teachers, and educational improvement
  3. Civil Rights, Social Action, and Advocacy: Protecting human rights, social freedom, and equality
  4. Global Development and Health: International health and development efforts
  5. Capacity Building: Organizational strengthening support

Additional focus area: 6. Incubation & Innovation: New and experimental approaches

What They Don't Fund

As a 501(c)(3) public charity, NVF cannot:

  • Undertake political activity such as contributing to political candidates
  • Coordinate with a candidate's campaign
  • Support projects that don't align with nonprofit law and their organizational values

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors (as of 2024):

  • Akilah Massey
  • Chuck Redmond
  • Daniel Ramos

The Board of Directors maintains ultimate legal and fiduciary responsibility for all projects.

Advisory Board Structure: Every NVF-sponsored project has its own independent advisory board with a minimum of three members, though many are larger based on project complexity. Advisory boards provide strategy guidance, governance oversight, and financial management recommendations to their respective projects.

Administrative Management: The organization is administered under an agreement by Arabella Advisors, a Washington, D.C.-based philanthropy consulting firm. As of November 2025, Arabella Advisors announced it was closing and rebranding to Sunflower Services, which will continue managing fiscal sponsorships.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The application process varies significantly depending on the type of support sought:

For Fiscal Sponsorship (New Projects):

  • Change leaders must conceptualize project ideas and identify potential funders before submission
  • Contact: newprojects@newventurefund.org
  • Applications accepted through online portal
  • Approval timeline not publicly specified

For Most Grant Programs:

  • Grant seekers apply directly to the partner organization/project, not to NVF
  • Exception: NVF for Global Policy and Advocacy accepts direct applications to NVF
  • Applicants can create an account at newventurefund.org for program information

Current Status:

  • C3 Grantmaking program is closed (final grants awarded March 2023)
  • Other specific grant programs may have limited or closed application windows
  • Contact info@newventurefund.org for current opportunities

Review Process

"Every proposal submitted to the New Venture Fund is reviewed thoroughly to ensure alignment with our values and compliance with nonprofit law." Approved fiscal sponsorship projects are assigned an advisory board to aid in formulating the project plan with the applicant organizers.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly specified and vary by program. The organization emphasizes that fiscal sponsorship can deploy projects "in weeks that could otherwise take more than a year" compared to establishing an independent nonprofit.

Success Rates

Success rates and application statistics are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policies are not publicly documented. Contact NVF directly for guidance on reapplying after an unsuccessful application.

Application Success Factors

Based on documented examples and the organization's stated approach:

Alignment with Mission and Values:

  • Projects must align with NVF's mission to build "a just, equitable, and sustainable future"
  • Must demonstrate work that gets "the right types of philanthropic capital into the hands of people with the right ideas, at the right times, in the right places"
  • All proposals reviewed for "alignment with our values and compliance with nonprofit law"

Funding Strategy:

  • For fiscal sponsorship: Applicants should identify potential funders and create a funding plan before submitting proposals
  • NVF expects projects to seek their own funding from institutional foundations, family foundations, individual donors, corporations, and other sources
  • Projects should demonstrate financial sustainability planning through diverse revenue sources

Examples of Successful Projects:

  • Media Democracy Fund: Since 2006, has made over $50 million in investments supporting digital rights, internet access, and online freedom. Launched Tech Exchange program and Digital Equity and Opportunity Initiative
  • Co-Impact: Major global health project that received over $200 million from NVF (later spun off)
  • Center for Secure and Modern Elections: Received $750,000 from MacArthur Foundation for election security work
  • Trusted Elections Fund: Received $1,000,000 grant to address election-related emergencies
  • Climate and Clean Energy Equity Fund: Issued $22 million to 104 grantee partners in 2021 alone, over $125 million since launch

Project Characteristics:

  • Projects span nine regions worldwide, including 48 US states and DC
  • Supported initiatives range from small pilots to large-scale collaborative funds
  • Many projects focus on policy advocacy, communications, and systems change
  • Strong emphasis on equity, justice, and progressive social change

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Dual Function: NVF operates both as a fiscal sponsor (hosting projects) and as a grantmaker through specific programs; understand which model applies to your needs
  • Funding Requirement: For fiscal sponsorship, you must identify your own funders before applying—NVF provides the legal/administrative infrastructure, not the funding itself
  • Mission Alignment Critical: All projects must align with progressive values around justice, equity, and sustainability; thorough values review is part of approval process
  • Scale and Sophistication: With $600 million distributed annually, NVF supports large-scale, professionally managed initiatives—small grassroots projects may find better fits elsewhere
  • Limited Public Application: Most grant opportunities are through NVF's sponsored projects, not NVF directly; research which specific project/fund aligns with your work
  • Network Connection: As part of the Arabella Advisors network (transitioning to Sunflower Services), NVF is deeply connected to progressive philanthropy infrastructure
  • Contact Early: Given the complexity of their model and limited public application information, early outreach to newprojects@newventurefund.org is advisable to determine fit

References

Accessed: December 16, 2025

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