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Bravo Family Charitable Foundation

Annual Giving
$4.5M
Grant Range
$15K - $0.1M
Success Rate
31%

Bravo Family Charitable Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $4,500,000+ (recent year)
  • Success Rate: ~31% (Rising Entrepreneurs Program, based on 10 selected from 32 applicants in first cohort)
  • Decision Time: Varies by program; annual application cycles
  • Grant Range: $15,000 - $100,000+ (program-specific; can reach tens of millions for hurricane relief and higher education)
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Puerto Rico; limited mainland U.S. giving (health and higher education)
  • Assets: Approximately $54 million

Contact Details

Website: https://www.bravofamilyfoundation.org/

Phone: 415-363-0378

Email: info@bravofamilyfoundation.org

Address: 2110 NW 23rd Ave, Miami, FL 33142

Overview

The Bravo Family Charitable Foundation was established in 2017 by Orlando Bravo, co-founder and managing partner of Thoma Bravo, a private equity firm managing over $130 billion. With approximately $54 million in assets and over $4.5 million in annual giving, the foundation's mission is to "empower the next generation of leaders in Puerto Rico by providing the tools, mentorship, and resources needed for socio-economic mobility." The foundation operates on the belief that "where you start shouldn't limit where you can go," focusing on entrepreneurship, economic development, and disaster relief in Puerto Rico, with mainland U.S. support limited to health and higher education. In 2019, Orlando Bravo committed $100 million to the foundation to promote entrepreneurship and economic development in Puerto Rico. The foundation has supported 60 companies and more than 130 founders through its flagship programs, with more than 90% of participating businesses remaining operational and collectively raising over $20 million in capital.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Rising Entrepreneurs Program (REP)

  • Amount: Equity investment plus operational support (historically $30,000 seed grants mentioned)
  • Duration: One-year intensive program
  • Application: Annual application cycle; online portal at https://www.bravofamilyfoundation.org/rising-entrepreneurs-program/apply/
  • Description: Backs startups ready to launch or scale sales through deep immersion experience covering product development, sales, marketing, operations, organizational design, and fundraising guidance

Bravo Venture Fellowship (launched 2024)

  • Amount: Equity funding (amounts not publicly specified)
  • Duration: One year
  • Application: Invitation only from Rising Entrepreneurs Program alumni and standout founders in Puerto Rican entrepreneurial ecosystem
  • Description: Direct venture investments in Puerto Rico's most promising early-stage startups with equity funding, strategic networking, enhanced investor visibility, and one-on-one mentorship

Exceptional Community Leaders

  • Amount: $100,000 grant plus content facilitator
  • Application: Accepts unsolicited applications annually
  • Description: Leadership development for social entrepreneurs promoting heritage tourism and community service experiences in rural, high-risk areas; professionalizes nonprofit organizations and improves internal structures

Empowering Young Entrepreneurs (EYES Program)

  • Amount: Not specified (in-kind program support)
  • Application: High school students in Puerto Rico with parent/guardian support
  • Description: 26-week program providing high school students with entrepreneurial and tech-focused tools, coaching, and mentorship through three stages: Awareness, Exploration, and Decision Making & Preparation; includes follow-up webinars, seminars, and networking events

Priority Areas

  • Entrepreneurship Development: Supporting purpose-driven entrepreneurs in Puerto Rico with scalable, innovative business models
  • Economic Mobility: Fostering socio-economic advancement for individuals in underserved communities
  • Youth Leadership: Equipping young people with entrepreneurial mindsets and technological skills
  • Social Justice: Promoting equal access to personal and economic advancement opportunities
  • Heritage Tourism: Supporting community-based cultural and service ventures
  • Disaster Relief: Hurricane and emergency response in Puerto Rico (major disaster grants)
  • Higher Education: Mainland U.S. support for universities (e.g., $25 million to Brown University in 2019)
  • Health: Selected mainland U.S. health initiatives

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation's narrow focus suggests they do not fund:

  • Organizations without Puerto Rican connection (except select mainland health/education initiatives)
  • General operating support for organizations not aligned with entrepreneurship or youth development
  • Organizations outside their geographic priorities
  • Businesses beyond early-stage/growth stage

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

Orlando Bravo - Founder & Chairman

  • Founder and Managing Partner of Thoma Bravo
  • Born and raised in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
  • Led humanitarian mission post-Hurricane Maria (2017)
  • Education: Brown University (BA Economics/Political Science), Stanford Law School (JD), Stanford Graduate School of Business (MBA)
  • Also serves on boards of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Brown Corporation, and SEO
  • Quote on philanthropy: "The time to start in philanthropy is now by dedicating time."
  • On Puerto Rico: "We want to foster entrepreneurship in individuals, particularly on the western coast of Puerto Rico where I grew up. I see the innate talent, skills and vitality of so many young people who thirst for opportunity but are held back by poverty and debilitating macroeconomic forces."

Blanca I. Santos - CEO, CFO & Board Member

  • 24+ years experience in public, private, and nonprofit sectors
  • Previous roles: COO, CFO, and Executive Director
  • Certified Project Management Professional (PMP)
  • Education: Bachelor's in business administration, Master's in finance, Certificate in Equitable Community Change (Cornell)
  • Joined foundation as CEO in 2019
  • Quote on mission: "Educational and business opportunities are key to individual and community empowerment."
  • On personal leadership: Raised by a single mother after losing her father at age nine, giving her "the sensitivity that's required to be a CEO for a foundation"
  • On program growth: The entrepreneurship program "began in 2021, a pilot with thirty students in one site" and today has "more than two hundred students in three different sites"

Kyle Klopfer - Board Member & Advisor

  • Certified public accountant and California Bar Association member
  • Oversees all financial operations
  • 20+ years in public accounting and tax law
  • Former founding partner of Golden Gate Associates

Jennifer James - Board Member

  • Managing Director, COO, Head of Investor Relations & Marketing at Thoma Bravo
  • 20+ years in private equity/venture capital
  • Named "Woman to Watch" by Wall Street Journal
  • Education: MBA (Northwestern), AB History (Bowdoin)

Senior Staff

Alejandro Bravo - Project Manager

  • Native of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
  • Coordinated post-Hurricane Maria relief efforts
  • Education: Brown University (Modern Latin American History), George Washington University Law School

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Rising Entrepreneurs Program

  • Portal: Online application at https://www.bravofamilyfoundation.org/rising-entrepreneurs-program/apply/
  • Frequency: Annual application cycle (follow social media for announcements)
  • Review Process: Independent committee reviews applications and selects top 10-15 participants
  • Eligibility Requirements:
    • Be Puerto Rican or have strong Puerto Rican heritage
    • Purpose-driven to create positive social impact through business
    • Bilingual (Spanish and English proficiency)
    • Innovative, highly differentiated product or service
    • Sound business and revenue model with reasonable scaling case
    • Distinct sales revenues from product/service; P&L for past year or proforma capability
    • Runway for at least three months
    • Less than 5 years old (SaaS/tech) or less than 7 years old (physical product)

Exceptional Community Leaders

Empowering Young Entrepreneurs (EYES Program)

  • Must be high school student in Puerto Rico
  • Requires commitment and support from parents/guardians
  • Contact foundation for application details

Bravo Venture Fellowship

  • Invitation only; no public application process
  • Candidates drawn from Rising Entrepreneurs Program alumni and standout founders in Puerto Rican ecosystem

Decision Timeline

Rising Entrepreneurs Program:

  • Applications reviewed once per year
  • 13 finalists selected, then narrowed to 10-11 participants
  • Exact timeline from application to decision not publicly specified
  • Program runs for one year once accepted

Other Programs: Timeline varies; contact foundation for specific program timelines

Success Rates

Rising Entrepreneurs Program:

  • First cohort: 10 selected from 32 applicants (~31% acceptance rate)
  • 2025 cohort: 11 companies selected from 18 finalists
  • Selection described as "highly competitive"
  • Post-program success: More than 90% of participating businesses remain operational; collectively raised over $20 million in capital

Bravo Venture Fellowship:

  • Candidacy described as "highly competitive"
  • Specific acceptance rates not disclosed

Reapplication Policy

Not explicitly stated in available materials. Contact foundation for guidance on reapplication.

Application Success Factors

Funder-Specific Insights

Puerto Rican Heritage is Essential: The foundation explicitly prioritizes Puerto Rican entrepreneurs or those with strong Puerto Rican heritage. This is non-negotiable for most programs.

Purpose-Driven Business Model: Blanca Santos emphasizes that "educational and business opportunities are key to individual and community empowerment." Applications must demonstrate clear social impact alongside business viability.

Bilingual Capability: Spanish and English proficiency is required for Rising Entrepreneurs Program, reflecting the foundation's bridge-building mission between Puerto Rico and global markets.

Scalability and Innovation: The foundation seeks "innovative product or service that brings a fresh, highly differentiated approach to the market" with "reasonable business case for scaling locally and abroad." Generic or incremental improvements are less competitive.

Financial Readiness: Applicants must demonstrate actual revenue (not just projections), have financial statements or ability to create them, and possess minimum three-month runway. The foundation wants to accelerate growth, not rescue failing businesses.

Orlando Bravo's Direct Advice:

  • "Start now and always seek to compete with the best. Do not limit yourselves in what you want to achieve; you must have the confidence that it can be done."
  • "Get lucky... It's 90-plus percent luck, [being in the] right place at the right time, having the right mentors, and listening to the right people. You have to keep your heart open, your eyes open, and your ears open for those opportunities."
  • "Do the work, focus on your business, focus on you, and do your thing."

Recent Recipients as Examples:

  • BrainHi (Emmanuel Oquendo, Co-Founder/CEO): AI-enabled virtual assistant for healthcare organizations providing digital patient experiences (Bravo Venture Fellow)
  • 2025 Rising Entrepreneurs cohort includes 11 emerging companies across diverse sectors

Foundation's Selection Philosophy: CEO Blanca Santos and REP Director Jaime Morales stated: "We are thrilled to welcome these exceptional companies to the program. Each one inspires and drives our mission to provide them with the support they need to achieve their goals to build a vibrant and successful entrepreneurial community." This suggests the committee seeks companies that inspire, demonstrate clear goals, and contribute to broader community impact.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Geographic focus is paramount: Unless you're a major mainland university or health institution, you need Puerto Rican connections. The foundation's heart is in Puerto Rico, particularly western Puerto Rico where Orlando Bravo grew up.

  • Think beyond the grant: The foundation provides equity investment, mentorship, and network access. Applications should emphasize how you'll leverage these resources, not just the capital.

  • Show traction, not just potential: With requirements for existing revenue, P&L statements, and minimum runway, the foundation backs momentum, not just ideas. Demonstrate you're already building something real.

  • Emphasize scalability: The foundation's theory of change is that successful Puerto Rican entrepreneurs create jobs, inspire others, and drive economic transformation. Show how your success creates ripple effects.

  • Align with social justice mission: This isn't pure capitalism—the foundation seeks to "foster principles of social justice in Puerto Rico by empowering youths and leaders of under-served communities." Your business model should address inequality or expand opportunity.

  • Bilingual and bicultural advantage: The foundation positions Puerto Rican entrepreneurs to compete globally while serving local communities. Highlight your ability to navigate both worlds.

  • Program progression strategy: Consider the Rising Entrepreneurs Program as a pathway to the Bravo Venture Fellowship. Strong REP performance appears to open doors to follow-on equity investment.

References

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