Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation Grant

The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation (DRK) provides funding and support to social enterprises aiming to create significant, systemic change to address critical societal or environmental issues. DRK targets organizations that are beyond the idea or pre-pilot stage, seeking ventures that have demonstrated early success and are ready to scale. The foundation focuses on organizations operating across Africa, Europe, India, Latin America, and the United States. Eligible applicants include independent nonprofits, mission-driven for-profit entities like C corporations, B corporations, and fiscally sponsored organizations that plan to become independent. DRK supports organizations addressing pressing social or environmental challenges, with founders who are dedicated to expanding their impact over time. Successful applicants are generally 3-5 years old, with a product, service, or program already in the market, showing initial evidence of impact. DRK emphasizes the importance of full-time leadership by founders, although it recognizes that some organizations may still be assembling the necessary resources to achieve this. In addition, DRK values diversity and equity and expects leadership to reflect the communities served, with a strong commitment to fostering justice, inclusion, and belonging. The foundation prioritizes organizations that exhibit strong alignment with its focus on systemic social change, data-driven decision-making, and a clear path to scaling impact. DRK does not fund organizations at the idea stage, those that do not intend to grow, or projects housed within larger organizations without a plan for independence. The foundation also excludes religious, political, or research-focused projects. The application process is open year-round and begins with an online submission that takes about 30-60 minutes to complete. Applicants must provide a business plan or pitch deck covering their organization's mission, the social problem it addresses, its unique solution, and the impact achieved to date. They should also outline their scaling plans and sources of income for sustaining the organization. DRK's selection process involves several stages, including interviews and a thorough due diligence phase that assesses the organization’s market, leadership, and ability to achieve long-term impact. If selected, DRK provides funding of $300,000 over three years, delivered in two installments contingent on the achievement of specific milestones. DRK takes an active role in supporting the organization’s growth by having a senior team member join the organization's board for the duration of the funding period. Through this process, DRK aims to help organizations reach their full potential and scale their solutions to create meaningful, lasting social impact. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with approximately 25% advancing to the interview stage and a smaller percentage progressing to final due diligence. DRK aims to ensure that each grant is well-aligned with its mission of fostering systemic change, working closely with grantees throughout the funding period to help them achieve their goals.