ABSTRACT
The rhetoric of the New Democrats and the practices of Silicon Valley were ultimately wed together in the field of philanthropy, and the result is what is generally termed venture philanthropy. Venture philanthropy’s approach and language have penetrated the private and community foundation world, the small giving circles and clubs that help guide new donors, and the territory of corporate philanthropy. The challenge of getting public schools to perform better has been taken up by many of the high-tech entrepreneurs who have shown an affinity for the venture philanthropy model and for education reforms across the country. At the core, venture philanthropy’s search for new philanthropic tools has enlivened the field. After all, the problems of traditional philanthropy are clear and undeniable. As a set of practical philanthropic innovations, however, venture philanthropy’s contribution to the field remains far harder to ascertain.
