Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is (Ad)venture Philanthropy?
   (Ad)venture Philanthropy is a giving tool designed to educate and inspire emerging philanthropists through shared learning journeys that explore innovative solutions to global and local challenges. During a learning journey, we will visit a variety of local changemakers, including nonprofits, social enterprises, community and business leaders, philanthropists, and more. We will explore questions around poverty and economic opportunity, as well as demonstrate our belief in meeting the needs of individuals and institutions where they are, and not where we want to go. This will take you down a path outside of your comfort zone toward inspiration and service.
2. What is a “learning journey”?
   A learning journey is a field-based approach to education. Focusing on lived experience rather than pedagogy, learning journeys allow philanthropists, social innovators, venture capitalists, activists, and the generally curious to step away from their home base and travel together on a shared learning experience in a particular geographic setting, or around a thematic issue. 
3. Who should participate?
   (Ad)venture Philanthropy is designed for risk-seeking, generous, and compassionate donor-investors motivated to create change in the world. Our donor-investor community is committed to working collaboratively with a group of like-minded individuals to identify, fund, and build the capacity of social change agents at home and abroad. For each learning journey, our aim is to ensure a diverse group of philanthropists across the spectrum of emerging to experienced, as well as to canvass a variety of interests from traditional grantmaking to investments in social enterprises.
4. How is the learning journey itinerary developed?
   Unlike other learning journeys or donor tours, we will collect feedback from participants to shape the itinerary based on the interests of the group. In addition, we also select an anchor partner for each (Ad)venture Philanthropy learning journey to help identify and vet nonprofits and social enterprises in the focus destination, as well as make local connections for meetings with senior representatives from the government, private sector, and nonprofit community— including local activists. We will provide ample opportunity for exploring local communities, including guided tours and offsite excursions to ensure a balance of urban and rural exposure.  
5. What is the (Ad)venture Philanthropy Collaborative, or APC?
   The APC is a membership-based group of (Ad)venture Philanthropy participants. With facilitation support from Tides, the APC will connect via a combination of in-person, web-based, and teleconference meetings as determined by the group upon the conclusion of the learning journey. Through the APC, members will have access to an alumni network of trip participants to exchange ideas and learnings, as well as monitor grants and investments made across geographic and thematic focal points. Participation in the APC is included in the initial trip fee and is renewable on an annual basis.
6. What happens after the learning journey?
   In addition to APC membership, the group will participate in a strategy session around developing a social impact investment fund targeting some of the groups encountered on the trip.
7. What is the cost of the trip?
   The cost of each (Ad)venture Philanthropy learning journey varies based on the local and/or global nature of each trip. For the late January 2013 learning journey to India, the cost is about USD$9,000. This fee includes annual APC membership.
8. Does the trip fee cover all costs?
   Invitees are asked to cover the costs of all international flights. All on-the-ground expenses, including hotels, meals, domestic airfare (if any), and ground transportation are included in the trip fee.