The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation
The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation is a US venture philanthropy foundation founded in 2002 that provides up to $300,000-$800,000 in unrestricted funding plus intensive board service and capacity-building support to early-stage social enterprises across health, education, and economic mobility in Africa, Europe, India, and the US.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersMenlo Park, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation does
The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation (DRK) is a US-registered 501(c)(3) public charity founded in 2002 by venture capitalists William H. Draper III and Robin Richards Donohoe, with Robert S. Kaplan joining as co-chair in 2010. Operating as a venture philanthropy organization with approximately 40 staff across five offices (Menlo Park, Boston, Dallas, Nairobi, and The Hague), DRK identifies and supports exceptional early-stage social enterprises addressing urgent social and environmental challenges in health, education, economic mobility, and other sectors across Africa, Europe, India, the US, and occasionally Latin America. Since inception, DRK has funded 277 organizations, impacted 610 million lives, and catalyzed $2.3 billion in downstream funding.
DRK's core product is a three-year investment package combining up to $300,000 in unrestricted funding with up to $500,000 in in-kind capacity-building support, including dedicated board service, executive coaching, leadership development, and strategic engagement. The foundation takes a board seat for three years through a senior staff member, functioning as the first outside board member for most portfolio organizations. Funding is provided as grants to nonprofits or equity investments to for-profit entities. In December 2025, DRK expanded its offering to include up to $800,000 in capital plus support services, and launched the DRK + NLV Navigation Technology Initiative in partnership with NextLadder Ventures to specifically fund AI-native and tech-driven organizations addressing US economic mobility challenges.
DRK's business model is donor-funded philanthropy rather than commercial revenue generation. The foundation is supported by more than 90 individuals, family foundations, and institutional partners who contribute to fund operations and grant-making activities, leveraging DRK's venture capital-style diligence and board service to advance their own philanthropic objectives. Sourcing occurs through nearly 3,000 applications reviewed annually plus referral networks, with funding decisions made through rigorous due diligence. There is no proprietary technology platform underlying DRK's operations; the "product" is the judgment, network, and operational support that DRK staff provide to portfolio entrepreneurs.
The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation
- Legal name
- Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation
- Website
- http://www.drkfoundation.org/
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation is a US venture philanthropy foundation founded in 2002 that provides up to $300,000-$800,000 in unrestricted funding plus intensive board service and capacity-building support to early-stage social enterprises across health, education, and economic mobility in Africa, Europe, India, and the US.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Philanthropy
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)
Keywords
Where The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Menlo Park
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donor Contributions: DRK is supported by more than 90 individuals, family foundations, and institutions who contribute to fund the foundation's operations and grant-making activities.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DRK is a venture philanthropy foundation that selects exceptional early-stage social entrepreneurs and provides them with up to $300,000 in unrestricted funding over three years, combined with intensive hands-on support including a dedicated DRK board seat, weekly mentoring, executive coaching, fundraising guidance, and access to in-kind capacity-building resources worth up to $500,000. Funded organizations operate across health, education, economic mobility, and the environment in Africa, Europe, India, and the United States.
Product overview
The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation is a venture philanthropy organization that provides funding and capacity-building support to early-stage social enterprises. DRK does not offer a unified software product; instead, it provides funding programs including the DRK + NLV Navigation Technology Initiative (supporting AI and tech-driven solutions for economic mobility), standard early-stage funding (up to $300,000 over three years), and capital plus support services (up to $800,000). The Foundation takes a board seat for three years and provides intensive operational support to help portfolio organizations scale.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Standard Early-Stage Funding Up to $300,000 in unrestricted funding over three years for early-stage social enterprises in health, education, and other critical areas across the Global South and select regions, paired with three-year board service and capacity-building support. For mission-driven organizations targeting impact on at least 10,000 lives within five years.
- Capital and Support Services Program Up to $800,000 in capital and in-kind support services for innovative, systems-oriented social impact startups operating in Africa, Europe, India, and the United States. Combines flexible capital with DRK's capacity-building and board service model.
- DRK + NLV Navigation Technology Initiative A targeted funding initiative supporting early-stage, impact-first organizations using technology and AI to help low-income Americans navigate economic opportunities and challenges in housing, benefits, health, workforce, and financial stability. Provides $300,000 in capital plus up to $500,000 in in-kind support, with potential Series A follow-on from NLV.
Quantifiable outcome
- 610 million total lives impacted
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- NextLadder Ventures (NLV)coreDRK partnered with NextLadder Ventures to launch the DRK + NLV Navigation Technology Initiative, funding tech-driven and AI-native organizations helping low-income Americans navigate economic challenges. NLV considers follow-on investment at Series A stage for portfolio organizations.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Skoll Foundation: Leading global venture philanthropy foundation known for the Skoll Award for Social Innovation. Operates as both a grantmaker and ecosystem convener, overlapping directly with DRK's model of funding early-stage social entrepreneurs and supporting them through multi-year unrestricted capital.
- Omidyar Network: eBay founder Pierre Omidyar's philanthropic investment firm combining grants and impact investing to support social enterprises. Operates at much larger scale than DRK with a similar dual-capital-and-support model across multiple geographies.
- Blue Meridian Partners: Philanthropic scaling fund backed by multiple large donors providing growth-stage capital to high-impact nonprofits. Comparable to DRK in donor-collaborative model but focused on scaling rather than early-stage funding.
Direct peers
- Acumen: Global venture philanthropy and impact investing organization that supports early-stage social enterprises tackling poverty. Closely comparable to DRK in mission, sector focus, and rigorous diligence model, with the key difference of using patient capital / quasi-equity rather than pure grants.
- Ashoka: Global organization supporting leading social entrepreneurs through fellowships, funding, and network access. Highly comparable to DRK's early-stage social enterprise focus and emphasis on long-term capacity building and ecosystem convening.
- Echoing Green: Fellowship program providing unrestricted seed funding and leadership support to emerging social entrepreneurs. Closely comparable in check size, target stage, and support model to DRK's standard funding program.
- The Audacious Project: TED-sponsored collaborative funding initiative that provides multi-year catalytic grants to bold social ventures. Functions as a downstream capital partner to many DRK portfolio organizations and shares DRK's model of convening funders around exceptional social entrepreneurs.
- Mulago Foundation: Venture philanthropy foundation funding bold, evidence-driven solutions to poverty and conservation with multi-year unrestricted grants. Highly comparable in check size, sector breadth, and emphasis on entrepreneur selection.
- New Profit: Venture philanthropy fund that partners with social entrepreneurs and social change leaders, providing unrestricted capital and capacity building. Shares DRK's model of pairing unrestricted multi-year funding with hands-on advisory support.
Regional players
- Clinton Global Initiative: Philanthropic initiative convening global leaders to drive social impact through Commitments to Action. Comparable as a large-scale philanthropic platform supporting social enterprises, though more focused on convening and less on direct grantmaking than DRK.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceThe Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles20 records
The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments488 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation
What does The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation do?
DRK is a venture philanthropy foundation that selects exceptional early-stage social entrepreneurs and provides them with up to $300,000 in unrestricted funding over three years, combined with intensive hands-on support including a dedicated DRK board seat, weekly mentoring, executive coaching, fundraising guidance, and access to in-kind capacity-building resources worth up to $500,000. Funded organizations operate across health, education, economic mobility, and the environment in Africa, Europe, India, and the United States.
Is The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation a public or private company?
The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation founded?
The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation was founded in 1994. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation based?
The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation is headquartered in Menlo Park, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation make money?
One revenue line is on record: donor Contributions.
Who are The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Skoll Foundation, Omidyar Network and Blue Meridian Partners. Direct peers are Acumen, Ashoka, Echoing Green, The Audacious Project, Mulago Foundation and New Profit. Clinton Global Initiative is listed as a regional player.
Does The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation.
What industry is The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation in?
The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation's product category is Venture Philanthropy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADAOAB, Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors), with a secondary code of BPAGAKAI, Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8300.