V Social Foundation

What V Social Foundation does

V Social Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 2003 that supports community-based tourism projects in tourist destinations worldwide, operating for more than 20 years. Its portfolio comprises at least 26 supported community projects across Latin America (Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico), Central America and the Caribbean (Costa Rica, Guatemala, Cuba), Africa (South Africa), and Europe (Italy), with thematic focuses on empowering women, preserving indigenous cultures, protecting the environment, and developing youth training. The foundation connects travelers with local cooperatives through four core tour-operator partners (Viventura, Puraventura, Africaventura, and Gustoventura) and through its own website, and supports projects ranging from homestays and community museums to chocolate and coffee schools, anti-mafia tourism, and wetland restoration.

The foundation's "product" is a curated catalog of community tourism experiences rather than a unified software platform. Its core offerings are donation services (€10/month recurring, €25 and €80 one-time tiers) plus thematic program verticals for youth training, women's empowerment, environmental protection, and cultural preservation. Underlying capabilities include field-level technical, administrative, and financial support to community cooperatives (e.g., ASTATURC in Brazil, Asosamogal in Galapagos, Kune Afrika NPO in South Africa), co-funding partnerships with organizations such as Planeterra, and an annual V-Conecta gathering launched in November 2023 to convene project leaders across Latin America. Reported impact metrics include more than €1,000,000 donated to projects, more than 30,000 visitors routed to supported communities, and over 20 years of continuous operation.

The business model is donation-only: V Social Foundation does not sell products or services, generating 100% of its operating income from individual donors via its website and from grants and partner co-funding. Donations are earmarked either for specific projects or for the general fund, and the foundation monetizes its project catalog indirectly by acting as the curated supply side for partner tour operators that sell community-tourism itineraries to travelers. No revenue, headcount, reserves, or audited financials are disclosed in the source material.

Name

V Social Foundation

Legal name

V Social Foundation

Website

https://vsocialfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Non-profit foundation founded in 2003 connecting travelers with 26 community-based tourism projects across Latin America, Africa, and Europe, funded entirely by donations and routed through partner tour operators like Viventura and Puraventura.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community-Based Tourism Development (Non-Profit)

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)

Keywords

• Community-based tourism
• Non-profit foundation
• Responsible travel
• Donation funding
• Cultural preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: V Social Foundation generates revenue entirely through donations from individuals who want to support community-based tourism projects. Regular monthly donations (€10/month), one-time donations for specific purposes (€25 for training, €80 for infrastructure), and large contributions fund project support across 26 community projects worldwide.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

V Social Foundation is a non-profit organization that coordinates a portfolio of community-based tourism projects and channels donations from individuals and partners to support them. It connects travelers with local communities through partner tour operators (Viventura, Puraventura, Africaventura, Gustoventura) for homestays, cultural experiences, and eco-tours, while collecting regular and one-time donations to fund infrastructure, training workshops, and operational support for 26 community cooperatives across Latin America, Africa, and Europe.

Product overview

V Social Foundation is a non-profit organization that has operated for over 20 years supporting community-based tourism projects with visible impact for both host communities and travelers. Rather than a unified software platform, the organization operates as a portfolio of programs and supported community projects. The core offering includes a Community-Based Tourism Platform connecting travelers with local communities, Donation Services for funding development projects, and thematic programs covering Youth Training, Women's Empowerment, Environmental Protection, and Cultural Preservation. The portfolio encompasses over 26 supported projects across Latin America, Africa, and Europe, including homestays, cultural experiences, environmental conservation initiatives, and indigenous community enterprises. The organization achieves sustainability by understanding both local development needs and requirements for creating meaningful human connections through responsible travel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community-Based Tourism Platform A coordination platform connecting travelers with community-based tourism projects worldwide, enabling visitors to stay with local communities, eat traditional food, and participate in cultural experiences while supporting local development.
• Donation Services Financial donation services allowing supporters to contribute to community development projects, with options for regular monthly donations (€10/month) or one-time donations (€25-€80) targeting specific needs like training, infrastructure, or kitchen equipment.
• Youth Training Program Training initiatives providing young people in tourist destinations with skills for employment in tourism, including guiding, hospitality, and entrepreneurship, helping prevent youth migration from communities.
• Women's Empowerment Program Vocational training and leadership development programs enabling women in tourism communities to take managerial and entrepreneurial roles, including weaving cooperatives, restaurants, homestays, and training programs.
• Environmental Protection Program Sustainability initiatives promoting sustainable farming practices, environmental conservation, and protection of natural resources through community-based tourism.
• Cultural Preservation Program Support for indigenous communities to preserve traditional practices, heritage, and cultural identity through tourism, providing employment while maintaining ancestral traditions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over €1,000,000 donated to support community projects
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers26 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ViventuracoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary tour operator partner bringing travelers to V Social Foundation community projects. Viventura has been sending travelers to supported projects since the foundation's early days, including visits to communities in Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Brazil. The partnership includes bringing volunteers and donors to experience projects firsthand.
• PlaneterracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting the Isla Maciel community museum project in Buenos Aires. Planeterra works alongside V Social to provide financial, administrative, and technical support for the initiative.
• TravolutionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partner that worked with V Social during the pandemic to develop COVID-19 behavioral guidelines for projects.
• PuraventuracoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTour operator partner bringing travelers to V Social projects including Manos de Fe in Guatemala, Mucuyche Women in Mexico, and various other communities. Partnership includes hosting visits and providing cultural exchange opportunities.
• Kune Afrika NPOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal support organization for KwaJobe Environment and Eco-Tourism Stewards in South Africa. Kune Afrika provides support for the youth-led wetland restoration initiative in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
• AfricaventuracoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTour operator connecting KwaJobe eco-tourism tours with future travel itineraries. Discussions underway to integrate birding and nature tours into Africaventura's travel programs, providing market access for the youth-led conservation initiative.
• ASTATURCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of organizations in Taboquinhas, Brazil, organizing cocoa farmers who work with tourism. V Social helped finance and construct ASTATURC headquarters which serves as meeting point for social gatherings and community coordination.
• GustoventuracoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTour operator partner for Sicily tours, connected by V Social to Addiopizzo for selection of local pizzo-free providers and expansion of anti-mafia tourism activities.
• Ativa AdventuresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal travel agency in Brazil that developed the cocoa route concept where tourists experience chocolate-making process in Taboquinhas community.
• Osa Peninsula EntrepreneursminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal entrepreneurs from Osa Peninsula engaged in exchange program with Isla Venado Aquacultural Cooperative, sharing insights on infrastructure development and sustainable tourism growth.
• Asosamogal (Farmers' Cooperative)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFarmers' cooperative in San Cristobal, Galapagos, that operates Ranti Coffee School. V Social provides technical, administrative, and financial support to help access markets and improve tourism products.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• TUI Care Foundation: Foundation of major European tour operator TUI Group funding sustainable tourism, environmental and youth education initiatives globally. Comparable as a much larger, corporate-affiliated grantmaker in the same community-tourism and youth-empowerment space.

Others

• Kiva: Nonprofit crowdfunding platform enabling individuals to make small recurring loans to underserved entrepreneurs globally. Comparable as a nonprofit with a similar small-dollar recurring donation model and social-impact narrative.
• UN Tourism (UNWTO): United Nations specialized agency promoting sustainable and accessible tourism globally. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem body shaping policy, standards, and donor flows relevant to community-based tourism.

Emerging players

• Addiopizzo Travel: Sicilian anti-mafia community tourism initiative supporting pizzo-free businesses through cultural tours. Listed as a V Social supported project; comparable as a community-led tourism enterprise with social-justice orientation.
• Responsible Travel: UK-based holiday company focused exclusively on responsible, community-led tourism experiences. Overlaps as a marketplace/channel for the same target market (responsible travelers seeking community-based experiences), but operates commercially rather than as a grantmaker.
• Emzini Tours: South African township tour operator in Knysna offering cultural immersion experiences that reinvest in community programs (e.g., Safe House for children). Listed as a V Social supported project, illustrating direct overlap in target beneficiaries and offerings.
• CoopBabilônia: Rio de Janeiro favela tour and reforestation cooperative offering guided visits to Morro da Babilonia. Listed as a V Social supported project; directly comparable as a community-tourism cooperative with environmental mission.

Direct peers

• Sustainable Travel International: Nonprofit that advances responsible tourism through traveler education, certification, and partnerships with community-based tourism enterprises. Comparable as a mission-aligned nonprofit operating in the same donor and traveler funnels.
• Planeterra Foundation: Nonprofit founded by G Adventures that connects travelers with community-based tourism enterprises globally. Direct comparable — Planeterra is even named as an active V Social partner on the Isla Maciel project, evidencing near-identical mission and operating model.
• Tourism Cares: US-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting community-based tourism projects and responsible-travel capacity building. Closely aligned mission, similar nonprofit funding model, and overlapping beneficiary communities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/VSocialFoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/vsocialfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vsocialfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about V Social Foundation