Civic Ventures
24
6
"Up" is the number of experts who agree that the nonprofit has had the most impact in the
field. "Down" is the number of experts who disagree that the nonprofit has had the most impact in field.
Headquarters Location: San Francisco, CA
Founded: 1997
Mission: Civic Ventures is a think tank on boomers, work and social purpose. Through an inventive program portfolio, original research, strategic alliances and the power of people’s life stories, Civic Ventures demonstrates the value of experience in solving serious social problems – from education to the environment, health care to homelessness.
Tags:
boomers, work, social purpose, aging, seniors, careers, renewal, professional development, think tank, research, advocacy
Summary
Stories
Expert Reviews
Leadership
From the Nonprofit
Leadership
Marc Freedman.
Marc Freedman is CEO and founder of Civic Ventures, a think tank on boomers, work and social purpose. He spearheaded the creation of Experience Corps, now one of America’s largest nonprofit national service programs engaging people over 55, and The Purpose Prize, which annually provides five $100,000 prizes to social innovators in the second half of life. Freedman was described…
See full bio.
Financial Data
Charity Navigator Rating:
(profile)
(profile)
Overhead Ratio:
5.23%
Total Revenue:
$3,696,962
From the Nonprofit
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Contact Info
Address:
114 Sansome Street, Ste 850
San Francisco, CA 94104, USA
Story:
After several years as a stay-at-home mom, Julie Greene wanted to get back to paying work. But she didn’t want to go back to marketing.
Greene, who had come from a family of teachers, felt discouraged by the lagging performance of American students in science and math. So she took her respect for the teaching profession and joy of learning and set out to become a teacher at age 48.
“I did not want a job for which I had to sacrifice time with my daughter,” she says. “The corporate world was no longer the right place for me.”
Building on mathematics classes she had taken over the years, Greene enrolled in a fast-track certification program at Collin College, outside Dallas. She took classes three days a week for a semester and spent the second semester student teaching at Wakeland High School in Frisco, Texas.
“The student-teaching experience was invaluable,” she says. “It was on-the-job training and a great networking opportunity.”
Greene earned her certificate in May 2008 and by August joined Wakeland’s staff to teach geometry. “Teenagers are frustrating, fun and inspiring all in one,” she observes. “Never a dull moment.”
Greene says she enjoys the work and appreciates having a paycheck again, even if it’s less than what she used to earn. And her schedule matches her daughter’s – a huge plus.
“I have wonderful colleagues. I am energized by the students,” she says. “I believe the students benefit from my knowledge of math and my experience.”
Learn more about fast-track teaching certification programs.
Expert Reviews of Civic Ventures
Evidence of Impact Summary:
Civic Ventures has established itself as a respectable leader in the field because of its well-implemented and innovative programs.See expert comments.
Organization Strengths Summary:
Experts agree that Civic Ventures' greatest strengths are its competent staff and its reputation of being a respected leader in the field.See expert comments.
Areas for Improvement Summary:
Civic Ventures would be more effective with increased support for the organization and a more visible presence in the national community.See expert comments.
Expert Comments: Evidence of Impact
Select the boxes to display the results according to expert type.
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Foundation Professionals (F)
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Researchers and Faculty (R)
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Nonprofit Senior Staff (N)
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Other (consultants, journalists, policy makers) (O)
Highly Successful Programs |
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Civic Ventures has been the leader in changing society's acceptance of older adults as vital and contributors, rather than exclusively frail and independent. "Encore Careers" is now part of journalist parlance and is pervading the culture. CV's model program, Experience Corps has been picked up for national replication, with support by AARP. Also, its Purpose Prize program has attracted thousands of older entrepreneurs affecting lives of disadvantaged in the US and elsewhere. | ||
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This organization has had more success than any other nonprofit with regard to changing public perception and stereotypes about aging in America. | ||
Leader in Field |
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Civic Ventures is a leader in the field of older adults and working lives. They have created the term "encore careers" and have led the national dialogue on the role older adults doing meaningful work in the second and third careers of their lives. | ||
Strong Programs |
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They keep us looking toward a more fulfilling third age. | ||
Expert Comments: Organization Strengths
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Foundation Professionals (F)
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Researchers and Faculty (R)
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Nonprofit Senior Staff (N)
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Other (consultants, journalists, policy makers) (O)
Strong Leadership and Staff |
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The leader, Marc Freedman, is a prolific writer and speaker, whose humility gains him entry to unexpected opportunities. There is a distributive model of leadership, with a relatively large, and very strong second line of leaders. They have a varied funding base and exceptionally good communications capacity. | ||
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Civic Ventures has demonstrated leadership, they are thought leaders nationally, and their work is viewed as the benchmark in the area of helping society achieve the greatest return on experience and older adults. Their staff are highly competent and know the field. Their marketing talents are outstanding. | ||
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They have a strong, highly visible, founder, Marc Freedman who has also written several books that have attracted a broad audience. Their communications staff are first rate. | ||
Expert Comments: Areas for Improvement
Select the boxes to display the results according to expert type.
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Foundation Professionals (F)
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Researchers and Faculty (R)
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Nonprofit Senior Staff (N)
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Other (consultants, journalists, policy makers) (O)
More Support |
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CV is seen often for its project excellence and is supported for such. It would be significantly strengthened by a more stable source of core support. | ||
Stronger National Presence |
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They have done a lot of significant communications work, but now is the time for them to take their message to a national audience via some kind of national radio or television partnership. They have a message which resonates far beyond just an older demographic, particularly with respect to their focus on re-careering and work in the second half of life. | ||
Improve on Program and Operations |
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Civic Ventures comprises a group of younger ex-McKinsey consultants with absolutely no operating experience. They have an off-the-shelf, boilerplate solution to every problem they face. They are basically frauds who have perpetuated their business through fancy marketing to people like themselves who have somehow landed in executive positions with no operating experience. Their strength is slick salesmanship. | ||
More Focus on Less Wealthy Population |
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They are a big name in the aging field, but I associate them with wealthy white boomers. | ||
Leadership
Marc Freedman
President
President
From the Nonprofit
The nonprofit has not added any comments yet. If you are a representative of this nonprofit and would like to leave a comment, please email us at
feedback@myphilanthropedia.org
with your request.