Expanding Social Returns
As Pacific Community Ventures grew its investments in businesses across California, we also saw that California’s economy was rocky. In 2005, fewer than half of the jobs in California provided full-time, year-round wages sufficient to support an adequate standard of living. With unemployment, underemployment, and poverty increasingly concentrated in pockets of California’s cities, the need […]
Apr 09, 2005 –
Power and Potential
2004 was a growth year for Pacific Community Ventures marked by expansion of our services and investments throughout California. Over the past six years, Pacific Community Ventures had seen powerful results from its unique model for community development that utilizes the tools of business for social change. Our two private equity funds provide a rare […]
Apr 09, 2004 –
Investing for Change
2003 was a particularly exciting and active year at Pacific Community Ventures. We deployed $4 million to four growing companies. One of these investments was in our first Southern California portfolio business. Located near Los Angeles, Radiovisa is a producer and national syndicator of Spanish language radio programs and services targeting Latino Americans of Mexican […]
Apr 09, 2003 –
Pacific Community Ventures is Born
After planing our roots in Silicon Valley, our organization’s rapid growth from a local nonprofit community investor to a statewide organization meant that our name needed match our expansive work. Our portfolio has grown to 19 loan and equity companies, and 43 advised companies. Starting in 2002, PCV was one of the first organizations to actively call […]
Apr 09, 2002 –
Success Story: Niman Ranch
Founded over 35 years ago, Niman Ranch is a leading producer and marketer of fine quality beef, lamb, and pork. The Company raises its stock following a strict code of ecological and husbandry principles and also supports small family farms using the same practices. Niman Ranch has established a packing plant located in an Enterprise […]
Jun 09, 2001 –
Building Bridges to Bay Area Communities
In 2001, Silicon Valley Community Ventures was hailed as a leader in the small but growing field of community development venture capital. During this time we expanded our local Business Advising program to include Business Roundtables, CEO leadership training, job placement assistance, and legal assistance (with partners Fenwick and West and Morrison and Foerster.) At this […]
Apr 09, 2001 –
Success Story: Timbuk2
Timbuk2 Designs is a manufacturer of custom configured sewn goods headquartered in San Francisco. Founded in 1989 by Rob Honeycutt, a former bike messenger, the company launched its initial product – customized messenger bags – for the retail and wholesale market in 1996. Since its founding, Timbuk2 has grown from a home-based enterprise (operated out […]
Jul 02, 2000 –
Fueling Community Economic Development One Business at a Time
In 1999 we moved from the startup phase of our social enterprise to investing equity in 6 companies across the South Bay who were committed to creating good jobs, and launching networking and advising services. So much has changed in the last 20 years, and yet so much is painfully the same. In our first annual […]
Jan 02, 1999 –
Silicon Valley Community Ventures
Our founders connected the dots: small businesses are the engine of job creation in America, the heartbeat and character of our communities — but too many of them fail because they can’t access the resources they need to succeed. We were founded as Silicon Valley Community Ventures — an innovation that provided venture capital, mentorship, […]