The Draper Richards Kaplan (DRK) Foundation is dedicated to transforming the lives of underserved communities worldwide by supporting bold, scalable, and innovative solutions. The foundation identifies and nurtures exceptional social entrepreneurs whose ideas have the potential to drive significant impact. Through capacity building, funding, and community support, DRK helps early-stage organizations grow into sustainable and influential changemakers.
The DRK Foundation funds early-stage social enterprises that address critical social and environmental challenges. Organizations must present solutions that are not only innovative but also capable of reaching scale and integrating effectively with existing systems.
Key focus areas include:
Problem-first solutions: Addressing urgent social or environmental issues that directly benefit underserved populations.
Systems-thinking approaches: Leveraging stakeholders, infrastructure, and incentives already in place to amplify impact.
Scalability: Demonstrating potential to reach at least 10,000 people within five years, with ambitions to expand beyond.
Geographic alignment: Priority regions include Africa, Europe, India, and the United States. Select opportunities in Latin America are also considered.
Independent entities: Eligible organizations include nonprofits, impact-first for-profits, hybrid entities, US 501(c)(3) organizations and their global equivalents, C corporations, B corporations, and fiscally sponsored organizations with a plan to spin out.
Financial sustainability: Organizations with existing or planned earned-income streams.
Evidence of impact: Proven effectiveness through pilots and measurable outcomes.
Organizations that are in the idea stage, solely focused on advocacy or awareness, or structured as ineligible entities such as 501(c)(4) organizations, S-Corps, or LLCs, are not eligible for DRK funding.
The DRK Foundation typically supports early-stage organizations that are post-pilot but pre-scale. This means:
Programs, products, or services are already in use.
Early evidence demonstrates impact on the target population.
Organizations are usually between two and five years old.
For for-profit ventures, DRK invests at the Seed to Series A stage and does not lead funding rounds or participate in financings exceeding a $15 million post-money valuation.
The foundation places strong emphasis on the leadership driving the initiative. Successful applicants often demonstrate:
Full-time founders or leadership committed to scaling the solution.
Innovation and creativity in leveraging existing systems.
Deep understanding of the problem and context.
A learning mindset and adaptability.
Collaborative spirit, open to a three-year partnership with DRK.
Proximity to the communities and challenges being addressed.
DRK provides a unique blend of resources to help organizations achieve sustainable growth:
Extensive operational and technical support is at the heart of DRK’s model. A senior team member serves on the organization’s board for three years, providing strategic guidance across leadership development, fundraising, financial management, and scaling strategy. This in-kind support is valued at up to $500,000.
DRK provides up to $300,000 USD in unrestricted grant funding or investment capital, disbursed over three years.
The foundation connects grantees and alumni through annual convenings, networking opportunities, and retreats that bring together leaders, funders, and peers to share knowledge and build lasting collaborations.
The DRK selection process is designed to be transparent and collaborative. The stages include:
Submit an Application: Applicants submit an online application that takes 30–60 minutes to complete. DRK reviews applications year-round.
Early Interviews: A small percentage of applicants (about 20%) advance to exploratory conversations with DRK team members.
Formal Diligence: A 2–4 month process that includes in-depth discussions, document reviews, and co-creation of a growth plan. Fewer than 10% of candidates reach this stage.
Meet the Team: Candidates meet additional DRK staff and investment committee members.
Closing Process: Final agreements are signed, and the DRK board member begins working with the organization to implement the three-year growth plan.
DRK accepts applications year-round. To apply, organizations should prepare a short executive summary, pitch deck, or business plan addressing the following:
Problem and Solution: Mission, objectives, and the problem being solved.
Impact: Evidence of effectiveness and benefits for underserved populations.
Scale: Plans for growth and sustainability.
Leadership: Resumes or CVs of key team members.
Additional documents such as financial statements and impact reports are welcome but optional.
Organizations may re-apply up to two times, provided at least one year has passed since a previous application.
Applications reviewed annually: Approximately 2,225
Organizations funded each year: About 20
Length of support: Three years
Reinvestment after three years: DRK does not provide additional funding after the initial investment period
The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation is more than a source of funding. It is a long-term partner dedicated to empowering social entrepreneurs to drive systemic change. By providing capital, expertise, and access to a global network, DRK helps early-stage organizations transform innovative ideas into sustainable solutions that create measurable impact for underserved communities.
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