Venture Fund in RSA Scotland

In January 2009, RSA Scotland launched a venture fund which will distribute £10,000 in seed funds for Fellows' projects in its first year. The RSA Scotland Venture Fund, which is administered by a panel of Fellows, can fund a wide range of projects and activities. The rationales may range from those which seek to push the boundaries of thought in areas fundamental to the RSA’s values, to those which develop new multi-disciplinary approaches or those which work directly with practitioners to generate research-based innovation and change.

The Fund seeks to fund projects, led by and involving RSA Fellows that tackle or remove the barriers to social progress, inspire our network of Fellows and others to be a force for civic innovation and social change and contribute to the challenging agendas around education and skills or design and sustainability. The key impacts we will be looking for are projects that result in transformational and sustainable change.

Due to its success so far, this is something that will hopefully be replicable across the UK and internationally.  Since the launch of the RSA Scotland Venture Fund on 20 January 2009, we have received over 20 requests for applications and one very generous offer to contribute to the fund for the next round of applications. It is led and funded by Fellows and creates an exciting example of Fellows supporting other Fellows’ ideas.  This initiative has spurred Fellows to contact each other with project ideas and collaborate on various proposals.

Our hope is that this is the beginning of what will be an exciting process. Our hope is that this initiative will be self perpetuating. Please email Judith Friedman if you are interested in setting up a Venture Fund in your area and would like to explore this further.