FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the purpose of the Mission Venture Fund?

The Mission Venture Fund strengthens ministry startups on the frontiers of mission. It is for mission pioneers who are called to ministry in hard places. It is for philanthropic partners who want to be a part of something new, who want to be involved without having to become an expert, and who are interested in getting to know others who share their passion.

Is the Mission Venture Fund a charity or a Donor Advised Fund?

While the Mission Venture Fund functions as a charity, legally, we are structured as a Donor Advised Fund facilitated by Together International, a registered 501(c)3 charity in the United States, and OpenWell, a consulting group in Oxford, England. Philanthropic gifts are facilitated by TrustBridge Global, a donor advised fund based in the United States and Switzerland, and The Impact Foundation, a donor advised fund based in the United States. We are organized this way to create a low cost structure that allows for philanthropic gifts through trusted advisory firms while optimizing accountability.

How does the Mission Venture Fund differ from others?

At least four values distinguish the Mission Venture Fund from others. First, it is motivated by the Great Commission and the Great Commandment, word and deed together, recognizing that much of modern mission has left behind a distorted faith. Second, the Fund is passionate about catalyzing ministry in hard places, which many avoid due to the inherent risks of working in difficult places. The Mission Venture Fund mitigates risk through the collective experience of the Fund’s global network and by pursuing key strategies in partnership with venture leaders, including coaching, apprenticing, peer-mentoring and partnership. Third, pursuing mission in hard places requires a level of trust that is faith-rooted, relationally-driven, and committed to the highest levels of mutual integrity—transparency, accountability, and excellence —for both mission philanthropist and entreprenuers, with recognition that our shared calling will be met with many challenges. Fourth, making an impact on the frontiers of mission requires much more than a casual strategy for prayer. The Mission Venture Fund is pursuing prayer as both a beacon and anchor for everything we do.

Is the Fund exclusively for Christian organizations?

Yes, the purpose of the Fund is to strengthen mission ventures who are pursuing ministry as modeled by Jesus. Depending on the context, we recognize some mission ventures may function with a low profile when it comes to faith, but with no less commitment to mission.

Is the Mission Venture Fund exclusively supporting ministries or nonprofits?

While the purpose of the Fund is exclusively missional and its capital, philanthropic, the emerging trend toward social enterprise represents a paradigm shift from pure charity to impact models that integrate mission and market mechanisms. Such strategies can be helpful to creating long-term sustainability.

Does the Mission Venture Fund only provide funding?

The Fund’s central goal is capacity-building which requires not only funding, but also coaching, which is essential for building trust, mitigating risk, and accelerating impact. Toward this end, the Mission Venture Team curates and assembles three-member, relationally-led, context specific, coaching teams to accompany each venture in specific areas encompassing leadership, missional strategy, pacing and growth, organizational health, resource development and impact.

How large are the grants to each mission venture?

Grants to mission ventures will depend on needs and context, but they will generally range between $20,000 to $50,000 per year in three-year cycles.

What are the financial expectations of a Philanthropic Partner?

The minimum financial commitment for philanthropic partners is $75,000 over three years, or $25,000 per year. Some may choose to give $100,000 ($33,000 per year) or $150,000 ($50,000 per year) over three years, or more. While the giving parameters roughly parallel the amount of grants to mission ventures, individual donations won’t be tied to a specific mission venture but, rather, to a portfolio of mission ventures. So, for example, a Philanthropic Partner might choose to partner with an Asian Portfolio of three or four mission ventures along with other Partners. 

Are Philanthropic Partners involved beyond funding?

We are inviting Philanthropic Partners to be involved in three ways: time, treasure and talent. While Partners may not have specific expertise regarding specific startups in certain geographical contexts, there is wisdom that transcends culture and location—leadership and organizational health, for example—that is indispensable to mission venture leaders. Because the purpose of the Fund is to bridge capital, wisdom and innovation, we will also look to our Partners for referrals, whether potential mission leaders, strategic partners or philanthropic partners.

Can Philanthropic Partners choose which mission ventures they want to fund?

Philanthropic Partners are invited to support a mission venture cohort or, depending on the size and nature of the cohort, specific themes, or affinities, within a cohort (e.g., by geography, such as an “Africa” or “South East Asia” portfolio, or by sector, such as, a “Savings Group” portfolio, or similar) over a period of three years. We want to protect against one-to-one, partner-to-venture, funding commitments for two main reasons: (a) Diversifying donors is always healthy for the mission ventures, and; (b) because we are partnering in hard places, we expect some ventures to experience road blocks from time to time, which could disappoint partners. Partnering with a portfolio of ventures will offer a broader relationship and perspective regarding impact. 

Does the Fund charge fees?

The operational cost of the Fund will be capped at 10% and decrease as the Fund grows. Until the Fund is sustainable, the Partners (Stephan and Patrick) will be volunteering their time, allowing for investment in a part-time coordinator.

How will you choose mission ventures?

The Mission Venture Fund will pursue mission ventures according to a set of criteria, including: (i) missional fit — ventures who are pursuing the Great Commission and the Great Commandment together, word and deed, as modeled by Jesus; (ii) capability — entrepreneurs who demonstrate strong character and capability; (iii) context — mission ventures that are serving in challenging places, whether regions, countries, cities or neighborhoods, or among people, that evidence hardship as substantiated by data, and (iv) vision — ventures who can articulate a vision for growth, expansion or multiplication in concert with their mission and context.

Have you developed the first cohort of mission ventures?

We are in the process of putting together a cohort of mission ventures which we will be previewing with Partners through a secure, confidential platform in advance of our gathering in October 2026.

How will you know the Fund is having impact?

Each venture will follow a set of customized measurables over a three year cycle. While there is the possibility renewing the three-year cycle for some ventures, the Mission Venture Fund commits to a clear exit strategy for each venture. We recognize measurables tell a story. Pursuing the whole story, not just the good story, is essential.