Defining High Engagement Philanthropy

Venture Philanthropy Partners, in their 2004 report, defined High Engagement Philanthropy (HEP) as, "an approach in which funders or 'investors' are directly and personally engaged and involved with their investment partners (in traditional terms, the grantees) beyond providing financial support."

In a 2003 article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, Letts & Ryan suggest (subscription required) that HEP is a "performance-centered strategy" in which interest alignment between grantor and grantee, steady and reliable funding, and "strategy coaching" (with an emphasis on long-term strategic thinking) are essential elements.

Letts & Ryan (2003) also argue that HEP should be understood as "an accountability relationship in which funders use their power to help grantees improve performance, and then hold them accountable for it."

Rob John of Oxford University's Saïd Business School avoids any attempt at establishing a final definition for "venture philanthropy" (often used interchangeably with HEP) in this 2006 paper (pdf), but chooses a working definition that defines VP "primarily by the relatively high level of engagement of the funder in the organisation being supported, over an extended period of time, injecting skills or services in addition to finance."