SVPs of Texas Come Together for Texas Conference for Women

Social Venture Partners is truly transformational when we come together—when affiliates have the opportunity to collaborate. This was on full display when SVP Austin, SVP San Antonio, and SVP Dallas joined forces to participate in the Texas Conference for Women. This bipartisan annual event brings together thousands of women business leaders, entrepreneurs, and change-makers. ​​The conference not only highlighted the importance of community and support among women but also aligned perfectly with the core mission of SVP: leveraging collective giving to empower local nonprofits.

All three Texas affiliates harness the power of collective giving, each approaching it in unique ways to strengthen local nonprofits and advance their missions. SVP San Antonio focuses on empowering organizations that need funding and strategic support to enhance their capacity. Built on a venture capital-inspired model, SVPSA’s 55 partners collaborate to identify and invest in nonprofits with high potential for sustainable success. Meanwhile, SVP Austin’s 75 partners serve as trusted pro bono advisors and connectors for Central Texas nonprofits, advancing equity through economic mobility and well-being for marginalized communities. SVP Dallas is dedicated to social impact capacity building, working hands-on with selected organizations, and providing tailored support in areas like mission strategy, finance, and resource development. By leveraging their members’ time, talent, and funding, each affiliate contributes to building capacity, broadening impact, and maximizing social value across Texas.

This shared commitment to collaboration and community engagement paved the way for their unified presence at the Texas Conference for Women. Early commitment from the three Texas affiliates made their unified presence possible. Reflecting on the decision to collaborate, Lynne Skinner, Executive Director of SVP Austin, said, “We decided early on that if we divide this booth into three, it’s only a few hundred dollars apiece. We wouldn’t have been able to manage the cost of a booth individually, but together, it made more sense.” This collective mindset proved essential to making their participation possible. Becky Dinnin, Executive Director of SVP San Antonio, noted, “We were able to do everything and share the booth at the Texas Women’s Conference because SVP’s model is collective giving.”

Although SVP Dallas couldn’t physically attend due to October being their busy season, the team still came together to share resources, invest in the event, and represent the larger Texas SVP community. “We put together the joint logo with SVP Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio. We did a brochure. We did a checklist to make sure we all use the same terminology and then came together to define what SVP Texas is,” said Lynne. It was a collaborative effort from start to finish, driven by the belief that they could reach a wider audience by working together.

The booth, prominently placed between key stages, became an interactive space where attendees could vote for nonprofits from each of the three regions, with the winning nonprofits receiving micro-grants. The teams worked together on the booth design, including banners highlighting nonprofits they’ve supported. A creative idea involving map pins—crafted by Lynne—drew people in to engage with the SVP mission. “You’ve got to figure out a way to get people to walk into the booth and talk to you… So we lined up our Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio pop-up banners and got these little pins to engage with people. We talked to them and said, ‘Would you like your favorite nonprofit to win $1,000 today?’ Of course, who’s going to say no?” This approach resulted in hundreds of attendees voting for their favorite nonprofits.

The day of the conference provided a big win for three local nonprofits. “At the end of the day, we all announced that we would give a $1,000 micro-grant to three nonprofits, one in each market,” Becky shared. Their efforts were a true testament to SVP’s collective giving model. By pooling resources and working as a team, they were able to increase visibility for their mission and make a real impact. The day was not only about raising awareness but about fostering deeper connections across Texas, proving that by working together, they can achieve more than any one affiliate could alone.

The collaboration at the Texas Conference for Women wasn’t just an investment in visibility; it was an investment in the future, setting the stage for new partners and greater impact in the communities they serve. We look forward to exploring and learning about even more ways affiliates across our network are transforming communities, fostering innovation, and driving meaningful change together.