Homeless International – from dependency to sustainability thanks to VPF (by Larry English)

A key focus of several of VPF's portfolio ventures is on developing innovative and sustainable sources of financing, and ending dependency on aid 'handouts' wherever possible. Homeless International is one such venture. HI turns slums into decent housing - assets that can then be used as collateral to attract further financing - by funding and tutoring partner organisations around the world. Since the beginning of HI's partnership with VPF, CEO Larry English has been shifting the organisation's emphasis from pure grant-making to providing loans that are recycled (see chart above), making the organisation sustainable and vastly extending its overall impact. Here he discusses how HI's relationship with the business world through VPF has helped revolutionise HI's outlook and increase its impact.

“Homeless International is not an endowed organisation, neither does it have a history of decades of individual donations, and almost all its funds are restricted by donors to programmes and projects. Such situations provided little room for manoeuvre in changing both the direction of the organisation, and its culture. We were stuck in a noble but sterile status quo our energies spent servicing the agendas and fads of our donors rather than our own mission.

VPF provided the catalyst to change that; its funding and strategic mentorship provided the opportunity to step outside the restrictive conditions of existing (donor) commitments to build a case for a setting a new direction, for building consensus, and for reconfiguring the structures, systems and skills of the organisation.

Without VPF’s encouragement, strategic insight and sustained financial support, and without the accountability that this partnership engenders, we would never have made the transition from aid to social enterprise, from serving causes to building sustainable institutions, from distributing wealth to creating wealth. Our growth trajectory is directly attributable to our partnership with VPF.

VPF is a change agency that creates the space to be creative, to explore the real potential of your organisation – because you are surrounded by people who know how to take risks, make mistakes and succeed. It is a ‘can do’ oasis in a desert of risk averseness and conformity."