EP 63: Using Donor-Advised Funds to Power Underrepresented Startups with Patrice King-Brickman

Raising capital? Get a list of vetted VCs for FREE here: https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips: https://blog.thunder.vc/funding-101  —------------------------------------------------ In this episode of Fundraising Demystified, Jason Kirby sits down with Patrice King-Brickman, the founder and CEO of Inspire Access, to discuss how philanthropic capital can empower underrepresented founders and foster diverse entrepreneurship. Patrice shares her journey from running a family business to founding Inspire Access, a platform that channels donor-advised funds (DAFs) into for-profit ventures with a social mission. She delves into the unique challenges and opportunities for founders from underrepresented backgrounds and explains how her organization is revolutionizing capital allocation for these groups. Patrice unpacks the mechanics of donor-advised funds, the need for inclusive funding options, and how mission-driven capital can fuel diverse innovation and drive significant change. She also provides insights on portfolio construction, managing impact-driven funds, and building an inclusive investment ecosystem. Here’s what you’ll find in this episode: 00:00 Introduction to Patrice King-Brickman and Inspire Access 01:31 Overview of donor-advised funds (DAFs) and their potential in venture funding 04:08 Leveraging DAFs to support for-profit companies with social missions 15:18 Unpacking the unconscious biases in traditional venture funding 20:32 How Inspire Access screens for resilient founders and impactful businesses 27:00 Addressing the disparities in capital flow for diverse founders 30:15 The potential for positive impact with new investment models 36:22 Steps for founders to connect with Inspire Access for funding 41:47 Future trends in impact investing and wealth transfer ABOUT PATRICE KING-BRICKMAN Patrice King-Brickman is the Founder and CEO of Inspire Access, a platform dedicated to closing the investment gap for women and people of color by connecting underrepresented founders with philanthropic capital. Through Inspire Access and her venture fund, Inspire Capital LLC, Patrice has pioneered new pathways for mission-driven founders to secure funding. Patrice’s philanthropic efforts focus on poverty, homelessness, the arts, and education, with current board roles at Halcyon, Wolf Trap, and Ascend at the Aspen Institute. She has previously served on boards for the Children’s National Hospital Foundation and the Washington Area Women’s Foundation, among others. Connect with Patrice on: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrice-brickman-2b46637b/ Website: inspireaccess.org ABOUT JASON KIRBY Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder VC. He is a serial entrepreneur with 4 multi-million exits and decades of experience in fundraising and business building. He has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs in his career on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, and business development. You can reach out to Jason through: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/ ABOUT FUNDRAISING DEMYSTIFIED Our goal is simple: to equip you with the knowledge, inspiration, and guidance to navigate the labyrinthine world of fundraising. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking seed funding or an established founder looking to scale your business, this podcast will provide you with the tools you need to conquer the fundraising landscape. Thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Fundraising Demystified. We appreciate your support and are excited to continue bringing you more inspiring stories from successful founders.