Philadelphia non-profit, Public/Private Ventures to Cease Operations

Public/Private Ventures to Cease Operations This Summer

Public/Private Ventures, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit that conducts research aimed at improving the effectiveness of social programs, has announced it will cease operations on or about July 31.

As a result of budgetary constraints brought on by the economic downturn, P/PV will close its doors this summer after nearly thirty-five years as a pillar of the nonprofit research and evaluation field. "Like so many other nonprofit organizations, P/PV was hit hard by the recent recession," said P/PV president Nadya K. Shmavonian. "Over the last few years, we have worked to chart a new, sustainable path forward. We were able to secure generous core support from several private funders, and in April of last year, we made difficult staff cuts across the organization. Unfortunately, these changes were not enough to keep us competitive as a small, mission-focused agency — not without long-term funding to cover our core operational expenses, particularly those related to distilling and disseminating knowledge."

The organization has begun winding down its operations, working in collaboration with funders and partner organizations to complete as many projects as possible. It plans to transfer any unfinished projects to organizations able to finish the work beyond the end of July.

Over the course of three-plus decades, the organization has conducted a number of high-profile projects, including the Summer Training and Education Program, which produced important lessons about designing and replicating interventions for youth, as well as the first rigorous studyof Big Brothers Big Sisters, which set the stage for widespread expansion of the mentoring field in the late 1990s. More recently, the organization's work has helped to shed light on the field of workforce development. ItsSectoral Employment Impact Study, for example, showed that job training programs tied closely to local employers' needs can have a profound impact on participants' employment, earnings, and access to benefits.

"For more than three decades, P/PV has brought the unique lens of practitioners to its work, helping them to incorporate and apply the lessons learned from research to strengthen their programs," said board chair Cay Stratton, a senior fellow at North Carolina-based MDC. "The organization's work has also influenced philanthropy and public policy, and, ultimately, improved the lives of many low-income youth and families. The board is deeply saddened that we are unable to sustain P/PV, but we take great pride in the critical role that the organization has played for so many years."

“Public/Private Ventures to Cease Operations after 35 Years of Evaluation and Research for Nonprofit Social Programs.” Public/Private Ventures Press Release 5/02/12.