d.o.b foundation

Ijsseldijk 1
8194 LA Veessen
The Netherlands
www.dobfoundation.com
Year founded: 1997

d.o.b foundation, based in the Netherlands, is a private non-profit organisation for development co-operation. Over the past nine years, d.o.b has taken part in over 100 projects in 26 countries. The foundation strives for a structurally better and more just world, in which all people can develop their talents to reach their full potential. The foundation does not believe in creating dependence, but follows a philosophy that independence will create a sustainable solution: an integral approach is required and business and care should go together. The foundation wants to support people and give them a nudge in the right direction so that they can continue on their own. d.o.b works from the conviction that when people are together they feel more, know more, and can do more than people alone. Often unexpected solutions emerge when people with various competencies and points of view are working together in a team. Therefore, d.o.b foundation aims to join forces by making the right connections.

Applied venture philanthropy
d.o.b foundation grew out of De Oude Beuk Foundation, which started in 1997, with the mission of development work. Today, the model resembles that of an incubator for innovative projects, which can be tested and then replicated to other places in the world. The headquarters at the De Nijensteen farm serves as the meeting place to stimulate brainstorming, develop new ideas, and launch projects. The foundation provides multi-year financial and non-financial services in the form of coaching, networking and facilitating. Financing constructions are tailored to the individual project. As d.o.b foundation states, ‘with the principles of entrepreneurship, the guts of the venture capitalist and the heart of the philanthropist we meet the needs of poor people and people who are otherwise hindered in their evolvement’.

d.o.b identifies a small number of large-scale projects that have the potential for breakthroughs in thinking or doing. Some of these are identified through partnerships. The foundation does not accept requests for funding and unsolicited proposals. One of the basic principles in the selection process used to be that the initiator of the project should also lead the project, but in the course its work over the last decade, d.o.b learned to let go of this principle given that different phases of a project can require different skills. The non-financial services are core to d.o.b’s work and can vary from strategic to operational assistance. Project are encouraged to view marketing and communication as a necessity, not a luxury, and also to know the whole context in which they work to avoid later surprises and potential conflicts. The d.o.b team consists of people with working experience in commercial businesses and NGO’s, having different backgrounds in the areas of legal, anthropology, finance, venture capital, and human resource management. Additionally, d.o.b has established different strategic partnerships with companies and firms who provide their knowledge and experience pro bono or for adjusted tariffs to the portfolio projects. As an example, Howrey LLP provides expertise in the field of intellectual property.

Currently, d.o.b supports a number of pilot projects in Africa and looks for the possibility to apply lessons learnt to a broader context.
Current projects include:

• Tanga Fresh Limited, a dairy factory in Tanzania, which is embedded in a cooperative network of farmers, a clever breeding programme and credit system to make it possible for farmers to expand.
• HandsOn Micro Credit, based in the Netherlands, which stimulates entrepreneurship by providing small loans to people with a minimum income or social benefit.
• Organic Apple Juice at De Nijensteen, the headquarters of d.o.b foundation, with the goal of producing pasteurised organic apple juice and bringing it onto the market to generate income. This project was initiated by d.o.b foundation.

Assessing impact
Measuring impact is important for any project but even more important since d.o.b focuses on innovative projects. Currently, Noaber foundation and d.o.b foundation are developing a ‘hands-on’ Social Return On Investment (SROI) tool, called ‘The social e-valuator’. The SROI tool can be used by potential partners to gain understanding on the stakeholders involved and the potential social and financial impact of their project. The tool will also provide monitoring guidance during the project. On the organisational level, it can be by d.o.b to assist in project selection.

Engaged partnership: Universal spectacles
Worldwide about one billion people have poor eyesight due to uncorrected eye defects. The consequences of this are huge. Many people go blind and end up living in poverty. Attending school is difficult or impossible. The solution is a pair of glasses. But where do you get glasses, with the correct strength, when you have hardly any money? Universal spectacles (U-specs) are now being developed for the poorest people, which people can adjust themselves, within the range of minus six to plus three, without the help of an optician. Because of mass production, these can be sold for only a couple of Euros and can help people with poor eyesight by improving their social position and giving them easier access to education and jobs. Local production, assembly, and distribution also help stimulate local economies. In addition to this we aim to prove that it is profitable to invest in creating valuable products for the world’s poorest people.

The project is being carried out in partnership with VU Medical Centre in Amsterdam and Philips DAP. d.o.b foundation has invested up to date €970,000,- in the research and development phase and in project management and execution. A product field test and commercial pilot will be held in India and Guatemala starting in April 2008. After testing the optical and functional elements of the glasses, 5,000 to 10,000 pairs will be produced to be used in the commercial pilot. For these tests, d.o.b is working in close cooperation with the Scojo Foundation in India and Guatemala.