Relenthy Philanthropic Advisors
Finding the founders worth betting on
A 6 to 12 month program that turns an early-stage founder's passion into a proven, fundable bet.
What You Get
A fundable pilot. Well-designed with measurable results to evaluate success.
An extended, close-up look as the founder executes and learns — 6 to 12 months, sized to what the work actually needs.
The chance to provide foundational capital — enough to fully back them, or to unlock matching support from others — giving them a real shot to scale founders that prove their model.
This is how a funder with real capacity goes beyond another safe, familiar gift, and ends up backing the next organization worth talking about.
how it works
Identify
We build the strongest cohort we can by starting with who's already on your radar: past applicants, declined proposals, grantees ready to do more. We supplement with a call for proposals if it makes sense, until we've identified a cohort founders worth moving forward.
Refine
A two-day, in-person co-creation workshop, not a lecture. Founders, community leaders, other professionals, and you as the funder work hands-on in the room together to sharpen each idea into a defined, executable pilot.
Fund
A grant from the sponsoring funder, funds the pilot.
Accelerate
Each founder runs their pilot over 6 to 12 months. Ongoing 1:1 coaching, peer cohort support, and outside experts keep them on track, backed by seed funding to put the plan into practice. Regular updates keep you informed along the way.
Pitch
Pilot results are in, and the founders who are ready pitch directly for funding the next stage. Instead of unknown potential or a flashy application, you're deciding based on real, measured results, about making a transformational investment.
Why Relenthy?
Relenthy Advisors is built on two decades of grantmaking, program design, and organizational coaching at major nonprofits, most recently several years running LaunchPad. That work surfaced a pattern: the founders worth backing didn't start because they could write a business plan, they started because they were close to a problem and determined to fix it. What often stands between that determination and a fundable organization is the coaching, network, and plan to build it. Relenthy exists to close that gap, so the next transformational gift lands on a founder who is actually ready for it.
Get in touch
Tell us about the city, the issue, or the founders you have in mind.