Reinventing Prosperity
Creating good jobs with benefits and wages that let people support themselves and their families — that’s what we meant we started saying the phrase “reinventing prosperity.” We saw the light at the end of the tunnel with the recession in America, and continued making investments of money and expertise in California small businesses — […]
Apr 19, 2010 –
Success Story: Galaxy Desserts
As a baking company that crafts exquisite, French-inspired indulgences, Galaxy Desserts’ ability to keep up with demand for its handcrafted croissants was no light matter. In 2005, the Richmond-based company was outgrowing its 36,000 square foot facility and needed more room to fulfill the vision of its talented chef Jean-Yves Charon. Pacific Community Ventures’s equity […]
May 19, 2009 –
Rising Up In Down Times
2009 was a big year of change for Pacific Community Ventures, and for America. Our founders, Bud and Penelope, made the decision to step down as the leaders of PCV after 10 years. Bud stepped down as Chairman of our board, and in his place Bill Pace took over. And Penelope handed over the reigns […]
Apr 19, 2009 –
Creating Opportunity
10 years in! At this point in our history we’d invested $100 million in quality-job-creating companies, and provided 215 companies with pro bono advice. In 2008 PCV took our theory of change one step further, starting to show how investing in small, local businesses and prioritizing quality job creation over excessive shareholder profits can recession-proof […]
Apr 13, 2008 –
Success Story: Equator Coffee
In 2015 we sent a major congratulations to Helen Russell and Brooke McDonnell of Equator Coffees And Teas. They were selected as the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Small Business Persons of the Year for California. That was the first time in the SBA’s 63-year history that they selected lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) business […]
May 12, 2007 –
Innovate, Act, Accomplish
In the time before The Affordable Care Act, PCV and other organizations like ours were trying to find new and innovative ways to get workers at small and independent businesses access to health insurance, or more affordable ways to access healthcare. In 2007 we launched a new initiative under our Employee Onramp program to offer […]
Apr 12, 2007 –
The Formation of “InSight” at Pacific Community Ventures
In 2006, other organizations began to see the value in our efforts to do in-depth social and environmental impact measurement. CalPERS recognized our groundbreaking work in measuring the social return of our portfolio and elected PCV as their first independent consultant to evaluate the community impacts of their portfolio. That same year The Northwest Area […]
May 09, 2006 –
Human, Financial, and Intellectual Capital for California
Pacific Community Ventures is a one-of-a-kind organization. We fuel economic growth in lower-income California communities by investing financial and human capital in small businesses. In 2006, our innovative approach led University of California faculty to vote Pacific Community Ventures (PCV) as one of the twenty-five most brilliant ideas in California in the last quarter century. […]
Apr 09, 2006 –
Success Story: Heath Ceramics
In 2005, Pacific Community Ventures began working with Heath Ceramics. Today, Heath Ceramics stands as a model for bold growth amid the most challenging economy in a generation. From 2005 to 2009, the company has expanded from a staff of 24 to 84 in seven years, tripled employee profit sharing in the past year and launched […]
May 09, 2005 –
Expanding Social Returns
As Pacific Community Ventures grew its investments in businesses across California, we also saw that California’s economy was rocky. In 2005, fewer than half of the jobs in California provided full-time, year-round wages sufficient to support an adequate standard of living. With unemployment, underemployment, and poverty increasingly concentrated in pockets of California’s cities, the need […]
Apr 09, 2005 –
Power and Potential
2004 was a growth year for Pacific Community Ventures marked by expansion of our services and investments throughout California. Over the past six years, Pacific Community Ventures had seen powerful results from its unique model for community development that utilizes the tools of business for social change. Our two private equity funds provide a rare […]
Apr 09, 2004 –
Investing for Change
2003 was a particularly exciting and active year at Pacific Community Ventures. We deployed $4 million to four growing companies. One of these investments was in our first Southern California portfolio business. Located near Los Angeles, Radiovisa is a producer and national syndicator of Spanish language radio programs and services targeting Latino Americans of Mexican […]