In an insightful episode of Leadership Unlocked, host Dr. George Lockhart interviewed Raphael Clemente, Director of Palm Beach Venture Philanthropy (PBVP), a newly formed division of the Quantum Foundation. Clemente, a Lake Worth native and seasoned urban planner, discussed how PBVP is working to create systemic change and restore economic vitality in Palm Beach County’s historically underserved neighborhoods.

The Discipline of the Dive: From Swimming to Urban Planning

Raphael Clemente’s passion for discipline and systemic improvement was honed through his youth as an elite athlete. Born in the Bronx and raised in Lake Worth, he excelled in swimming, which his mother encouraged to "waterproof" him from the ocean he loved.

Athletic Background: Clemente was a high school and amateur elite swimmer, later transferring that athleticism into professional cycling, even racing with an amateur team in the Netherlands. He stresses that the discipline of training is critical to achieving any goal.
Applying Discipline to Philanthropy: When organizations come asking for significant funding, Clemente's athletic background informs his approach. While PBVP is a funding source, he views his role as a strategic investment that demands discipline and a sound plan, rather than simply handing out checks.

Defining the Challenge: Persistent Poverty

Clemente detailed the specific communities PBVP targets, defining the core issue they are working to address: persistent poverty.

Persistent poverty is defined as when 20% or more of the population lives at or below the poverty level for 30 years or more.

Clemente explained that growing up in such a community creates systemic disadvantages: statistically, residents face shorter life spans, worse health outcomes, fewer job opportunities, and lower educational attainment. He stressed that these are not problems of individual effort, but are created by "decades of policy and budgetary decisions made by governments."

PBVP's role is to leverage the Quantum Foundation's assets, capital, and influence to attract additional investment and create systemic change in these neighborhoods.

PBVP's Strategy: Investing in Neighborhood Vitality

Palm Beach Venture Philanthropy is intentionally different from traditional grant-making. It aims to work upstream of the service providers by investing directly in the physical and economic structures of neighborhoods, using its funds to:

Acquire and Improve Property: Investing in property and public spaces, such as parks and playgrounds.
Support Business Development: Restoring economic activity and shoring up local businesses.
Empower the Community: Ensuring the solutions fit the neighborhood's unique needs.

PBVP is currently concentrating its efforts in Coleman Park in West Palm Beach, using a "community quarterback" model with local organizations like Rise Coleman Park. The goal is to build a model for success that can eventually be scaled to other historically neglected communities across Palm Beach County, such as Pleasant City, Delray, and Cherry Hill.

The Community Voice: Meeting People Where They Are

Clemente, who spent 18 years with the Downtown Development Authority, understands that community engagement requires more than hosting meetings downtown.

"If you meet people where they're at, if you go to them, to their neighborhood, right, to their community, knock on their door... they're much more willing to engage you."

PBVP relies heavily on trusted community advocates, such as Ontario Johnson (OJ) and Upendo from Rise Coleman Park, who have intimate knowledge of every street and resident. Clemente is committed to making the ask on behalf of neighborhood elders and residents who are simply "tired of asking," ensuring the growth and improvement directly benefits the people who have lived there for generations.

The ultimate legacy Clemente hopes to leave is that communities like Coleman Park will be talked about as places of "culture, of historic significance, of vibrancy, of strength,"—not just by the residents, but by all of Palm Beach County.

Watch the Full Episode