CLAS has received a generous endowment from Patricia and Gustavo Cisneros to fund public programs and scholarly exchange on topics relating to Venezuela. Thus far, this endowment funding has allowed CLAS to fund research trips to Venezuela for Georgetown faculty and students, as well as provide assistance to Georgetown student organizations that have held activities related to Venezuela. These activities have included presentations by Venezuelan government officials such as Venezuelan Ambassador to the U.S. Bernardo Alvarez Herrera as well as academics and other representatives of Venezuelan cultural, political, social and economic life.

Over the past four years, the Venezuela Program has convened three important meetings on campus. In February 2000, CLAS funded a conference entitled The New Venezuelan Constitution: A New Model for Latin America. The day-long conference included three panels: "The Chávez Program in the New Constitution," "The Impact of the New Constitution on the Venezuelan Political System," and "A Panel Discussion on the New Constitution." Presentations were given by members of the Venezuelan Constitutional Assembly and distinguished academics from Venezuela and the US. In June 2003, CLAS convened a group of Venezuela experts and policymakers to discuss the reality of Venezuelan politics and identify possible near and long-term scenarios for Venezuela. In April 2004, CLAS convened a two-day conference with Venezuelanists from around the world that provided an in-depth analysis of this important South American country in terms of economic policy, politics, social development and foreign policy.

Endowment funding has also contributed to increased coursework on Venezuela. In fall 2004, the Venezuela Program hosted Professor Steve Ellner of Universidad de Oriente. Dr. Ellner taught two graduate seminars: one on Venezuelan democracy and another about labor movements in Latin America. In fall 2005, the program hosted Dr. Ramon Espinasa, who taught a class on energy, security and development in the Western Hemisphere. Most recently, in spring 2006, Professor Angelo-Rivero Santos has been teaching a seminar that places contemporary Venezuelan issues in historical perspective. The course is entitled "Venezuela: Revolution or Continuity?'