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Big Gifts for Little Learners: Making the Case for Philanthropic Investment From Pregnancy Through Preschool

March 21, 2022

The San Francisco Bay Area is home to some of the wealthiest counties and most generous donors in the country. But how do those individuals choose where to spend their philanthropic dollars?In our 2021 survey of Bay Area donors, which included both affluent individuals and foundations, 40% of respondents said that when considering causes or groups to give to, demonstrated impact would lead them to choose one cause or group over others.In some ways it is surprising, then, that only 15% of donors said they give to early care and learning -- an area with robust research demonstrating positive impact on the children supported (including permanent increases in children's IQ and better health outcomes) as well as on their families and the broader community (e.g., gains in maternal workforce participation).

Silicon Valley Community Foundation: 10 Years of Innovation and Impact

March 15, 2017

Over the past 10 years, Silicon Valley Community Foundation has grown to become the world's largest community foundation, engaging, empowering, and collaborating with family, individual, and corporate donors to generate positive impact by supporting organizations within and beyond county lines and national borders. SVCF has also become a comprehensive center for philanthropy, engaging as advocates in pursuit of tackling critical public policy issues, partnering with nonprofit groups and institutions who aim to advance ideas and direct resources strategically toward pressing, critical needs, commissioning research to identify emerging issues and anticipate future needs, and launching strategic initiatives in support of the local community.A combination of stories and data will illustrate how Silicon Valley Community Foundation harnessed a local culture of innovation to become a leader of the field, expanded its reach across the entire globe, and continues to find new ways to generate positive impact.

The World is Home: A Case Study of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation

January 1, 2017

Silicon Valley Community Foundation – together with pfc Social Impact Advisors – has published a case study to commemorate SVCF's first 10 years. During this period, SVCF made more than $4.3 billion in grants and significantly expanded its charitable reach.The new report provides details about how Silicon Valley Community Foundation was formed in 2007 from the merger of Peninsula Community Foundation and Community Foundation Silicon Valley, and how it has grown to become the largest funder of Bay Area charities and the largest community foundation in the world.Following the historic merger of the two parent foundations, Silicon Valley Community Foundation began seeking public input on how it could best approach the challenges faced by the residents of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. SVCF's discretionary grantmaking focus areas were announced in 2008, supporting local education, economic security, immigration and regional planning that improves transportation and housing systems. In addition to these vital issues, SVCF's family of more than 2,000 donors have used their charitable funds at SVCF to support thousands of local, national and international charities across a wide range of interests, as the case study attests.

Immigration Impact Report: Advancing Innovative Philanthropic Solutions to Our Region's Most Challenging Problems

December 1, 2016

More than one third of the 2.5 million residents of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties are immigrants, and almost two thirds of those younger than 18 are children of immigrants. Immigrant entrepreneurs have contributed considerably to innovation and job creation in Silicon Valley, and nearly half of its workforce is foreign-born. However, more than twice as many immigrant and refugee families in Silicon Valley are living in poverty (7.8 percent) as compared to the general population (3.8 percent). These immigrants are not only challenged by the high cost of living in Silicon Valley but also by language, educational and legal barriers that make it difficult for them to access economic opportunities and participate fully in society. The Silicon Valley Community Foundation's impact evaluation report assesses its immigration strategy, and details its strategic investments in programs that strengthen the legal services infrastructure to ensure the provision of affordable and reliable legal services for immigrants; Vocational English and English as a Second Language courses to ensure greater economic advancement by immigrants; and encouraged coordination and best practices among community colleges, adult education schools, and community-based organizations.

Corporate Guide to Disaster Response and Preparedness

June 29, 2016

Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF), a global leader in innovative grantmaking and customized philanthropy services, created this guide to help prepare and support corporate social responsibility (CSR) practitioners in their efforts to contribute to disaster relief preparedness and response.

Human Trafficking in Silcon Valley

October 3, 2014

Human trafficking has become one of the most lucrative criminal enterprises around the world. The magnitude of this crime is also significant at the local level, with California ranking as one of the nation's top four destination states for trafficked individuals. This report is a commissioned study of human trafficking in Silicon Valley. The findings presented in this report are intended to spark conversation, identify opportunities for cross-sector collaboration and further study, while also presenting a focused set of recommendations geared toward addressing this evolving problem. The study draws heavily on data gathered from community-based organizations located in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. A survey was completed by case managers at 11 of these organizations to capture information from case files on 232 trafficking victims who were served between 2011 and 2013. In-depth interviews were also conducted with 21 case managers at these same organizations. Key findings:More than 50 percent of victims were born in the U.S.Most of the victims in this study were femaleWhile commercial sexual exploitation was the most common form of trafficking, forced labor also was evident.Incidents of exploitation occurred to the same victum at multiple locatoinsVictims often turn to community-based organizations when they seek help

Parent Story Project: Perspectives on Raising Children in Silicon Valley

June 13, 2014

In 2013, Silicon Valley Community Foundation launched the Parent Story Project -- the ?rst-ever regional study to investigate what it is like to be a parent of a young child in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. The Parent Story Project provides us with a better understanding of today's early learning landscape, the region's most challenging problems and the ripest opportunities for affecting the lives of Silicon Valley's youngest children -- birth through age 8 -- and their families

For Generations to Come: Chinese American Philanthropy in the Bay Area

March 13, 2014

In order to understand better philanthropy among Chinese Americans in the San Francisco Bay Area, Silicon Valley Community Foundation commissioned this report, sponsored by the Chinese American Community Foundation in which active Chinese American donors were asked about their giving practices and preferences. Interviews were conducted with 33 Chinese American individuals who encompassed a range of ages, origins, and counties of residence in the Bay Area.To address the questions motivating this report, participants were asked to describe the values and vision that guide their charitable giving. They spoke about their appreciation for the opportunities they had, and their desire to give back by making the world a better place. Linking the past to the future, they voiced their aspirations for the next generations, especially of Chinese Americans, that they may have those same opportunities and eventually contribute to the community through their leadership and philanthropy. Their efforts emphasize creating opportunities for all, but especially for children, youth, and young adults, by supporting schools (both locally and in China), creating university scholarships, and serving on boards of universities and leadership development organizations. In addition to their focus on the future, participants spoke of their passion for a wide variety of causes that contribute to the community, society, and the environment in the present.

2014 Silicon Valley Index

February 4, 2014

The Silicon Valley Index has been telling the Silicon Valley story since 1995. Released early every year, the Index is based on indicators that measure the strength of the economy and the health of the community -- highlighting challenges and providing an analytical foundation for leadership and decision making.

Investment Manager Diversity: The Hardest Taboo to Break

February 1, 2014

This case study examines how one community foundation -- Silicon Valley Community Foundation with assets under management of $4.7 billion -- approached the issue of increasing investment manager diversity with its investment advisor -- Crewcial Partners which advises $30 billion of capital. These first-person accounts from the community foundation's CEO and the investment advisor provide candid assessments of how they addressed the issue of increasing investment manager diversity. The hope is that by sharing these observations other foundations and their investment advisors will find the courage to discuss and address the issue of investment manager diversity, the hardest taboo to break.

2013 Corporate Citizenship Report: Trends and Innovations in Bay Area Community Engagement

December 10, 2013

The nine-county Bay Area region is a place of innovation, attracting talented individuals and supported by local infrastructure and resources. This creative landscape translates into a culture of corporate citizenship in the region; one that has continued to evolve along with the emergence of new leadership, companies, and industries. Bay Area companies are clearly committed to corporate citizenship. In fact, those companies participating in national and local surveys alone contributed $2 billion in philanthropic contributions to local and global causes in 2012. Corporations not only provide substantial financial support to nonprofits, but also leverage employee expertise and creativity, distinctive products and services, and collaborations with other for-profit funders and nonprofit organizations. Together, these strategies are shaping a new kind of higher-leverage approach to corporate citizenship

CONEC Volunteer Matching with Legal Service Providers

January 1, 2013

In early 2013, with Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) looming on the horizon, Silicon Valley Community Foundation launched a technology innovation project to support the technology needs and aspirations of immigration legal services providers in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties in California. The effort was envisioned as an opportunity to engage a cohort of agencies in a unique co-creation process exploring the use of technology to enhance citizenship and naturalization services for immigrants in Silicon Valley.