March eNews | Spring Gathering, Environment LGR & Learning Session, SV2 Board Opening & LAA Award Nominees

We’re excited to invite our community of SV2 Partners, Grantees, Impact Investees, and Prospective Partners to our Spring Gathering, Scaling for Impact, on Tuesday, April 21 from 6:00 - 8:30 PM at the Mitchell Park Community Center in Palo Alto. This year we will hear from social impact leaders in our portfolio about how they are driving powerful change in their local communities and beyond.

We’ll also have plenty of time to connect with new and familiar friends and celebrate the recipient of the 2020 Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen Social Impact Award.

Environment issues are now at the forefront of challenges facing the world, with many implications for the Bay Area and our local communities. Regardless of your particular issue interest area, climate will affect it. It’s all interconnected and climate is foundational to our ability to thrive as individuals and communities. Join us for a local and actionable learning session about Climate Realities: Opportunities + Resilience for All on Wed. April 1st at SV2. RSVP here.

The Lightning Grant Round (LGR) will take place on Mon. May 4th (RSVP here) and Mon. May 18th (RSVP here).Both the learning session and LGR are co-led by SV2 Partners Bill Brownell and Jennifer McFarlane, and SV2 staff Amy Badiani.

We have two important announcements for the SV2 community. First, we're pleased to share that we will have at least one open seat on the SV2 Board of Directors to be filled this Spring. Any Partner who is interested in serving should fill out the Statement of Interest form by Wednesday, March 25, 2020. Second, we are currently accepting nominations for the Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen Social Impact Award, which is presented each year to an SV2 Partner who has gone above and beyond in their service on behalf of SV2 and/or our Grantees and Impact Investees. Please submit your nomination form by Tuesday, March 24, 2020.

WED. MAR. 11 | 6:30PM - 8:30PM

How of Giving: Art of Assessing Nonprofits (Mountain View)

The Art of Assessing Nonprofits is an interactive workshop that will demystify nonprofit due diligence and introduce you to an organizational assessment framework and key indicators you can use in SV2’s nonprofit due diligence process and your own.

Is this workshop for you? We’ve designed this workshop for SV2 Partners, including the newest and most seasoned. Please note this is a shortened version of the workshop presented on Feb. 25. Dinner served at 6:15pm. Program begins at 6:30pm.

THUR. MAR. 12 | 11:30AM - 1:30PM

Get Proximate - North Fair Oaks Guided Walking Tour

Join fellow SV2 Partners for a short walk through the North Fair Oaks neighborhood. The walk will be lightly guided and include a walking map, site visits, and specific community assets to observe. Share reflections with Partners over lunch at a local eatery. NOTE: this "Get Proximate" event is offered in conjunction with the North Fair Oaks Community Grant Round. Grant Round participants as well as all SV2 Partners are welcome to attend.

MON. MAR. 16 | 6:00PM - 8:30PM

Environment Partner Interest Circle (EPIC)

EPIC is hosting a presentation by Chris Busch, Director of Research, Energy Innovation, Policy & Technology LLC on CA’s Carbon Trade program; as well as a panel discussion by several SV2 Partners on actions they are taking regarding their own GHG emissions. Chris Busch leads Energy Innovation’s California climate policy program. He recently developed a California version of Energy Innovation’s Energy Policy Simulator, a system dynamics model that offers insights into the effectiveness of climate policy combinations. RSVP to Jennifer McFarlane.

WED. MAR. 18 | 11:30AM - 1:30PM

March Impact Investing Working Group

The SV2 Impact Investing Working Group (IIWG) discusses prospective impact investment opportunities, hears pitches from social entrepreneurs, and performs due diligence in order to make informed investment decisions on behalf of SV2. All Partners are welcome to begin regularly attending IIWG meetings at any point in the year or are welcome to audit meetings on a drop-in basis. Lunch served at 11:15. Program begins at 11:30am.

FRI. MAR. 20 | 6:00PM - 8:00PM

Get Proximate: Library Takeover - North Fair Oaks Drumming Circle Night

Join artist Aaron Kierbel as he leads you to experience the art of drumming circles. Families are welcome! We invite you to a fun community building night, to learn about local art and culture. SV2 Partner JoAnne Tillemans will be there to welcome any SV2 Partners who join the drumming circle. Children/Teens are welcome. NOTE: this "Get Proximate" event is offered in conjunction with the North Fair Oaks Community Grant Round. Grant Round participants as well as all SV2 Partners are welcome to attend. If you have questions, please contact JoAnne Tillemans.

WED. MAR. 25 | 6:30PM - 8:30PM

SV2 Board Hosted Partner Community Dinner - Healthy Democracy

Join SV2 Board member Christy Chin on March 25 at 6:30pm for our March Board hosted dinner. Partners are invited to join Christy at her home in Portola Valley and discuss the topic of "Healthy Democracy". Space is limited to the first ten Partners to register. These dinners are a special opportunity for Partners to connect relationally and engage more deeply around specific topics. As a reminder, please sign up for only one Board hosted dinner this year in order to accommodate all Partners wanting to join a dinner. Address will be emailed to Partner attendees following registration.

THUR. MAR. 26 | 6:30PM - 8:30PM

Impact Investing 101

The world of finance and investment is changing, as business leaders, investors, and consumers think more actively about the social and environmental impacts of their investment decisions. Impact Investing is a growing movement to deploy capital for social good, and SV2 has been an active participant since 2015. This learning session, led by SV2 Partner Aarti Chandna, will present an overview of impact investing: its history, current state, and promise, as well as SV2’s practice. If you’re new to impact investing, want a refresher overview, or are just curious, join us for this session! Dinner served at 6:15pm; Program begins at 6:30pm.

MON. MAR. 30 | 1:00PM - 2:30PM

Family Philanthropy Interest Circle

The Family Philanthropy Interest Circle is a Partner-led group which provides a safe space to explore personal experiences, successes, and challenges in an ongoing, intimate setting. If you are a current Partner with a family foundation, a donor advised fund, family office, or some other structured family giving vehicle, please join us. In the meeting, 1-2 Partners will share their giving stories, followed by group discussion of issues you may want to get feedback about. This event is for current Partners only, and led by Lisa Guerra and Anjana Patel. While we encourage Partners to attend in person if possible, a Zoom link is available for remote participation. RSVP, email questions, or request Zoom link by emailing Lisa Guerra.

WED. APR. 1 | 6:30PM - 8:30PM

Climate Realities: Opportunities + Resilience for All

Climate change relates to everything we care about. Join us to understand our individual carbon footprint, how to reduce it, learn about mitigation actions and how to build resilient communities. We’ll hear from and Q&A with local and national experts: Alice Hill, Senior Fellow for Climate Change Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations (setting national context for climate resilience), Adina Levin, Advocacy Director at Seamless Bay Area (championing integrated transportation systems), Ever Rodriguez, Chair at North Fair Oaks Community Council (sharing local vulnerable community perspectives). Dinner served at 6:15pm; Program begins at 6:30pm.