January News

Welcome Ayudando Latinos A Soñar and Friends for Youth! SV2’s New Grantee Partners

Our Fall 2023 Mental Health & Wellbeing Grant Round was grounding and inspiring. We held space for ‘real talk’ about struggles, individual and community trauma, systemic barriers, hope and healing.  We learned about impactful mental illness prevention, intervention, and treatment, as well as successful wellbeing initiatives. After a holistic community nomination, learning, and selection process, we selected Ayudando Latinos A Soñar and Friends for Youth as our newest Grantee Partners. Each nonprofit is receiving $75,000 of unrestricted funding over three years, and SV2’s beyond-the-dollars support. We are deeply honored to be in partnership with both of these outstanding organizations! 

Tech for Good Grant Round | Informational Open House

Tuesday, 1/23 | 5:00pm - 6:00pm | Zoom

SV2's Spring 2024 Grant Round is focused on Tech for Good. The Open House on Zoom is an introductory overview for what we'll do and learn together as we practice equitable, trust-based grantmaking. This meeting is for current SV2 community members interested in participating in our grantmaking: SV2 Donor Partners, SV2 Grantee and Investee Partners, and Teens. Other Friends of SV2 (e.g. other funders and those considering joining SV2 as Donor Partners) are also welcome to join.

Listen4Good: Using Feedback to Boost Equitable Impact 

Wednesday, 1/24 | 11:00am - 12:00pm | Zoom

Listen4Good is an initiative that provides nonprofits and government agencies with ways to solicit and respond to direct client feedback in order to improve their work and impact. In this virtual roundtable on Zoom, we’ll learn from inspiring leaders and Listen4Good practitioners: Rolland Janairo (Executive Director, Silicon Valley Urban Debate League, SV2 Alumni Grantee Partner), Laura Foster (Division Director of Research, Analysis and Impact at the Bill Wilson Center), and Valerie Threlfall, Founder and Executive Director, Listen4Good). We’ll share resources and reflect on how to apply client feedback practices into our collective work to increase our impact and get proximate.

Nonprofit Diligence with a Trust Based Lens

Monday, 1/29 | 11:00am - 2:00pm | In Person at SV2 Office

350 Twin Dolphin Drive Suite 103, Redwood City, CA

This interactive workshop will review the key practices of Trust Based Philanthropy and use a case study format to identify key “look for’s” and questions to ask as you consider your giving to nonprofits. We’ll introduce you to an organizational assessment framework and key indicators you can use in SV2’s nonprofit due diligence process and your own. The workshop is part of the “SV2 Essentials” curriculum, and is designed for both new and seasoned SV2 Partners. Lunch will be provided.

Family Philanthropy

Tuesday, 2/6 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm | Zoom

The Family Philanthropy Interest Circle is a Partner-led group which provides a safe space to explore giving 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. This event is for current SV2 Donor Partners only, and is led by Deb Dauber. 

Impact Investing | Due Diligence Training

Wednesday, 2/7 | 2:30pm - 4:00pm | In Person at SV2 Office

350 Twin Dolphin Drive Suite 103, Redwood City, CA

This workshop will review the due diligence criteria SV2 uses to source and screen deals and make investment decisions. We’ll also cover commonly used terms in early-stage impact investing and walk through data room documents and deal mechanics. The workshop will be followed by a casual Happy Hour from 4:00 - 6:00pm.

SV2 Happy Hour

Wednesday, 2/7 | 4:00pm - 6:00pm | In Person at SV2 Office

350 Twin Dolphin Drive Suite 103, Redwood City, CA

Join us for a casual Happy Hour at the SV2 office -- come connect with old friends and make some new ones. We'll have drinks and light snacks, and we look forward to seeing you there!

SV2 Impact Investing | February Monthly Pitches

Wednesday, 2/14 | 11:30am - 1:00pm | Zoom

The SV2 Impact Investing Group (IIG) meets monthly to hear two social enterprise startups pitch. Partners are invited to provide input on the pitches and volunteer to participate on due diligence teams. All SV2 Partners are welcome to begin regularly attending IIG meetings at any point in the year or are welcome to attend meetings on a drop-in basis. Immediately following the Monthly Pitches, the Investment Committee (IC) convenes to hear the due diligence reports from the previous month and make investment decisions on behalf of SV2. All Partners in IIG are welcome to observe the IC Meetings immediately following the Monthly Pitches.

New Partner Orientation

Monday, 3/4 | 1:00pm - 2:00pm | Zoom

You’re a new Partner and we want to connect you to our community! Meet other new Partners and get oriented to the ins and outs of SV2 – programming, community norms and guidelines, answers to FAQs and more.

WELCOME NEW SV2 PARTNER

Igor was an early employee at Airbnb, and after leaving he has been focusing on doing software work in climate tech organizations. Climate is Igor’s primary focus, with his career and philanthropic giving oriented in that direction. He has also done volunteer work with civic tech organizations, including USDR and Impactive, as well as climate lobby orgs -- CCL and Rewiring America.

The Social Impact Book Club, led by SV2 Partner Paru Desai, is for current Partners only and meets on the 3rd Sunday of each month. Join the Book Club on mySV2!

Food Distribution with Redwood City Together

Friday, 2/9 | 3:00pm - 6:00pm | In Person

Fair Oaks Community Center 2600 Middlefield Rd. Redwood City, CA 94065

Join us for some community volunteering! This is a monthly food distribution where 200-250 families benefit from free groceries. This is an exciting in person volunteer opportunity to be in community with Redwood City Together, our new Community Initiative Grantee Partner. We have five slots available for the SV2 community each month. RSVP here.

One Life Counseling

Fridays | 10:00am - 2:00pm

Want to make a difference but don’t have a lot of time to volunteer? We love food donations on Fridays for our Monday Markets. One Life’s Monday Market serves over 1,200 meals. Bring any shelf stable donations at (1033 Laurel St. San Carlos) and we will get them to clients with food insecurity. More info here.

StreetCode Academy

We have a diverse and vibrant volunteer community that includes folks who prep and serve our students, serve as academic tutors, help to teach our classes, and form valuable relationships as mentors with our students. More info here.

Global Nonprofit Leaders Summit

Wednesday, 1/31 - Thursday, 2/1

If you are a nonprofit executive excited about technology and the potential of AI for your organization’s mission, the inaugural Global Nonprofit Leaders Summit is for you. With AI, nonprofits have the potential to transform nearly every aspect of their work from small tasks to large-scale program impact. More Info here.

Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund (SV2) is a learning community of everyday givers committed to accelerating equity in the Bay Area through grantmaking and impact investing. For over 20 years, SV2 has been a trusted social innovation leader supporting locals to connect, learn, and practice giving in community alongside their peers.