January News

SV2 Impact Investing | January Monthly Pitches

Wednesday, 1/10 | 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.

Health Equity Interest Group

Wednesday, 1/17 | 6:00pm - 7:30pm | Zoom

This Partner-led group meets monthly to learn more about health inequities in the US. We pick a different topic to dive into each month, and attendees are encouraged to look at these or do some research on their own on the topic in advance.  Topics are posted 2-3 weeks ahead of time on the mysv2 platform and emailed to everyone who is registered. Please reach out to Deb Dauber with any questions.

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

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

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

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!

WELCOME NEW SV2 PARTNERS

Keren Sun came to the US from China in 2018 for her master's degree study in the field of machine learning and became a software engineer after graduation. She moved to the Bay Area in 2022 and has worked in major tech companies as well as a startup, acquiring experience in areas such as cloud services, digital payments, and the top emerging tech generative AI. During grad school, she helped a local museum by providing ideas to embrace tech such as augmented reality, led a business research project to apply a patent of her university, pitched at MIT, and has volunteered with Second Harvest of Silicon Valley.

Tiffany Howard spent almost 25 years in the biotech / pharmaceutical industry across commercial roles in large and start-up organizations. After taking some time off in 2022, she decided to leverage her experience in consulting and coaching. She is currently building an independent consulting business and is also a part-time Advisory Partner for a boutique strategy firm in San Francisco. Tiffany volunteers with several animal rescue groups and is passionate about animal and people wellbeing. She joined SV2 to be part of a diverse group of people who are having a positive impact on many of the challenges that exist in the Bay Area and elsewhere.

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, 1/12 | 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.

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.