Mental health impacts all of us – the individual, family, community, and our world. The Bay Area, known for its vibrant culture, technological advancements, and thriving economy, struggles with unique challenges to mental health and wellbeing. This Fall, SV2 seeks to help 2 local organizations advance the adult and youth Mental Health & Wellbeing journey. Join us as we learn, participate, and select 2 organizations to receive $150,000 unrestricted funding ($75,000 each).

At this in person gathering, we'll do a mindfulness exercise, connect with authentic, accomplished, and diverse mental health & wellbeing changemakers, and engage in community dialogues. We'll announce the five finalist organizations we'll learn more about in our grant round, and share our grantmaking next steps.

Welcome Jonathan Dena, SV2 John Gardner Fellow

We are delighted to introduce Jonathan Dena, who will be part of the SV2 community for the next ten months as a John Gardner Fellow. The John Gardner Fellowship is awarded to three Berkeley graduates and three Stanford graduates every year, funding them to work in a nonprofit or government agency of their choice. Jonathan has a remarkable background and we are thrilled he is using his fellowship to work with us at SV2.

Family Philanthropy Interest Circle

Thursday, 9/21 | 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 Donor 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. 

Health Equity Interest Group

Wednesday, 9/27 | 6:30pm - 8:00pm | Zoom

This Partner-led group will meet monthly on Wednesday evenings to learn more about health inequities in the US. We will start our year with a broad look at the problem and narrow down our focus based on member interests, with the goal of identifying non-profits doing good work in this sector by the end of the year. Please reach out to Deb Dauber with any questions.

SV2 Happy Hour

Thursday, 10/5 | 4:00pm - 6:00pm | In Person

SV2 Office (350 Twin Dolphin Drive #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!

Partners Sharing Passions

Tuesday, 10/10 | 5:00pm - 6:00pm | Zoom

Have an exceptional nonprofit you'd like to share with others? Is there a social impact area you are passionate about and want to inspire others to learn more? Want to hear about the nonprofits and causes that your peers support? Join your fellow SV2 Partners to learn about the causes closest to their hearts. Partners will have three minutes to "pitch" one nonprofit, social enterprise, or social impact cause, and we’ll share information on all organizations afterwards for those who would like to learn more. Questions? Reach out to Jody Chang.

SV2 Impact Investing | October Monthly Pitches

Wednesday, 10/11 | 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.

Mental Health & Wellbeing Grant Round Meeting #2 | Get to know each other

Tuesday, 10/24 | 12:30pm - 2:30pm | Zoom

In Meeting #2 on Zoom, SV2 and the five finalist organizations will get to know each other. Each Executive Director, along with any key teammates or community members they’d like to bring, will share more about their journeys, their organization's changemaking, impact and leadership, and open up for questions.

WELCOME NEW SV2 PARTNERS

Helen Dietz

With over 25 years of experience advising individuals with concentrated stock positions, Helen provides practical financial planning advice, guidance and investment management to entrepreneurs, executives and business start-ups as a Managing Director and Partner of Total Wealth Management at Aspiriant. Her knowledge and experience give her a deep understanding of the challenges, opportunities and choices facing clients in Silicon Valley and beyond. Helen strives to be a positive role model in the financial industry and for women and the next generation. In her spare time, she is active with several community organizations that educate and empower young people to be successful leaders including the Notre Dame High School Board of Directors; the Daraja Academy, a non-profit high school for girls in Kenya; the Idea Village, a New Orleans-based community of entrepreneurs; and The Creative Coalition, which educates leaders in the arts community on issues of public importance.

Arbora Johnson

Arbora Johnson worked in international business for 20 years before focusing on political and nonprofit work starting in 2018. She’s passionate about women's and girls' empowerment globally, including economic empowerment. She began impact investing in 2016 with a gender lens, through an LP investment in a venture fund as well as angel investing through a network of women (Next Wave Impact). Arbora is interested in the convergence of impact investing & philanthropic work and has also been looking to reconnect with Silicon Valley connections (Stanford '94 but she has lived away from CA since 1999.)

SV2 BOOK CLUB READING LIST

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!

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.

Wild Wild West Night of Inspiration 

Thursday, 9/21 | 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Funds raised will directly support our individual counseling, school-based counseling and group therapy programs, and community services such as Music & Memory, and Suicide Prevention, as well as training, therapy, and support for other non-profit entities like the Police Activities League, and local first responders. More Info here.

MUA Fiesta 2023 Venga a Celebra

Saturday, 9/30 | 3:00-8:00PM 

In solidarity and without borders, we strengthen our community / En solidaridad y sin fronteras fortalecemos nuestra comunidad. Buy your tickets here / Se puede comprar las entradas aquí o al llegar al evento. Click Here to Sponsor this Event / Haz clic aquí para apoyar este evento con su donación.

Food Distribution with Redwood City Together

Friday, 10/13 | 3:00-6:00PM | In Person
Fair Oaks Community Center (2600 Middlefield Rd. Redwood City)

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.

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.

Climate Resilient Communities

This past summer, Climate Resilient Communities got a shoutout from President Biden for outstanding work in advancing community voice and leadership in climate solutions, planning and adaptation. Video clip here. Congrats CRC Team!

Fast Forward
The 2024 Startup Accelerator
Need to raise money? We’ll teach you how. Want to learn about building a board? Hiring technical talent? We can help you with that too. You’ll receive funding, mentorship, and connections to people who can help you scale. The 2024 Startup Accelerator application is open! Apply by September 30, 2023. More Info here.

The Westly Prize

Our friends at the Westly Foundation are now accepting applications! With $145K in unrestricted funding, this is the perfect opportunity for young, California-based social innovators, entrepreneurs, and change leaders. Applications close October 16, 2023. Head to westly.org/westly-prize/ today to learn more! #westlyprize If you have your own innovator to recommend, feel free to do so here.

Thrive Alliance

Climate Summit for San Mateo County: Adaptation and Equity: Building Power for Community Resilience

Wednesday, 10/11 | 8:00pm - 6:00pm

Learn from communities at the forefront of addressing climate change across the county as we take steps to prioritize community-led planning, build power among community-based organizations, and secure funding for community resilience. 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.