Silicon Valley One - Fall 2008 - (Page 19)

Silicon Valley Community Foundation news and resources siliconvalleycf.org Van c With a Plan Sometimes a personal journey can reveal the power of philanthropy. That’s why the Venture Van program takes donors into the community to learn about regional issues by visiting programs and nonprofits, meeting the people doing innovative work and the beneficiaries of their work. The next road trip takes off November 18 and explores Immigration: The Shared Experience. Past programs have tackled topics from ecology to the economy’s effect on children. Venture Van was launched in 1999 at Peninsula Community Foundation and has visited 70 nonprofit organizations, 13 government agencies and three corporations involved in philanthropy. See more at www.siliconvalleycf.org/ONE/22a. Innovative Grantmaking Silicon Valley Community Foundation’s new grantmaking strategies focus on five key areas: economic security, immigrant integration, education, regional planning and a community opportunity fund to meet basic needs and to seed innovative ideas. By the end of 2008, $1 million from the community opportunity fund will be spent on food, shelter and basic needs to aid the region’s crucial “safety net” providers. The new strategies arose from an extensive Community Input Project, which involved research and a series of strategic conversations. That project involved community and government leaders, academics, grantees, donors and funders, who offered ideas on new and existing approaches to key regional issues. The new strategies, unanimously approved by the board of directors, are designed to use the $8 million to $10 million awarded annually from the community foundation’s endowment to have a significant and lasting impact on the quality of life in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. “Philanthropy is about innovation and taking risks,” says Steve Gunderson, president of the Washington, D.C.based Council on Foundations, which represents nearly 2,200 grantmaking groups. “Silicon Valley Community Foundation was born out of an innovative merger, and I’m not surprised that they have built innovation into their grantmaking strategies. These are not easy issues, but as a community foundation they are uniquely positioned to bring people together to work on the social issues that affect their region.” Visit www.siliconvalleycf.org/ ONE/22b for details. SM Opening the Books Moss Adams LLP, a leading firm with extensive nonprofit experience, was retained to perform an independent audit of the community foundation’s first year. Completed in June, the audit was clean, yielding no adjustments to year-end balances—despite the complexity of the community foundation, the year of transition and new procedures. In keeping with a commitment to transparency and innovation, the community foundation has produced “Investing in the Common Good,” a report that highlights investment approaches and provides timely financial information, rather than saving it for a year-end report. “We hold ourselves to the highest standards in the stewardship of assets for our donors, and the people and programs receiving grants that help make our community, and world, a better place,” writes Dick Wilkolaski, chair of the board’s audit committee. Visit www.siliconvalleycf.org/ONE/22c for information. Investing in the Common Good A Report from Silicon Valley Community Foundation Serving the Corporate Community October 2008 Corporate philanthropy plays a vital role in Silicon Valley—as evidenced by the 40-plus corporate advised funds with more than $71 million in assets at the community foundation. Recognizing the role corporations can play in giving, the community foundation has created a business services department to focus on corporate partnerships and identify new ways to work with corporations and private foundations. See details at www.siliconvalleycf.org/ONE/22d. innovation through philanthropy www.siliconvalleycf.org o n e 19 http://www.siliconvalleycf.org http://www.siliconvalleycf.org/ONE/22a http://www.siliconvalleycf.org/ONE/22b http://www.siliconvalleycf.org/ONE/22b http://www.siliconvalleycf.org/ONE/22c http://www.siliconvalleycf.org/ONE/22d http://www.siliconvalleycf.org

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Silicon Valley One - Fall 2008 Contents From Emmett D. Carson The New Face of Need Five-star Philanthropy Ready to Learn Board School Civic Citizens Built to Last siliconvalleycf.org What If?

Silicon Valley One - Fall 2008

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