Silicon Valley Community Foundation Strategic Plan Strategic plan for Silicon Valley Community Foundation, largest community foundation in America serving Santa Clara and San Mateo counties through equity-focused grantmaking and donor services. This strategic plan was extracted from publicly available information by AI (Claude, Anthropic) on February 10, 2026, including foundation's website, annual reports, and program descriptions. Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) was formed July 12, 2006 through merger of two community foundations in San Francisco Bay Area: Peninsula Community Foundation (headquartered in San Mateo, California) and Community Foundation Silicon Valley (headquartered in San Jose, California). SVCF launched officially January 3, 2007 headquartered in Mountain View, California. Started with $1.7 billion in assets in 2007, experienced relatively moderate growth expanding to $5.3 billion in 2017. In 2017 alone assets surged to $13.5 billion surpassing Ford Foundation. As of 2025 holds approximately $10 billion in assets. Notable donors include Mark Zuckerberg who gave nearly $1 billion in Facebook shares to SVCF in 2013, and Nicholas and Jill Woodman founders of GoPro who announced $500 million donation October 2014. President and CEO is Nicole Taylor appointed December 2018 who previously served as vice president of Arizona State University Foundation. Taylor shifted organization's strategic plan to support historically marginalized communities and advance gender, racial, and economic justice in Silicon Valley. SVCF is 501(c)(3) organization that publishes annual reports of financial transactions and grantmaking. Foundation created and hosted Silicon Valley Gives, Bay Area's first 24-hour giving day, May 6, 2014 raising $8,000,833 with 14,889 unique donors and more than 21,869 donations. Headquarters located on Castro Street in Mountain View with community conference room space offered free of charge to nonprofit organizations. Silicon Valley Community Foundation SVCF uuid-1a2b3c4d-5e6f-7a8b-9c0d-1e2f3a4b5c6d Largest community foundation in America serving Santa Clara and San Mateo counties by connecting people, ideas and resources to transform systems and ensure equity and opportunity for all. Nicole Taylor President and CEO appointed December 2018, previously vice president of Arizona State University Foundation Community Advisory Council Engages leaders to ensure impactful strategies and advocate for effective policies, providing input, guidance and feedback on implementation of strategic plan Create Silicon Valley where everyone can thrive through equitable, economically secure and vibrant future for all. uuid-2b3c4d5e-6f7a-8b9c-0d1e-2f3a4b5c6d7e Connect people, ideas and resources to transform systems and ensure equity and opportunity for all by advancing innovative philanthropic solutions to challenging problems. uuid-3c4d5e6f-7a8b-9c0d-1e2f-3a4b5c6d7e8f Equity Focus Address systemic disparities as preeminent strategic priority and unifying goal of all funding initiatives. Community Power Invest in building community power by supporting Black and Indigenous leaders and leaders of color and their organizations. System Transformation Build equity and transform systems rather than providing only direct services. Inclusive Participation Ensure historically marginalized communities have opportunities to shape and influence decisions that impact their lives. Cross-Sector Collaboration Act as hands-on collaborator, catalyst and connector harnessing resources, expertise and skills across sectors. Early Childhood Give all children and families access to care, education and resources they need to flourish through investments in high-quality early childhood development programs. 3e06052d-309c-43ad-9978-096a5a88614f 1 Young Children Children in first years of life receiving care and education as building blocks to future success. Families Parents pursuing careers and education while accessing affordable childcare for their children. Every child deserves best possible start in life. Care and education children receive in first years of life are building blocks to future success. Nobel-winner James Heckman's research shows early childhood development programs deliver better outcomes in education, health, employment and social behavior in decades that follow. In Silicon Valley 42% of kids live in households not self-sufficient and don't have enough to cover basic needs. Biggest driver is cost of child care. Families with two youngsters under five paying equivalent of two college tuitions to go back to work. Silicon Valley faces serious shortage of skilled caregivers leaving families scrambling for support. Child care costs have risen twice as rapidly as regional inflation rate since 2010. Director of early childhood initiatives is Christine Thorsteinson who emphasizes bottom line is that early childhood programs need greater public investment. SVCF making commitment to invest deeply and stay in work for long haul as long work with no quick fix. SVCF supported KQED grant to increase public awareness of challenges facing early childhood development through journalism and digital media storytelling. Kindergarten Ready Ensure every child has resources to enter kindergarten ready to learn through quality early care and education. 9f3c81b7-ad02-4354-aada-29adebd20377 1.1 Affordable Childcare Address childcare affordability crisis so families can access quality care without paying equivalent of two college tuitions. 37159fb5-8dd7-4edd-ae54-b5f8dc0f6fb7 1.2 Caregiver Workforce Address serious shortage of skilled caregivers by supporting workforce development and wage improvements for early educators. dadceb4c-85d9-48cb-ac81-6bf515cf3618 1.3 Public Investment Advocate for greater public investment in early childhood programs through policy engagement and partnerships. 820001f9-6ea5-4734-b29e-c03cfd72ae71 1.4 Public Awareness Elevate stories around childhood development through journalism grants so issues receive coverage alongside housing, crime and climate change. fa71a3ac-a31c-4c4d-bff8-134afdb2233c 1.5 SVCF grant to KQED helped fund reporter Thu-Huong Ha Nguyen's stories on childhood development which have been picked up by National Public Radio's national programs spreading message further. Financial Stability Advocate for equitable policy reforms and sustainable income strategies for all communities to address Silicon Valley's endemic and growing income inequality. 34e6b262-95c5-4aa5-b1e1-310bdf25da74 2 Low-Income Residents Households with inadequate income to meet basic needs without public or private assistance. Silicon Valley's endemic and growing income inequality is at root of many biggest challenges region faces. Top 1% of households has 48 times more of total wealth than bottom 50% according to 2023 Silicon Index. Large swaths of Silicon Valley's population struggle to get by as reflected in sharp increases in food assistance. Double-digit percentages of residents including disproportionate share of children need assistance but ineligible for public benefits because income exceeds eligibility thresholds. SVCF supports range of initiatives for financial literacy, economic security, career development through Advancing Financial Stability program. Past recipients include Joint Venture Silicon Valley, Tax Aid, West Valley Community Services of Santa Clara County. Approximately 129,400 households with inadequate income in Santa Clara County to meet own basic needs without public or private/informal assistance according to Joint Venture Silicon Valley report on guaranteed basic income which SVCF helped fund. Wealth Gap Close racial wealth gap in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties where top 1% has 48 times more wealth than bottom 50%. 55132413-de2a-4f0e-813d-9e7d3669f19e 2.1 Economic Mobility Support economic mobility and stability through financial literacy, economic security and career development programs. 8f3cf224-b280-41b7-b6c3-8c8065b87539 2.2 Living Wages Ensure every employee is paid wage that allows them to thrive not simply survive through policy advocacy. efeff73b-7e49-4d1c-b576-7620c752176d 2.3 Basic Income Champion guaranteed basic income programs from pilots to policy including foster youth, homeless families and extremely low-income residents. d5b25213-6506-4b52-90ac-63d47716869a 2.4 SVCF was early investor in guaranteed basic income. Over past five years supported GBI pilot programs for foster youth ages 18-24 in Santa Clara County, families experiencing or on brink of homelessness in east San Jose, and extremely low-income residents in Mountain View and South San Francisco. SVCF investment in guaranteed basic income programs felt statewide with Governor Newsom's introduction of new GBI initiative. SVCF in leadership position in transition from pilots to policy. Housing Invest in strategies that create communities where everyone has place to live because having place to live is human right. 71e877d2-93e2-4a7c-82c0-16de804d01b6 3 Low-Income Households Low-income and extremely low-income households needing affordable housing and displacement prevention. SVCF believes having place to live is human right. Goal is to invest in strategies that will create communities in which everyone has place to live. SVCF addresses local housing crisis by supporting production and preservation of affordable housing for low-income and extremely low-income households, addressing policy reforms, and helping organizations that protect people's housing and prevent displacement. Catalyzes funding and works to connect local leaders with community residents for direct input on solutions. Housing impact area prioritizes affordable housing initiatives led by grassroots and equity-focused community groups. Grants target policy, advocacy and leadership for affordable housing development as opposed to direct services or housing development. Grantees include Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County, Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California, Regional Tenant Organizing Project, and SV@Home. Advances affordable housing, tenant protections, and equitable land-use through collaborative policy-focused efforts. Affordable Production Support production and preservation of affordable housing for low-income and extremely low-income households through grassroots initiatives. 86625331-5151-464e-a2b7-53f705ecd938 3.1 Policy Reform Address policy reforms for equitable land-use, tenant protections and affordable housing development through advocacy. 93ed95ce-63db-4f22-b7f5-a952dfc5c546 3.2 Displacement Prevention Help organizations protect people's housing and prevent displacement through collaborative efforts with community residents. a7ccfaae-5cbc-4f7c-9033-3041a7474846 3.3 Community Input Connect local leaders with community residents for direct input on housing solutions. 0cd3bdcd-bbba-48fd-bf83-4662c8989b15 3.4 Equity Forward Close racial wealth gap in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties through multi-sector movement bringing together nonprofit, higher education, government and employers. c50f4f08-1399-44ef-8a8c-97e56654967b 4 Regional Sectors Nonprofit organizations, higher education institutions, government agencies and employers working together to champion racial equity. Equity Forward is multi-sector movement to close racial wealth gap in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Silicon Valley is both region of tremendous prosperity and tremendous need yet massive economic gap exists along racial lines that only widened after COVID pandemic began. Since one sector alone cannot solve these issues Equity Forward brings together region's biggest sectors to focus on racial inequity and change policies and practices to address systemic barriers. Vision is Silicon Valley in which wealth creation is norm for all communities. SVCF serves as backbone organization supporting Equity Forward initiative. Goal is to build stronger ecosystem of sectors working closely together to champion racial equity to more effectively support economic mobility for all in communities. Sector Collaboration Bring together nonprofit, higher education, government and employer sectors to focus on racial inequity and change policies. acb30533-da07-4fdc-b37d-f344d61ce16b 4.1 Systemic Barriers Change policies and practices to address systemic barriers that created economic gap along racial lines. 418adf00-4242-4c20-abba-0fd3d2a08213 4.2 Wealth Creation Make wealth creation norm for all communities so every employee can thrive not simply survive. b63933af-79e6-41bc-8cc5-f987416fe774 4.3 Backbone Support Serve as backbone organization coordinating multi-sector collaboration for economic mobility. d7751492-b6f8-45cd-87f2-18325b15105d 4.4 Community Grants Identify and support organizations across issue areas that foster creativity and build community power through Community Action Grants Program using equity lens. 17d64975-e88c-406a-bede-d347d00258cd 5 Local Nonprofits Organizations with budgets under $3M serving San Mateo and Santa Clara counties across arts, culture, environment, faith, neighborhoods, health, journalism and movement-building. Using equity lens Community Action Grants Program identifies and supports organizations across issue areas that foster creativity and help build community's power to promote equitable, economically secure and vibrant Silicon Valley. SVCF awards grants through open Request for Proposals. Nonprofits may apply to multiple strategies through one application designed to recognize important intersectional and intersectoral work. Funding areas include Arts & Culture, Environment, Faith and Neighborhoods, Health, Local Journalism, and Movement- and Power-building. Organizations must have annual budget under $3M with additional preference for budgets under $1.5M. Must be located and/or serving San Mateo and/or Santa Clara counties. Organizations with 501(c)(3) designation, fiscal sponsors with 501(c)(3), public agencies, collaborations of nonprofit and public agencies, or other entities with designated charitable purpose considered. Community Action Grants program established in response to recommendations from community partners. 2026 program opens Monday March 2. Arts Culture Support organizations at intersection of arts, culture and civic engagement across range of creative media. 91cfa93c-8d3f-490c-8472-4d6cf6445be3 5.1 Local Journalism Support local programs across print, video and digital journalism and storytelling platforms with priority on youth and participatory programs. f4caf3b5-2d00-4e17-bfa0-057fb2776676 5.2 Past grantees include Mosaic Journalism Program, San Jose News Bureau, New Voices for youth, Renaissance Journalism and Storytelling Center. Movement Building Fund organizations utilizing strategies central to building power including policy advocacy, voter engagement and grassroots campaigns for social justice. b116e6a0-3549-4ed3-9840-daad9657cacf 5.3 Funding prioritizes grassroots groups and campaigns for social justice and change across racial justice, worker's rights, health, equitable education, voter engagement and more. Grantees include Redwood City Together, Santa Clara County Asian Law Alliance, South Bay Youth Changemakers, African American Community Service Agency of Santa Clara. Faith Neighborhoods Support faith-based organizations working with underserved communities, investing in community leadership and increasing civic participation to address housing and immigration. e6d3c2a6-6467-439b-8c61-b49fc03153de 5.4 Intersectional Work Recognize intersectional and intersectoral work of nonprofits through application allowing organizations one entry to be considered across multiple focus areas. b93ec0e2-04da-4c2b-99c8-c54490703fdf 5.5 Special Initiatives Launch and participate in targeted initiatives and cross-sector solutions that multiply reach and impact through partnerships with philanthropic, government and corporate leaders. eee2652e-f8a1-483e-a6a2-039a3a61c708 6 Community Leaders Philanthropists, community and movement-leaders, businesses and leaders in local and state government partnering on systemic change. SVCF launches and participates in initiatives and cross-sector solutions that multiply reach and impact. Most targeted initiatives are three to six years in length. Occasionally takes on shorter high-impact projects. Silicon Valley Community Foundation is hands-on collaborator, catalyst and connector. Partners are philanthropists, community and movement-leaders, businesses and leaders in local and state government. Helps harness and mobilize incredible resources, expertise and skills of Silicon Valley community to deliver systemic changes that will create lasting impact. Strategic Initiatives and Special Projects are by invitation only. LatinXCEL Fund Call for funding for Silicon Valley's Latinx-allied nonprofits through long-term investments in partnership with Castellano Family Foundation. 66b4928a-de47-44df-97a7-ef2b975cedf3 6.1 Black Freedom Support California Black Freedom Fund as original donor funding California-based groups working to eliminate systemic racism. 807c5c1c-64c0-4140-8f34-547161fff6ce 6.2 SVCF was one of original donors to fund creation of California Black Freedom Fund at end of 2020. CBFF is grantmaking organization funding California-based groups seeking to eliminate systemic racism through advocacy for redistricting, racial equity and criminal justice reform. Emergency Response Act as vital resource through Emergency and Disaster Relief Fund when unexpected disasters or problems impede community progress including COVID-19 pandemic. 43590c23-a584-453a-a2d7-835a1ee07cc6 6.3 As community foundation SVCF uniquely positioned to meet ongoing needs of local communities and take on unexpected challenges including COVID-19 pandemic. Leading multiple efforts with Bay Area philanthropic, government and corporate partners to assist those most deeply affected. Silicon Valley Gives Host annual 24-hour giving day engaging thousands of donors and hundreds of local nonprofits for capacity building and community fundraising. c5be66c1-fdc1-497b-9926-6100f1079c1a 6.4 SVCF created and hosted Silicon Valley Gives, Bay Area's first 24-hour giving day, May 6, 2014. Event raised $8,000,833 with 14,889 unique donors and more than 21,869 donations. SVCF hosted more than 20 trainings for more than 650 local nonprofits to help capacity build leading up to event. Philanthropic Services Provide personalized philanthropic advice and flexible charitable giving solutions for individuals, families, corporations and professional advisors through donor-advised funds and endowments. 5e34bd42-b465-4dd9-a766-42925959a707 7 Donors Individuals, families, corporations and their professional advisors seeking to build legacy of philanthropic impact. SVCF offers multiple charitable fund types including donor-advised, designated, field-of-interest, scholarship, and nonprofit endowment funds. Provides philanthropic advising to individuals, families, and corporations to support giving strategies, nonprofit selection, and grant administration. For corporate partners foundation manages corporate giving programs and offers services related to corporate responsibility, compliance, and program design. Supports nonprofit sustainability through Community Partner Endowment Program which helps eligible organizations build long-term financial resources. As donor-advised fund sponsor IRS allows donors to claim tax benefit immediately upon donating assets to donor advised fund but may defer when assets distributed as grants to charities. Foundation not legally required to distribute any assets like family foundations are. Donor Funds Administer donor-advised funds providing tax benefits while enabling strategic philanthropic giving aligned with donor values. 55463984-93fe-427f-98e2-6abdabc13f46 7.1 Corporate Giving Manage corporate giving programs and accelerate corporate responsibility strategies through compliance and program design services. 9072f04d-15e7-4945-9f8b-6e2cb48794ee 7.2 Scholarship Programs Manage scholarship programs supporting educational access and attainment for students in region. 59593639-f1a0-484a-a9ba-688b96b5ca90 7.3 Nonprofit Endowments Strengthen financial futures of impactful nonprofit organizations through Community Partner Endowment Program helping build long-term resources. 1fc10b86-4eb3-429c-b436-d8994dad7f0f 7.4 Philanthropic Advising Provide personalized philanthropic advice to build donor legacy of impact through nonprofit selection and giving strategies. 8df8a70a-75a2-439a-aedb-0db4bf11b6e4 7.5 2024-01-01 2030-12-31 2026-02-10 https://www.svcf.org Owen Ambur Owen.Ambur@verizon.net