SVCF Philanthropy Now Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Philanthropy Now podcast: An update on SVCF's COVID-19 response efforts and what's to come Apr 08, 2020

Show notes

As a trusted leader in the philanthropic realm, Silicon Valley Community Foundation is leading a COVID-19 Regional Response effort in the Bay Area counties.

In this episode, SVCF President and CEO Nicole Taylor and Executive Vice President of Community Impact Erica Wood discuss the foundation's regional response initiative. The conversation highlights the critical partnerships across sectors, the Silicon Valley and San Mateo Strong initiatives and SVCF's donor engagement and fundraising goals.

In SVCF's Philanthropy Now podcast series, we explore trends in the world of philanthropy, social impact initiatives in Silicon Valley and beyond, and we look at how SVCF promotes innovative philanthropic solutions to challenging problems.

Access the full show notes at siliconvalleycf.org

Philanthropy Now podcast: Addressing homelessness through the Housing Ready Communities initiative Apr 01, 2020

Show notes

Robert Stromberg leads the Housing Ready Communities initiative at Destination: Home, a public-private partnership serving as the backbone organization for collective impact strategies to end homelessness in Santa Clara County, California.

In this episode, SVCF's Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships, Mauricio Palma, explores with Stromberg the intersection between civic engagement and collective impact. They specifically speak about the value of resident action as an essential ingredient in our collective work to end homelessness in Silicon Valley.

Access the full show notes at siliconvalleycf.org

Philanthropy Now podcast: Defending civil rights with Vanita Gupta Mar 18, 2020

Show notes

Vanita Gupta is President and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the nation's oldest and largest civil rights coalition.

In this episode, SVCF's Senior Vice President of Public Policy, Gina Dalma, speaks with Gupta about her work advancing criminal justice reform; prosecuting hate crimes and human trafficking; defending voting rights, combating discrimination and more. They also discuss philanthropy's role in protecting civil rights for all.

In our Philanthropy Now podcast series, we explore trends in the world of philanthropy, social impact initiatives in Silicon Valley and beyond, and we look at how SVCF promotes innovative philanthropic solutions to challenging problems.

Access the full show notes at siliconvalleycf.org

Philanthropy Now podcast: Safety net services protect every zip code in Santa Clara County Mar 04, 2020

Show notes

Everyone experiences emergencies from time to time. For some Silicon Valley residents, however, each day is a struggle for financial stability and independence. When an emergency hits, they need somewhere to turn for help. The goal of the Emergency Assistance Network of Santa Clara County is to prevent homelessness, act as a safety net for residents facing eviction, utility disconnection and hunger, and help them return to self-sufficiency.

Access the full show notes at siliconvalleycf.org

Philanthropy Now podcast: "A few crazy coastsiders" design local giving day Feb 19, 2020

Show notes

Mavericks Community Foundation Trustee Mary Oldham has worked and lived on the San Mateo County Coastside since 1980. She's an investor in Half Moon Bay Brewing Company, and though recently retired from her role there as director of marketing, continues to invest her time and resources to improve the Coastside community.

Access the full show notes at siliconvalleycf.org

Philanthropy Now podcast: Getting to know Kimberly Myers Hewlett Feb 05, 2020

Show notes

Kimberly Myers Hewlett is one of the newest additions to the SVCF leadership team. Serving as senior vice president, donor engagement, she leads SVCF's efforts to build and bolster relationships between SVCF donors and local nonprofits.

In this episode, SVCF Executive Vice President, Marketing and Communications, Melissa Daar Carvajal, speaks with Hewlett about her background and her initial observations since joining SVCF. They also discuss what inspires her to work in philanthropy and her vision for donor engagement moving forward.

Access the full show notes at siliconvalleycf.org

Philanthropy Now Podcast: Student Support is Critical to College Completion Jan 22, 2020

Show notes

Over the last decade, government funding for higher education has decreased by more than $9 billion dollars. The rising costs of a college education have primarily fallen on students and their families. Through partnerships with local nonprofits and generous donors, SVCF offers a variety of innovative scholarships that provide students not only with needed funds, but with coaching and support services to help them successfully graduate from college. Last year SVCF managed 47 scholarship programs, which awarded more than $2.5 million in awards to 500 different recipients.

In this episode, SVCF Scholarships Officer Dean Taylor talks with Savonna Stender-Bondesson, Coach Supervisor for Pivotal, a nonprofit helping foster youth enter and graduate from college, and Sarah Gentle, a Pivotal Scholar. Their conversation highlights the challenges students face and the successes of Pivotal's Bay Area program. Access the full show notes at siliconvalleycf.org

Philanthropy Now Podcast: Why We Need to Think About Housing Differently, with author Alex Schafran Jan 08, 2020

Show notes

Scholar, teacher and activist Alex Schafran tells a powerful story of "the suburbanization of poverty, the failures of regional planning, urban sprawl, NIMBYism and political fragmentation between middle class white environmentalists and communities of color," in his recent book The Road to Resegregation: Northern California and the Failure of Politics.

In this episode, Schafran and SVCF Housing and Transportation Program Officer Vinita Goyal share their thoughts on recent housing successes, following legislative wins at the state level. They also discuss the popular "3 Ps" housing framework which focuses on protection, preservation and production, and tackle big questions like what to prioritize and how to incorporate diverse perspectives.

Access the full show notes at siliconvalleycf.org

Twenty Years of Community Impact Dec 18, 2019

Show notes

Vice President of Community Impact, Manuel Santamaria, has worked at Silicon Valley Community Foundation for more than 20 years, joining SVCF's predecessor, the Peninsula Community Foundation, in 1999 as a program officer.

In this episode, Manny sits down with SVCF Senior Vice President of Public Policy, Gina Dalma, to share some of his career highlights, philanthropy trends he is seeing, learning opportunities and what keeps him energized after two decades in the field. Access the full show notes at siliconvalleycf.org

Collaboration is key to tackling Silicon Valley's challenges Dec 04, 2019

Show notes

In this podcast episode, Silicon Valley Community Foundation is pleased to feature a conversation between SVCF board member Wade Loo and Nicole Taylor, our president and CEO.

Wade has been a board member since 2015, and Nicole has now been at her post for 11 months. Listen in on their conversation, in which they reflect on 2019 and discuss what's ahead in 2020.

Access the full show notes at siliconvalleycf.org