September 25, 2023 Can This Sustainability Challenge Help Revive a Struggling City? September 25, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen Deloitte, Salesforce and the World Economic Forum launched a challenge that they hope will help revive a struggling San Francisco. But can backing social entrepreneurs really pull the city out of its “doom loop?”Read More
September 20, 2023 AI in Education? Salesforce Takes the Plunge September 20, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen Artificial intelligence loomed very large at several recent Bay Area functions hosted by Salesforce. As the trailblazing corporate funder leans into AI in its education giving, are there pitfalls to consider?Read More
September 07, 2023 Stephen and Ayesha Curry Tell Us About the Future of Their Philanthropy September 07, 2023/ Ade Adeniji The NBA power couple are ramping up their giving in their adopted home city of Oakland, with a continued focus on healthy food, education and recreation for youth. We connected with them to learn more.Read More
August 30, 2023 “The Time Was Right.” How Three Funders Joined Forces to Simplify the Grant Application Process August 30, 2023/ Mike Scutari The Common App for the Arts, launched by three Bay Area foundations, consolidates each funder’s grants on a single user interface. We look at how it came together, plans for future iterations and more. Read More
August 24, 2023 Eight Questions for Ray Colmenar, President of the Akonadi Foundation August 24, 2023/ Martha Ramirez Ray Colmenar recently succeeded Lateefah Simon as president of the Oakland-based Akonadi Foundation. We spoke to him about his career, the notion of co-governance, Akonadi’s racial justice commitments and more.Read More
August 17, 2023 A Look at the Transparent and Accessible Community Foundation of Sonoma County August 17, 2023/ Alyssa Ochs CFSC is one of the leading community foundations in the Bay Area. Let’s dive into CFSC’s grantmaking to learn more about how to approach this accessible funder for support.Read More
August 09, 2023 A Family Foundation's Legacy of Supporting Latino Communities Will Live on Through a New Fund August 09, 2023/ Martha Ramirez The Castellano Family Foundation, which was founded after the family behind it won the lottery, has sunsetted. But its work will live on through a new fund housed at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.Read More
June 21, 2023 Facing Deep Regional Inequality, Silicon Valley Community Foundation Zeroes in on Early Childhood June 21, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen Silicon Valley has pockets of deep poverty — and child care deserts — alongside areas of immense, tech-fueled wealth. SVCF’s Christine Thorsteinson details the foundation’s efforts boost access to quality early education.Read More
June 16, 2023 What Jewish Charities in the Bay Area Should Know About the Milton and Sophie Meyer Fund June 16, 2023/ Alyssa Ochs The Milton and Sophie Meyer Fund stands out for its narrow focus regarding both geography and what it supports. Here is an overview of this funder and what backs in the Bay Area.Read More
June 13, 2023 Magic Cabinet: A Matchmaking Participatory Grantmaker Helps Teams of Grantees Build Capacity June 13, 2023/ Wendy Paris This Bay Area and Pacific Northwest funder has a unique take on participatory grantmaking, inviting small cohorts of grantees to share flexible, capacity-building funds. Magic Cabinet’s leadership explains how it works.Read More
May 18, 2023 Six Questions for Cathy Cha, President and CEO of the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund May 18, 2023/ Martha Ramirez We spoke with the leader of this prominent California social justice funder to discuss her career, her experience as the daughter of Korean immigrants, threats to American democracy, and more.Read More
May 01, 2023 This Bay Area Grantmaker’s Pushing for Good Nonprofit Jobs. Will Other Funders Take a Cue? May 01, 2023/ Dawn Wolfe With its new $24.5 million Endeavor Fund, the Walter & Elise Haas Fund made a point of selecting grantees committed to their workers’ wellbeing. Haas is also being loud and proud about that fact in front of other funders.Read More
April 21, 2023 A Look at Venture Capitalist Burt McMurtry’s Bay Area Philanthropy April 21, 2023/ Alyssa Ochs Burton J. McMurtry was a Silicon Valley venture capital investor who created a family foundation before his death in 2018. Here are some details about the McMurtry Family Foundation to guide Bay Area nonprofits.Read More
April 21, 2023 Seven Questions for Dr. Hanh Cao Yu, Chief Learning Officer at The California Endowment April 21, 2023/ Martha Ramirez We caught up with Dr. Hanh Cao Yu to talk about how her experiences as a refugee of the war in Vietnam shaped her, what led to her career in philanthropy, her current work, and more.Read More
April 04, 2023 A Conversation With Sushma Raman, the New President and CEO of Heising-Simons Foundation April 04, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen This Bay Area funder moved $155 million last year for a mix of science, education, climate and more. We talked to the head of the foundation about her plans, the state of philanthropy, and what she likes to do in her free time.Read More
March 10, 2023 An Overview of the Marini Family Trust’s California Funding March 10, 2023/ Alyssa Ochs The Marini Family Trust operates as a family foundation and carries out the legacy of Frank Marini, a prominent San Franciscan and philanthropist. Here’s how Bay Area groups can approach this funder for support.Read More
March 09, 2023 Salesforce Stumbles, but Its Equity-Focused Philanthropy Marches On March 09, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen The tech giant has hit rocky terrain of late, but the company’s philanthropy continues to move millions. Its Catalyst Fund is supporting Black-led nonprofits promoting leadership and job skills for young people of color. Read More
February 02, 2023 Sergey Brin's Off-the-Radar Foundation Is Huge — and Growing Fast. Here’s What We Know About It February 02, 2023/ Michael Kavate Sergey Brin’s foundation has nearly $5 billion in assets and a portfolio spanning Parkinson’s disease, science and activism. It’s not known for transparency, but we do know a fair amount about what it supports and why.Read More
December 22, 2022 How the Margoes Foundation Approaches Grantmaking in the Bay Area December 22, 2022/ Alyssa Ochs Here’s an overview of how the Margoes Foundation approaches grantmaking in Northern California, with a focus on two specific funding niches.Read More
December 21, 2022 What the Marino Family Charitable Foundation Supports in California December 21, 2022/ Alyssa Ochs Gary and Gail Marino created their own family foundation after being inspired by their daughter, who was born with Down syndrome. Here are a few things to know about the Marino Family Charitable Foundation’s California giving.Read More