← Back to US Funders Directory

Silicon Valley Community Foundation

Annual Giving
$1.5B
Grant Range
$21K - $0.1M
Decision Time
3mo

Silicon Valley Community Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $1.54 billion (2024)
  • Decision Time: 8-10 weeks
  • Grant Range: $21,000 - $80,000 (Community Action Grants)
  • Average Grant: $30,000 (Community Action Grants)
  • Geographic Focus: San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, CA (local focus); also national and international
  • Budget Limit: Organizations with budgets over $3 million are not eligible for Community Action Grants

Contact Details

Main Office: 2440 El Camino Real, Suite 300 Mountain View, CA 94040

Phone: 650-450-5400 Website: www.svcf.org

Grant Inquiries: Email: applysvcfgrants@siliconvalleycf.org

General Donations: Email: donate@svcf.org

Overview

Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) was established in 2007 through the merger of Peninsula Community Foundation and Community Foundation Silicon Valley. As one of the largest community foundations in the United States, SVCF has averaged over $1 billion in grantmaking annually over the last five years. In 2024, the foundation granted $1.54 billion to more than 6,000 nonprofits and community organizations locally, across the country, and around the world, with $327 million directed specifically to Bay Area nonprofit organizations.

SVCF operates primarily through donor-advised funds, allowing individual donors to recommend how their charitable dollars are distributed. Under the leadership of President and CEO Nicole Taylor (appointed in November 2018), SVCF has shifted its strategic approach to center equity and racial justice in all its work. The foundation's mission is to support strong and engaged communities building equity for Silicon Valley residents, addressing the region's housing crisis, childhood education gaps, and economic disparities through grantmaking, advocacy, research, and policy work.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Community Action Grants (Open Application)

  • Average grant: $30,000
  • Range: Up to $80,000 for organizations applying to multiple focus areas with exceptionally strong cases
  • Funding type: General operating support
  • Application method: Annual competitive process, one round per year
  • Application window: March 3-31, 2025 (2026 dates to be announced)
  • Budget requirement: Organizations must have budgets under $3 million

Focus areas for Community Action Grants:

  1. Arts & Culture - Strengthening social fabric, nurturing artistic expression, creating community-driven solutions
  2. Environment - Building power of communities impacted by environmental disparities, supporting environmental policy participation
  3. Faith & Neighborhoods - Community-based initiatives
  4. Health - Community-based, equity-driven solutions; improving access to care; culturally responsive mental health services
  5. Local Journalism - Coverage of hyper-local issues in underserved communities, community-driven stories
  6. Movement- and Power-Building - Amplifying voices of historically underrepresented communities

Strategic Initiatives (Invitation-Only)

  • Early Childhood Development - Access to care, education, and resources; strengthening early childhood infrastructure
  • Advancing Financial Stability - Equitable policy reforms, financial literacy, economic security, career development
  • Housing - Creating communities where everyone has a place to live; addressing housing challenges

Other Programs:

  • Community Opportunity Fund - Time-sensitive community issues and innovative ideas
  • Emergency and Disaster Relief Fund - Immediate and long-term disaster recovery for 10-county Bay Area region
  • Community Lifeline Fund - Rapid-response support for food, housing, healthcare, legal services
  • LatinXCEL Fund - Supporting Latinx-led organizations
  • Equity Forward - Partnership-focused initiatives

Priority Areas

  • Organizations led by people of color and allied organizations
  • Programs with clear racial justice focus
  • Community-engaged program design and implementation (community members in leadership roles)
  • Organizations serving San Mateo and Santa Clara counties
  • Smaller organizations (budgets under $3 million) for Community Action Grants
  • General operating support rather than project-specific funding

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations with budgets over $3 million (for Community Action Grants)
  • Organizations that do not serve San Mateo or Santa Clara counties
  • Religious organizations unless the project serves the wider community without regard to religious beliefs
  • Strategic Initiatives and Special Project funds do not accept unsolicited proposals (invitation-only)

Governance and Leadership

President and CEO: Nicole Taylor (appointed November 2018)

Board Chair: Greta S. Hansen

Recent Board Additions:

  • John W. Thompson - Former Microsoft Chairman, over four decades in technology sector leadership
  • Adrian Ludwig - Tools for Humanity, cybersecurity expert (Atlassian, Google background)
  • David Chun - Corporate governance and board diversity expert
  • Archana Sathaye - Career spanning industry, academia, and nonprofits

Investment Committee: Advisory committee composed of board directors and community volunteers with deep investment expertise, assisting the board in fulfilling fiduciary responsibilities.

Leadership Philosophy: Nicole Taylor has been recognized as Inside Philanthropy's Community Foundation Leader of the Year and named to the Silicon Valley Business Journal Power 100. Her quotes reflect SVCF's approach:

"I want philanthropy to actually listen to the people who are on the ground doing the work, leading the work. And give them the resources and get out of the way... And I also want philanthropy to share their power with the very people they're trying to serve."

"All of this work has a race and equity lens to it and helping communities build and exercise their own power. It's about allowing people to chart their own path."

"The pandemic exacerbated all of the inequities that existed before and as we build back a better normal, we must keep that in mind through economic mobility, early childhood education, and economic justice... We need to build back a Silicon Valley that works for everyone, not just the folks in the top one percent."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Community Action Grants (Public Application Process):

  1. Application Period: March 3-31 annually (dates may vary by year; check website for current cycle)
  2. Application Portal: applysvcfgrants.communityforce.com
  3. Application Type: One application can cover up to two priority focus areas
  4. Grant Request: Organizations do not specify a requested amount; SVCF determines award amounts based on review
  5. Support Available: SVCF staff offer virtual office hours and email support (applysvcfgrants@siliconvalleycf.org) for programmatic, capacity-building, and technical questions

Required Application Materials:

  • Budget for current fiscal year (FY 2025 or FY 2024-2025)
  • Demonstration of community engagement in program design and implementation
  • For fiscally sponsored projects: sponsor agreement outlining roles/fees and advisory board member list

Strategic Initiatives and Special Projects:

  • Invitation-only; no unsolicited proposals accepted

Decision Timeline

  • Application closes: March 31 (11:59 a.m. Pacific Time)
  • Decision timeframe: 8-10 weeks after application closes
  • Announcement: Mid-June for March applications

Review Process:

  1. SVCF staff assess alignment with eligibility criteria
  2. Community advisory board provides feedback on staff recommendations
  3. SVCF staff formulate final recommendations across all focus areas
  4. SVCF leadership reviews all staff recommendations

Success Rates

While specific acceptance rates are not published, in 2025 SVCF awarded $2.4 million through Community Action Grants to 96 organizations, with an average grant of $21,000 (note: the foundation states the typical average is $30,000, suggesting variation by year).

Reapplication Policy

Yes, organizations can reapply. All organizations that meet eligibility criteria can apply, even if they received funding in the previous year. Previous applicants may use an import tool to carry over prior responses, streamlining the reapplication process.

Application Success Factors

Based on SVCF's documented guidance and leadership statements, the following factors are critical:

1. Center Racial Justice and Equity Organizations must demonstrate a clear focus on racial justice with a plan to center the community they serve in leadership, design, and implementation of programs. As Nicole Taylor emphasized, "Equity is part and parcel of our entire sector."

2. Community Leadership and Engagement SVCF strongly values organizations where community members are in leadership positions and drive program design. This aligns with Taylor's philosophy: "I want philanthropy to actually listen to the people who are on the ground doing the work, leading the work."

3. Organizations Led by People of Color Organizations led by people of color and allied organizations are highly encouraged to apply. SVCF has made a strategic commitment to support organizations that amplify voices and agency of historically underrepresented communities.

4. General Operating Support Focus SVCF's Community Action Grants provide general operating support, recognizing that unrestricted funding allows organizations to be most effective and responsive to community needs.

5. Collaborative Approach SVCF emphasizes that grants are "a catalyst for systemic change" through equity and collaboration. Demonstrate how your organization partners with others and works toward systems-level change.

6. Grassroots and Small Organizations Welcome With a budget cap of $3 million, SVCF is particularly accessible for smaller community-based nonprofits. The foundation explicitly supports grassroots organizations working directly in communities.

7. Multiple Focus Areas Organizations can apply to up to two priority areas in a single application. Those that make "exceptionally strong" cases in multiple areas may receive larger awards (up to $80,000 total).

8. Building Community Power Applications should demonstrate how the work helps communities "build and exercise their own power" and chart their own path, rather than imposing external solutions.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Equity lens is non-negotiable - Every application must demonstrate how racial justice and equity are centered in your work, with community members driving decision-making
  • Small organizations are ideal candidates - With a $3 million budget cap, SVCF explicitly targets grassroots and community-based organizations
  • General operating support simplifies applications - Focus on your organization's overall mission and impact rather than specific projects
  • Reapplication is encouraged - Previous applicants can reapply annually and use tools to import past responses
  • Geographic focus is strict - Must serve San Mateo or Santa Clara counties; organizations headquartered elsewhere must demonstrate significant local service or partnerships
  • One application window annually - Plan ahead for the March application period; there are no rolling deadlines
  • Take advantage of support - SVCF staff offer virtual office hours and email support; use these resources to strengthen your application
  • Don't specify an amount - SVCF determines award amounts based on review; focus on demonstrating strong need and impact instead

References

Research completed: December 16, 2025

← Back to US Funders Directory