Each year, we gather to learn about our social impact with our Grantee Partners, celebrate progress, openly discuss challenges, and understand ways to support. We had a great Grantee Partner Updates and Celebration call on May 20th. Our event was a strong reminder of all the goodness happening in our community, the inspiring and highly successful leadership of those with lived experiences and expertise, and the importance of collaboration and solidarity in our changemaking. The life-changing and transformative work of these organizations continues to be so important through these very challenging times.
Here are some examples of what our Grantee Partners are proud of:
- Ambition Angels: Expanding from direct-service with students to also integrating with nonprofits and schools.
- Ayudando Latinos A Soñar (ALAS): Purchase of a 3,628 sq. ft. building in downtown Half Moon Bay. This purchase creates a lasting home for the community-based arts and cultural programs that have defined ALAS for over a decade.
- Brightline Defense: Policy wins highlighted in: Rewiring for Justice: How California Can Power Equitable Transmission (2025).
- Climate Resilient Communities: Climate Change Community Teams – community members leading programs in the community, building agency, leading climate change and sea level rise, as well as environmental justice work.
- Code Tenderloin: Doubling budget and growing staff size, becoming an independent 501(c)(3).
- College is Real: Creating College Success Program, making sure students working towards degrees are successful beyond just getting accepted into college.
- Friends for Youth: Expanding to schools and communities with youth who need mentorship the most.
- Pal Center: Advising San Mateo County on youth engagement and centering in community voice, sharing how the organization grew, and exploring how Pal Center can be a partner in providing wrap-around services.
- Puente de la Costa Sur: Created a mobile dental clinic with a lot of community support, and unanimous vote, and commitment from local representatives to continue this project.
- Redwood City Together: Creating jobs for young people, advisory spaces for youth to be decision makers and board members, and creating professional development opportunities.
- Tarjimly: Impacting 197,004 beneficiaries globally through our translation and interpretation services.
We also warmly welcome our newest Grantee Partners: Parent Voices, PODER, Learning Home Volunteers, and The José Valdés Math Institute to the SV2 family!
The work and progress of all of these outstanding changemakers and leaders make us very hopeful about our present and our future. SV2 highly recommends these organizations for further funding and support. You can see their calls to action, upcoming events, and donation links on their websites linked above, or get in touch with them directly.
SV2’s Committee unanimously and enthusiastically confirmed the next round of unrestricted funding for all Grantee Partners entering Year 2 or Year 3 of their grant period with SV2. It was also very meaningful to hear updates from our Grantee Partners who are terming out of their grant period with SV2: Code Tenderloin, College is Real, Pal Center, and Puente de la Costa Sur. We wish them the best and know we’ll still be great friends!
Here are some quotes from our celebration that highlight the trust, partnership, and friendship we strive to have with our Grantee Partners:
- “These brain trust style sessions (with SV2) are golden!… I’m grateful for SV2 being in our corner as we’re building a future where teens can imagine and pursue thriving careers” – Remi Sobomehin, Executive Director, Ambition Angels
- “I love SV2 for their creativity, the way they lead and engage with nonprofits. Our organization has gained so much beyond the dollars, during a critical time for us in the past couple of years with so much happening in our community…” – Ivan Martínez, Executive Director, Pal Center
Each of our Grantee Partners is paired with 1-2 Partner Champions whom they select. These SV2 Partner Champions and our staff cultivate strong relationships, support our Grantee Partners, and connect them to our broader community as helpful. As we advance Trust-Based Philanthropy, we have a more relational check-in call with the Executive Directors and leaders, leading up to our Updates and Celebration meeting. This tends to be very insightful, meaningful, and actionable. We do not require a written grant report in order to release the next round of unrestricted funding, which can often be very burdensome for busy nonprofit leaders trying to focus on their actual mission-driven work.
Huge kudos to all of our Grantee Partners for their work (and teamwork!) and extraordinary impact. It has also been so nice to experience the growth of your relationships with your dedicated Partner Champions. Much gratitude for all you do, Partner Champions!
Contact Amy Badiani, SV2 Director of Community Engagement, at abadiani@sv2.org if you have any questions or want to learn more about how we advance equity and Trust-Based Philanthropy.