On March 10, over 40 SV2 Donor Partners, Grantees, and other community leaders gathered to officially launch our Spring 2026 grant round. The evening was a powerful reminder of why we do this work: to move beyond traditional funding and toward true economic mobility and inclusion.
SV2’s grant round process begins with immersive learning. This year, our Research Team shared insights from interviews with community stakeholders, who helped us understand the current landscape of economic mobility and inclusion. What we learned:
- Beyond a Paycheck: Economic mobility is more than a job; it is the transition from surviving to thriving. This requires dignified income, long-term wealth-building opportunities, and a seat at the decision-making table.
- Addressing the Whole Person: Skills training alone is insufficient. True progress requires addressing barriers like housing and food insecurity, while fostering confidence, dignity, and access to supportive networks.
- Systems-Level Change: The strongest models pair immediate support with long-term career pathways. Furthermore, stakeholders emphasized that while coalition-building is essential for systemic impact, it remains chronically underfunded.
- Trust-Based Philanthropy: Leaders affirmed the critical need for multi-year, unrestricted funding and simplified reporting, validating the importance of SV2’s commitment to trust-based giving.
We were honored to hear a keynote address from Rachael Myrow, Senior Editor at KQED’s Silicon Valley News Desk, followed by a panel discussion (moderated by Rachael) with three Bay Area leaders working in the economic mobility space: Gabriela Alemán from Mission Asset Fund, Luis Granados from Mission Economic Development Agency, and Leticia Landa from La Cocina. From the keynote, panel, and the lively Q&A that followed, we learned more about what economic mobility and inclusion look like in practice, what challenges various communities are facing today, and how SV2 and other grantmakers can use equity-centered philanthropy to help meet these challenges.
“I was struck by the speakers’ emphasis on dignity and respect as central to the conversation on economic mobility—a sentiment that truly echoes our own stakeholders’ insights. I was also inspired by the call to build meaningful solidarity by intentionally supporting local small businesses. It made me incredibly grateful for the space SV2 creates to connect all stakeholders in philanthropy in such a purposeful way.” — Sophie Vong-Karlage, SV2 Donor Partner & Grant Round Co-Leader.
And finally, it was time to announce our five finalist organizations, selected from over 60 nominees. A special thank you to our dedicated Research Team, led by Grant Round Co-Leaders Sophie Vong-Karlage and Steve Mazer, for their incredible work in selecting these finalists: Linda Prieto, Meg Bannick, Deb Dauber, Jason Zajac, Jonathan Dena, Charity Silkebakken, Jeff Greve, and Jasmine Estela.
The grant round now continues with a “deep dive” into the five finalists. In May, two of the organizations will be awarded grants of $90,000 in unrestricted funds over three years, along with SV2’s signature “Beyond the Dollars” support.
