12 survey respondents
Location: 2440 W El Camino Real Ste 300, Mountain View, 94040 CA
EIN: 20-5205488
30%
70%
6 hours
Median
28%
72%
33%
67%
2017 Deadlines:
Types of Grants Awarded:
Geographic Focus:
For Fiscal Year
Total Assets:
Total Grants:
Change in Assets FY :
Amount of Grants to Minnesota Nonprofits:
Largest Grant:
Smallest Grant:
Average Grant:
Reviewer 2095 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2018
They like to claim they're the biggest foundation in the US, and they're committed to addressing issues like the affordable housing crisis, but the grants they give are short-term, small, and they only fund a handful of applicants. At present they are facing a major MeToo scandal, and grantee relations have suffered.
Difficult to work with, Risk averse
(Unknown)
Current or former grantee
Funded for lesser amount
2018
Average
Accessibility has declined since our long-term Program Officer left.
Bad
Be respectful of your grantees. Don't make us jump on command because you think you hold all the cards. Remember, the grantees are the ones who do the actual work that achieves your priorities, not you.
Most recent application experience has been very frustrating. They demanded phone meetings with almost no advance notice. Didn't answer emails, didn't return phone calls. Our senior staff are extremely busy and often book for 1-2 weeks in advance. Despite their vast resources, they will nickel and dime you to bring down the request amount a few thousand dollars, which of course reduces the impact of the work that can be done. It's like they're going through the motions of addressing issues like the affordable housing crisis by making token grants.
12
Reviewer 6766 - Professional in the field
So much of the dollars out of the Foundation are in Donor-Advised Funds. Hard to qualify for the tightly worded RFP for the open rounds of grants they do give. Also had a negative experience with their current crowdsourced dinners in November to talk about the housing crisis. Asked for them to sponsor the cost of the dinner for DACA affected kids and their parents who are also homeless to discuss the issues they are facing in Spanish. Even though it is their event, and they are going to use the data, they wanted us to pay for the dinner. Seriously? This is the wealthiest community foundation in the country!
Inadvertently exerts negative influence in the field, Difficult to work with
California
Professional in the field
Other
2017
Bad
Very hard to get a meeting.
Bad
Open up. You are a COMMUNITY Foundation not a bank. Right now your communities are hurting more than ever and the financial flows are barely "trickling" down. How can you get most of the organizations in the valley airtime with the donor advised funders? Can you better staff representatives who work with community orgs so that we can work together with funders as opposed to competing for airtime?
Catering to donor needs as opposed to community needs.
0
Reviewer 624 - Professional in the field
"Of that $1.3 billion that flowed out the door last year, all but a sliver—$19.2 million, or less than 2 percent—came from funds that are held by the SVCF but controlled by others." -- from very illuminating article re SVCF in Stanford Social Innovation Review. Another quote from same article: "A region with so much money and even more brainpower, as well as persistent and worrisome problems, has somehow produced a community foundation that is, except for its size, unexceptional."
https://ssir.org/articles/entry/the_charity_that_big_tech_built?_ga=2.153640315.2118691987.1505766026-590828666.1505766026
California
Professional in the field
2017
Bad
Average
Sadly, it seems that SVCF has become a foundation for the community of wealthy businessmen.
Get donor-advised fund money, stock and the like
0
Grant Applicant - applied in 2017
Given their tremendous resources, it is disappointing that their grants are small and narrowly focused
New Jersey
Current or former grantee
Funded for amount requested
2017
Bad
Bad
They are narrow in their perspective
Speak to your grantees
10
Reviewer 803 - Did not apply
To not be surprised if the foundation has pre-determined priorities based upon staff prejudice and/or ignorance and an unwillingness to be receptive to new ideas.
Inadvertently exerts negative influence in the field, Doesn't "get" nonprofits and issues, Bureaucratic, Risk averse
California
Did not apply
2017
Bad
The foundation is seemingly all knowing and neglects certain segments of the population. When questioned about this they hide behind the phrase "that is what our donors want funded.". Since they influence the donors, they in effect practice exclusionary funding.
Bad
Hold regular and open public meetings to describe how and where their funding priorities are determined and how potential new applicants not clearly falling within their guidelines can possibly have influence over their planning process. They need to remember the word "Community".
Foundation gives the impression that they truly represent the Community yet they have self defined the community to mean the things they are interested in funding. Should be the opposite. A lot of staff, arrogance within the organization and the strong perception that grantees are pre-selected.
0
Did not apply
Sadly, SVCF is a bank and nothing more. Having lived around the country and worked in the field for decades, I have never seen a "community" foundation more universally disliked by community organizations and other funders. They put up high fortress walls to keep CBOs from talking to their staff or donors, and prioritize relationships with their paying corporate clients over everything else. It is a tragic waste of treasure and opportunity, particularly at a time when the vulnerable populations in the two counties SVCF is supposed to serve are suffering such deep needs. Shame on them and their board.
Inadvertently exerts negative influence in the field, Doesn't "get" nonprofits and issues, Difficult to work with, Bureaucratic, Risk averse
California
Did not apply
2017
Bad
Bad
Why isn't the board more active in pushing the community foundation to serve the local community? Redefining "community" to include San Francisco (served by an effective and truly community-minded foundation of its own) and New York is cynical and insulting to the real Silicon Valley community.
Start listening to the community you are supposed to serve.
Their endowment is very small.
Support early childhood issues.
0
Grant Applicant - applied in 2016
Excellent staffing and programs. Authentically invested in equity.
Positive leader in the field, Risk taker, Culturally sensitive, Friendly
California
Current or former grantee
Funded for amount requested
2016
Good
Good
Fund even more innovation by soliciting the small fries and even individuals to apply.
Supports innovation in the field.
20
Reviewer 675 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2016
I was part of a major initiative of theirs, so the many many hours it took to do this involved identification and coordination with quite a few entities. It was a ton of work but worth it for a multi year grant that is key for this organization. And there are ongoing meetings and requirements for reporting that are beyond what other foundations require or expect...but worth it for a large multi year grant opportunity.
Positive leader in the field, Gives more than money, Risk taker, Culturally sensitive, Friendly, Builds relationships, Likes site visits, "Gets" nonprofits and issues, Openminded, Responsive
California
Current or former grantee
Funded for amount requested
2016
Good
They always respond to emails and questions and truly want you to be successful...will do whatever they can to assist you as you carry out the program they funded. They acted more like a partner than a funder.
Good
They put their "money where their mouth is" with the many resources and hours it takes for these initiatives to be successful.
With a large initiative, consider having more of the money go directly to the participating orgs and less on your coordination and data analysis processes and staffing. It is disappointing to see how much resources that could be given to the orgs is allocated to these overhead expenses...or fund those with SVCF dollars vs funds from Federal/State or other participating funders.
More than 15
Grant Applicant - applied in 2015
Black box: can't tell what's going on in there. Who gets funded and who doesn't a mystery.
Inadvertently exerts negative influence in the field, Difficult to work with
California
Current or former grantee
Funded for amount requested
2015
Bad
If your program officer leaves you're dead unless the president knows and likes you.
Average
What they say their goals are don't make sense in terms of their grantmaking at least what we can see. They don't seem to be nurturing community in San Jose.
Pay more attention the garden where you live.
Getting press.
Grant Applicant - applied in 2013
Hard to get funding unless you fit into their narrow focus areas. They have a lot of funding but most is held in Donor Advised Funds. Very metric-oriented although feel metrics do not always reflect impact. Don't really feel they are a true 'community' foundation
Required attachments are fairly standard, Insightful
Applied for funding
6
2013
Not so much
Yes
No
Project support
