I am still celebrating the passage of Proposition 30 by California voters last week. As the parent of a Kindergartner in a public school in Oakland, I am greatly relieved that my child’s school year will not be shortened, class sizes will not increase, and teachers won’t be laid off. But I’m also celebrating for [...]
“The role of citizen in our democracy does not end with your vote. America has never been about what can be done for us it’s about what can be done by us, by the hard, frustrating but necessary work of self-governance. That is the principle we were founded on. This country has more wealth than [...]
Last week’s election was a powerful reminder that it’s not just the money, it’s the ground game that makes the difference. Yesterday we welcomed dozens of nonprofit visionaries – grant applicants – to our How to Apply Workshops. These workshops provide nonprofits in our region with information on the guidelines and process of applying online [...]
At this year’s Annual Donor Investment Forum, we had the largest turnout yet of donors, advisors, and nonprofit partners who came together to hear from our Investment Committee both the big picture and specifics of our investment strategy. The Committee has guided our investments so that we can continue to deliver returns that out-pace the [...]
The Koshland Program Legacy This year we celebrate 30 years of the Koshland Civic Unity Program at The San Francisco Foundation. This program lifts up Bay Area community leaders — risk-takers who are bold in spirit and dedicated to the communities that they serve — and makes a five-year, $300,000 commitment to the neighborhood. The [...]
By the time I reached JFK airport on Friday, October 26th, the unseasonably warm winds were starting to stir and planes were already being delayed. Reflecting on the important week I’d just spent at the annual Grantmakers for Education (GFE) board meeting and conference, I was grateful to be headed west, and worried for the [...]
In case you missed the news, or happened to be under the covers worried about the election results, rest assured that our water is safe. The Hetch Hetchy Proposition F measure was defeated. 2.6 million people in the Bay Area depend on the Hetch Hetchy system for their drinking water. Water from the Hetch Hetchy [...]
Hurricane Sandy, the “superstorm” that made landfall on Monday, October 29, severely impacted communities and infrastructure throughout the eastern United States. The toll has been heavy, with more than 100 deaths, $30 billion in property damage, and $20 billion in economic losses. New York and New Jersey were particularly hard hit by the storm, and, [...]
I believe democracy is a verb and I relish all of the polls, data, and strategies emerging as we head towards Election Day tomorrow. Mark diCamillo, from the Field Poll, pre-released polls last Friday here at The San Francisco Foundation, showing the emergence of Californians of color as providing the critical margin to the most [...]
Strategy, Discipline, Impact—that is the title of our latest Annual Investment Report. Discipline isn’t a word we hear too often in today’s financial lexicon.When I watch the news the conversation remains focused on swift course corrections, bumps in the road, and a “new world” of short-term reactions. However, this year more than ever, we have [...]