New Grantmaking Program Launches to Strengthen Our Impact

Dear Friend,

The San Francisco Foundation, as a community foundation, continually engages in listening and responding to community. This past year we did an intensive analysis and recalibration of our focus and processes. We seized this opportunity to respond to the dramatic shifts in our community due to the economic downturn, and to adapt ourselves to the myriad changes all around us; shrinking government resources, a streamlining nonprofit sector, and emerging trends in philanthropy, nationally and locally.

The theme we heard loud and clear throughout our listening campaign, and the theme that drives our new plan is that of impact. By narrowing our focus and deepening our investments, we aim to strengthen our impact in achieving social justice throughout all of our work; grantmaking, public policy, leadership development, sustainability in the nonprofit sector, and vitality in neighborhoods and communities. We are honored and humbled by the generous contributions of our family of donors, past and present, and we are committed to delivering impact with the investments they have entrusted to us.

2010 Grantmaking

As we launch our 2010 Grantmaking Cycle, we are eager to share with you our priorities and strategies. These areas of focus are both for the near term in response to the economic downturn, and for the longer term to enhance our impact in community. 

As a community foundation with social justice at our core, striving for the greater good is our driving force. As we adapt and respond to shifting community needs, we continue to build on our core Program strengths – expertise and leadership in Arts and Culture, Community Development, Community Health, Education, and the Environment. This grantmaking will be an Open Application Cycle beginning November 1, 2010.

In response to the economic downturn, and its collateral effects, we will provide focused funding by invitation only that targets safety net partners, jobs, and foreclosure response and neighborhood preservation for the next three years. Our strategy maximizes our collaborations with other funders, extraordinary nonprofit organizations, government, and the business sector to leverage the most impact. This invitation-only funding cycle launches today, Monday, October 11, 2010. 

• Safety Net: The recession has left many of the Bay Area’s most vulnerable families unable to meet their basic survival needs. We are funding our nonprofit partners to prevent families from homelessness, alleviate hunger, and provide safe harbor and hope for women and children facing domestic violence.
• Jobs Training and Creation: Economic security provides a strong platform from which individuals and families can build sustainable livelihoods. We are focusing on job creation and training initiatives that provide pathways out of poverty.
• Foreclosure Response and Neighborhood Preservation: With unemployment and foreclosures at record highs, more families than ever are facing economic crisis and risk losing their homes. We are working with partners on prevention and long term solutions. Keeping people who already have stable housing housed is the best and least costly way to combat homelessness.

Our Transitions Fund, for nonprofit organizations seeking support for mergers and acquisitions, shared-services, and other substantial organizational transitions, will reopen in early 2011. It is a two-step open application process that requires an initial Intent to Apply letter, followed by the application. It is an ongoing funding process beginning in early 2011 and will be open through June 30, 2011, or until all funds are spent.

The Immigration Integration Fund, promoting the integration of immigrants into the civic and economic life of our region, launches in early 2011, by its own Open Application process.

To increase our internal coordination and effectiveness, and thus our community impact, we hold an organizing principle based on our belief that meaningful change happens through people, organizations, neighborhoods, and policy, advocacy, and organizing. This organizing principle serves as a backdrop for us as we vet, analyze, and coordinate our grantmaking for the greatest impact possible.

• People: We are enhancing the investment in our theory that strong leaders create and move strong communities. This is a strategy to identify and support individual and organizational leaders who themselves are catalysts for motivating and empowering diverse constituencies.
• Organizations: We are fostering excellence in institutions that serve as our core partners to carry out their mission to support strong and equitable communities.
• Neighborhoods: We are sharpening our focus on place-based initiatives where we act as a catalyst for change. By investing in collaborative efforts to infuse targeted neighborhoods with comprehensive resources and support, we nurture equitable and sustainable communities

• Policy, Advocacy, and Organizing: We are investing in efforts to strengthen the effectiveness of state and local public systems. We will intensify our focus in public policy, advocacy, community organizing, and systems change designed to achieve social justice and promote progressive social change.

We encourage you to visit our Programs section for more information about our goals and objectives, and our Grantseekers section for details about how to apply. You can also read Frequently Asked Questions here. 

If you would like to be kept updated by email, please click here to provide your contact information. If you received funding from us since July 2008, we already have your information and you do not need to complete this online form.

Thank you for your input, insights, and advice in shaping the plan. Community input has been essential in informing and guiding our strategic plan over the past several months. We appreciate the diverse perspectives we received from our donors, grantees, funding partners, civic leaders, and key groups and individuals from the government and private sectors.

Thank you for your steadfast support and all that you do to help make the Bay Area a better place for us all.

Sincerely,

Sandra R. Hernández, M.D.
Chief Executive Officer