15 years ago as a graduate student at Stanford University Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen created Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund (SV2) as a fund of Community Foundation Silicon Valley to pool investor money for the advancement of non-profit organizations. Today, SV2 is a nationally recognized organized organization with an impressive portfolio of grantees. "When I founded SV2, I created the organization that I wished had existed to help me when I got started as a philanthropist," explains Arrilaga-Andreessen.
The technological boom of the late 1990s and the first part of the 21st century generated millionaires overnight. "Philanthropy is typically something that's done when one is 65 and retiring," but with a new class of philanthropist-in-training in Silicon Valley Arilaga-Andreessen saw a void to fill. SV2 pools their annual contributions and collectively decide who to issue grants to (they do not accept grant proposals). In their 15 years, SV2 has awarded $3.5 million to 38 non-profits working in areas of education, health, environmental sustainability, and international development.
On April 7, 2014 SV2 is holding a celebration of their 15th anniversary titled "Powering Social Good." CNN's Crossfire co-host Van Jones, an early recipient of a SV2 grant for his organization the Ella Baker Centre for Human Rights. To attend the celebration purchase your tickets here.