2/17/2017
According to the report, The Giving Code: Silicon Valley Nonprofits and Philanthropy, published by Open Impact, Silicon Valley nonprofits are struggling to meet demand despite being in one of the wealthiest regions in the world. Funded by the Lucile Packard Foundation and accounting for a year's worth of research and analysis, The Giving Code hypothesizes that the increased cost of living and a disappearing middle class have added strain to local organizations. A disconnect between Silicon Valley's philanthropists and nonprofits has then led to missed opportunities for successful donor-charity matching.
The report, which interviewed more than 300 community stakeholders, observes an "emerging giving code" in Silicon Valley. The current generation of donors is heavily focused on impact, strategy and metrics. Reminiscent of the startup mentality, they seek to "disrupt" existing systems and treat their charitable ventures in very much the same way as their investment portfolios - highly diversified across both issues and vehicles. Local nonprofits have struggled to keep up with the changing landscape and may be ineffectively engaging these donors. Nonetheless, both parties have strong incentives to work together, so the report concludes with proposed solutions to strengthen the giving code and bridge the gap in Silicon Valley. LEARN MORE