SVCF Grantee: Community Action Grant
Silicon Valley Community Foundation awards $2.7M to local nonprofits serving marginalized communities
SVCF awards $2.7 million to local nonprofits
Our 2026 Community Action Grants program has made grants to 139 local nonprofit organizations serving San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. These grants provide critical support to organizations working to address pressing needs throughout our region.
The Community Action Grants program supports local small nonprofits serving Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.
Silicon Valley Community Foundation has awarded $2.7 million to 139 organizations through its Community Action Grants program, which provides funding to small local nonprofits working with communities that have historically faced discrimination and lack of access to resources.
“The organizations we're funding through our Community Action Grants do some of the most important work in Silicon Valley, often with the fewest resources,” said Nicole Taylor, President and CEO of SVCF. “They're rooted in the communities they serve, and they know what their neighbors need because they live it. When we back their solutions, we're investing in the people closest to the problems and closest to the answers, creating lasting change that benefits all Silicon Valley residents.”
Local nonprofits working in arts and culture, environmental protection, faith-based initiatives, local journalism, health services, and movement- and power-building activities are receiving grants. Grant amounts range from $5,000 to $50,000.
The Community Action Grants program reflects SVCF’s strategy of supporting organizations that serve communities facing the greatest barriers to social and economic opportunities in Silicon Valley. Aligned with SVCF’s intent to provide funding for organizations that typically do not have access to grants from large philanthropic institutions, the nonprofits funded under this program all have annual budgets of $3 million or less. Of the 375 applications received for this funding, nearly 30% of the organizations represented reported that their budgets had been affected by a public funding cut or freeze. Of those organizations, the average loss of budget was 28%.
Some of the organizations receiving grants include:
El Timpano, a news outlet that reaches approximately 6,000 Spanish-speaking subscribers and informs, engages, and amplifies the voices of Latino and Mayan immigrants of the Bay Area. The organization’s strategies are uniquely designed to reach communities often described as “hard to reach.” El Timpano uses text messaging to overcome barriers of language, digital inequities, education, and distrust to reach and engage with Latino and Mayan immigrants.
Lyrical Opposition, an organization that uses hip-hop to build critical consciousness, elevate marginalized voices, and develop youth leadership. The group turns artistic expression into a vehicle for civic engagement, youth leadership development and community healing, while creating real-world opportunities for young people to become public storytellers, educators and cultural organizers.
South Bay Community Land Trust, a group that organizes tenants who are at risk of displacement in San Jose. As a result, tenants have advocated at City Council meetings for tenant protections, met with local and state representatives, and presented and given testimony in a variety of situations.
Youth Point Health, a community one-stop shop for youth ages 6-25 and their families. The organization partners with Jefferson Union High School District and San Mateo Medical Center to provide primary and behavioral healthcare services.
Funding for the Community Action Grants comes from SVCF’s own community endowment funds. These grants are staff-directed and board-approved, and support nonprofit organizations serving the residents of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. The vast majority of grants distributed by SVCF throughout the year come from “advised funds,” including donor advised and corporate advised funds established at the community foundation by individuals, families and companies. Advised funds allow donors and companies to support charitable efforts locally, nationally and internationally.
"We're proud to lift up these organizations, and we hope others will join us,” said Taylor. “I encourage everyone to learn more about their work and find a way to get involved, whether through volunteering, giving or simply spreading the word about the many superb organizations serving the residents of our two counties."
To view the list of grant recipients from SVCF’s Community Action Grants, visit https://www.svcf.org/impact/grants-catalog/grantees-list