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What's New in Philanthropy?
| | Here at PVF, January has been a busy and exciting month. We received renewed funding for the Special Education Resource Grant Program, introduced a new Excursion Grant Program, and helped a high school student stay out of trouble -- read about each below! |
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Special Education Resource Grants
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Quite possibly, Philanthropic Ventures Foundation is the first and only funder of immediate response grants to special education teachers. We fund field trips, classroom supplies and resources, therapists pull-out sessions, speech and language materials - whatever - to serve the needs of K-12 special education students.
The need is so great that after our announcement the funds are used up in two months. One teacher wrote us "I have been teaching developmentally disabled children 16 years and this is the first time anyone has given me assistance."
Teachers merely fax in a request with what they want to get, co-signed by the principal, and we send a check in 48 hours. We are proud to partner with the Thomas J. Long Foundation in making this funding available.
PVF has been making 'immediate response' teacher resource grants for 10+ years, giving out over $4 million in $500 grants.
We have come to believe that teachers are the real youth workers in our society.
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Geballe Excursion Grants
|  A donor came to us wanting to open new vistas to elementary school children and we immediately created the classroom excursion program wherein a teacher can take their class to the beach, a ferry ride on the bay, on a picnic, to the museum. We pay for transportation, fees and food.
Between the donor's wish and our implementing the program, there was just one week. This is customized philanthropy which we can do for anyone. |
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The Phoenix Program
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So, here was a high school student who was on the border of being in a gang except for a school principal who created a summer program (PVF funded) to steer him clear. All was well into the fall semester, until he got into a fight and was expelled. At PVF we came up with the idea to keep working with him even though he was out of school. He should do something for others. A program was started for him to mentor elementary school children, under good supervision, and we would pay him $8 an hour. It's working. We believe in the creative use of money and supporting outstanding professionals such as the school principal.
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Join Us
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Philanthropic Ventures Foundation has come to depict exciting philanthropy - grassroots giving that is born out of creative thinking. If readers would like to explore new possibilities in their giving, we are ready to meet at your convenience. We believe your giving should be fun, satisfying and significant.
We can be reached at (510) 645-1890.
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About the Editor
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Bill Somerville has been in non-profit and philanthropic work for 50 years. He was the director of a community foundation for 17 years, and in 1991 founded Philanthropic Ventures Foundation where he serves as Executive Director. PVF is a demonstration foundation practicing unique forms of grantmaking and conducting innovative philanthropy. Bill has consulted at over 400 community foundations in the United States, Canada, and the U.K., on creative grantmaking and foundation operations. His primary interest is in the creative and significant use of the philanthropic dollar.
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Board of Directors
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John P. Carver, Chair
Retired Senior Vice-President
The Gap Inc.
Duncan Beardsley
Marketing Consultant
Howard H. Bell
Attorney
Law Offices of Catherine Fisher
William E. Green
Attorney
William Green & Associates
Albert J. Horn
Attorney
Carr, McClellan, Ingersoll,
Thompson & Horn PC
Bill Somerville, President
Executive Director
Philanthropic Ventures Foundation
Jackie Speier
U.S. Representative
12th District of California
Moira C. Walsh
Attorney and
Philanthropic Advisor
Colburn S. Wilbur
Trustee and Former President
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation |
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Board of Advisors
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Janet Camarena
Director, San Francisco Office,
The Foundation Center
Leonard EdwardsJudge-in-Residence, California Administrative Office of the Courts Sean Stannard-StocktonCEO Tactical Philanthropy Advisors
Dien Yuen
Director of Philanthopy, Give2Asia
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East Palo Alto is a fascinating place with good people doing significant work 
