Press Release

A Different Kind of First Day of School

Think That Today’s Teens Don’t Give A Darn? SV2 Teens Prove Otherwise

Local Students Will Conduct Grantmaking Process and Award a $5,000-$10,000 Grant

LOS ALTOS, CA, January 27, 2010– In an age when social critics are bemoaning the rise of the “Me” Generation, SV2 (Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund) has turned the tables. The South Bay’s leading partnership for engaged philanthropy will guide local students in learning the art of philanthropy, starting January 31, 2010.

Twenty middle and high school students will come together for six training sessions that will inspire broad and deep learning about what nonprofit organizations are, how to think about giving money effectively, how to select an issue area to focus on, and ultimately choose an organization to receive a $5,000 to $10,000 grant. The students are the children of SV2 donors, and they attend several different schools in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties: Castilleja School, Gunn High School, Hillview Middle School, Menlo School, Palo Alto High School Pinewood School, and Woodside High School.

Launched in 2009, the SV2 Teen Philanthropy program graduated 14 students last year. The returning high school students comprise this year’s Leadership Committee. SV2 donors and staff help run the sessions, but the teens are the leaders and decision-makers in the program. Following the SV2 grantmaking model, the teens will decide on a focus area (Education, Environment, or International Development), and they will search for potential organizations to fund.

After narrowing their list to two finalists, they will invite the organizations’ leaders to submit proposals and give presentations. They will then debate the strengths and challenges of each organization and decide which one to fund. In 2009, the teens decided to support the Awaso Academy, a new school being built in Awaso, Ghana. “We are so proud to be training the next generation of Bay Area philanthropists,” says SV2 Executive Director Lindsay Austin Louie. “It’s amazing to see how the teens mature and become engrossed in social issues over the course of only 18 hours of meetings.”

The SV2 Teen Philanthropy program has a profound impact on the teen participants. “It is great to work with a bunch of my peers who think and care about the world,” says Andrew Olson, an eighth-grader at Hillview Middle School. “We discuss and debate in a way I have never been able to do with my peers before.” Katie Kirsch, a tenth-grader at Castilleja School, added, “In the 2009 program, SV2 taught me that I could make a difference in the world, even though I'm just a kid, and then showed me how to get started.”

Broadcast, Photo & Interview Opportunities:

Members of the press are invited to come film or photograph sessions of the SV2 Teen Philanthropy program, in addition to conducting interviews. Please RSVP to Holly Goodliffe (650-454-6264 or hgoodliffe@sv2.org) if you would like to attend:

• Session 1: Sunday, January 31: Welcome, Orientation, and Program Kickoff
• Session 2: Sunday, February 21: All About Fundraising
• Session 3: Sunday, February 28: Nonprofit Basics and Focus Area Overview
• Session 4: Sunday, March 21: Selecting Finalists and Drafting Grant Proposal
• Session 5: Sunday, April 25: Grant Proposal Review, Presentations & Decisions
• Session 6: Sunday, May 2: Film Production, Program Wrap-up, and Graduation

Available for Interview:

• Lindsay Austin Louie, Executive Director, SV2
• Andrew Olson, eighth-grader, Hillview Middle School
• Katie Kirsch, tenth-grader, Castilleja School
• Other SV2 teens and their parents

Multimedia:

To watch a video produced by the first class of SV2 Teen Philanthropists in 2009, please visit http://sv2partnership.ning.com/page/teen-philanthropy

About SV2 - Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund

SV2 is a partnership for giving. Our donors pool annual contributions of $5,000 each to make a bigger, more meaningful impact than any of us could make on our own. We work together to decide which cutting-edge nonprofits will receive our pooled funds and our professional advising. Founded by Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen in 1998, SV2 offers donors a diverse menu of events and opportunities to engage with one another, our grantees, and the community. For more information.

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