An Updated Strategic Framework for SVP Portland
August 2, 2022
We revised our strategic framework this year so that we are well positioned to meet the moment and embrace future opportunities. “The priorities of our refreshed strategic framework build upon the work we’ve done as engaged philanthropists for the past two decades, what we’ve learned to be most effective, and what today’s moment demands of us,” says Board President Bob Tate. “Explicitly centering our Community Partners and our commitment to equity and social justice in everything we do underpins our vision of a step-change in impact while remaining steadfast in our focus on early childhood education." Read More
SVP Portland is happy to announce that Cristina Melinte has joined our team as the new Encore Fellows Program Coordinator! “I am excited about this role because I love knowledge-sharing and community-building,” says Cristina. “I look forward to having honest and authentic conversations with the Encore Fellows to vet out their passions and help match them with organizations that will ensure a mutually-fulfilling fellowship experience.” Read More
How is Investing in SVP Portland Strategic Giving?
July 19, 2022
Giving has felt more and more urgent these days, with the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on low-income families and communities of color, the building movement for racial justice, and the SCOTUS decisions around reproductive rights and environmental protections. With so much need, you have to make choices about how to prioritize your time and money. Having a strategic giving plan allows you to be intentional, values-driven and impactful. Investing in SVP Portland is one way for philanthropists who pursue equity and social justice to leverage their resources. Read More
For Multnomah County Preschool for All, SVP Portland helped build relationships between key stakeholders, and collaborated with cross-sector allies to design the policy and drive the campaign. All young children in Washington County also deserve positive early learning experiences, which is why we joined the Washington County Preschool for All effort by providing a grant for the first phase of planning and serving on the task force. Our hope was to get the universal pre-K measure on the Washington County ballot this year, but we are disappointed to share with you that this will not be the case. We will pivot to a new strategy to collect signatures to qualify Preschool for All for the November 2024 ballot. Read More
Personal Equity Learning Journey, Part 3
July 5, 2022
At SVP, we are committed to advancing racial equity because race and ethnicity play an outsized role in determining kindergarten readiness and because we know that equity is essential for building a strong, vibrant community. One way that you can advance racial equity is to educate yourself and others about issues impacting communities of color. When we begin with personal learning and reflection, we can realize our individual responsibility, and better understand how we can work collectively to make positive social change. SVP Partners and staff share what they have been reading, listening to, and watching as a part of their personal equity journeys. We hope this will inspire you! Read More
Helping Youth Soar
June 28, 2022
ASK is an educational nonprofit organization in the Portland-metro area, founded 30 years ago by Bob Strickland, a Black veteran of the Air Force and leader in Portland’s African American community. It’s mission is to create equity through aerospace STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) education, with a focus on youth of color, girls, and economically disadvantaged students aged 10 to 21. Since Helen worked on automated vehicles and autonomous aerial systems at Intel before she retired, and because she was familiar with ASK through her involvement as a TeenFlight parent, the organization was a natural fit for her Encore Fellowship. Dan Perich has been passionate about aviation for his whole life, even earning a private pilot’s license, so ASK’s focus on aerospace and education was enticing when he retired from Intel. Read More
A few months ago, our Community Partner, the Center for African Immigrants & Refugees Organization (CAIRO), forecast a need for $150,000 in cash to ensure program continuity, bridging the period between program service delivery and reimbursement from the Oregon Department of Education for an award CAIRO had been granted but had not yet received. The Finance Team responded by fast-tracking a Bridge Funding framework that allows us to be true to our mission and responsive to our Community Partners. The Finance Team quickly and thoughtfully approved an advance to cover CAIRO’s immediate cash need. Read More