Sharing the Prerogative of Giving
by Bill Somerville, Founder 

We have created the Ambassador Program where we find exceptional people in the community and set aside $10,000 for them to give out to programs they feel are worthy who we otherwise might never see. In other words, a miniature foundation.

We have been doing this for 15 years. One of our first Ambassadors was Kathy Ahoy, a retired public health nurse and founder of the Street Level Health Program for day workers and immigrants in East Oakland. With decades of public health nursing experience, she has a unique ability to identify individuals and organizations working at grassroots level to incite change. It was through Kathy that we were introduced to the New Roots MicroProducer Academy, a project of the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Kathy elected to use some of the Ambassador funds to support the purchase of supplies needed for New Roots training garden, where refugees learn farming skills and how to sell produce in their new communities. In addition, Kathy made a grant to the IRC to provide emergency housing for a refugee and chose to award funds in support of an emergency fund and transportation for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) students.
Another Ambassador was Alex Briscoe, who at the time served as the Director of the Alameda County Health Care Services Agency. As a county official, he came in contact with many programs starting out where a small amount of money at the right time could have impact. Alex focused his Ambassador fund on youth, creating a stipend for a behavioral health intern working with middle school students. He additionally supported Beyond Emancipation, a nonprofit serving current and former Alameda County foster youth, in their planning process of an in-county residential care unit for difficult-to-place emotionally disturbed youth and Youth Action Institute in the youth planning process for four new middle school health centers.
Other recipients include Kate Chatfield, an attorney and co-founder of the Catholic Worker Hospitality House, which serves homeless and re-entry populations;  Nancy Alvarez (pictured left with Bill), a community organizer working with the employment of Hispanic persons; and Carrie Dubois, a real estate agent and school board member actively involved in her San Mateo County community.

PVF has renewed our program this year in an effort to recognize and be supportive of people who are deeply involved in their communities and doing outstanding human service work. Our newest Ambassador is Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga (pictured below left), Assistant Professor at the University of San Francisco and the Founder and Executive Director of Ayudando Latinos A Sonar (ALAS), the only Latino cultural arts nonprofit to support the rich Mexican traditions of families on the Coast. Belinda works hard with ALAS to forge opportunities for healing of the fear, stress and anxiety so many of our Latino children are living with in the community, and she has witnessed the need to address this in our schools. She has selected Cabrillo Unified School District Assistant Superintendent Dr. Bhatia for her first Ambassador grant. The district has initiated their first Hispanic Heritage Month to create dialogues of healing and unity in classrooms. 
Bill Honored in U.S. House of Representatives
 
U.S. Representative Anna Eshoo of California's 18th Congressional District honored Bill on August 2nd in Congressional Record as  "an extraordinary philanthropist, grant-maker, advisor, and a generous, creative, and devoted advocate for those in need."
About the Editors
James Higa
James Higa, Executive Director, brings 28 years of executive experience from Silicon Valley, working with Steve Jobs to change the face of technology. He was at the birth of the personal computer revolution as a member of the original Macintosh team and was deeply involved in the creation of many products and services at Apple over 3 decades. He has a long history of public service as a board member of Stanford's Haas Center and in grassroots relief efforts.
Bill Somerville, Founder, has been in non-profit and philanthropic work for over 50 years. He was the director of a community foundation for 17 years, and in 1991, he founded Philanthropic Ventures Foundation. Bill has consulted at over 400 community foundations, on creative grantmaking and foundation operations. Bill is the author of  Grassroots Philanthropy: Field Notes of a Maverick Grantmaker. 
About PVF
PVF is a demonstration foundation practicing unique forms of grantmaking and innovative philanthropy. Our primary interest is in the creative and significant use of the philanthropic dollar.
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