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Note From Thrive's Executive Director
Dear Thrive Community,
Like so many, the Thrive team has been out and about in the community this fall. We have been enjoying reconnecting with colleagues in festive spaces, while also doing the more serious work of creating pathways for increased civic participation in our local neighborhoods.
We are also looking ahead to expanding our community resilience work. We are excited to share that Sequoia Healthcare District has awarded Thrive Alliance $100,000 to broaden the work of Thrive RISE through COAD Committees in several key issue areas. This builds on the exciting work of our COAD, including our recent third annual Climate Summit for San Mateo County, which drew over 350 participants! We are grateful to have continued growing the partnership with our Climate Summit co-hosts Climate Resilient Communities, Nuestra Casa, and Rise South City, and we look forward to our continued collaboration.
Our capacity building work for nonprofits continues, with a special emphasis on the persistent challenge of nonprofit recruitment and retention in our region. We are honored to have Dr. Linda Prieto, Executive Director of Upward Scholars, and Kaarin Hardy, Co-President and Co-Founder of LCSMC, joining our Thriving Nonprofit Workforce Initiative Steering Committee! We are also eager to begin work on a Community Acceleration Project focused on accelerating AI adoption in nonprofits in partnership with LCSMC and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
Finally, Thrive & SVCNare thrilled to collaborate once again in assessing the needs and priorities of nonprofits across our region. We have over 300 responses across both counties so far and are grateful to those who have already filled it out. If you haven't yet had a chance, please fill out our annual 2025 Regional Nonprofits Survey here.
Our coalitions and networks make us strong! In this season of disunity, we look forward to rising above the discord and partnering with optimism and goodwill on this important work!
In Community,
Georgia Farooq, Executive Director
Thrive Alliance
Thrive Alliance & SVCN's Collaboration
2025 Nonprofit Priorities Survey
Attention all San Mateo County and Santa Clara County nonprofit staff and board members! Your input is vital in shaping the future of our communities. Participate in the 2025 Nonprofit Priorities Survey conducted by Thrive Alliance and Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits (SVCN) to make your voice heard and help set the priorities for the coming year. Complete the survey by noon on Monday, November 4, and receive a $5 gift card. Let's collaborate to create thriving and equitable communities!
Thrive Alliance and SVCN were proud to have launched the Nonprofit Advocacy Series, which aimed to provide nonprofit organizations with the essential knowledge and tools to advocate effectively for our communities. The series aimed to equip nonprofit organizations with the knowledge and tools necessary to advocate effectively for our communities, focusing on policy advocacy, access to advocacy tools, stakeholder engagement, and strategy development at all levels of government. The series featured impactful sessions with speakers covering various topics including creating pathways for nonprofit advocacy, developing comprehensive advocacy plans, and understanding the political landscape. Participants gained valuable insights into working with legislators and public officials and had the chance to identify, participate in, and build coalitions to support their organization's advocacy goals.
In the spirit of Thrive Alliance and SVCN'spledge to center racial equity and build collective impact, these trainings will empower participants to work together and amplify community voices to build power and uplift thriving and equitable communities.
If you missed any of the workshops, recordings were available for purchase at $10 for members and $20 for non-members.
To purchase our recordings, please click on the images below.
We were thrilled to co-present a Nonprofit Ally Award with the SVCN team at their annual Be Our Guest event. We owe immense gratitude to those who have supported our Nonprofit REDI Hub, including Irma Zoepf, Thrive & SVCN’s REDI Hub project manager. We could not be more proud to co-present this special SVCN award to Irma, Packard Foundation, and Applied Materials Foundation.
The picture above shows our Thrive team ("Birds of a Feather") with members of Irma’s family, who accepted the award on her behalf.
Less Than One Week Until Election Day: Are You Ready?
Learn about our civic participation conversations and watch our latest Candidate Forum recordings here.
We are excited to introduce Issue Area Committees to Thrive RISE! Thrive recently received a grant to develop COAD Issue Area Committees to support planning and risk reduction initiatives in the areas of Children and Childcare, Older Adults and Access and Functional Needs (AFN), Mental Health and Spiritual Care, and Food Security.
Committee meetings are meant to serve as a forum for organizations working in the same issue areas to define the most significant risks to their client's work in the context of disaster and develop strategies for collectively reducing that risk through planning, information sharing, projects, or public education. Nonprofits, congregations, community organizations, and agencies with expertise or interest in these issue areas are encouraged to join these committees either as members or chairs.
Spotlights & Recaps
We Loved Seeing You at the Climate Summit 2024! Here's What You Missed If You Couldn't Make It
Thank you again to those who attended the Third Annual Climate Summit for San Mateo County. This year's Summit was our biggest one yet, with over 350+ attendees! We hope you left the Summit feeling inspired and equipped with new strategies, connections, and passion to further your work in climate resilience and environmental justice. Be sure to check out the Climate Summit website for photos, recordings, and presentation slides in the coming weeks.
Candidate Forum: District 4, San Mateo County Board of Supervisors
We had a fantastic evening at the District 4, San Mateo County Board of Supervisors Candidate Forum in North Fair Oaks. Antonio Lopez and Lisa Gauthier engaged with the community, sharing their visions and discussing key issues that matter to our county's future. This nonpartisan event, organized by Thrive Alliance, Leadership Council San Mateo County, and Choose Children, provided a valuable platform for voters to hear directly from the candidates. Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to the lively discussions!
Thank You Sequoia Healthcare District: Strengthening Our Community’s Resilience
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Sequoia Healthcare District for their generous grant to Thrive Alliance. This funding will enable us to establish and support committees dedicated to planning and implementing vital activities for disaster risk reduction. Our focus areas—children and childcare, older adults and Access and Functional Needs, mental health and spiritual care, and food security—are essential for our community's resilience. We are particularly appreciative of the stipends provided for the committee chair organizations, which will facilitate effective leadership and collaboration.
Capacity Building
The Thriving Nonprofit Workforce Initiative, launched by Thrive Alliance with support from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, addresses crucial workforce development challenges faced by nonprofits in San Mateo County. This initiative aims to create effective solutions for recruitment and retention, especially in light of the region's affordable housing crisis. A key component of the initiative has been the HR Learning Series, which has already hosted several valuable sessions that have greatly benefited participants. Highlights from these sessions include insights on building a strong organizational culture and optimizing benefits for candidate attraction and retention.
The series has successfully fostered community engagement and provided practical strategies for nonprofits, enhancing their ability to attract and retain a dedicated workforce.
Here are a few of the Thrive team members working behind the scenes and in the community to make all our wonderful programs and services possible.
NICOLE NASH, PROGRAMS AND OPERATIONS MANAGER
Nicole Nash is a seasoned nonprofit administrative professional with nearly three decades of experience in operations, finance, events planning, project management, development, and communications. She has worked for a wide variety of mission-driven organizations, including in the areas of education, human services, health insurance, and philanthropy. Nicole has also served on and supported several nonprofit boards.
A native of Iowa and with work experience in Washington, DC and Chicago, Nicole recently relocated from the Research Triangle area of North Carolina with her husband, two children, and adorable lemon beagle, and she is eager to contribute to a vibrant, thriving nonprofit sector in the Bay Area!
As a Bay Area native, Cindy is committed to uplifting local nonprofits and enhancing community resilience in San Mateo County. With extensive experience volunteering and consulting nonprofits across various sectors, Cindy has developed skills in fundraising, brand development, and strategic planning. She is excited to contribute to the COAD's goals of fostering a resilient and supportive community. Cindy graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Masters in Nonprofit Administration as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Education. As a Division I student-athlete in rowing, Cindy leverages her team player and can-do mentality at Thrive.
JOHN HARRINGTON, AMERICORPS VISTA
John graduated from the University of Vermont with a B.A. in History in May 2023 and has since pursued an interest in nonprofit and education work as a Campus Compact AmeriCorps VISTA. Born and raised in Boston, MA, John recently relocated to the Bay Area to serve with Thrive Alliance and Stanford University’s Haas Center for Public Service. He has honed a lifetime passion for social impact and education, having worked for several years as a swim instructor and classroom aid before pivoting to higher education in his most recent role as an Equitable Recruitment and Operations VISTA with College for Social Innovation in Boston.
Join Our Thriving Nonprofit Membership!
?
We are extremely proud of our membership, which represents the best of San Mateo County's nonprofit, public sector, corporate, and philanthropic community.
In addition to providing critical support for the local nonprofit sector, Thrive membership offers many tangible benefits. Thrive members are able to:
Attend exclusive events to connect with nonprofit, philanthropic, business, and civic leaders
Share important organization updates and event announcements with our Thrive community network
Promote job and volunteer opportunities to find the right candidates faster
Represent their organization to potentially hundreds of prospective board members
Connect with nonprofit executives at exclusive Leadership Circle Luncheons
Participate in advocacy on important issues that impact local nonprofits and communities, including increasing outreach and education for elections
Take advantage of special offers and complimentary benefits to do more with your time and resources
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