Gmail clips large emails. To view Thrive Star in your browser, click on the view entire message link at the bottom of your screen.
Note From Thrive's CEO
Dear Friend,
We are in the midst of a bustling fall season, with our fourth annual Climate Summit for San Mateo County taking place this week at the Stanford Redwood City Campus. While we are sold out for in-person tickets, we invite you to sign up for a livestream event or local watch party. This event reminds us that nonprofit collaboration is alive and well - and a key driver for systems change! You can catch our Climate Summit 2025 press release here. We're grateful to our co-hosts Climate Resilient Communities, Nuestra Casa, and Rise South City.
If your organization has not yet done so, we urge you to respond to Thrive & SVCN's Nonprofit Landscape Survey: Federal Impacts on San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. Please also take a few minutes to complete the important CalNonprofits survey underway. Both these surveys will help us create a comprehensive picture of current nonprofit health in our region.
Next month, we are proud to welcome Nilou Khonsari, author of The Future is Collective, for a session on rethinking power, strengthening transparency, and fostering equity and care in our organizations. Then, along with co-hosts JobTrain and CEN, Thrive welcomes the authors of AI for Nonprofits for a special AI for Nonprofits Learning Lab (promo code for Thrive members: Thrive10), also at Sobrato Redwood Shores. Reserve your seats for these special author-led events soon.
We invite you to peruse this Thrive Star newsletter edition to review some of Thrive's recent signature events and consider ways that you might be involved in the coming months and year. Perhaps join a Thrive RISE COAD Committee, as they have been actively meeting in key issue areas. We know that one way to weather our current storms is by staying connected.
In Community,
Georgia Farooq, CEO
Thrive Alliance
Nonprofit Landscape Survey: Federal Impacts on San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties
Thrive Alliance and SVCN invite you to participate in a Federal Funding & Nonprofit Needs Assessment to understand how recent federal policy changes are affecting nonprofits in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. Your input will help elevate nonprofit voices in policy discussions and capture the challenges and opportunities facing our sector.
The survey is designed for executive and senior leaders and will take about 25 minutes to complete. Please submit one response per organization by October 6, 2025. You’ll need basic budget and staffing information and insights into your organization’s decision-making.
Responses are confidential, and you can save your progress. Feel free to share the link with other nonprofit leaders in your network. Please do not share on social media. For questions or to discuss further, please reply to this email or contact cindy@thrivealliance.org. Thank you for your commitment to community well-being!
Climate Summit 2025: Sustaining Community Power in Climate Action
Registration for the Fourth Annual Climate Summit for San Mateo County is underway, co-hosted again by Climate Resilient Communities, Nuestra Casa, Rise South City, and Thrive Alliance. This year’s Summit, Sustaining Community Power in Climate Action, will be held on October 9 at the Stanford Redwood City Campus.
Attendees will explore how cross-sector collaboration can better support frontline communities, ensure equitable access to climate investments, and highlight leadership in action. To learn more about the Climate Summit for San Mateo County and session recordings from previous years, check out our website.
Climate Summit for San Mateo County is co-presented by Stanford University as an Office of Community Engagement Regional Forum, periodic events that showcase regional collaboration on timely topics and advance Stanford's mission.
We have sold out of in-person tickets. However, we are committed to making this event accessible, and a livestream option will be available. If you are interested in registering for the livestream, please use this form. Additionally, Sobrato Philanthropies will be hosting a livestream watch party. The watch party will take place at the Sobrato Center for Nonprofits in Palo Alto on October 9, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. If you would like to register for the watch party, please RSVP ahead of time, as only 50 spots are available. Light refreshments and beverages will be generously provided by Sobrato Philanthropies.
For more information about Climate Summit 2025, please see this press release.
The Future is Collective: Transforming Your Nonprofit Workforce
Join us for an inspiring session with Nilou Khonsari, author of The Future is Collective. Together, we’ll explore one of the book’s central questions: how do nonprofit leaders create more meaningful ways for people to have a say in decisions that affect them the most?
As part of Thrive's Thriving Nonprofit Workforce Initiative, this event will draw from real stories, practical tools, and the lived experiences of BIPOC leaders and nonprofit workers. Nilou will share approaches for rethinking power, strengthening transparency, and fostering equity and care in our organizations.
Led by AI experts and MCed by Darian Rodriguez Heyman, the bestselling author of the new book, AI for Nonprofits, AI4NP Learning Labs are one-day, hands-on interactive workshops designed to help nonprofit and foundation professionals, consultants, and other changemakers harness the power of human-centered artificial intelligence—ethically, strategically, and effectively—to unlock AI’s potential for good.
Co-hosted by Thrive Alliance, JobTrain, and Center for Excellence in Nonprofits (CEN), this Learning Lab will convene mission-led leaders from across the San Francisco Bay Area. Each delegate will enjoy a full day of practical, tactical tips and tools plus networking opportunities, receive a complimentary boxed lunch, and take home a discounted, signed copy of AI for Nonprofits.
PLUS, meet our AI Genius Bar team. Share a project idea, tool need, or communications challenge — and our experts will work behind the scenes throughout the day to build custom solutions just for you.
For Thrive members, please use the promo code THRIVE10 to receive a 10% discount.
We were pleased to welcome Eric Glader, Senior Vice President at Heritage Bank of Commerce, and Rita Mancera Hernandez, Executive Director of Puente de la Costa Sur, to the Thrive Alliance Board of Directors this past spring!
Their incredible expertise and passion for community is a powerful addition as we continue advancing our mission to cultivate, amplify, and advocate for the nonprofit sector across San Mateo County.
Georgia D. Farooq, Chief Executive Officer,
Thrive Alliance
We’re happy to share that Georgia Demetra Farooq was recently promoted to Chief Executive Officer of Thrive Alliance! Here is Thrive Board's press release.
Over the past nine years as Executive Director, Georgia has shaped Thrive’s strategic vision, strengthened our nonprofit ecosystem, and led with empathy, purpose, and impact. This new title reflects her expanding leadership role — from guiding county-wide initiatives to forging cross-sector partnerships that advance equity and well-being across San Mateo County.
“Georgia has led Thrive through periods of incredible change with vision, empathy, purpose, and impact. This new title is not only well-deserved, but it also reflects the level of executive leadership Georgia provides our community.” – Bryan Neider, Board Chair
The Thrive Board of Directors unanimously voted to recognize Georgia’s transformative contributions and the organization’s continued growth.
Betty Nen, Community Resilience Manager,
Thrive Alliance
We were happy to welcome Betty Nen to the Thrive Alliance Team this past June. Betty leads Thrive RISE (Resilience in Shared Emergencies), Thrive's COAD for San Mateo County, specializing in community resilience work. Betty is a recent Master of Public Policy graduate from the University of Michigan with a particular interest in how climate change disparately impacts vulnerable communities around the world. Prior to her graduate degree, she worked as an Individual and Community Preparedness Specialist with FEMA, supporting communities across the country with educational resources and preparedness training materials. Betty has spent over a year studying and researching in the Asia-Pacific region, and with family roots in the South Pacific, she enjoys bringing a cross-cultural perspective to her work in empowering climate-resilient communities.
Cindy Barker, Capacity Building & Partnerships Specialist,
Thrive Alliance
With the recent addition of Betty Nen as Manager of our Community Resilience program, we’re equally excited to announce that Cindy Barker has stepped into a new role as Capacity Building & Partnerships Specialist. In this new position, Cindy leads and supports efforts that strengthen nonprofits from the inside out—building capacity, deepening partnerships, and expanding Thrive’s vibrant membership community.
Hadley Stevick, Americorps VISTA,
Thrive Alliance
We are excited to welcome Hadley to the Thrive team. Hadley is a recent graduate of Gonzaga University, where she earned her B.A. in Environmental Studies. Her interdisciplinary study also included Spanish and business.
During her undergraduate years, Hadley was deeply involved in peer mentorship and youth after-school tutoring. Hadley is looking forward to serving her local community and advancing Thrive Alliance’s mission. Outside of her AmeriCorps VISTA service, she enjoys running, hiking, and cooking.
Thrive RISE - COAD
for SMC
Issue Area Committees
Thrive RISE committees were hard at work these past several months in supporting disaster planning and risk reduction initiatives across the sectors of Children and Childcare; Older Adults and Access and Functional Needs (AFN); Mental Health and Spiritual Care; and Food Security. The committees have been building the issue area teams and planning for the upcoming year. Each committee has begun working sessions to develop a Disaster Preparedness Snapshot (DRS) focused on their specific sector. Committee updates will be provided at the next all-COAD meeting in October.
If your organization is interested in emergency preparedness, we encourage you to join as members to advance your knowledge and capacity in a disaster. Please contact Betty at betty@thrivealliance.org for additional information on how to join.
Our dedicated Co-Chairs have been instrumental in the work of the COAD committees this summer:
Children and Childcare:
Melissa Poling -- Director, Fresh Lifelines for Youth (FLY)
Andres Romero -- Executive Director, Sequoia YMCA
Older Adults and Access & Functional Needs (AFN):
Heather Cleary -- CEO, Peninsula Family Service
Irma Rodriguez Mitton -- Executive Director, Arriba South Coast
Mental Health and Spiritual Care:
Marc Rappaport, LMFT -- Clinical Director, allcove
Laura Parmer-Lohan -- Executive Director, NAMI SMC
Thrive RISE had a fantastic time at the County's 21st Annual Disaster Preparedness Day! Our Community Resilience Manager, Betty, and Capacity Building & Partnerships Specialist, Cindy Barker, connected with residents to share valuable insights on emergency preparedness and the importance of community involvement.
Be Wildfire Safe & Ready
The "Be Wildfire Safe & Ready" event, hosted by San Mateo County, was held on April 26 at the San Mateo County Event Center and drew hundreds of people. Residents gathered to learn how to protect their homes from wildfires through engaging presentations, local agency resources, and inspiring stories from wildfire survivors. Thrive Alliance hosted a table with COAD resources, and the Thrive RISE team had a great time meeting Smokey the Bear while sharing nonprofit preparedness tips. The community left feeling informed and empowered to take action to reduce wildfire risks!
Capacity Building
The Thriving Nonprofit Workforce Initiative (TNWI) strives to strengthen Bay Area nonprofits and support them in addressing pressing workforce development challenges, as highlighted in the 2023 Regional Nonprofit Report. TNWI aims to generate commitment from stakeholders, design practical and community-tailored strategies, and support organizations in further developing a healthy workplace environment where everyone can thrive. Thrive hosts a variety of programs and events to convene leaders across sectors to raise awareness and co-develop strategies that strengthen the region’s nonprofit talent pipeline and organizational culture.
Cultivating the Nonprofit Workforce
in Times of Uncertainty
On June 4, Thrive held a gathering on "Cultivating the Nonprofit Workforce in Times of Uncertainty," as part of the Thriving Nonprofit Workforce Initiative, bringing together cross-sector leaders to discuss current trends and challenges. The event featured a fireside chat with Meg Garlinghouse from LinkedIn moderated by Georgia Farooq of Thrive Alliance, along with a facilitated session by Matt Nash from Stanford's Center for Social Innovation and a spotlight on Shireen Malekafzali of the County of San Mateo. These conversations focused on the increasing importance of human-centered skills such as leadership and empathy, alongside the necessity for AI fluency within nonprofit organizations. Participants explored strategies for revitalizing civic engagement amidst declining volunteerism and the potential for collaboration to drive innovation. The discussions underscored the need for diverse partnerships and cross-sector approaches to address the complex issues facing the nonprofit sector today.
Thrive OnBoard 2025
Thrive OnBoard 2025 brought together more than 50 inspiring nonprofit exhibitors and over 260 passionate community members in the beautiful CZI Community Space, all united by the shared purpose of connecting, learning, and exploring ways to create meaningful impact. The event was a powerful reminder of the strength of collective action, with conversations and relationships that sparked reflection and purpose. Attendees engaged in powerful sessions featuring expert speakers like Mauricio Palma of SVCF, Matt Nash from Stanford's Center for Social Innovation, and Aparna Ramakrishnan of Devi Partners, who shared valuable insights and fostered engaging discussions.
Don’t forget to take a moment to watch the OnBoard Highlight Reel to catch all the memorable moments from OnBoard 2025!
Spotlights & Recaps
Strategic Planning Cohort Kickoff
In March, we held the kickoff for our Strategic Planning Cohort. This cohort consists of eight dynamic organizations that are eager to create and implement a bold three-year strategic plan to guide our collective growth. Since the kickoff, we have been meeting biweekly to dive deep into the collaborative process of strategic development. Our initiative is expertly led by the dedicated teams from Mission Met and Thrive, whose passion and expertise are steering us toward success. We are incredibly grateful for the generous support from SVCF, which is making this endeavor possible. Together, we are not just planning for the future; we are actively shaping it!
Progress Seminar
Another great Progress Seminar, connecting over timely topics like climate resilience, healthcare, and the unraveling of key programs. We are grateful for cross-sector partners reaffirming their commitment to essential services and community safety during these times.
Executive Peer Coaching
This past year, Thrive’s Executive Peer Coaching sessions have sparked meaningful conversations and forged powerful connections among nonprofit leaders. Each month, Executive Directors and CEOs come together to tackle real-world challenges, exchange transformative insights, and uplift one another in a space built on trust and confidentiality. These gatherings don’t just offer support—they cultivate a vibrant community of leaders navigating complex roles with renewed clarity and confidence. The monthly sessions are facilitated by Bart Charlow, former CEO of Samaritan House. We’re deeply inspired by the passion and openness of our participants and are excited to keep building on this momentum in the year ahead.
Are you an Executive Director or CEO interested in Thrive’s Executive Peer Coaching program? There is currently a waitlist for this exclusive opportunity, and Thrive membership is required to participate. However, interested Executive Directors and CEOs are encouraged to contact Nicole to join the waiting list.
Community Events and Announcements
Northern California Grantmakers: 2025 Corporate Philanthropy Institute: CommUNITY
Wed, October 8, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, In-person
The 2025 Corporate Philanthropy Institute: CommUNITY, hosted by the Northern California Grantmakers, is an essential gathering for professionals committed to corporate philanthropy and social responsibility. This in-person conference will focus on how to effectively support communities in need while fostering connections among colleagues. As we navigate a rapidly changing landscape and address pressing social and environmental issues, participants will engage in discussions on innovative strategies and collaborative approaches that align with their organizations' values and missions. The event aims to reinforce the importance of community engagement and shared purpose in driving meaningful impact.
The 2025 CalNonprofits Policy Conference in Los Angeles invites nonprofit leaders to unite and strategize amidst the challenges faced this year, including federal funding cuts and harmful tax policies. Attendees will hear from influential figures such as Diane Yentel and Akilah Watkins, along with California lawmakers like Assemblymember Gregg Hart and Senator Monique LimĂłn. This event emphasizes the importance of collective action to defend marginalized communities and shape future policies, encouraging participants to register and take advantage of discounted member pricing while highlighting the benefits of joining CalNonprofits.
Nonprofit Workers: Make Your Voices Heard - California Nonprofit Employee Survey
You do the day-to-day work that drives California’s nonprofits forward – and now it’s time for your voice to be heard.
The California Nonprofit Employee Survey is designed specifically for nonprofit employees (not executives) like program staff, admin support, outreach coordinators, educators, clinicians, development and communications staff, HR, and more.
CalNonprofits, in partnership with The Nonprofit Institute at the University of San Diego, is conducting the survey. Results will be a part of the next Causes Count report, the most comprehensive look at California's nonprofit sector and a valuable resource for all nonprofits.
Your feedback will:
Show the realities of nonprofit work – what’s working and what’s not
Inform better funding, policies, and workplace supports
Ensure the experiences of nonprofit employees are represented in the next Causes Count report
It only takes about 10 minutes – and your input will have a big impact.
Have you missed some of our virtual events? No problem! Catch up anytime by subscribing to to Thrive on YouTube. We've got great content ready for you to explore—including April's VEOAC session and more!
Don't miss our workshop “Civic Engagement Hub: Digital Advocacy through Video." Perfect for beginners, this hands-on session dives into the basics of video editing and shows you how to use video as a powerful advocacy tool. Learn by doing, and walk away with practical skills you can apply right away to create compelling videos for your organization.
Apply to Thrive Alliance’s Translation Services Hub to receive free translation and interpretation support that your organization may not be able to provide independently. Our goal is a nonprofit sector where language is never a barrier—so every community member can access services and participate fully, no matter what language they speak.
The Hub offers free translation and interpretation services in Spanish, Chinese, and Filipino for eligible nonprofits.
If you have any questions, feel free to email Skye Hathaway
We are extremely proud of our membership, which broadly represents 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 events
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
.png?upscale=true&width=540&upscale=true&name=GDF_Sig_2025%20(1).png)
.png?upscale=true&width=1088&upscale=true&name=OCT%2022%20(4).png)
.png?upscale=true&width=1088&upscale=true&name=a2d1a8e2-3db5-4147-8b28-e22733a0a649-upload_image-Gayle-Roberts-LinkedIn-Workshop-Promo-(1).png)
.png?upscale=true&width=1088&upscale=true&name=thrive_rise_Masthead%20(12.15.22).png)
-1.png?upscale=true&width=924&upscale=true&name=Untitled%20design%20(2)-1.png)
