Recognizing Young Women 
of Courage
by Savannah Lira, Program Officer
We recently announced the launch of a new annual award program at PVF: The Women of Courage Award!  
The Women of Courage Award is a $25,000 annual award that is granted to young women, 18-30 years old, who live, work or serve in San Mateo County, who have demonstrated courage, compassion and integrity in their efforts to make the world a better place, in the spirit of Jackie Speier.
Founded by Cynthia Schuman, an accomplished artist and designer, philanthropist and community leader, this award is inspired by the lifetime work of Congresswoman Jackie Speier, who in her roles as a mother, attorney, congressional staffer and elected official has shown resilience in overcoming tragedy and life threatening situations and fortitude in taking on powerful political forces.
"This is an initiative I created because of my love and admiration for Jackie. We need more Jackie Speiers in the world and this award is an effort to find and support those outstanding young women." - Cynthia Schuman, Founder of The Women of Courage Award
If you know a young woman who exhibits these traits and characteristics, please nominate them for this award. The deadline is Tuesday, December 1, 2020.
For more information and frequently asked questions, please visit our website.
BAIA: TechFitCreative
At the start of 2020, Philanthropic Ventures Foundation (PVF) awarded grants to six young Bay Area residents with fresh ideas for building better communities. These awards were made possible through the Bay Area Inspire Awards, which provides $5,000 grants to 18-30 year olds living in San Francisco, Alameda, and San Mateo Counties. 

One of those awardees was Clinay Cameron, founder of TechFitCreative - a project aimed to expose under-served Oakland youth to careers in tech, game, and production companies beyond their county borders. 
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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