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6.1.D. - Page 5 <br /> Introduction <br /> Silicon Valley Community Foundation advances innovative philanthropic solutions to challenging <br /> problems. One of these problems is the on-going need for our communities to have a safety net of <br /> essential services during the difficult economic downturn that began in 2008. Each year Silicon Ualley <br /> Community Foundation sets aside money in its Community Opportunity Fund to support <br /> time-sensitive community issues. This request for proposals (RFP) focuses specifically on the critical <br /> needs of food and shelter in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. <br /> For this RFP round, Silicon Valley Community Foundation is collaborating with the County of San Mateo <br /> to solicit applications from food and shelter providers serving San Mateo County. The 2013 San Mateo <br /> County Food and Shelter Grant Program will contribute $500,000 for these crucial services and Silicon <br /> Valley Community Foundation will match that amount for a total of $1 million for food- and <br /> shelter-serving organizations in San Mateo County. <br /> In Santa Clara County, the community foundation will also award $500,000 to organizations providing <br /> food- and shelter-related services, resulting in a total of $1 .5 million in safety-net funding for the <br /> Silicon Valley region. <br /> Grant applications must be submitted through our new online application system, applySVCF,by 5:00 p.m. (PS� on <br /> March 29,2013. <br /> Problem Statement <br /> The economic downturn that began in 2008 continues to adversely affect many people in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. <br /> The inability to pay for such basic needs as food and shelter creates enormous stress on individuals,families and nonprofits <br /> in the region that are trying to help them. Families and individuals who already rely on public assistance have been joined by <br /> thousands of others who were once self-sufficient but suddenly need assistance.This rising demand for safety-net services has <br /> far out-stripped the supply of available public and private funding and caused agency caseloads to soar. Most disturbing of all is <br /> the plight of families and individuals who survive with the help of multiple safety-net programs—all of which continue to suffer <br /> significant budget cuts. <br /> Program Goal <br /> The goal of the current funding for safety-net services under this RFP is to support access to food, homeless prevention services <br /> and shelter for families and individuals in areas of most need in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.We want to understand the <br /> level of increased and/or fluctuating demand for these safety-net services,and the specific causes that are generally attributable <br /> to the economic downturn (e.g.,job loss, under-employment, loss of housing because of foreclosure-related issues, etc.)as well <br /> as how different populations may be impacted.We seek documentation that 1) shows the recession has increased the need for <br /> certain existing services or created the need for new services and 2) indicates that available funding sources have not kept pace <br /> with rising demand.The community foundation is interested in learning how community-based organizations are adapting and <br /> what innovative practices may arise from this crisis. <br /> 1 <br />