ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT 2016 Menu

Annual Impact Report

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR
EVERYONE IN SILICON VALLEY

Everywhere you look, stories of innovation and success in Silicon Valley are held up as the modern-day version of the American Dream. But those of us in the Valley know that dream is out of reach for many people.

At the Sobrato Family Foundation we believe that with so much energy and creativity in this region, we can make it a place where we all have the opportunity to go as far as our talents and tenacity will take us. This Annual Impact Report demonstrates how we work with community partners to help people thrive in the Valley.

ENRICHING LIVES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS
SEEKING OPPORTUNITY

Thank you for working with us to create opportunities for everyone in the Valley. We are honored to devote our time, energy and resources to supporting organizations that promote access to excellent schools, essential safety-net services and careers that can sustain individuals and families. Please review this Annual Impact Report to learn more about our investments in education, career pathways to sustainable jobs and local nonprofits that support and enrich our community. We look forward to working with additional partners and innovators who share our vision for the Valley.

  • John A. Sobrato,
    Board Chairman & Trustee

  • Lisa Sobrato Sonsini,
    Board President & Trustee

  • Rick Williams,
    Chief Executive Officer

Students in SEAL classrooms practice academic language skills.

DUAL-LANGUAGE LEARNING LEADS TO SUCCESS

PlusM Productions

  • SEAL PROMOTES LANGUAGE, LITERACY SKILLS

    We recognize the link between education and economic mobility, so we’re working to ensure every student in Silicon Valley has access to a high-quality education. Our research-based model called Sobrato Early Academic Language, or SEAL, develops the language and literacy skills of hundreds of local English Learners and shows a measurable impact on their academic growth and achievement.

  • ACADEMIC LANGUAGE, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DRIVE STUDENT PERFORMANCE

    SEAL involves teachers, students and parents. The program provides professional development for teachers, encourages the use of academic language and sends learning materials home for parents to engage in helping their children learn.

  • TEACHER DEVELOPMENT DRIVES STUDENTS’ SUCCESS

    Sobrato developed SEAL to build the capacity of teachers working with pre-K to third-grade students. This professional development model aligns with the Common Core State Standards and gives students the opportunity to reach age-appropriate literacy in English and Spanish – and become more motivated, confident learners by the end of third grade.

Pathways to Success creates new career pathways that help workers increase their earning power and improve families’ quality
of life.

redefined 21st-century jobs provide opportunities

Daniel Gaines Photography

  • NEW TRAINING PREPARES TODAY’S WORKFORCE

    Sobrato promotes economic opportunity by supporting pathways to sustainable jobs that allow more people in the Valley to pursue their dreams. A vibrant Silicon Valley requires that people work in a variety of roles. We’re collaborating with employers to help them better understand the changing workforce – and train people for these diverse roles. By strengthening this pipeline from much-needed training to real jobs, we’re preparing more people for the 21st-century workforce.

  • NEW ROLES CREATE ECONOMIC MOBILITY

    Bay Area residents understand better than most Americans the rising cost of living and face some of the highest housing costs in the world. But more than a third of Bay Area workers earn less than $18 per hour – and most of those workers earn less than $12 per hour – an amount well below a livable wage. Sobrato is building connections between employers and the workforce to train people for higher-paying jobs and help employers understand what workers need to sustain themselves and their families.

  • Sobrato Creates Career Ladders to Opportunities

    Sobrato grants support career ladders to the jobs that Silicon Valley needs. Although we fund a limited number of Career Pathway programs, we’re eager to learn about all pathway programs to encourage collaboration throughout the Valley. If you manage or support such a program, please let us know by clicking here and sharing your information with us.

Participants engage in discussion during Sobrato’s Thriving Nonprofit Sector program speaker series.

NONPROFITS ENRICH, SUPPORT SILICON VALLEY

Daniel Gaines Photography

  • SOBRATO CELEBRATES AND SUPPORTS COMMUNITY

    Sobrato believes we can achieve more and create a better quality of life when we act for the good of the community versus the individual. The investments the Foundation makes support community by supporting families, students and social-change organizations that build community in meaningful ways.

  • We Manage a Thriving Nonprofit Sector Program

    We recognize the power of nonprofit leaders to learn from and mentor each other, and we create opportunities for this learning to take place. We manage a Nonprofit Sector Program designed to help develop nonprofit leaders and teach skills, including scaling, evaluation and management. By helping nonprofits achieve their goals, Sobrato can better serve everyone in Silicon Valley and attract partners to join us.

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    LIVING TOGETHER DRIVES LEARNING TOGETHER

    The rising cost of living makes it challenging for nonprofits to function where they’re needed most: in the communities where they offer programs, where their staff members work and where they can reach donors and board members. To meet this need, Sobrato has converted three office parks in Milpitas, San Jose and Redwood Shores into multitenant nonprofit centers and has made a multi-million-dollar investment in providing rent-free space to 71 nonprofits so they can work in the communities they serve, better collaborate and learn from each other.

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