Recipients of 2004 Skoll Awards for Innovation in Silicon Valley

American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley

http://www.alfsv.org/ Grant Amount: $150,000 to help ALF strengthen its Fellows program and measure the organization's larger impact on the Silicon Valley community

Since 1989, the Silicon Valley Fellows program of American Leadership Forum (ALF) has been convening and strengthening the region's leaders to serve the common good. ALF has built the capacity of more than 300 Fellows to discuss and develop solutions to the area's most pressing problems and learn more about the nature of community leadership and the rewards of collaboration.

After a six-day mountain retreat, each cohort of ALF Fellows is convened through monthly meetings, that explore collaboration, consensus, understanding differences and ethics. Each class also creates and implements a project of the group's choosing that is focused on community impact. For example, the 2000 Fellows set and met a goal to raise$100,000 to underwrite the restoration and redesign of the Kennedy School in San Jose.

Businesses United in Investing, Learning and Development

http://www.build.org/ Grant Amount: $125,000 to support the organization's expansion and explore partnerships with Oakland's Aspire Public Schools

The mission of Businesses United in Investing, Learning and Development (BUILD) is to provide real-world entrepreneurial experience that empowers youth from underresourced communities to excel in education, lead in their communities and succeed professionally. BUILD's teaching approach combines traditional learning practices with business-based case studies and role-playing scenarios. BUILD also helps develop student business plans in a youth business incubator.

BUILD's strong mentoring component draws on the expertise and enthusiasm of young Silicon Valley professionals. Beginning with a five-unit academic credit elective, BUILD reinforces traditional reading, writing and math skills, while helping students develop teamwork and leadership skills that prepare them for the challenges of higher education.

Established in 1999 by Suzanne McKechnie Klahr, BUILD currently serves more than 100 students.

Community School of Music and Arts

http://www.arts4all.org/ Grant Amount: $150,000 providing general support to CSMA for launching new programs and initiatives at its new facility, expanding its reach and numbers served, and strengthening opportunities for music and arts experiences throughout the community

The Community School of Music and Arts' (CSMA) mission is to foster a love of the creative arts by providing education and experience with a commitment to excellence and accessibility. Since its beginning in 1968, CSMA has expanded to serve nearly 30,000 people of all ages annually. The organization provides private music lessons and classes, arts classes and camps, and arts-in-the-schools programs in which visual and performing arts become an integral part of a child's education. CSMA also provides community outreach with free concerts and art exhibits, as well as financial aid to students in need.

CSMA recently completed construction of the Finn Center, a new 25,000 square-foot state-of-the-art facility in Mountain View, Calif.

Lenders for Community Development

http://www.l4cd.com/ Grant Amount: $170,000 to expand existing programming and to build the organization's capacity

Lenders for Community Development (LCD) is a financial institution that empowers the working poor to become economically self-sufficient through the acquisition of assets. By providing financial tools and training, LCD promotes asset development at the household level (a home, business or education) while also financing the infrastructure (affordable housing and community services) needed to help families and individuals stabilize their lives.

Founded in 1993, LCD now serves 1,800 clients each year and manages one of the largest asset-building programs for the poor in the United States (1,200 enrollees, who have saved more than $3.1 million). LCD also provides small business loans (totaling $4 million so far) and affordable housing loans (2,700 housing units have been financed) to benefit low-income residents in Silicon Valley.

People Acting in Community Together

http://www.pactsj.org Grant Amount: $134,000 to help build the organization's capacity, as well as further a community-led effort to create more first-class public schools for all local children.

Founded in 1985, People Acting in Community Together (PACT) is a multi-ethnic, interfaith organization in Silicon Valley with the mission of empowering people, through leadership development and community organizing, to create a more just community. Each year, PACT trains more than 200 congregation, neighborhood and public school parent leaders who then work together on successful public campaigns. These campaigns have included making Santa Clara County the first county in the nation to provide access to health insurance to all low-income children and changing school district policies in troubled areas to allow for the creation of new small model public schools.

PACT's three current initiatives consist of increasing parent engagement in public schools, helping to orchestrate the provision of health insurance to all low-income children in Santa Clara County and advocating for housing for low-income individuals in Santa Clara County.

Project Cornerstone (Young Men’s Christian Association Santa Clara Valley)

http://www.projectcornerstone.org Grant Amount: $98,000 to further integrate the developmental assets approach into policies and operations of partner schools and organizations during 2004

Initiated in 1998 and formally launched in 2000, Project Cornerstone works to engage individuals and organizations from all sectors of the community in promoting the 41 developmental assets that have a proven relationship to healthy child and youth development. These assets include external experiences that provide young people with support, empowerment and boundaries, as well as the internal values, strengths and commitments that young people need in order to thrive.

Project Cornerstone reaches more than 4,000 children and youths annually through its partnerships with more than 50 schools in Santa Clara County to facilitate student leadership workshops, parent study groups and school staff training. Through its network of more than 100 partner organizations, Project Cornerstone promotes asset-building policies, programs and personal behavior to support the healthy development of young people by recognizing and building on their strengths rather than simply reacting to them as problems.

San Jose Conservation Corps

http://www.sjcccharterschool.org Grant Amount: $150,000 to expand and enhance existing programs, as well as build a new technology-focused program for students

The mission of San Jose Conservation Corps (SJCC) is to teach young people the skills they need to join the workforce, serve their community and become self-sufficient.

SJCC's hands-on learning and development of basic skills is provided through paid vocational training in environmental conservation projects, construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing, recycling training and environmental education, and service learning opportunities for "at-risk" high school students. SJCC also runs a charter school so that students may earn their high school diploma or GED while simultaneously receiving valuable skills.

SJCC serves 600 young men and women each year (ages 15-27) and has served more than 11,000 young people since it began in 1987.

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