Silicon Valley Community Foundation reflects on its experience funding nonprofit cohorts

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Microsoft is committed to increasing access to computer science education. Through our global YouthSpark initiative, we team with nonprofits, schools, governments and businesses to make more computer science education courses, trainings and resources available to our youth. In our effort to make a local impact here in the Bay Area we’ve partnered with Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

Since 2005, our organizations have worked together to support and provide funding opportunities to local nonprofits. In 2014 four nonprofits were selected to participate in a YouthSpark cohort program. Each organization received $30,000 in general operating support to use at their discretion, the only requirement was to participate in five learning sessions where cohort members could share their experiences and discuss the challenges and opportunities they face through the year long program.

Realizing what an informative and insight-rich opportunity the YouthSpark cohort program presented, the Silicon Valley Community Foundation complied a detailed summary report on the program successes, lessons learned, and opportunities to further develop and improve the experience.

You can find the full report and SVCF’s analysis here.

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If you’re a nonprofit supporting computer science education for underserved youth in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties we invite you to apply to Microsoft’s 2016 YouthSpark cohort. Applications are due May 31, 2016.