A Social Venture Fund
An alarming number of Silicon Valley children enter kindergarten unprepared to learn, unfamiliar with the printed page. As a result, Raising A Reader began as a six-year social venture fund under the auspices of the Center for Venture Philanthropy at the former Peninsula Community Foundation.  Early investors in the fund supported a dual goal of growing local impact and building a nonprofit headquarters that could produce book bags, program R&D and evaluation at national scale. 

At the end of the Raising A Reader start-up phase, in January 2007, the national headquarters for Raising A Reader was officially launched as a nonprofit separate from its beginnings with the Center for Venture Philanthropy. Carol Welsh Gray moved from the Center to full time oversight of the Raising A Reader nonprofit. The Raising A Reader nonprofit retains a legal structure called a supporting organization of Silicon Valley Community Foundation, which enhances the ability of both organizations to deliver community impact.

Headquarters works in partnership with local coordinators through the Early Learning Initiatives department at Silicon Valley Community Foundation and Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County.  Mauricio Palma is the Director for Early Learning Initiatives at the Foundation who stewards direct-service funds for the Raising A Reader Silicon Valley region.

Investment Opportunities
Raising A Reader-National Headquarters seeks donor investment to advance research and development, steward exemplary practice and expand book bag rotations to more children.  

To support these national goals, contact rarinquiry@raisingareader.org or 650.581.4300.

To support expansion of Raising A Reader-Silicon Valley, contact Mauricio Palma, Director of Early Learning Initiatives at Silicon Valley Community Foundation, at mpalma@siliconvalleycf.org or 650.450.5498.