Silicon Valley Creates
Silicon Valley Creates is a public charity based in San Jose, California. It supports the arts and culture sector through grants, capacity-building activities, visibility initiatives, and programs intended to increase access to the arts in Santa Clara County. The organization says it is the designated state/local partner arts agency for Santa Clara County and the California Arts Council, and that it partners with the County on arts programs.
Silicon Valley Creates at a glance
In short: Silicon Valley Creates gave $731K across 52 grants in 2025 (avg $14K), mostly in California. 15% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $730,974
- +90.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 52
- +136.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $14,057
- -19.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $8,000
- Total assets
- $3,582,588
- -4.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 15% first-time grantees (8 of 52, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Silicon Valley Creates
- How to Apply
-
The website provides program-specific opportunities and eligibility requirements. The 2026 Unrestricted Operating Grants application period has passed; no application deadline is provided here for the Community Catalyst Grant Program.
- Contact
Mailing address: 255 N Market Street 210, San Jose, CA 95110
Phone: (408) 998-2787
Website: https://svcreates.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
9 open opportunities from Silicon Valley Creates
Organizational Impact Grants
Silicon Valley Creates
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
SVCREATES Arts Relief & Recovery Fund
Silicon Valley Creates
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
SVCREATES NEA ARP Recovery Grant Program
Silicon Valley Creates
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Silicon Valley Creates funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Santa Clara County Office of Education ($106K). Together the top 10 received $368K.
Grant Size Distribution
231 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 228 grants of 231 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
SVCREATES describes its work as serving Silicon Valley and Santa Clara County. Its Unrestricted Operating Grants require an organization’s home base and the majority of its programming to be in Santa Clara County. The Gilroy Elevate the Arts Grant Program is described as serving artists and arts organizations based in the greater Gilroy area.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 52 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Silicon Valley Creates open to new grantees?
15%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 52 grantees (15%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $24K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $11K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 17% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−20%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $383K (2024) to $909K (2022). In 2025 it made 52 grants totaling $731K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara County Office of Education San Jose, CA | To Support Arts Education | $105,893 |
| School of Arts and Culture at MHP San Jose, CA | To Support the Exempt Purpose of the Organization | $34,000 |
| Local Color San Jose, CA | To Support the Exempt Purpose of the Organization | $32,000 |
| Maclamovimiento De Arte Y Cultura Latino American San Jose, CA | To Support the Exempt Purpose of the Organization | $32,000 |
| Red Ladder Theatre Company San Jose, CA | To Support the Exempt Purpose of the Organization | $30,000 |
| Cashion Cultural Legacy San Jose, CA | To Support the Exempt Purpose of the Organization | $28,000 |
| Mosaic America Saratoga, CA | To Support the Exempt Purpose of the Organization | $28,000 |
| Teatro Vision San Jose, CA | To Support the Exempt Purpose of the Organization | $28,000 |
| Palo Alto Players Palo Alto, CA | To Support the Exempt Purpose of the Organization | $25,000 |
| Poetry Center San Jose San Jose, CA | To Support the Exempt Purpose of the Organization | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Silicon Valley Creates?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,582,588 | $2,452,150 | $2,704,189 | $730,974 | 52 | $117,615 |
| 2024 | $3,747,197 | $1,940,221 | $2,943,654 | $383,150 | 22 | $95,123 |
| 2023 | $5,064,703 | $4,103,128 | $2,627,438 | $687,500 | 56 | $7,820 |
| 2022 | $3,422,422 | $3,649,409 | $2,865,284 | $908,670 | 54 | $-66 |
| 2021 | $2,847,221 | $2,812,417 | $2,525,096 | $589,200 | 47 | $208,940 |
| 2020 | $2,553,348 | $3,196,541 | $2,607,289 | $527,800 | 44 | $-10,603 |
| 2019 | $9,782,774 | $1,910,788 | $2,106,576 | $393,650 | 37 | $43,145 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s mission is to elevate Silicon Valley’s creative culture by building the capacity of the arts and culture ecosystem, raising the voice and visibility of the creative sector, and increasing access to arts. Its website describes work that includes local grants, professional development and networking, leadership development, research, arts advocacy, Content Magazine, arts education connections, youth programs, and support for historically under-resourced communities.
Its grants support arts and culture organizations and projects in the region. Grantee missions illustrate the range of work: the School of Arts and Culture at MHP says it aims to catalyze creativity and empower community; Local Color says it builds equitable pathways for local artists and creatives; and MACLA describes itself as an inclusive contemporary arts space grounded in the Chicano/Latino experience. Red Ladder Theatre Company says it connects vulnerable community members with creativity and supports them in telling their stories. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not SVCREATES’ own.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, SVCREATES reported 52 grants totaling $730,974. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $105,893, with a median of $8,000. All reported grant dollars went to recipients in California.
The largest reported award was $105,893 to the Santa Clara County Office of Education to support arts education. Other major 2025 grants included $34,000 to the School of Arts and Culture at MHP; $32,000 each to Local Color and Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana; $30,000 to Red Ladder Theatre Company; and $28,000 each to Cashion Cultural Legacy, Mosaic America, and Teatro Visión.
SVCREATES describes several grant programs. Its Community Catalyst Grant Program, an evolution of Arts Access Grants beginning in 2026, is intended to support community-driven artistic projects that uplift historically under-resourced populations in Santa Clara County. The program’s stated changes include opening eligibility to individual artists, informal collectives, and unincorporated groups, emphasizing community leadership and lived experience in review, and simplifying applications and reporting. The earlier Arts Access program provided project support for programming intended to reach historically underserved audiences; its website described a two-year cycle and approximately 10–15 awards.
Unrestricted Operating Grants provide general operating support for small nonprofit arts and culture organizations in Santa Clara County. The 2026 cycle was for organizations with average annual budgets greater than $250,000 and no more than $1.5 million across the prior three fiscal years. Eligible organizations had to have an arts and culture purpose, a Santa Clara County base and majority of programming in the county, at least three years of local activity, and qualifying nonprofit status. The 2026 application period, which opened March 2, had an April 10 deadline and has passed.
SVCREATES also describes the Content Emerging Artist Award as providing unrestricted cash prizes to support artists’ work, with up to three awards of $5,000 each. This is an award program for artists, rather than a grant opportunity for outside organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Vicky Phan as chair, Tim Leehane as vice chair, Tamara Alvarado as secretary, and Fred Ferrer as treasurer. It also lists Tshaka Campbell, Jaye Bailey, Sean Cottle, Smita Garg, Jaclyn Muro, and Vibhor Chandra as directors.
Silicon Valley Creates is led by Alexandra Urbanowski, CEO since 2024 (on filings since 2019); 1 of 15 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Alexandra Urbanowski
CEO
Director of Strategic Initiati → Associate Director, 2023
Associate Director → CEO, 2024
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$150K (2019) → $220K (2025)
Vicky Phan
Chair
Director → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jaye Bailey
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sean Cottle
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Toni Vanwinkle
Director
Director → Treasurer, 2024
Treasurer → Director, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anu Natarajan
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tshaka Campbell
Director
Executive Officio → Director, 2024
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vibhor Chandra
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jaclyn Muro
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kim Walesh
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Smita Garg
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Viridiana Romero
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tamara Alvarado
Secretary
Dircector → Officer-At-Large, 2022
Officer-At-Large → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tim Leehane
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Fred Ferrer
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (23)
- Former: Connie Martinez (2019–2024) — Immediate Past CEO
- Former: Marshall Jones (2019–2024) — Chair
- Former: Roy Hirabayashi (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Kim Walesh Polcyn (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: James Lacamp (2019–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Janice Fry (2019–2023) — Immediate Past Chair
- Former: Barry Posner (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Matt Ogawa (2019–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Sheena Vaidyanathan (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Jennifer Hull (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Andrew Chandler (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Josh Russell (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Mark Waxman (2019–2021) — Immediate Past Chair
- Former: Maryles Casto (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Nuria Fernandez (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Teresa Alvarado (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Bill Skeet (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Cary Chien (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Natalie Engeks (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Sunny Claggett (2020) — Director
- Former: Hsing Kung Left (2019) — Director
- Former: Jennifer Hull Start (2019) — Director
- Former: Sunny Claggett Left (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $220K, to Alexandra Urbanowski (CEO).
Frequently asked questions about Silicon Valley Creates
How much does Silicon Valley Creates give each year?
Silicon Valley Creates gave $731K across 52 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $383K across 22 grants.
What is Silicon Valley Creates's typical grant size?
Silicon Valley Creates's median grant in 2025 was $8,000, and its average grant was $14,057, across 52 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Silicon Valley Creates that year got $24K on average.
Where does Silicon Valley Creates give grants?
Silicon Valley Creates gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Jose, CA (36 grants), Palo Alto, CA (3 grants), Santa Clara, CA (3 grants) and Gilroy, CA (3 grants).
Who are Silicon Valley Creates's largest grantees?
Silicon Valley Creates's largest 2025 grantees include Santa Clara County Office of Education ($105,893), School of Arts and Culture at MHP ($34,000) and Local Color ($32,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Silicon Valley Creates?
Silicon Valley Creates reported $3.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.5M.
What does Silicon Valley Creates fund?
The organization’s mission is to elevate Silicon Valley’s creative culture by building the capacity of the arts and culture ecosystem, raising the voice and visibility of the creative sector, and increasing access to arts. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Silicon Valley Creates?
The website provides program-specific opportunities and eligibility requirements. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Silicon Valley Creates's EIN?
Silicon Valley Creates's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-2825213. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 5, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS January 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS January 28, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS January 23, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS November 10, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Silicon Valley Creates's focus areas in our free grants database
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Rotary Club of San Jose Foundation
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Total Given
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More similar funders
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Silicon Valley Creates funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/silicon-valley-creates-morg_881f6e5c1fba4779bfca21c3f266e2c7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_942825213_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Silicon Valley Creates funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/silicon-valley-creates-morg_881f6e5c1fba4779bfca21c3f266e2c7},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Silicon Valley Creates's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Silicon Valley Creates down — hundreds of funders to go?