Silicon Valley Creates (also known as Arts Council Silicon Valley) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in San Jose, California, dedicated to elevating Silicon Valley's creative culture. Founded in 1982, the organization functions as a regional arts council and cultural sector leader, employing 12 people as of the most recent data.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.6M
-4.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$731K
+90.8% YoY
Grant Count
52
+136.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$14K
-19.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Silicon Valley Creates' mission is to elevate Silicon Valley's creative culture through programs and initiatives that build the capacity of the arts and culture ecosystem, raise the voice and visibility of the creative sector, and increase access to creative opportunities.
The organization directs its time and resources toward:
- Participatory arts aligned with Silicon Valley's DIY culture
- Cultural heritage in service to Silicon Valley's international community
- Children's creativity as a way of nurturing youth's healthy development
- Innovative ideas, partnerships, models, and art forms as a claim to the future
- Placemaking as a means of fostering identity and deepening connections
Grantmaking
Silicon Valley Creates operates an active grantmaking program with five live grant opportunities:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Silicon Valley Creates primarily serves the Silicon Valley region, with specific programming in Gilroy. The organization's programs serve approximately 1.8 million people.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2025):
- Total Assets: $3,582,588
- Total Revenues: $2,452,150
- Total Expenses: $2,704,189
Prior Year Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $3.75M
- Total Revenues: $1.94M
- Total Expenses: $2.94M
- Total Liabilities: $149k
Annual Revenue: $3.9M (per company profile data)
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,582,588 | $3,747,197 | $5,064,703 |
| Revenue | $2,452,150 | $1,940,221 | $4,103,128 |
| Expenses | $2,704,189 | $2,943,654 | $2,627,438 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $117,615 | $95,123 | $7,820 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
219 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
10 open opportunities from Silicon Valley Creates
Organizational Impact Grants
SILICON VALLEY CREATES
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
SVCREATES Arts Relief & Recovery Fund
SILICON VALLEY CREATES
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
SVCREATES NEA ARP Recovery Grant Program
SILICON VALLEY CREATES
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include School of Arts and Culture at Mhp ($34,000), Local Color ($32,000), Maclamovimiento De Arte Y Cultura Latino American ($32,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ART FORUM SF SANTA CLARA, CA | TO SUPPORT THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION | $6,000 |
| ARTHOUSE STUDIO SAN JOSE, CA | TO SUPPORT THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION | $20,000 |
| CANTABILE YOUTH SINGERS LOS ALTOS, CA | TO SUPPORT THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION | $6,000 |
| CASHION CULTURAL LEGACY SAN JOSE, CA | TO SUPPORT THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION | $28,000 |
| CHINESE PERFORMING ARTS OF AMERICA SAN JOSE, CA | TO SUPPORT THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION | $8,000 |
| CHOPSTICKS ALLEY ART SAN JOSE, CA | TO SUPPORT THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION | $7,000 |
| CITY LIGHTS THEATER COMPANY OF SAN JOSE SAN JOSE, CA | TO SUPPORT THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION | $8,000 |
| COMMUNITY AGENCY FOR RESOURCES ADVOCACY AND SERVICES (CARAS) GILROY, CA | TO SUPPORT THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION | $15,000 |
| CONTEMPORARY ASIAN THEATER SCENE SAN JOSE, CA | TO SUPPORT THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION | $5,000 |
| CONXION SAN JOSE, CA | TO SUPPORT THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Alexandra Urbanowski - Chief Executive Officer
- Diem Jones - Deputy Director
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| TAMARA ALVARADO | SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| VICKY PHAN | CHAIR | 2 | — |
| TSHAKA CAMPBELL | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| JAYE BAILEY | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| SEAN COTTLE | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| SMITA GARG | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| TIM LEEHANE | VICE CHAIR | 2 | — |
| JACLYN MURO | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| VIBHOR CHANDRA | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| FRED FERRER | TREASURER | 2 | — |
| VIRIDIANA ROMERO | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| TONI VANWINKLE | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| KIM WALESH | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| ANU NATARAJAN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| ALEXANDRA URBANOWSKI | CEO | 40 | $220,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Silicon Valley Creates announced the 2024 Gilroy Elevate the Arts Grant Awards, demonstrating ongoing commitment to regional arts funding and support.
SVCREATES Announces the 2024 Gilroy Elevate the Arts Grant Awards - SVCREATESThe organization maintains an active publication and media presence through Content magazine, a quarterly publication that serves as a platform for employing and highlighting creative professionals, arts and cultural organizations, and events. Content's quarterly events expand and deepen real-world social and professional connections within Silicon Valley's creative community.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Silicon Valley Creates fund?
Silicon Valley Creates' mission is to elevate Silicon Valley's creative culture through programs and initiatives that build the capacity of the arts and culture ecosystem, raise the voice and visibility of the creative sector, and increase access to creative opportunities. The organization directs its time and resources toward: • **Participatory arts** aligned with Silicon Valley's DIY culture • **Cultural heritage** in service to Silicon Valley's international community • **Children's creativi…
How do I apply for a grant from Silicon Valley Creates?
Silicon Valley Creates operates an active grantmaking program with five live grant opportunities: • **SVCreates: Arts Access Grants** • **SVCreates: ArtsEdConnect - Arts Experiences Grant** • **SVCreates: ArtsEdConnect - Arts Experiences & Materials Grant** • **SVCreates: Gilroy Elevate the Arts Grant Program** • **SVCreates: Unrestricted Operating Grants** Typical grant awards range from $5,000 to $105,893. The organization provides a suite of grants, professional development, and networking o…
Where does Silicon Valley Creates make grants?
Silicon Valley Creates primarily serves the Silicon Valley region, with specific programming in Gilroy. The organization's programs serve approximately 1.8 million people.
What size grants does Silicon Valley Creates award?
In 2025, Silicon Valley Creates awarded 52 grants totaling $731K — an average of about $14K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
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 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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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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