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SVP Portland and Latino Network celebrate a meaningful milestone together at La Plaza Esperanza. On May 8th, SVP Portland joined Latino Network to celebrate a shared milestone—the opening of La Plaza Esperanza, Latino Network’s new early childhood education and family support center in East Portland. The event was more than just a tour of a new facility; it was a celebration of over a decade of deep partnership rooted in trust, mutual learning, and a shared vision for equity and opportunity. La Plaza Esperanza was born from a long-held dream: a culturally rooted, community-centered space where Latino children and families can thrive. It now houses a high-quality preschool classroom and serves as a hub for Latino Network’s expansive programming in education, leadership development, advocacy, and wraparound services. “We’ve dreamed of a place like this for a long time,”  said Latino Network Executive Director Tony DeFalco. “Every little investment that gets made—whether it's human capital or dollars—starts to build toward something greater. And that ‘greater’ is right here in this building.” Latino Network and SVP began their partnership in 2012 with modest goals—a bit of HR, some finance and IT support. But what was initially planned as a two-year engagement evolved into a 13-year journey that has helped scale Latino Network’s impact from a small team of 15 to a staff of over 275 today. Together, the organizations have strengthened capacity, advanced advocacy, and expanded access to culturally affirming education for Latino children across Oregon. The new preschool classroom at La Plaza Esperanza represents the next chapter of that legacy. “I think this is a really beautiful example of how you build power in community,”  said SVP Executive Director Lauren Johnson. “It’s what happens when people come together and invest their hearts, minds, and resources over time.” Holly Levow, longtime SVP Investor Partner and Lead Partner to Latino Network, reflected on the impact the partnership has had on both organizations. “Latino Network helped us figure out how to do this kind of work in a deeper, more responsive way,”  she said. “We brought time, skills, strategy, funding—but we also learned to show up differently, to listen better, and to build something with a Community Partner instead of for one.” Mark Holloway, former SVP Portland CEO added: “You helped break the model for SVP. Instead of a rigid two-year investment cycle, we walked with you for thirteen years—trusting the relationship, learning together, and showing up when it mattered most.” The result is transformational. Preschool for All—a policy movement that Latino Network and SVP helped champion together—is now a reality in Multnomah County. Thousands of children are entering classrooms that are not only academically enriching, but culturally joyful and led by well-supported educators. As La Plaza Esperanza opens its doors, it stands not just as a building, but as a symbol: of what’s possible when community-led dreams are met with long-term, trust-based partnership. For SVP and Latino Network, it’s a celebration of what has been accomplished—and an invitation to keep dreaming forward, together.

The entrance to Path Home’s Family Village At SVP Portland, capacity building is at the heart of our investment strategy. Our commitment goes beyond funding—we bring skills, a valuable network, and resources to help organizations grow stronger and more effective. That’s why we’re excited to welcome Path Home  as one of our newest Community Partners. Since 1994, Path Home has provided more than temporary shelter—they’ve been building long-term solutions to housing instability, rooted in dignity, autonomy, and care. Now, they are addressing one of the most urgent and overlooked gaps in our system: equitable access to early education. Why Path Home? Our investment in Path Home deepens our interest and commitment to help build successful preschool and affordable housing collocation models. This tackles both the challenge of not having enough facilities for preschool, and accessibility for families that need them the most. Family homelessness continues to rise in Portland, disproportionately impacting children of color. If we’re serious about equitable access to early education, we have to address the barriers that keep children—especially BIPOC children—from ever reaching the classroom.  The Missing Piece: Pre-K Access One of the biggest challenges unhoused families face in order to return home is the lack of accessible pre-kindergarten. Without it, children lose critical developmental opportunities and parents are left without the support they need to stabilize their lives. Path Home is addressing this head-on—integrating high-quality preschool into a supportive housing model designed for families experiencing homelessness. In addition to expanding wrap-around services, Path Home is laying the groundwork for a pre-k program based on their Family Village campus. The vision for this program is focused on: On-Site Preschool:  Creating a dedicated preschool space and partnering with an equity-focused preschool provider to deliver high quality, culturally-relevant early learning experiences  Parent Education & Support:  Helping caregivers better understand and support their children’s development and cultural identity. Workforce Development: Creating training and employment opportunities for parents and community members to become early learning providers—building a sustainable pipeline of BIPOC educators. Strengthening Impact through Partnership SVP Portland is helping Path Home move this vision from idea to implementation. Our investment includes: Business Plan Support: Conducting a feasibility study to assess program models and preschool buildout.   Vendor Selection:  Helping identify the most aligned preschool provider for Path Home. Facility & Space Design:  Supporting design efforts for the on-site preschool. Operational Capacity : Strengthening internal systems, staff capacity, and leveraging connections to create a scalable, sustainable model. Bridging Housing and Early Learning: A Strategic Step Toward Equity Path Home isn’t just adding a pre-k program. They’re integrating early learning into a broader system of support for families navigating homelessness—centering racial equity, community voice, and long-term change. This is what SVP Portland is here to do: partner boldly, build strategically, and back solutions that get at the root of inequity. Path Home is creating a model where housing and early education are no longer siloed—but part of one powerful, connected path toward thriving for every child. Want to get involved?  Contact Ursula Garcia at ursula@svpportland.org to learn how you can contribute.

We are pleased to announce Rob Aslett has joined SVP Portland's Board of Directors. A dedicated Investor Partner since 2020, Rob has been instrumental in advancing SVP’s mission through capacity building solutions, serving as Lead Investor Partner for our long-standing Community Partner CAIRO, and contributing to SVP Portland’s strategic development through Dynamic Teams and internal initiatives. Rob is the President and CEO of the Silicon Integration Initiative Inc. (Si2), a not-for-profit membership organization with over 60 corporate and academic members who innovate on trusted semiconductor design standards and share solutions that lower development costs and increase productivity.  Prior to Si2, he spent over three decades at Intel in senior leadership roles, including VP and GM of the Product Development Solutions organization. His expertise in engineering management is widely recognized, including his contributions as a co-author of A Perspective on Holistic Engineering Management  and as a guest lecturer at Portland State University. Rob believes in SVP’s unique approach, stating, “I joined SVP Portland in 2020 because it had a proven venture philanthropy model that has helped several community organizations grow and become successful. I believe in the “venture” part of SVP Portland. Much like its venture capital counterpart in the for-profit space, this implies SVP Portland should be willing to cast a wide net, intercept ideas early, make multiple bets, and be willing to accept that most may not pan out.” “There is no such thing as a failed investment in this model,” Rob affirms. “Engagements that do not grow as hoped are still worth the bet when we use the knowledge gained to address obstacles that they uncovered and seed new ideas with community thought leaders.” We are excited to welcome Rob and look forward to his leadership as we continue working toward a more just and equitable future for all children and families in our community.

Hard work, dedication, and success! Ready to Grow 2024 graduates celebrate. SVP Portland’s Ready to Grow Cohort brought together a dedicated group of preschool providers for a five-month journey of learning, mentorship, and community building. Designed to help early learning leaders expand their programs and deepen their impact, the cohort focused on essential topics such as finance, leadership, marketing, grant writing, and compliance—all within a supportive, collaborative space. Through weekly workshops and one-on-one coaching, participants gained invaluable skills to strengthen their preschools. For many, the program transformed how they manage their operations. As one participant reflected: "I used to treat my four businesses as one, unaware of their individual financial health. Now, I have a financial advisor and separate accounts for each business." Beyond practical skills, Ready to Grow fostered meaningful connections among providers, mentors, and experts. One attendee shared,   "The program effectively connected participants with relevant resources, particularly through the willingness of presenters and cohort members to share information and personal experiences." On February 7th, we came together to celebrate the cohort’s graduation, honoring the hard work and dedication of each participant. This special evening showcased their achievements, with inspiring capstone presentations, heartfelt reflections, and a collective commitment to strengthening early learning in our communities. As we celebrate this year’s incredible graduates, we're pleased to announce Ready to Grow 2025. We have conducted in-depth interviews and assessments of the pilot session, and will be incorporating key learnings and improvements into the next session. We encourage anyone interested in learning more or getting engaged to talk to us. Stay tuned for more details on how we’ll continue building a stronger, more equitable early learning ecosystem—together.

Angie Garcia, founder and Executive Director of Escuela Viva with Larry Fox, SVP Investor Partner and Board member We had a wonderful time gathering in community to learn more about SVP’s partnership with Escuela Viva . This Reggio-inspired preschool is deeply committed to fostering bilingualism and holistic growth in young learners, with a focus on taking care of teachers by offering a sustainable work week, fair pay, benefits, and mental health resources. Together, we are working to build capacity for scale and share their innovative approach to early childhood education. Angie Garcia, founder and Executive Director of Escuela Viva: “Our growth is centered on empowering and supporting early childhood educators, along with advancing the Preschool For All initiative, which aims to serve every 3- and 4-year-old in Multnomah County. We view Preschool For All not merely as a county program but as our program—essential to our vision. SVP has been vital in assisting us in outlining how we can effectively contribute to this initiative in a way that is most beneficial for the children and families we serve, while reaffirming our commitment to being a social capitalist organization that prioritizes our employees." This event was a beautiful reminder of the power of connection and collective action. Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate this exciting partnership!

Dear SVP Community, As we begin a new year, I am filled with immense gratitude and optimism when reflecting on all that we accomplished together in 2024. It's been a period of significant progress and growth for SVP Portland as well as many of our remarkable Community Partners.  This year, we continued to witness the pernicious social challenges and inequalities, but we also saw the remarkable impact we can achieve when we come together with a shared vision of creating a more compassionate and equitable world. The passion and dedication of SVP Partners and community leaders working collaboratively to ensure the health and vitality of preschool providers is truly inspirational.  Our focus remains on ensuring that all children have access to high-quality, culturally-relevant early learning experiences, regardless of their background. Here are a few highlights that exemplify the collective impact we had in 2024: ● Scaling Our Impact:  We grew our portfolio from 12 to 19 Community Partners, and also developed an innovative way to broaden our reach, moving beyond our traditional one-on-one coaching model to support multiple preschool providers simultaneously through our Ready to Grow program. Seven social entrepreneurs are participating in our pilot program to gain knowledge, skills, and connections necessary for building thriving businesses and expanding their preschool programs.  ● Community Partner Pipeline Project:  We launched the Community Partner Pipeline Project to identify synergies amongst multiple Community Partners, allowing us to offer more efficient, collaborative and comprehensive support to organizations with shared capacity building needs. ● Demand for Capacity Building:  We shifted from proactively pursuing new Community Partners to needing to respond to a pipeline of over a dozen nonprofit leaders seeking our culturally-responsive capacity building support. It is motivating to see that our credibility as a trusted partner has grown, and feedback is that our resources are making a meaningful difference. ● Encore Fellows:  Our Encore Fellows continued to contribute their exceptional skills to local nonprofits. We placed 19 Encore Fellows in much needed roles, like Angela Rivera, for example, who played a critical part at one of SVP’s Community Partners, the Alliance for Equity in Montessori Education (AEME). Angela developed a comprehensive Preschool Site Handbook for AEME with information for legal and operational success, as well as created a Professional Development Plan to set, monitor, and achieve employees’ professional growth goals.  ● Responsive Model:  We pride ourselves on being an exceptional, collaborative, responsive organization, as affirmed by Angie Garcia, founder and Executive Director of Escuela Viva: “SVP has played a crucial role in helping us clarify our position in the early childhood education sector. Our Lead Partner has skillfully crafted our story into a compelling narrative that not only better defines our mission but also directs our growth as a small organization. This growth is centered on empowering and supporting early childhood educators, along with advancing the Preschool For All initiative. SVP has been vital in assisting us in outlining how we can effectively contribute to this initiative in a way that is most beneficial for the children and families we serve.”  ● Strategic Evolution:  A Dynamic Team completed a re-evaluation of our business model. After comprehensive research & analysis, the Team proposed a set of recommendations that position us to grow our community impact substantially over the next 3-5 years. Key actions include: Investing in SVP’s capacity & core capabilities (e.g., brand identity & marketing, tech stack, DEI and evaluation); Increasing & diversifying our resource development efforts (e.g., greater focus on major donors & foundations); and expanding cross-sector collaborations & influence in philanthropy. The remarkable growth of many of our Community Partners exemplifies the impact of collaborative action. By uniting as a network of skilled professionals and values-driven philanthropists, we leverage our collective expertise, resources, and influence to achieve outcomes that surpass what any single individual or organization could accomplish. We deeply appreciate your unwavering support and dedication; it is your generosity that enables our collective impact. Together, we are building a more compassionate and inclusive world for our kids. With heartfelt gratitude, Lauren

We are very pleased to continue building out the strength of SVP Portland’s Board of Directors with the addition of Doug Wells as incoming Treasurer. With nearly three decades of nonprofit experience and a decade in the private sector, Doug is currently a nonprofit Principal at Clifton Larson Allen, a national professional services firm. Prior to joining CLA, Doug was the National Director of Strategic Execution for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, which included leading financial services for more than 1,100 member organizations and $2.75B in assets. Doug has also been CFO/COO for Children’s Institute as well as Oregon Ballet Theatre. Doug brings deep Board experience, as well as a focus on children and education in the context of social and racial justice that began many years ago. With 30 years in Portland and a strong network of relationships, he has served on multiple nonprofit boards, including chairing the boards of Outward Bound, Parents for Public Schools, and the Oregon State Quality Education Commission. He currently also serves as the Treasurer of the Board for Our Just Future, an organization working towards racial, housing and economic justice in Multnomah County. Since joining SVP as an Investor Partner in early 2024, Doug has been a key contributor to our finance team. In Doug’s own words, “I’ve worked in and around SVP for over 10 years, and I’m excited to join the Board and engage at a deeper level with our shared commitment to our community.” Doug’s expertise in strategic planning, financial leadership, and governance, coupled with his collaborative spirit, makes him an incredible addition to SVP’s leadership team. Please join us in welcoming Doug to the Board!