The awardees: Freada Kapor Klein, Mitch Kapor, Rue Map, and Bill Somerville

On September 22, Bill was graciously awarded the 17^th annual Josephine and Frank Duveneck Humanitarian Award. These awards are given to outstanding members in the community who embody humanitarian values which are put into action. In addition to Bill, this year’s honorees included Rue Map, founder of Outdoor Afro, as well as Mitch Kapor and Freada Kapor Klein, founders of Mitchell Kapor Foundation and The Level Playing Field Institute. The awards are presented yearly by Hidden Villa, a nonprofit education organization that uses their organic farm to teach students about how to respect the environment and each other.  It is a sprawling 1,600 acre farm in the Santa Cruz mountains, which was purchased by Josephine and Frank Duveneck in 1924 to be a haven for social reform.

Bill was honored this year because of his community activism and demonstrated leadership. He spoke of his grassroots approach to giving in his acceptance speech:

Bill giving his acceptance speech.

“Twenty years ago, a group of generous and adventure-some individuals and myself created the Philanthropic Ventures Foundation. We wanted to get right to the heart of philanthropy, which is, after all, the love of humanity. And we wanted to ‘venture’ with our giving –take some risks–not gambles, but risks. Because we suspected that if we could get the right amount of money, which isn’t that much money, to the right people at the right time, immediately and when they need it, we could meet needs and have a cumulative effect with our giving. We call this approach Grassroots Philanthropy.”

Bill’s philosophy towards philanthropy, which draws heavily on the idea of trust, is how PVF has given to those that need it most throughout the Bay Area for more than twenty years.

Please welcome us in congratulating Bill on this prestigious and much-deserved award!