With maverick grantmaker Bill Somerville at its helm, PVF has been a strong philanthropic force since opening its doors in 1991. From designing immediate response grant programs to collaborating with donors on custom giving initiatives, PVF has been providing unique and impactful philanthropic services throughout the Bay Area for 25 years. Much of our work has been in San Mateo County specifically, where many of our donors live and give.

Under Bill’s leadership, PVF has awarded more than $120 million in grants, quite an achievement given our small staff size of 5. Bill has also consulted with more than 400 community and family foundations in the US, Canada, and the UK, taught philanthropy courses at Stanford University and Laney College, founded the National Advisory Board at Stanford University’s Haas Center for Public Service, and wrote “Grassroots Philanthropy: Field Notes of a Maverick Grantmaker” with Fred Setterberg.

The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors recognized these accomplishments by honoring Bill with a resolution from Supervisor Adrienne Tissier that congratulates and commends him on 25 years of creative grantmaking in the county. With such a successful 25 years under our belt, we look forward to seeing what we can accomplish in the next 25 years!