Foundations University
An invitation-only learning portal from Silicon Valley Center for Entrepreneurial Development. Three certificate tracks, taught by working practitioners, for students, new hires, board members, and community volunteers who want to understand how doing good actually gets done.
Free for admitted members. No tuition. Certificates issued by SVCED on completion of each track.
Why this portal exists
Behind every funded program and every changed life sits a set of skills most people never get to see up close. How grants get written. How proposals win. How a nonprofit keeps its promises to the community it serves.
For too long, that knowledge has stayed locked inside a handful of offices. New hires learn by guessing. Board members serve without ever seeing the mechanics. Talented volunteers hit a ceiling because nobody taught them the next step.
We built this portal to change that. Our mission is simple: open the doors and teach the real work of community economic development, in plain language, from the people who do it every day. When more people understand how philanthropy works, more good work gets funded, more programs deliver, and more of Silicon Valley shares in the opportunity.
Who it's for
You belong here if you're a:
Exploring the nonprofit sector and looking for real, practical grounding before you step into it.
Finding your footing and wanting to get up to speed fast, without feeling lost.
Serving with confidence and finally understanding what happens behind the numbers.
Ready to make a bigger difference and take on more responsibility.
No prior nonprofit background needed. We meet you where you are and build from there.
Three certificate tracks
Follow one path or move through all three at your own pace.
Short, plain-language onboarding that assumes zero nonprofit background. Learn how a 501(c)(3) actually works, how it relates to community economic development, and why this work matters in Silicon Valley.
The revenue-generating craft. Learn to write competitive grant proposals, respond to RFPs, structure donation asks, and build the relationships that fund program delivery.
Depth for those managing programs day to day. Cover outcomes measurement, participant intake, partner coordination, compliance, and reporting to funders and the board.
How it works
This portal is reserved for admitted members. Request access or redeem the code you were given to unlock the curriculum.
No tuition. No hidden fees. Just real knowledge shared openly.
Learn on your own schedule. Start a track, pause when life gets busy, and pick up right where you left off.
Finish a track and SVCED issues your certificate — a clear signal of what you've learned and what you can do.
Taught by practitioners
Every course is built and led by people who do this work in the real world, not by textbook theory. Your instructors are the grant writers landing funding, the program managers hitting their numbers, and the leaders keeping their organizations accountable.
That means you learn what actually happens, including the parts that never make it into a manual. You get practical answers, honest guidance, and lessons drawn straight from the day-to-day of running programs and raising money in Silicon Valley.
Now teaching
The legal, financial, and governance mechanics of a public charity — in plain English.
Where the money comes from — individuals, foundations, corporations, and government — and how each behaves.
What community economic development means, who does it, and how SVCED fits into the Silicon Valley picture.
Fundraising ethics, donor privacy, lobbying limits, and the professional boundaries that protect the mission.
From prospect research to a compelling proposal — the core craft of institutional fundraising.
How to read a government or foundation RFP, decide to bid, and produce a response that scores.
Join us
You can be one of them. Whether you're just starting out or ready to sharpen skills you already have, the knowledge is here and the doors are open. Come learn how philanthropy really works.
Free for admitted members. No tuition. Certificates issued by SVCED on completion of each track.
