Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) has awarded more than $800,000 in grants to help the regional planning efforts to improve the California community.
Among the goals that the foundation hopes to achieve with the funding is to reduce the community’s traffic and air pollution, create affordable housing units and mixed use developments close to transportation. According to the foundation, the San Francisco Bay area could see an increase of 2 million residents looking for jobs and housing.
The Silicon Valley, which is home to numerous technology-based businesses, consists of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties’ and is located in the southern part of the Bay area.
"The question is not whether our region will continue to grow," said SVCD’s CEO and president Emmett D. Carson. "The question is will we plan for growth? Land use plans, together with transportation plans, are the most important factors in determining the quality of life and long-term environmental health of our region."
Additionally, the funding will be used to help build regional planning processes and create an increase in public input pertaining to community planning decisions.
Some of the local organizations that will be receiving SVCF funding will be the Great Communities Collaborative, which will receive $185,000 to identify potential development and redevelopment sites and fund the creation of mixed-income developments near transportation.
Transform, a group advocating parking and traffic methods that promote transit-oriented development, will receive $75,000 while Greenbelt Alliance will receive $75,000 to ensure city planning updates that promote environmental sustainability and affordable housing. In all, 10 organizations will receive portions of the $800,000 from the SVCF.
The SVCF was founded in 2007 following the merger of the Community Foundation Silicon Valley and the Peninsula Community Foundation. According to its website, the foundation currently has $1.5 billion in assets under management along with 1,500 philanthropic funds. 
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