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Katharine Gin and Jeff Byrne are the second generation of advisors to the Nelson Fund. Their fathers were initial advisors to the fund. According to Jeff, "As financial and legal professionals, our fathers saw that having the community foundation handle all the administrative, policymaking and investment infrastructure would be more efficient and less costly than doing it themselves. Our relationship with the community foundation has helped us have the greatest impact over time."

The Nelson Fund is an example of a committee advised fund. With a committee advised fund, you and your friends can pool your contributions toward a common purpose and make recommendations together to worthy causes. You can also connect with other donors who share similar passions by joining an existing committee advised fund. Questions? Contact our development staff at 650.450.5444 or donate@siliconvalleycf.org for more information.

Katharine and Jeff have been inspired by the generosity and volunteerism of founder Mr. Frank Nelson, a Saratoga philanthropist and family friend, and have shaped the Nelson Fund’s giving strategy based on the values they learned from Mr. Nelson and their parents: compassion, concern for the underprivileged and thoughtful decision-making.

"We both feel it is a privilege and a significant responsibility to carry on this legacy of helping the truly needy. We’ve worked hard to align Mr. Nelson’s original goals with the current needs and opportunities in the community," said Katharine.

Working with various community foundation staff members since 2001, Katharine and Jeff have identified two priority areas where they see great need and potential for impact: at-risk youth and frail seniors.

Influenced by research presented by their philanthropy managers and their own experiences, Katharine and Jeff have focused their funding specifically on arts programs for underserved youth and culturally-competent programs and services for frail elderly.

They rely on the community foundation's recommendations to introduce them to new organizations and broaden their understanding of nonprofits in each field. Recently, Katharine and Jeff went on site visits to see first-hand how seniors were benefiting from the programs they were funding. "The heartwarming part was meeting the passionate leaders of these organizations. At a day center for Vietnamese and Chinese seniors, we met one young woman who was doing an amazing job at making the center the most welcoming place. You could just feel that everyone was having a wonderful time and feeling connected," said Jeff.

Katharine and Jeff's philanthropy manager, Khanh Bui states, "I have enjoyed learning their interests and working together to contextualize their giving to these issues. At the community foundation, we provide a very personalized service in doing the mediation between The Nelson Fund and grantees; I notify those who receive grants and talk with them if they have questions. This leaves Katharine and Jeff free to review and select potential grantees and do site visits."

Learning from the community foundation about the challenges nonprofits face, particularly in this difficult economy, Katharine and Jeff have adopted a strategy that allows organizations maximum flexibility. This year, most of their grants will provide general operating support to organizations that have strong leadership and effective programs. "We believe that incredible visionaries are crucial, but we also want to see that programs are well-executed," explained Katharine.

As they begin their ninth year working together on the Nelson Fund, Katharine and Jeff agreed that their relationship with their philanthropy manager has been productive and supportive. Jeff reflects, "I look forward to our meetings, because I am learning so much, and I appreciate that all the administrative details are managed. I would also like to find ways we can energize others to give to these issues, especially the frail elderly."

If you would like to learn more about innovative arts and senior programs, such as those supported by the Nelson Fund, contact Khanh Bui, donor engagement officer, at kdbui@siliconvalleycf.org