After a slow post-pandemic recovery, downtown San Francisco is attempting a comeback. Although the SoMa area still suffers from a lack of office workers and many storefronts remain empty , 2024 was marked by valiant efforts to bring the neighborhood back to life. From the mayor’s Vacant to Vibrant program to Downtown First Thursdays (organized by the Civic Joy Fund and Into the Streets), the push to bring San Franciscans back into the heart of the city has become a rallying cry as of late. That growing movement just got $5 million richer.
On Tuesday, the Svane Family Foundation , formed by former Zendesk CEO Mikkel Svane, announced a massive grant initiative aimed at bringing more art and culture to downtown San Francisco. The $5 million cache of funds will be awarded with priority to projects in the $10,000 to $100,000 range that can be executed swiftly (within one year). To qualify for the funds , applicants must be tax-exempt charitable organizations or have the backing of one. The projects should emphasize bringing families, students and young professionals to the area.
Applications will be reviewed quarterly (the first cutoff is March 1) by a selection committee that includes members of the foundation, representatives from the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development and California for the Arts and local art gallery owner Jonathan Carver Moore…