The Power of Giving: Tri-Valley Nonprofit Alliance showcases impact of community connections

Community leaders, organizers, volunteers and contributors joined in celebration earlier this month at The Power of Giving, the annual showcase of the Tri-Valley Nonprofit Alliance.

“A strong, engaged crowd” of nearly 370 people (representing more than 70 local nonprofits) filled the Bankhead Theater to reflect on the year that was, to look ahead to 2026 and to honor the organization’s 2025 Impact Maker Award winners, TVNPA President/CEO Kathy Young told me by email before this long holiday weekend.

“The Power of Giving was a tremendous success,” Young said. “The feedback we’ve received is that the evening was inspirational, fun and filled with hope — which is exactly what we were aiming for.”

“For me, the biggest takeaway is what happens when the community comes together to lift up the people and organizations working every day to improve lives,” she added. “It’s a true celebration of our nonprofit community, our partners and what’s possible when we show up for one another.”

That is emblematic of TVNPA’s central mission, after all – serving as a central hub, of sorts, of the entire nonprofit community in the region, according to Young.

“Our role is to connect the dots — between nonprofits, businesses, local government, schools and community members — so that organizations aren’t working in isolation,” Young told me. “We provide education, networking and a place to share resources and ideas, which ultimately helps nonprofits be more effective and better able to serve the people who rely on them.”

“Our value to the community shows up in those connections,” she added. “When a nonprofit leader needs a partner, a funder wants to understand local needs, or a city is looking for who’s doing the work on the ground, TVNPA is often the place they come first.”

We have leaned on TVNPA on more than one occasion. 

Its CommonPoint Nonprofit Center in Livermore – which includes conference room space available for nonprofits and other groups by reservation – has hosted our Pleasanton Weekly Holiday Fund grant presentation. The venue is such a great offering in the community. 

TVNPA has also worked to build out its anti-poverty efforts (via the Tri-Valley Anti-Poverty Collaborative) and grantmaking work (through the Tri-Valley Nonprofit Fund), Young noted.

“Over the past several years, we’ve really established ourselves as part of the core infrastructure of the Tri-Valley nonprofit ecosystem,” she said. “We’ve gone from being ‘a group that hosts meetings’ to being seen as a trusted convener, a thought partner and an advocate for the sector. That’s the goal we started with, and we’re proud of how far we’ve come — while knowing there is still a lot of work ahead.”

That growing reputation includes establishing The Power of Giving as perhaps the premier celebration of nonprofits in the Tri-Valley. 

I had hoped to attend the event Nov. 6 in downtown Livermore but couldn’t swing the scheduling. (And, shameless plug, The Power of Giving is an example of the type of gala or special event that can become exclusive ticket giveaways for our Support Local Journalism members when we have media sponsorship agreements.)

I’m glad to hear the 2025 showcase was so powerful.

“This is intended to be a celebration of the nonprofits in our community and the people who support them — donors, volunteers, partners and champions,” Young said. “The real success of the night is in shining a light on the incredible organizations in our region, especially those people may not have heard of, and creating a space where the community can see the breadth of impact happening right here at home.”

To that end, three people, three nonprofits and one business were recognized with TVNPA’s 2025 Impact Maker Awards. 

The winners were the Livermore-Amador Symphony Association (Arts & Culture), UNCLE Credit Union (Corporate / Philanthropic Partner), Alan Hu Foundation (Excellence in Impact – Under $1M), Tri-Valley Haven (Excellence in Impact – Over $1M), Lisa Henderson of Set to Thrive (Unsung Hero), Carrie Oldes of Spectrum Community Services (Unsung Hero) and Carolyn Siegfried (Lifetime Achievement). 

Some big names were on-hand to present the awards, including State Sen. Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton) and mayors Jack Balch (Pleasanton), Sherry Hu (Dublin) and John Marchand (Livermore). Katie Marcel, CEO of Innovation Tri-Valley, and Mark Orcutt, CEO of the East Bay Leadership Council, emceed that portion of the event.

“Power of Giving isn’t designed as a traditional fundraiser,” Young said. “We do bring in some revenue through sponsorships, a raffle, and ticket sales, but our ticket prices are intentionally modest to keep the cost barrier low. We also provide complimentary tickets to our grant recipients, Impact Award voters, grant selection committee members, and a few others.” 

“Any funds we do raise simply help us keep doing that work throughout the year,” she continued.

With its annual celebration now in the rearview, TVNPA is focusing on ending the year strong and getting the new year off on the right foot. November turning into December provides a critical opportunity for final fundraising and messaging in the tax year for all nonprofits (including our own journalism foundation). 

For TVNPA, every donation its “Raising Nonprofits: Supporting Communities” campaign receives right now is boosted through a 50% match from the Community Health & Education Foundation (CHEF). So a gift of $50 becomes $75. 

The alliance also just helped coordinate a food drive at local Grocery Outlet stores that raised more than 12,800 pounds of food donations for Tri-Valley families in need. And it has its “Stronger Side by Side: The Transformative Power of Nonprofit Collaboration” program coming up on Dec. 11, featuring Valley Humane Society President and CEO Melanie Sadek. 

“Looking ahead, we know we’ll continue to focus on what we do best: building community among nonprofits and partners, offering high-quality education and support for nonprofit leaders, growing our grant program, and advocating for nonprofits and the people they serve,” Young said.

“Beyond that, some of our most meaningful work has come out of conversations and connections we couldn’t have predicted so I’m excited to see what emerges in 2026 as we keep listening to our community,” she teased.

Editor’s note: Jeremy Walsh is the associate publisher and editorial director for the Embarcadero Media Foundation’s East Bay Division. His “What a Week” column is a recurring feature in the Pleasanton Weekly, Livermore Vine and DanvilleSanRamon.com.

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