The Sharks Foundation positively impacts the community in two ways (1) implements effective programming that changes the lives of youth and families and (2) raises funds and redistributes the money back into the community.

 

The Sharks Foundation's programs enrich the lives of thousands of youth. This year alone, our literacy program has helped more than 22,000 students learn about the importance of reading.

 

Also this year, the Sharks Foundation contributed more than $375,000 to non-profit organizations supporting youth. Of this amount, $272,121 was donated through our annual grant process and an additional $100,000+ was distributed through our collection drives and special fundraisers. Since its inception, the Sharks Foundation has donated more than $5.2 million.
 

The San Jose Sharks are deeply involved with their neighborhood. As role models, we are committed to giving back to the community that so strongly supports us.

 

The Sharks Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the lives of youth and families in our community with an emphasis in the areas of Education, Health and Safety, and Character Development. The Sharks Foundation supplies emergency aid when appropriate, executes unique and relevant programming, supports the advancement of youth hockey and provides financial support and resources to organizations that enrich the lives of those in need.

Yes, the Sharks Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization recognized by the federal government.

No. The money donated and raised by the Sharks Foundation stays with the Sharks Foundation and is used to further our mission of enhancing the lives of youth and families in our community. At no point do the Sharks receive any money from the Sharks Foundation.

The Sharks Foundation was created in an effort to increase our organizational impact on Santa Clara County. As role models, we are committed to giving back to the community that so strongly supports us.

The Sharks Foundation was established in 1994.

 

The Sharks Foundation's programs enrich the lives of thousands of youth. Our Reading Is Cool presented by Comerica Bank program reaches over 22,000 students in more than 900 K-6 classrooms in Santa Clara and Southern Alameda Counties. This is one of the biggest literacy programs in the NHL and, over the years, has taught more than 170,000 students the importance of reading.

 

The Sharks Foundation's "Adopt-A-Family" party pairs Sharks players, coaches and front office staff with families in need during the holiday season. This year, nearly 200 youth and adults were treated to a night of dinner, entertainment, skating and gifts in hopes of brightening their holidays.

In a partnership with the Stanford Blood Center, the 'Save A Life' Blood Drive has been an annual tradition for the past five years at HP Pavilion. In 2011, the drive collected 303 units of blood, which has the potential of impacting 909 patients. There were also 57 new donors registered for the National Bone Marrow Registry and 31 people registered for Donate Life.

 

Each season, the Sharks Foundation—in partnership with the Good Tidings Foundation—identifies one local school and completely resurfaces their blacktop, transforming it into a street hockey court. In addition, sticks, balls, goals and goalie equipment are also donated to the school. Over the past two seasons, two Sharks players, Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski, have generously donated their own money to help with this program and allow youth the opportunity to play hockey.

 

Our annual collection drives leverage our generous fan base and give deserving organizations much needed support. The Reading Is Cool presented by Comerica Bank book drive collected more than 15 barrels of books and $2,923 for our literacy program.

 

The Second Harvest Food Bank Food Drive collected more than 3,663 pounds of food and $4,516 to help feed families during the holidays.

 

The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Drive collected more than $15,000 worth of toys and $15,689 in monetary donations, making it the Marine Corps Reserve's highest earning event of the year.

 

Our "Share the Warmth" Drive collected more than 2,240 pounds of clothes/blankets and $3,352 to give to Sacred Heart. Over 1,000 people will be affected by this collection drive.

And through the Hockey for Huggies campaign, 19,000 diapers were collected through direct and monetary donations, setting a record.

The Sharks Foundation's grant cycle typically opens in the fall each year. The deadline for 2011 has yet to be determined.  

Each eligible grant we receive is carefully read and scored by a panel of reviewers based on an established rubric. The grants are ranked accordingly, with each panel making recommendations as to which groups should receive funding. The narrowed down list is presented to the Sharks Foundation Board, who meet, discuss and collectively determine which groups will be selected.

 

Organizations interested in our grant process should click HERE to determine eligibility.

 

The Sharks Foundation recognizes that all of the groups which request funding are deserving organizations that make a positive difference in the community. Unfortunately, the Sharks Foundation grant cycle is a highly competitive process. We receive an average of 90 grants per year and are only able to fund a select handful. Please know that failure to receive funding is in no way indicative of the merit of your organization.

 

To see a list of our current grant recipients, please click HERE. 

 

The Sharks Foundation currently accepts cash and checks and will soon have the ability to accept online credit card payments as well.

 

Not at the moment, but this issue will be resolved shortly.

 

Yes. Monetary donations to the Sharks Foundation are tax-deductible. Donors will receive a tax letter for their donation. If you purchase an item or win an auction through the Foundation, only a portion of the amount is tax deductible. The Sharks Foundation will send you a recipient letter, but we recommend consulting a professional tax advisor regarding the extent to which your contribution is tax-deductible.

 

Every donation, regardless of the amount, helps. The more money raised by the Sharks Foundation, the more money we're able to give to non-profit organizations in Santa Clara County. All of the non-profit organizations the Sharks Foundation fund support youth and families in our community.

 

Money raised throughout the year will be used to fund our annual Grant Process. To see a list of our current grant recipients, please click HERE. 

 

For many people, there are organizations close to their hearts that they give directly to. But for many others, who don't have a specific cause in mind, determining which organization they want to give to can be a difficult and time-consuming process. The Sharks Foundation acts as the liaison between our donors and non-profit organizations, using a careful and thorough grant process to select organizations that will make the biggest impact in our community. All groups selected by the Sharks Foundation support youth in the areas of Education, Health & Safety or Character Development. 

 

We accept all amounts. No donation is too big and no donation is too small.

 

Checks should be made payable to the "Sharks Foundation" and can be mailed to 525 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose, CA 95113.

 

We can't guarantee any player appearances in return for a donation, but special arrangements can be made for any donations of that caliber.

 

Yes. The Sharks Foundation will be establishing a new "Giving Wall of Fame" on its website. Donors who consent will be recognized on the page based on their giving levels.

 

 

The Sharks Foundation appreciates the number of Sharks fans that would like to volunteer with our organization.  However, volunteer opportunities are usually reserved for SVS&E employees and their families.  For this reason, we ask that anyone interested in supporting the Sharks Foundation do so by donating their time with one of our many grant recipients.  These non-profit organizations enhance the lives of youth in our community by providing vital programs and services and regularly depend on volunteers for success. 

 

If any job or internship is currently available with the Sharks Foundation, they will be posted online at the SVS&E Sports Job Board. All unsolicited resumes will be discarded upon receipt. Please do not email your resumes to any email address listed on our website. Due to the volume of resumes received for posted positions, we are unable to accomodate individual inquiries regarding resume receipt, status, or hiring process status by phone or email.

 

 
How do the Sharks Foundation's auctions work?

While the Sharks Foundation provides monetary funding to various community groups throughout Santa Clara County, many organizations are often in need of in-kind items for fundraising purposes (silent auctions, raffles, etc.).  The Sharks Foundation cannot provide groups with these types of items.  Groups seeking an in-kind donation must contact the San Jose Sharks Fan Development Department.  

The San Jose Sharks and the Sharks Foundation are generally not able to provide tickets to San Jose Sharks games or other events occurring at HP Pavilion, either for fundraising or group outing purposes. On the limited occasions when tickets are available, only current and past Sharks Foundation Grant Recipients are eligible. Groups will be contacted at the discretion of the Sharks Foundation and may not requests specific events.

 

If you have a question regarding the Sharks Foundation that wasn't answered in the FAQ's, please contact us HERE and we'll be sure to get back to you.