The following is a post by Jasmine Marrow, GuideStar’s manager of philanthropic research.
“We have come dangerously close to accepting the homeless situation as a problem that we just can’t solve.” — Linda Lingle
Recently, Philanthropedia surveyed 100 experts working to address homelessness in the San Francisco Bay Area. The experts (with an average of 15 years of work experience in the field) were asked to identify those organizations that were making the biggest positive impact in climate change on a local level.Philanthropedia’s experts (funders, researchers, nonprofit senior staff, consultants, etc.) identified 16 top nonprofits (out of 111 total reviewed nonprofits). Below is a graphical representation of who participated in our research. You can also view expert bios by clicking here.
Which nonprofits were among the top?
Experts were asked to recommend up to four nonprofits and up to two promising start-up nonprofits having a significant impact in the field of Bay Area homelessness. Experts were asked to consider direct service and policy/advocacy organizations addressing the issue from various perspectives including: temporary and permanent housing, hunger, mental health, substance abuse, family support, re-entry, and foster care.
The following is the list of the expert-identified top nonprofits working in the field of Bay Area homelessness. Click the link to visit each organization’s profile and read expert reviews. Experts have commented on each nonprofit’s impact, other organizational strengths, and how each organization could further improve.
| Ranking | Top Bay Area Homelessness Nonprofits |
| 1 | Community Housing Partnership |
| 2 (tied for #2) | Abode Services |
| 2 (tied for #2) | Larkin Street Youth Services |
| 3 | Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corp. |
| 4 | Homeless Prenatal Program |
| 5 | First Place for Youth |
| 6 | Shelter Network (now known as InnVision Shelter Network) |
| 7 | Episcopal Community Services of San Francisco |
| 8 | Hamilton Family Center |
| 9 | EHC LifeBuilders |
| 10 | SHELTER, Inc. |
| 11 | Bill Wilson Center |
| 12 | Coalition on Homelessness |
| 13 | InnVision (now known as InnVision Shelter Network) |
| 14 | EveryOne Home |
| 15 | Central City Hospitality House |
We also invite your feedback. Please tell us what you think and what experiences you’ve had with these great organizations! You can reach me at jasmine.marrow@guidestar.org.
Jasmine is the Manager of Philanthropedia Research at GuideStar. She is charged with leading Philanthropedia’s research efforts. Prior to her work at Philanthropedia, Jasmine spent time as Communications and Operations Coordinator at Great Oakland Public Schools, an education advocacy nonprofit. At the San Francisco Parks Trust, an urban greening nonprofit, she recruited volunteers, developed membership strategies, and connected with community members building community gardens.