Get a sneak peek at how Grace Chiang, co-founder and managing director of Social Venture Group, does her part in tackling social issues in China

Morning
7:10am
I awake every day when, like clockwork, my next door neighbor slams her door shut on the way out. Apparently she never misses a day of work, and I’ve stopped setting my alarm. If she ever takes a sick day, I’m in trouble!

7:45
Sit down at my desk and spend some time reading the Bible. I’ve been on this one-year Bible reading plan, and so far I love starting my mornings this way. I usually jot down some reflections and prayer requests in my journal. Then I hop in the shower and get ready.

8:45
Eating breakfast while I check my email (my Macbook has become an appendage), putting out any fires and responding to inquiries international clients sent during the night. We help many small to medium sized international foundations with their China strategy and grant-making. No two clients are the same, and neither are their overnight fires.

Meetings Blitz
9:30
The whole team is already in the office and busy. I wouldn’t say that I’m late exactly … ! We have a really collaborative work space where we all sit around a long table. It makes for better communication, productivity and opportunities for joint procrastination. I’m the only American, and the rest of the team is Chinese. Yep, those Chinese school classes growing up were worth it (thanks Mom!). I have the best team in the world.

9:35
We each go around and update each other on what we’re working on and what we need from each other. We have several big deadlines coming up for grant proposals, research reports, as well as a client delegation coming to town soon. In this economic environment, it’s definitely a blessing to be busy.

10:00
My colleague Nora and I Skype with an international client who wants to invest in Chinese social enterprises focusing on rural education and the environment. We bounce some good ideas around and will prepare some proposals.

11:00
Time to make a blitz of phone calls to set up meetings for the client delegation. Hosting a delegation means meeting incredible people, doing tourist-y things and generally running around like chickens with our heads cut off. We’re setting up meetings for them in Beijing, Chengdu and Shanghai to meet with non-profit experts who are working on issues like urban poverty and access to justice. It’s going to be an incredible trip, and I think everyone will learn a ton. These folks are no joke–they’re our biggest client to date, so we’ve got to make it count.

11:30
I sit down with my assistant Renee to go over our calendar for the next month. I’m traveling to Beijing and then spending two and half months in the U.S. That always makes team logistics a little tough, so we have to plan now.

Lunch
12:15pm
I brought my lunch today, so I pop it in the microwave and catch up on a gajillion Google Reader blog subscriptions and update our Twitter account (@cnphilanthropy) while I eat. I tweet “Lunchtime reading: Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business http://bit.ly/186QGr.”

More Meetings
2:00
Time to go meet a prospective Chinese donor who is interested in children-at-risk issues. I bring along a number of proposals that fit his criteria. Our social mission is to increase Chinese philanthropy to grassroots causes in China. I used to get incredibly nervous before donor meetings, feeling all jittery and nauseous, but now it’s all so much better.

4:30
Back in the office and tackling another mountain of emails. Alas, an inbox with zero new emails is a fantasy that I’ll live out in this lifetime.

6:00
Writing up a post for our blog China Philanthropy about the emergence of private foundations in China, a fascinating new trend.

Dinner
7:00
Off to dinner at Taikang Lu with a group of friends, many of whom I’ve known for years. I’m thankful for a great community of people who are here in for the long haul, just like me. Someone suggested we try En Bar & Grill, a Japanese place. Someone get this girl a steak!

9:30
Rush home to make a Skype call with the U.S. foundation client.

Almost Done ...
10:00
The director says their board recently approved several of our grants and is pleased with our work. Phew! They also suggest having us do more research for them this year on potential new areas of focus. I stifle a yawn. The call goes better than expected. Afterward, I’m so thankful that I dance like an idiot around the living room for a bit (the blinds are drawn). I can’t help it. I love my job!

Bed Time
12:15am
Fall asleep reading “The Economist.”

What we think...
Whoa, that's a lot of meetings, meetings and more meetings. But it's definitely great to hear that even in this economic environment, folks are putting their money where their mouth is and still investing in philanthropy for a variety of causes. Tell Grace what you think of her day.