Funders working together to build healthy, equitable, and sustainable communities across California.
Seeds of Change in Fresno: Funders Witness CEMI at Work
West Fresno knows what it means to be overlooked. The closure of Valley Children’s Hospital 25 years ago left a gap in this historically Black community — showing how essential institutions can vanish, leaving residents to fend for themselves. In the years that followed, local leaders documented the toll on… Read More »
From Scarcity to Strength: Three Strategies for Funders in Rural Places
Rural communities in California, and nationwide, are reeling from federal workforce cuts that threaten jobs, incomes, and already-strained safety nets. These pressures came into sharp focus at a recent Rural Funders’ Working Group gathering with Patty Hernandez, co-founder and executive director of Headwaters Economics. “This is a time of belt… Read More »
Mar
16
Smart Growth California's 2026 Funder Summit
March 16 - March 18, 2026Smart Growth California Event
What People Are Saying
“SGC was instrumental in helping us establish the Climate Funders’ Collaborative in the Baja/Imperial/San Diego Region. Their team brings content expertise, network connections and effective engagement practices to our collaborative effort.”
Christiana DeBenedict, San Diego Foundation
“Smart Growth California provides so much value – from policy updates and exposure to innovative projects and organizations to providing a space for philanthropic relationship building and developing co-funding opportunities.”
Lisa Craypo, The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation
“Smart Growth California is one of the few spaces where funders are working across issue areas to address the needs of our most disadvantaged communities.”
Craig Martinez, The California Endowment
“Smart Growth California is an incredibly efficient way for me to connect with and learn from other funders and nonprofit partners so I can stay on top of what’s happening with affordable housing, transportation justice, and equitable development in regions throughout the state.”
Vu-Bang Nguyen, Silicon Valley Community Foundation
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