Funders working together to build healthy, equitable, and sustainable communities across California.
Resilience and Equity in Action: A Day with the Great Communities Collaborative
Shade trees softened the sun as we stepped onto Jardín del Pueblo, a vibrant community farm in Healdsburg where local farmworkers grow their own food and build skills for the future. Founder Zeke Guzman greeted us with warmth, sharing the origins of his farm — a story deeply rooted in… Read More »
California’s Climate Bond: What it Funds, How it’s Spent, Why it Matters
Two opposing forces are shaping California’s environmental landscape: rising momentum in federal rollbacks and increasing urgency around the state’s $10 billion Climate Bond to meet mounting needs. When voters approved Proposition 4, eight major buckets of funding were identified upfront. These range from safe drinking water to coastal resilience, wildfire… Read More »
What People Are Saying
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“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
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“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
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“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
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“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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