Highlights from our 2024 Funder Summit - Smart Growth California

We’re thrilled that over 70 people joined our Funder Summit in Sacramento, and excited to witness the sparks that ignite when new people meet and longtime colleagues see each other again.

We started with a welcome from Dion Cartwright, The Funder Network’s new President and CEO. She shared TFN’s work to center racial equity, focus on community, develop leaders and connect changemakers (Smart Growth California is an initiative of TFN).

We then engaged in a high-level overview of where California stands in addressing its climate goals. The conversation was particularly meaningful for us since Smart Growth California got its start 15 years ago in the wake of landmark legislation that set these climate goals. Numerous leaders engaged with ClimatePlan network joined us for this discussion and provided their insights.

We know that not everyone in our funder network directly funds transportation, land use and climate policy. But we felt it important to start with a deep look at these issues since they directly impact health and equity outcomes.

One of the key takeaways from these sessions is that the gas tax (one of most regressive taxes out there!) will eventually be replaced by tolled freeways, road mileage charges and other funding measures. We learned from panelists that a huge opportunity exists to shape these new transportation fees so they are far more equitable.

We also heard a lot about how numerous funders in our network are supporting a power-building ecosystem in support of community based organizations to mobilize communities both for equitable project implementation and systems change work. We had an opportunity to learn from their experience, get into the nuances of the work and explore opportunities for increased funder collaboration.

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks offered their insights into the need for coalition-building, and some of our public sector partners from the Strategic Growth Council and the Office of Planning and Research were on hand to share what they’re learning.

On the second day, we engaged in a dialogue with leadership from the public sector and explored opportunities for partnership to help equitably implement public funding in support of resilient communities, and coordinate capacity building work.

To see all of the speakers who shared at our Funder Summit, check out the full agenda. To see more photos, scroll to the bottom of this post.

Below is a list of opportunities for funders to engage moving forward based on conversations that took place during the Funder Summit:

Climate Equity: Transportation and housing issues are climate issues.
Transportation Equity: The gas tax will be sunsetting, replaced by more tolled freeways and mileage charges.
Long-Term Capacity Building: Many efforts are under way to support/build the capacity of CBOs.
Power Building: Funders can support a power-building ecosystem in support of community based organizations to mobilize communities both for equitable project implementation and systems change work.
Leveraging Federal Funding: There is still a lot of federal funding to tap but it requires strong TA/Capacity Building for CBOs.
Partnering with State agencies: The public sector and philanthropies have different cultures, play different roles, but need to practice working together more.

Learn more about, and engage with Smart Growth California’s Working Groups:
- Statewide Steering Committee
- San Joaquin Valley Funders’ Collaborative
- Los Angeles Funders’ Collaborative
- Climate Funders’ Collaborative (Baja/Imperial/San Diego Region)
- Rural Urban Interface Learning Group