Our Mission

At Community Foundation Sonoma County, we believe in the power of connecting people, ideas, and resources to benefit all who live here.   We invest in the promise of Sonoma County.

Local Knowledge

We know Sonoma County. We know the issues, people, and organizations. We bring solutions and big ideas to local problems. We bring heart to solving community challenges.

Leveraged Resources

With us, our donors can do more than simply make a grant to a local nonprofit. By leveraging investments into collective action, we bring donors and organizations together to create lasting community impact.

Legacy Inspiration and Planning

We believe in our responsibility to leave this place better than we found it. We bring inspiration and practical solutions that create peace of mind.

Our Values

There’s a small but critical word in our mission statement, one that deserves extra attention—all.

As an organization that is deeply connected to this place and the people who call it home, we are acutely aware of what makes Sonoma County special and the disparities in who has access to what they need to thrive.

Each day we strive to close the gap in those disparities, through our work with donors, through our grantmaking, and by participating in larger initiatives to tackle complex community issues.

 

Our work is guided by our Values Statement:

  • We know that in order to create a fair and just community, some may need more to achieve the same.
  • We embrace our differences and our common bond.
  • We cultivate leaders, supporting them to advocate for their communities and empowering them to create change.
  • We promise to tackle tough issues with compassion and courage, choosing humbly to take a step forward instead of resting in the comfort of where we are.

Here are some of the ways we are putting our values into action:

  • Collectively supporting causes that address equity and strengthening leadership through our Latino Leadership Fund, Women’s Leadership Retreat, and Assistance Beyond the Grant program.
  • Addressing disparities through our grantmaking in Health and Human Services, Arts and Culture, Education, Animal Welfare, and the Environment.
  • Helping donors to envision and reach their goals through values-based philanthropy.

Key Facts about CFSC

  • Community Foundation Sonoma County was established in 1983.
  • Our office is located in Santa Rosa, California.
  • We have a dedicated and knowledgeable staff of 15.
  • Our current assets of over $227 million are held in over 450 charitable funds created by individuals, families, community groups and businesses.
  • We are governed by a Board of Directors representing a cross section of Sonoma County’s business, civic and philanthropic leaders and our President & CEO.
  • Since inception, the Community Foundation and our donors have awarded $275 million in grants. View our Annual Reports to learn more.

Community Foundation Sonoma County is confirmed in compliance with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations.