The George and Phyllis Ellman Fund Grants Program

The Ellman Fund Grants Program

In 2007, George and Phyllis Ellman made a gift of $150,000 to the Sonoma Valley Fund (SVF), an Affiliate of Community Foundation Sonoma County (CFSC.) They directed that the Fund be spent over the next six years for programs in Sonoma Valley that address primarily the environment, environmental education and historic preservation. The Board of the Sonoma Valley Fund was given the authority to make grants from the Fund.

An assessment of need in these designated areas was conducted among a group of informed individuals and organizations in Sonoma Valley¹. Based on the findings of this assessment², the Grants Committee and the Board of SVF have developed the Ellman Fund Grants Program as described below to be initiated in the spring of 2008.

The Grants Program

A request for a grant may be made in the general areas of:
- Historic preservation
- The environment
- Environmental education
- A combination of the above
Grant proposals may address education, preservation, restoration, advocacy, capital improvement, nonprofit or publicly-owned properties.
Programs or activities for which funding is requested must be conducted in Sonoma Valley.
Annually, one or more grants will be made up to an amount of $25,000.
A request for a multi-year grant will be considered, based on a plan for annual review and assessment.
Ellman Grant application materials include:
Monday, May 5, 2008 is the deadline for grant applications to reach the Sonoma Valley Fund office at Community Foundation Sonoma County, 250 D Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95404.

¹A list of informants is available upon request.
²A report dated March 7, 2008 addressed to the SVF Grants Committee is available upon request.