Even before headlines announced State and Federal budget cuts, our staff and Board were already asking: How will we help when those cuts come?
Most safety net nonprofits rely on government grants and contracts to cover 25-50% of their budgets, so when programs are suspended, downsized or eliminated, we feel the impacts here at home.
Seniors, the medically fragile, and families living paycheck-to-paycheck are often the first to suffer. And while local nonprofits work tirelessly to meet the moment, few have the cash reserves to replace public funding that has disappeared.
To keep vital services afloat, we launched a special fund this spring to bolster some of Napa Valley’s most essential nonprofits and to provide a safety net for the people they serve.
Named in honor of an unequaled champion for the charitable sector, the Elaine Jones Safety Net Fund provides two types of grants to nonprofits providing critical services to our elders, neighbors, and children:
- General support grants are a lifeline to help core social services organizations navigate surging client need and shrinking government funding.
- Capacity-building grants support strategic steps toward sustainability like diversifying revenue streams or improving operational efficiency.
We know these needs will grow in the years ahead. With collective generosity, our goal is to offer an annual grant program—one that reliably strengthens the nonprofits that, in turn, strengthen Napa Valley.
Platform
We channel the power of thousands of local givers toward the Valley’s most pressing issues, multiplying impact through initiatives and grants that harness their collective generosity.