Category: Foundation News

An update on our Elaine Jones Safety Net Fund

Posted on: Aug 18, 2026

Strong nonprofits don't happen by accident. They’re built from flexible funding, thoughtful Board and staff leadership, and some degree of foresight, because turbulence of one kind or another is almost always on the horizon. When our nonprofit organizations are strong, our whole community is stronger. Last year, the ground shifted under Napa County's nonprofits. Funding…

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The Place Families Know They Can Turn

Posted on: Jul 30, 2026

As demand surged by 31 percent, Puertas Abiertas Community Resource Center remained a trusted first stop for Napa County's Latino and immigrant families. It was a year of change for Puertas Abiertas Community Resource Center: a leadership transition, a move into a new building, and — in the middle of it all — a wave…

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Looking Beyond the Crisis

Posted on: Jul 29, 2026

ParentsCAN knows that children can't thrive at school until their families have stability at home. Flexible funding helped ensure they never had to choose between today's needs and tomorrow's. A nine-year-old was getting into trouble at school — constant, escalating trouble — until a ParentsCAN advocate sat down with the family and learned the real…

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Keeping Coverage When the Rules Kept Changing

Posted on: Jul 29, 2026

As healthcare rules shifted and uncertainty spread, Community Health Initiative helped thousands of Napa County residents maintain coverage—and used Safety Net Fund support to build a stronger future. Every community depends on organizations that quietly help people through life's hardest moments. But what happens when those organizations face a crisis of their own? Last year,…

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We haven’t done this since 2003 (our new study on how Napa’s charitable sector has changed)

Posted on: Jul 16, 2026

Every so often, Napa Valley Community Foundation (NVCF) takes a careful look at the local nonprofit sector. The questions we ask are straightforward: What has changed? How is funding shifting? And where can the Foundation’s attention and resources make the greatest difference? We published the last comprehensive study of this kind in 2003 — two decades ago. Now,…

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Meet our New Board Members

Posted on: Jul 7, 2026

We’re proud to share that three accomplished leaders joined the Board of Napa Valley Community Foundation this July: Russ Joy, Penny Mallen, and Richard Mendelson. All three joined the Board when our new fiscal year began on the first of the month, bringing our total board membership to 15. "Russ, Penny, and Richard each bring a special combination of professional…

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Rooted in the Valley: A Recap of Our Common Ground Event

Posted on: May 8, 2026

On Thursday, May 7, more than 100 Napa Valley residents gathered at the Yountville Community Center for our latest Common Ground civic learning event — and for the unveiling of Rooted in the Valley: Immigrants in Napa County’s Communities and Economy, a comprehensive new report from the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), funded by NVCF. The…

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Climate Change: What the Science Is Telling Us – A Recap of Our Common Ground Event 

Posted on: Mar 26, 2026

On Thursday, March 19, nearly 100 Napa Valley residents gathered at Yountville Community Center for our latest Common Ground civic learning event, focused on one thing: the science (not politics) of climate change. Our speaker, Andrew “Drew” Isaacs – a geochemist, former NASA scientist, and UC Berkeley professor – brought both scientific expertise and real-world…

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Supporting Those Who Serve: The First Responders Fund 

Posted on: Jan 26, 2026

When troubles come to Napa County, our first responders show up without hesitation, giving everything they can to protect and support our community. Sometimes those troubles affect a single person or family, as is the case with a medical emergency or roadway accident; sometimes those troubles affect us all, which is true for natural disasters.…

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We Were Ready: What Napa Valley Community Foundation Learned From a Near-Miss Food Security Emergency

Posted on: Dec 17, 2025

In late October, almost 11,000 Napa County residents braced for the possibility of losing their November CalFresh benefits during the federal government shutdown. Children, seniors, and working families who rely on these food subsidies faced real fear and uncertainty. At Napa Valley Community Foundation, we hoped for the best but prepared for the worst—as we…

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