Sonoma County Community Foundation
Sonoma County Community Foundation is a public charity based in an individual recipient, California, formed in 1983. It connects donors, nonprofits, and local leaders to support organizations and address community needs in Sonoma County. The foundation says it has granted more than $350 million to local organizations and stewards charitable funds established by individuals, families, businesses, and community groups.
Key facts about Sonoma County Community Foundation
In short: Sonoma County Community Foundation gave $19.9M across 304 grants in 2024 (avg $65K), mostly in California. 23% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 68-0003212
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $19,874,629
- Grants made (2024)
- 304
- Average grant
- $65,377
- Median grant
- $20,058
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (69 of 303, 2024)
- Total assets
- $231,023,082
- Primary geography
- California (96% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- For competitive grants, eligible organizations may apply through the foundation’s grant application process. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- Rolling
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$231.0M
+5.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$19.9M
+3.0% YoY
Grant Count
304
+10.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$65K
-6.9% YoY
Is Sonoma County Community Foundation open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 69 of 303 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $34K; repeat grants $75K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $25K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s website describes its vision as “a vibrant, just and inclusive community for all.” Its stated funding areas and programs include arts education, BIPOC leadership, environmental education, food and shelter, post-secondary scholarships, and disaster resilience. Its 2025–2030 strategic plan identifies economic wellbeing, health equity, and environmental action as goals, with belonging, community voice, and a robust nonprofit ecosystem as foundational priorities.
The 2024 filing describes grantmaking primarily in health and human services, arts and culture, education, and the environment. Examples of supported organizations illustrate this range: Pepperwood Foundation says its mission is to inspire conservation through science; LandPaths works to foster a love of the land in Sonoma County; the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center operates a museum and research center celebrating Schulz’s life and work; and the Sonoma Ecology Center works with its community to sustain ecological health in the an individual recipient Other 2024 grantees include organizations whose stated missions involve teen services, education, and hunger relief.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 304 grants totaling $19,874,629. Grant amounts ranged from $5,200 to $1,877,650, with a median of $20,058. The largest listed awards included $1,877,650 to Pepperwood Foundation for general support; $1,400,000 to Alliance Redwoods Conference Grounds for general support; $1,198,784 to the City of Healdsburg for the Foley Family Pavilion; $800,446 to LandPaths for general support; and $750,000 to the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center for general support.
Other notable awards included $442,169 to Sonoma Ecology Center for general support and a housing collaborative; $441,700 to CHOPS Teen Club for general support and renovations; $400,000 to Roseland Charter School for Bridge and Gaining Ground scholarships; $350,000 to Deep Living Lab for general support; and $335,350 to 10,000 Degrees for scholarships for the 2024–2025 school year. The filing reports that 96% of 2024 grant dollars went to California recipients.
The foundation describes both competitive and initiative grantmaking. Its FAQ says competitive grants are open to incorporated charitable 501(c)(3) organizations serving Sonoma County whose programs fit a field of interest. Applications are evaluated by the Community Impact Team using grant review criteria and compared with other applications. The foundation provides an application portal and a guide to creating a successful application. The 2024 filing says competitive-grant recipients must sign a contract describing the use of funds and submit narrative and financial reports at the end of the grant period. Some programs are invitation-only; the foundation says staff research and vet projects in advance and invite organizations when there is a strong fit.
Invitation Only
For competitive grants, eligible organizations may apply through the foundation’s grant application process. For invitation-only programs, organizations may send a brief program summary if they believe their work strongly aligns with the criteria. The Julia L. Grant Fund for Basic Human Needs supports direct food provision and emergency shelter; requests for direct financial assistance, such as rent, utilities, or gift cards, are not eligible. Its 2026 application cycle is closed. The foundation’s website lists the Environmental Education Pathways Project as open and the Sonoma County Resilience Fund as invitation-only on a rolling basis.
Open Grants
11 open opportunities from Sonoma County Community Foundation
Arts Education Grant Program
Sonoma County Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Environmental Education Pathways Project Grant Program
Sonoma County Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Fund for Belonging: Income Generation Grant
Sonoma County Community Foundation
Amount
US $30,000 - US $60,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Ready to take the next step with Sonoma County Community Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated mission and grant programs focus on Sonoma County. In 2024, 96% of grant dollars went to recipients in California; the remaining reported shares went to recipients in DC, New York, Massachusetts, and North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 304 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $14.8M (2021) to $21.5M (2020). In 2024 it made 304 grants totaling $19.9M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Pepperwood Foundation ($1.9M). Together the top 10 received $8.0M.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($302,386), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
1,425 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 999 grants of 1,425 (70%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Pepperwood Foundation Santa Rosa, CA | General Support | $1,877,650 |
| Alliance Redwoods Conference Grounds Occidental, CA | General Support | $1,400,000 |
| City of Healdsburg Healdsburg, CA | Foley Family Pavillion | $1,198,784 |
| Landpaths Santa Rosa, CA | General Support | $800,446 |
| Charles M Schulz Museum & Research Center Santa Rosa, CA | General Support | $750,000 |
| Sonoma Ecology Center Eldridge, CA | General Support, Housing Collaborative | $442,169 |
| Chops Teen Club Aka Demeo Teen Club Inc Santa Rosa, CA | General Support, Renovations | $441,700 |
| Roseland Charter School Santa Rosa, CA | Bridge and Gaining Ground Scholarships | $400,000 |
| Deep Living Lab San Mateo, CA | General Support | $350,000 |
| 10000 Degrees San Rafael, CA | Scholarships for 2024-2025 School Year | $335,350 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $231,023,082 | $29,603,313 | $26,857,136 | $19,874,629 |
| 2023 | $219,418,080 | $15,772,565 | $23,523,026 | $19,303,541 |
| 2022 | $202,602,973 | $38,302,725 | $21,975,458 | $17,018,199 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $231,023,082 | $219,418,080 | $202,602,973 |
| Revenue | $29,603,313 | $15,772,565 | $38,302,725 |
| Expenses | $26,857,136 | $23,523,026 | $21,975,458 |
| Net Investment Income | $12,086,876 | $4,398,821 | $11,605,447 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS December 21, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 13, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Richard Davis-Lowell as chair, Janet Ramatici as secretary, and Christina Hollingsworth as treasurer. Directors listed are Ralph Lewin, Kit Driscoll, Lisa Carreno, Teejay Lowe, Alan Preston, Deberah Kelley, and Aiko-Sophie Ezaki.
Sonoma County Community Foundation is led by Oscar Chavez, President & CEO since 2023 (on filings since 2019); 4 of 22 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Oscar Chavez
President & CEO
Director → President & CEO, 2023
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$217K (2023) → $283K (2024)
Richard Davis-Lowell
Chair
Vice Chair → Chair & Interim CEO, 2023
Chair & Interim CEO → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$69K (2023) → $0 (2024)
Akash Kalia
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Deberah Kelley
Director
Chair → Director, 2021
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Carreno
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Young
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thelia Wade
Director
Director → Chair, 2021
Chair → Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dale Wannen
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Aiko-Sophie Ezaki
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alan Preston
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kit Driscoll
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ralph Lewin
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Teejay Lowe
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Angelica Garcia
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kerri Berry
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nicole Lim
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tim Tesconi
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark Geary
Controller
Director of Finance → Interim Vice President for Finance, 2023
Interim Vice President for Finance → Controller, 2024
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$103K (2021) → $130K (2024)
Amy Holter
Vice President for Community Impact
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$131K (2024)
Pamela Harris
Chief Financial Officer
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$142K (2024)
Christina Hollingsworth
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Janet Ramatici
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (22)
- Former: Kristin Nelson (2022–2023) — Interim Vice President for Development
- Former: Ann Butterfield (2019–2022) — Vice President of Finance & Ops
- Former: Barry Weitzenberg (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Carol Beattie (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Elizabeth Brown (2019–2022) — President & CEO
- Former: Harriet Derwingson (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Karin Demarest (2019–2022) — Vice President Community Impact
- Former: Katie Jackson (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Patrick Emery (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Simon Blattner (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Susan Lentz (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Caitlin Childs (2022) — Director of Communications
- Former: John McGuirk (2022) — Interim Vice President
- Former: Sheryl Alexander (2022) — Interim CEO
- Former: Kristopher Van Giesen (2021) — Vice President for Philanthropy
- Former: Matthew Ingram (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Steve Goldberg (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Chip Allen (2019) — Director
- Former: Lawrence Mills (2019) — Director
- Former: Michelle Zygelbaum (2019) — Director
- Former: Steve Rabinowitsh (2019) — Director
- Former: W. John Mullineaux (2019) — Vice President of Development
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $283K, to Oscar Chavez (President & CEO). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 120 Stony Point Road 220, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Phone: (707) 579-4073
Website: https://sonomacf.org
Frequently asked questions about Sonoma County Community Foundation
How much does Sonoma County Community Foundation give each year?
Sonoma County Community Foundation gave $19.9M across 304 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $19.3M across 275 grants.
What is Sonoma County Community Foundation's typical grant size?
Sonoma County Community Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $20,058, and its average grant was $65,377, across 304 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sonoma County Community Foundation that year got $34K on average.
Where does Sonoma County Community Foundation give grants?
Sonoma County Community Foundation gives mostly in California: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Santa Rosa, CA (97 grants), Sonoma, CA (26 grants), Healdsburg, CA (20 grants) and Petaluma, CA (16 grants).
Does Sonoma County Community Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 55% of Sonoma County Community Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (167 of 304) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Environmental Education" (7 grants).
Who are Sonoma County Community Foundation's largest grantees?
Sonoma County Community Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Pepperwood Foundation ($1,877,650), Alliance Redwoods Conference Grounds ($1,400,000) and City of Healdsburg ($1,198,784), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($302,386), which are not listed by name. Together they received 23% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Sonoma County Community Foundation?
Sonoma County Community Foundation reported $231.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $29.6M.
What does Sonoma County Community Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website describes its vision as “a vibrant, just and inclusive community for all.” Its stated funding areas and programs include arts education, BIPOC leadership, environmental education, food and shelter, post-secondary scholarships, and disaster resilience. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sonoma County Community Foundation?
For competitive grants, eligible organizations may apply through the foundation’s grant application process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Sonoma County Community Foundation's EIN?
Sonoma County Community Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 68-0003212. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Here's the math on researching Sonoma County Community Foundation by hand.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Sonoma County Community Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Sonoma County Community Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?