Fund for Belonging: Safe Spaces & Wellbeing Grant

The Fund for Belonging: Safe Spaces & Wellbeing aims to create inclusive environments for immigrants, facilitating access to culturally sensitive mental health services and community connection. By funding five grants, this initiative focuses on empowering individuals through safe spaces that adapt to their needs, whether in-person or virtual. With insights from local leaders, the program embodies a commitment to equity and community leadership, ensuring diverse representation in its efforts to address critical challenges faced by immigrant populations in Sonoma County.

Note: The grantmaking process for the Fund for Belonging begins with an open call for letters of interest (presented above as Letter of Inquiry (LOI)).
Community Foundation Sonoma County
Community Foundation Sonoma County helps people give back to the place they love. With over 40 years of experience and deep roots in the region, we partner with donors, nonprofits, and local leaders to strengthen giving, grow impact, and support the people and organizations driving change in Sonoma County.
We work alongside donors and nonprofits alike —making philanthropy easy and meaningful through trusted guidance and personalized support, and helping organizations grow stronger through grants, capacity-building, and collaborative initiatives.
We’ve granted more than $300 million to local organizations and now steward over $214 million in charitable assets across 450 charitable funds created by individuals, families, businesses, and community groups.
CFSC’s Fund for Belonging addresses the intersecting challenges facing immigrant communities through targeted grantmaking, strategic collaboration, and responsive civic leadership. The design of the 2025 grant program is a culmination of the input and wisdom of more than 80 local leaders across immigrant communities, nonprofits, government, and philanthropy. This program brings together aligned funds at CFSC to respond to the results of this community engagement process.
Contingent on additional resources, we aim for the Fund for Belonging to remain responsive and collaborative as we grow to encompass new areas of focus and invest in even deeper community leadership in 2026 and beyond.
Funding Areas
The 2025 grant program will accept letters of interest related to the following four funding areas: Legal & Policy Information; Trusted Messenger Network; Income Generation and Safe Spaces & Wellbeing.
To fund safe, welcoming spaces of belonging where immigrants can access culturally appropriate mental health services, connect with one another, and strengthen community power. These spaces can be in person or virtual based on the design most comfortable for those using the space.
Anticipated number of grants – 5
Geographic and demographic representation within the grant program will be considered in the evaluation process.

Eligibility

The following evaluation criteria will be used to review letters of interest for all funding areas:501c3 Status – Organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or an organization fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with offices and services based in Sonoma County.Funding Area Alignment – Program demonstrates alignment with the objectives in one or more of the funding areas.Designing to the Margins – Program is designed by and for immigrants living on the margins in Sonoma County (see FAQs for more details). In our selection process, we will consider the diversity of immigrant communities in Sonoma County.Organizational Connection & Capacity – Organization provides evidence of current/past impact in immigrant communities and the likelihood of sustained commitment in this area.Partnerships – Organization engages in strong partnerships and includes plans for collaboration using grant program funds.Geographic Focus – Organization has a strong physical presence in one or more of Sonoma County’s regions (North, South, Central, East, or West), such as a dedicated building for service provision or consistent services with physically present staff (i.e. a regular mobile unit route or office hours).Trusted Messenger – Organization documents that it is a trusted messenger among immigrant communities and is willing to support the dissemination of information as needed.