In 2009 Sonoma Valley Fund, with Community Foundation Sonoma County and their donors, awarded $265,550 to the local community in grants and scholarships. Sonoma Valley Fund awarded six grants from the George and Phyllis Ellman Fund totaling $25,500, to support a diversity of work as shown here.
Sonoma Valley Fund Partners
The partnership between the Sonoma Valley nonprofits and the Sonoma Valley Fund has the goal of developing valley-wide interest and commitments to make legacy gifts to the nonprofits that individual donors have supported during their lifetime. To endow our nonprofits through legacy gifts assures each nonprofit of a secure source of funds in the future to continue its important mission in our valley. Three of our newest partners describe why they joined the Sonoma Valley Fund partnership.
“La Luz Center reached out to The Sonoma Valley Fund as a viable and strong partner,” reported Stephen Dale, Executive Director. Dale said, “We feel it is a good safe and visible place to invest funds. It opened doors for opportunities by bringing new donors to our organization. Its relationship with the Community Foundation has helped us with additional grant opportunities. The Sonoma Valley Fund has taken a lead role with many new projects, including the youth initiative and researching the needs of kids in our community. La Luz Center is proud to be a partner of an organization who is a leader, helping non-profits continue their work in the best interests of Sonoma Valley.”
Pets Lifeline joined the other nonprofits involved in the Sonoma Valley Fund for the access to the resources and expertise in bequests, endowments and planned giving for which they are so respected. George Bradley, Board President, said, “A long-term endowment program will put Sonoma Valley’s only animal shelter on a path to a more stable financial future. Partnering with the Sonoma Valley Fund, combined with patience and perseverance over time in building and growing our endowment, will be the key elements to our success.”
Shared values is a key reason that the Sonoma Valley Fund makes an ideal investment partner for the Sonoma Valley mentoring alliance, which is poised to expand its legacy giving program this year. Development Director Laura Zimmerman says, “We have the expertise in improving the lives of at-risk students in our Valley, and the Sonoma Valley Fund has the expertise in legacy giving and marketing. This partnership is key to our long term financial strength and success.”
