The Just and Resilient Future Fund

About the Fund

In October of 2017, our community experienced devastating fires in Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino and Lake Counties — a disaster which displaced more than a hundred thousand people, took over a dozen lives, destroyed thousands of homes, farms, vineyards, and burned over 200,000 acres of this place we love.

In response to this crisis, a diverse coalition of community-based organizations came together to establish the Just and Resilient Future Fund. Resources from this fund will be provided both to organizations which support immediate recovery assistance for the most vulnerable populations, and to initiatives that build more healthy, just and resilient communities.

Grassroots community-based organizations are essential to ensuring that recovery efforts reflect the diverse needs of our community and the local ecosystems on which we all depend. This coalition, known as Another World is Possible, is comprised of leaders representing a broad cross-section of North Bay groups –from family farms to environmentalists to immigrants– who are dedicated to civic engagement and cross-pollination of community-based organizations working together. We benefit from strong partnerships with local and regional non-profits, government agencies, faith institutions, family businesses, schools and more.

The Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment, a community-based grant-making institution with a 25-year track record, complements the relationships and expertise of coalition members and provides this fund with sound fiscal management.

If you would like to donate to the Fund, please click here.

Core Principles

  1. Place Equity at the Center

    Assure that disaster relief efforts focus on community members already at a social and economic disadvantage and that preparedness efforts promote equity in the face of future disaster.

  2. Build People Power 

    Design disaster relief and preparedness efforts that empower local, grassroots communities to better help themselves and each other.  Support grassroots involvement in planning our communities’ rebuilding and restoration to ensure that community voices help guide this vital process.

  3. Connect the Dots

    Build and support the grassroots networks that connect diverse stakeholders, skills and services, ensuring effective communication and collaboration in the event of disaster.

ELIGIBILITY

The immediate priority of the Fund is focused on relief funds for organizations supporting fire victims who are underserved or already living on the margins. Over the longer term, funds will be made available for specific initiatives from local non-profit organizations, possibly including Another World is Possible coalition organizations, which focus on disaster relief and preparedness, sustainable planning, and building inclusive, healthy, networked and resilient communities and ecosystems.

The following are criteria for organizations seeking to apply for short-term assistance:

  • The organization must be located or operate in in Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake or Napa County and provide services to populations in those counties.
  • The organization, or their fiscal sponsor, must be a 501(c)3 with an IRS tax number.
  • The organization’s recovery efforts or project should largely serve people negatively affected by the October 2017 North Bay fires who:
    • a) are already a part of a marginalized community; and/or
    • b) may be ineligible or fearful of applying for government aid; and/or
    • c) have been underserved in recovery efforts; and/or
    • d) have a mental or physical condition that requires immediate assistance; and/or
    • e) are a small farmer or agricultural worker that requires immediate assistance.
  • If the organization plans to give direct assistance to fire victims, they must have in place an application process that is intended to ensure that applicant has been negatively affected by the fire, that he or she can be classified in one of the 5 categories listed as a-e above or has a special circumstance of need.
  • The organization must be willing, if requested, to provide AWP or the Rose Foundation with documentation on how funds are disbursed. If the organization provides individual assistance, organizations may keep names of recipients confidential.

How to Apply

The Fund is currently addressing short-term needs as identified by the Another World is Possible Coalition. The long-term distribution process for the Fund is under development.

Funding Board

Disbursement of funds is guided by representatives from the Another World is Possible Coalition:

 

Support the Fund

Donations to support the Fund are deeply appreciated.

Click here to donate online (be sure to click “The Just and Resilient Future Fund” button under the heading “I would like to direct my donation to.”)

If you prefer to donate by mail, please make your check out to the Rose Foundation and send it to:

Rose Foundation
201 4th Street, Suite 102
Oakland, CA 94607

Please write “The Just and Resilient Future Fund” in the memo line on your check – this will ensure that your donation is credited 100% to the Just and Resilient Future Fund.

To donate gifts of securities or other assets, please contact Anya Diamond at adiamond -at- rosefdn.org for instructions.

The Just and Resilient Future Fund is grateful for any support, no matter what the level. All gifts are acknowledged and the Rose Foundation will provide a receipt for tax purposes.

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