Ventura County Community Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Ventura County Community Foundation invests in a broad range of community concerns, including relief for residents affected by wildfires and flooding.
IP TAKE: The Ventura County Community Foundation has been an important source of disaster relief and recovery support for residents who have experienced loss due to the wildfires and floods. It also makes grants for a range of other interests through community, field-of-interest and donor-advised funds. It can be somewhat difficult to keep track of current opportunities at this foundation, as it doesn’t provide a central source of information about guidelines, due dates and new opportunities. The foundation is approachable, however. It provides contact information for all of its staff members, and welcomes contact. Signing up for the newsletter is another good way to keep track of what’s happening at VCCF.
PROFILE: Established in 1987, the Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF) is a community foundation based in Camarillo, California. This funder manages charitable capital, protects endowments and connects philanthropic resources with community needs in the region. The foundation aims to "promote and enable philanthropy to improve our community – for good, forever.” VCCF funds local efforts for disaster relief and recovery, community development, arts and culture, education, wellness, environmental concerns and more.
Grants for Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Aid
Since 2017, Ventura County has suffered from the effects of several wildfires and floods. In response, the foundation has organized funds to support community members whose lives have been affected, providing both immediate emergency response and ongoing funding for rebuilding and resilience.
The Ventura County Storm Fund provides emergency grants to residents of Oxnard, Ventura and Port Hueneme who have been affected by the catastrophic floods of December of 2023. Grants provide emergency support for home restoration projects, health care needs, counseling, transportation, basic needs and more. According to the program page, contributions to this fund will also support “initiatives aimed at enhancing the resilience of these communities against future disasters.” This program is not currently accepting grant applications.
The Thomas, Hill and Woolsey Wildfire Recovery Funds supports the long-term recovery needs of “residents who are working through rebuilding, rehoming, and managing debts” after the Thomas, Hill ans Woolsey Fires. Giving supports individuals and families in need of health care services, counseling, housing support, child care resources, food, debt relief and more. This fund continues to accept donations, but it is unclear how affected residents should go about applying for these funds.
VVCF provides relief and support to its large community of undocumented residents via its 805 Undocufund, “a joint effort of immigrant-serving organizations in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties to provide disaster relief to local immigrant families.” Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the fund has provided “$5.27 million in direct assistance to 12,261 undocumented individuals in over 4,062 households.”
The Ventura County Rapid Response Fund was establishes as a response to the COVID-19 crisis with donations from the Amgen Foundation and other community donors. The fund aims “to support nonprofit organizations addressing the needs of individuals and families with food and housing support, childcare, wage replacement, mental health care, and more.” It provides unrestricted funding for operating expenses to organizations with pressing needs. This program is not currently accepting applications for funding, and it is unclear if it will continue as the county moves past the pandemic crisis. Past grantees include Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County and Safe Passage, which provided food relief, COVID testing and emergency funding for utility bills to residents of “vulnerable micro-communities who were more at risk to the pandemic because of their limited access to services.”
The Farmworker Household Assistance Program was also established in response to the COVID-19 crisis to support local farmworkers whose income was impacted by the pandemic. The program initially provided basic needs and financial assistance to agricultural workers in danger of losing their homes. It awarded cash assistance stipends of $500 to $1,000 to “qualified households.” It is unclear how long after the pandemic this program will continue to offer support, but it continues to accept donations. Information about how to apply for a grant is not provided on the program page.
Grants for Community Development
VCCF is home to the the Limoneira Foundation Fund, which was established by the Limoneira Company, a local real estate and agricultural operation. The fund runs an annual grantmaking program via VCCF that works to provide general support to “the economic, social, and cultural vibrancy of Santa Paula, Oxnard and the communities of the Santa Clara Valley including, Piru, Fillmore and Ventura.” Check the RFP section of the foundation’s nonprofits page for updates about application guidelines and due dates.
Grants for Arts and Culture
VCCF’s offers support to local arts and culture organizations and programs through three separate vehicles.
The Ventura County Arts and Culture Investment Fund makes grants to support “local arts and culture nonprofit organizations and […] independent artists and arts projects in Ventura County.” Grants emphasize organizations and programs that are “committed to advancing creativity, fostering cultural understanding, and contributing to the overall well-being of the residents of Ventura County, while offering a platform for artistic expression, innovation, and promoting a deeper understanding of our shared world.” This program appears to accept applications for a single annual grantmaking cycle, but information about specific due dates is not available at this time. Prospective grantseekers may email Mike Silacci, Chief Philanthropy Officer, at msilacci@vccf.org for additional information.
The Barbara Barnard Smith Fund for World Musics is a donor-advised fund that was established to “to enhance understanding of global intercultural and local multicultural environments through expanding acquaintance with artistic heritages beyond those of Euro-American concert traditions.” It offers grants annually to schools and organizations that “present concerts for the public to support performances of non-Western classical and folk musics by bearers of these traditions, and of contemporary compositions for traditional or Western instruments inspired by and incorporating elements of these musics.” This fund also accepts applications annually but does not provide information about upcoming due dates. For additional information, contact Mike Silacci, Chief Philanthropy Officer, at msilacci@vccf.org.
The Smith-Hobson Foundation’s grants, administered by VCCF, support “arts and cultural projects, such as those associated with museums, historical societies, fine and performing arts, and arts education and access, in western Ventura County.” This fund does not name additional priorities for its giving but accepts grant applications annually. Detailed information about guidelines and due dates is not available at this time, but grantseekers may check for updates or email Mike Silacci, Chief Philanthropy Officer, at msilacci@vccf.org for additional information.
While it is unclear which grants stem from which specific funds, past arts and culture recipients include the Ventura Botanical Gardens, the Museum of Ventura County, the New West Symphony Association and the Oxnard Performing Arts Center.
Grants for Early Childhood Education
According to VCCF’s Early Childhood Education Initiative, a majority of children between the ages of three and four in the county do not have access to quality preschool programs. The foundation cites a dearth of facilities, teachers, transportation and parent support as factors in this pressing local issue. To address these issues in Santa Paula, the foundation launched the Isabella Project, a pilot for making “highest quality early childhood education available for 100% of 3- to 4-year olds.” Information on the project’s work sessions and a newsletter are linked to the program page. This program does not appear to be awarding grants at this time.
Grants for Higher Education
VCCF runs a robust scholarship program for students of all ages pursuing higher and career education goals. There is a single, streamlined process for applying linked to the program page.
Although the foundation does not name higher education as a grantmaking priority, grants have supported institutions of higher education including Ventura College, Moorpark College and California State University Northridge.
Grants for Public Health, Diseases and Mental Health
Support for local health and mental health initiatives stems from VCCF’s Caregiver Initiative as well as several donor-advised vehicles.
The Caregiver Initiative “recognizes important role family caregivers play in our community” and partners with the Hospital Association of Southern California to run the Family Caregiver Navigation Project. This program works to “identify and integrate family caregivers as part of the healthcare team by providing targeted support and education to the caregiver and enhancing the ability of healthcare professionals to work with family caregivers.” Grants, as well as technical assistance and “evaluation support,” are available to affiliated area hospitals for programs that enhance support and collaboration between caregivers and medical professionals. Participation in evaluation and research projects is required for all grantees. The program page does not offer information about the application process, but relevant organizations may wish to contact the foundation about partnering in this work.
Community partners in the Caregiver Initiative include St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, the Simi Valley Hospital and the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging.
Other health- and mental-health related grants have supported organizations including the Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association, Cancer Support Community Valley, Community Memorial Health System and Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families.
Grants for Environment, Animals and Wildlife
Through its Animal Welfare Initiative, VVCF demonstrates a strong commitment to the well-being of the county’s domesticated and wild animal populations. Grants broadly support “programs, practices, and services that promote humane treatment of our non-human friends everywhere.” The foundation does not provide guidelines or due dates for grant applications.
Grantees include the Humane Society of the United States, the Ventura County Humane Society, Greyfoot Cat Rescue, the Ojai Raptor Center and the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation.
Grants for Environment, Climate Change and Clean Energy
VCCF established its Environmental Initiative in the early 2020s in response to Ventura’s being identified as “the fastest warming county in the continental United States.” The foundation launched an “environmental listening tour” through which it “met with over 40 different local environmental nonprofits and community partners” to discuss local issues including but not limited to environmental justice, conservation, education and awareness and sustainable food systems. The initiative has yet to announce grant making opportunities, but organizations working in these areas should stay tuned for updates and check the program page periodically.
Grants for LGBTQ Causes
LGBTQ causes represent a smaller area of giving for this funder, but opportunity exists via the foundation’s Kimberly J. Engberg Fund for LGBTQ+ Equality. This fund awards grants of up to $500 to organizations in Ventura, Santa Barbara or San Luis Obispo Counties that serve LGBTQ communities. Grantmaking prioritizes “programs that have strong, scientifically based evidence of positive outcomes and demonstrated measurable effectiveness.” Check the foundation’s nonprofits page for updated application information.
Important Grant Details:
With very few exceptions, VCCF’s grants range from $6,000 to $340,000.
Unless otherwise specified, grantmaking is mainly limited to Ventura County, California, but the foundation supports community organizations of all sizes across a broad range of thematic areas.
Given the county’s recent experiences of catastrophic wildfires and floods, a significant portion of its giving provides emergency relief to individuals and families affected by these disasters.
This funder accepts applications for some of its grantmaking programs, but guidelines and due dates vary significantly by program. Keep up with opportunities at the nonprofits page or by signing up for the foundation’s newsletter.
For information about past grantmaking, see the foundation’s news page or its recent tax filings.
Questions about grantmaking may be directed to Mike Silacci, Chief Philanthropy Officer, at msilacci@vccf.org. For general inquiries, contact the foundation at vccf@vccf.org or 805-988-0196.
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