On Friday, October 10, the Great Communities Collaborative (GCC), an initiative of the San Francisco Foundation, marked its 20th anniversary with a celebration of collaboration, impact, and advocacy across the Bay Area.
Partners from the nonprofit, public, private, and philanthropic sectors came together to honor two decades of work advancing equity, sustainability, and resilience. It was a moment to reflect on GCC’s achievements and renew our shared commitment to building a thriving and inclusive region.
I was thrilled to attend in person and celebrate alongside GCC’s partners and colleagues. This work is long and often challenging, but fruit grows from the labor, community is built in the process, and the work continues.
Reflecting on Two Decades of Collaboration
The anniversary event provided an opportunity to reconnect with long-time partners and colleagues who have been instrumental in GCC’s success. Attendees reflected on key advocacy wins, lessons learned and the enduring power of multi-sector collaboration. It was both a celebration of past achievements and a recommitment to the partnerships that will shape the region’s future.
Check out these GCC posts on Linkedin for more details and photos from the celebration:
- Julián Castro as keynote speaker
Community-Driven Solutions in Action
GCC’s work underscores the importance of community-driven solutions and inclusive, cross-sector engagement. From housing and transportation to climate resilience and racial equity, GCC has consistently brought together diverse stakeholders to align resources, share knowledge and advance collective action. The event served as a powerful reminder of the extraordinary outcomes that sustained collaboration can achieve.
GCC has funded the following organizations for coordination of multisector collaboratives in their respective counties:
- Marin County Multisector Collaborative based in San Rafael via Canal Alliance
- Contra Costa County Multisector Collaborative based in North Richmond via Community Housing Development Corporation
- Santa Clara County Multisector Collaborative South County THRIVES based in Gilroy via Gilroy Foundation
- Solano County Multisector Collaborative based in Vallejo via the Solano Community Foundation
- Sonoma County Multisector Collaborative based in Santa Rosa via the Community Foundation Sonoma County
Place-Based Impact
GCC launched as a collaborative table for funders dedicated to advancing place-based, equitable and affordable transit-oriented development. Fittingly, the celebration was held at Fruitvale Village — adjacent to the BART station — now a vibrant community hub with strong anchor institutions, civic infrastructure and affordable housing. The gathering included a walking tour led by Chris Iglesias, CEO of The Unity Council, highlighting the transformative impact of this work (more details in this report).
A Partnership That Strengthens Impact
Since Smart Growth California’s inception, we’ve maintained a close partnership with GCC. In fact, GCC helped launch Smart Growth California back in 2009. Over the years, many funders engaged with Smart Growth California have also been active in the GCC Funders Group. With Ricardo Huerta Niño serving as co-chair for our Statewide Steering Committee, our missions remain deeply intertwined, and this collaboration continues to drive meaningful progress across the region.
Looking Ahead
For Smart Growth California, the celebration reinforced the value of our partnership with GCC. By working together, we’re better positioned to engage Bay Area partners and advance climate-resilient, equitable communities. We look forward to building on this foundation and amplifying our shared impact in the years ahead.
If you are a grantmaker in the Bay Area, we encourage you to connect with the Great Communities Collaborative and join in shaping the next chapter of this important work.
Check out GCC’s website and follow them on Linkedin.
