Advancing Reforms at the Regional and Local Levels
Smart Growth California funders work together to identify specific opportunities for shared learning, alignment, and action in five key regions: Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, the San Joaquin Valley, San Diego, and Sacramento.
In California, what happens in the regions is critically important, as most transportation, housing, and land use decisions are ultimately made at the regional and local levels. In addition, many of the state’s pioneering state programs and policies, such as AB 32, SB 32, SB 375, and SB 1 are implemented at regional and local levels.
Because of this, Smart Growth California funders are actively and strategically building the capacity of nonprofits and community-based organizations to engage in local and regional decision making, and to help ensure that state policies and programs benefit California’s communities in the most advantageous ways possible. Funders have a strong focus on building the power and voice of low-income communities and communities of color to shape policies and programs to meet community goals.
If you want to want to work with other funders and engage in shared learning, collaborative action, and leadership to make a difference in these regions, contact Ron Milam, Director of Smart Growth California.
Los Angeles
Founded in 2011, the Los Angeles Funders’ Collaborative supports funder learning and collaboration to promote healthy, sustainable, and equitable communities in Los Angeles County. Smart Growth California initiated and staffs this funder network. Learn more about the Los Angeles Funders’ Collaborative.
San Francisco Bay Area
The Great Communities Collaborative (GCC) is a network of organizations dedicated to creating healthy, thriving, and affordable neighborhoods in the Bay Area, anchored by transit and linked to all the opportunities and amenities that make a good community truly great. The Great Communities Collaborative is governed by a funder network of community, local, and national foundations.
Since 2012, Smart Growth California has partnered with the Great Communities Collaborative by connecting GCC’s work with state policy work and funders in other regions, helping other funders learn about the GCC, and providing technical assistance. A representative of GCC sits on the Smart Growth California statewide steering committee to support greater coordination between Smart Growth California and GCC. Learn more about the Great Communities Collaborative.
San Joaquin Valley
Smart Growth California has been working with funders in the San Joaquin Valley since 2012, and in May 2016 organized a meeting for 31 funders, where the funders agreed to launch a new funder working group. Now the fastest growing workgroup in our statewide network, this group supports funder learning and joint action in order to promote healthy, equitable communities and sustainable natural systems throughout the San Joaquin Valley. In 2019, the workgroup launched an effort to promote equitable governance in the Central Valley through joint investing in power building for sustainable and equitable water and land use practices. Smart Growth California coordinates this funder collaborative. Learn more about the San Joaquin Valley Funder Collaborative.
San Diego and Sacramento
Smart Growth California funders are active in both San Diego and Sacramento. Through our statewide network of funders, we have been able to support funders that are active in these two regions by providing learning opportunities, briefings, and technical assistance, as well as by linking these local funders to national and statewide funders who want to collaborate with them and/or invest in their regions. Contact Ron Milam, Director of Smart Growth California, with any questions about our work in San Diego and Sacramento.