To: Board of Supervisors of County of Sonoma
Department or Agency Name(s): County Executive’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: David Guhin and Jennifer Solito, (707) 565-4592
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Community Foundation Sonoma County’s - Resilient Organization Community Grants Program
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize the County Executive Officer, or designee, to execute a $500,0000 agreement with the Community Foundation Sonoma County’s - Resilient Organization program from June 12, 2026, through December 31, 2027, subject to review and approval by County Counsel.
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Executive Summary:
During the June Budget Hearings for the Fiscal Year 26-27 budget, the Board approved a one-time allocation of $500,000 to continue support for community grantmaking through Community Foundation Sonoma County’s (CFSC) Resilient Organizations program <https://www.sonomacf.org/resilient-organizations-program/>. CFSC’s Resilient Organizations program aligns with the Board’s interest in supporting our community’s CBO partners and it is focused on encouraging sustainable infrastructure and operations as well as collaboration to strengthen collective impact across the nonprofit ecosystem.
The recommended agreement provides for CFSC to continue to offer a competitive grant process funded with the $500,000 of General Fund County discretionary funds and intended to support CBOs and building resilient, sustaining infrastructure and organizational models. As was the case in the first year of the pilot program, the standard 15% indirect rate would apply to the County’s award but would be matched by a minimum of $100,000 by CFSC, resulting in a total of $525,000 released in the grant opportunity.
Discussion:
Background:
During the FY 25-26 Budget Hearings, the Board of Supervisors approved a $500,000 allocation in support of the Community Grants process. On August 26, 2025, the Board approved a partnership with Community Foundation Sonoma County (CFSC) to pilot a County-specific grant opportunity under the Resilient Organizations Program to address fiscal changes coming from the federal government and the State of California’s budget impacting community-based organizations, and threatening critical community services. The pilot program proved successful, with awards totaling $525,000 to 10 organizations making strategic adaptations in the face of urgent funding and policy changes.
Following the success of last year’s program, during the FY 26-27 Budget Hearings, the Board again approved a $500,000 allocation to support another round of Resilient Organization Program grant process. The focus of the FY 26-27 grant cycle is to provide targeted support for nonprofit adaptations and innovations that 1) address the operational challenges facing local nonprofits and 2) protect the longevity of essential local services.
The Resilient Organizations grant program is a significant show of support for and recognition of nonprofits as they address operational concerns brought on by ongoing changes in funding and policy. Based on the success of the pilot program, staff recommend a continued partnership with CFSC.
Strategic Plan:
This item directly supports the County’s Five-year Strategic Plan and is aligned with the following pillar, goal, and objective.
Pillar: Organizational Excellence
Goal: Goal 1: Strengthen operational effectiveness, fiscal reliability, and accountability
Objective: Objective 5: Align procurement and grant guidelines with strategic priorities and racial equity principles.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
8/26/2025 - The Board authorized the County Executive Officer, or designee, to execute a $500,0000 agreement with the Community Foundation Sonoma County’s - Resilient Organization program for period ending on December 31, 2026.
6/10/2025 - The Board adopted the FY25-26 Budget, which included an allocation of $500,000 for a “New Community Organization Funding Process.”
10/17/2023 - The Board received the consultant’s recommendations from a review of the County’s procurement function and directed staff to develop implementation plans and resource requirements for the Board’s consideration.
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY26-27 Adopted |
FY27-28 Projected |
FY28-29 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
$500,000 |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
$500,000 |
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|
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
$500,000 |
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|
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State/Federal |
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|
|
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Fees/Other |
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|
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Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
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General Fund Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$500,000 |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
A one-time General Fund allocation of $500,000 to support the Community Grants process is included in the FY 26-27 Adopted Budget.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Funding Agreement
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A