The Fund for Belonging
Immigrants are integral to the vibrancy and strength of our communities, contributing their skills, talents, and entrepreneurial spirit to our shared success. However, shifting federal policy has created new challenges, making it more critical than ever to provide targeted and sustained support. The Fund for Belonging is a pooled fund designed to maximize impact, enable strategic investment in the most effective immigrant-serving organizations and ensure ongoing support beyond short-term funding cycles. By investing in the Fund for Belonging, we invest in the very fabric of our community.
CFSC is in a unique position to support this critical work through our place-based connections, our ability to aggregate donor generosity, and our expertise in managing funds that are responsive to evolving needs over time. We envision a collaborative ecosystem where private foundations, individual donors, local government and partner agencies work together through the Fund for Belonging to support our immigrant communities. The experience and knowledge of our many partners informs our ability to fund complex systems where added resources can be most meaningful. We will continue to invest in local and regional partnerships to ensure the Fund for Belonging’s initiatives are collaborative, community-led, and represent the best practices of the sector.
We invite you to join us in building this powerful coalition. By pooling our resources and forging private-public partnerships through the Fund for Belonging, we can create a lasting impact and ensure that all immigrants have access to justice, opportunity, and a pathway to the American Dream, even in the face of unprecedented challenges.
To support the Fund for Belonging, visit our donation page or contact Deirdre Holbrook, Vice President for Philanthropic Advancement, at dholbrook@sonomacf.org.
Grant Program Overview
The broad goal of the Fund for Belonging is to support immigrant communities in Sonoma County in a responsive and flexible way that remains impactful over time. The Fund will pool donations to make grants that enhance critical services, systems, and spaces, creating an impact that is greater than the sum of each individual donation.
The Fund for Belonging’s grants and processes will support collaboration among grassroots leaders, service providers, regional experts, and other funders to ensure all work is grounded in local knowledge and guided by those closest to the issues. The Fund will also support grassroots storytelling to highlight stories of courage, challenge, and progress to build connection and understanding among all communities in Sonoma County.
In 2025, the grantmaking program will have two focus areas:
- Immigration Legal Services – to increase the capacity of immigration legal service providers offering free and low-cost services in Sonoma County
- Community Education, Collaboration, and Information Sharing – to advance high-quality information sharing for community members and among legal and social service providers.
The grantmaking program and evaluation strategies are currently in development in partnership with experts in the field of funding for immigration services and local leaders.
How to Partner
The grant program associated with this fund is currently in development. If you would like to share information about an aligned project or program or provide feedback on grant program development, please contact:
To learn more about the fund and explore ways to give, please contact:
