Sonoma Valley Fund in the News
Sonoma Valley Fund’s Youth Initiative Finds a New Home (January 2012, Sonoma Index Tribune)
Sonoma Valley Fund’s highly successful Summer Youth Initiative, launched two years ago in the wake of the tragic, violent death of a teenage boy at Maxwell Park, has found a new home within the Sonoma Valley Unified School District... To read the more, click here
Sonoma Valley Fund Names New Officers (January 2012, Sonoma Valley Sun)
Barbara Young has been elected President of Sonoma Valley Fund. Joining her, as newly elected executive officers are Joshua Rymer as Vice President and Tom Haeuser as Secretary and Treasurer.... To read the more, click here
Sonoma Valley Fund Names New Board Members (December 2011, Sonoma Index Tribune)
Two Sonoma Valley residents with extensive national and international business experience have joined the Board of Sonoma Valley Fund. They are Manuel R. Merjil and Susan Hoeffel... To read more, click here
Whitney Evans Named Sonoma Alcalde (December 2011, Sonoma Index Tribune)
Longtime Sonoma Valley volunteer leader (and Sonoma Valley Fund Founder, Past President and President Emeritus) Whitney Evans was named the 2012 Sonoma alcalde after being nominated by Mayor Joanne Sanders during Monday night’s City Council meeting... To read the entire article, click here
Sonoma Valley Fund Honors Volunteers (October 2011, Sonoma Index Tribune)
More than 250 guests attended Sonoma Valley Fund’s third annual Star Volunteer Awards on Sunday, Oct. 23, at Hanna Boys Center to recognize 23 individuals and teams for their community service. Sonoma Valley Fund’s 21 nonprofit partners selected their recipients... To read the entire article, click here
Legacy Giving Op-Ed (September 2011, Sonoma Index Tribune)
There was a time when only the very wealthy went beyond their immediate family and perhaps an alma mater, to include gifts to local charities in their wills. Well, times are changing. Legacy giving has been democratized and what was once the exclusive domain of the Rockefellers and DuPonts now includes the Smiths, the Joneses and millions of other proud American families... To read the entire article, click here
Building Strength Through Strong Donor Relationships (September 2011, Sonoma Valley Sun)
Sonoma Valley Fund President Harriet Derwingson is quoted in this article which discusses best practices for non-profit donor relationships.
"It is far better for members of a nonprofit organization’s leadership team to spend time planning ways to build a strong relationship with a donor than it is for them to plan how to get a donor or prospective donor to give money to their organization." To read the entire article, click here
Sonoma Valley Fund’s Youth Initiative Summer Program is a Winner (August 2011)
Members of the Sonoma Valley Fund, an affiliate of Community Foundation Sonoma County, are thrilled with results from this year’s Youth Initiative Summer Program, designed to help smooth the transition into middle and high school for local students and to provide healthy summer experiences for youths from low-income families. To read the entire article, click here
Rabobank Underwrites Sonoma Valley Fund's Annual Community Celebration (August 2011, Sonoma Valley Sun)
August 22, 2011 - Cathy Gorham, vice president and manager of Rabobank’s Sonoma branch, presented a check to Whitney Evans (Past President) and Harriet Derwingson (President), both of Sonoma Valley Fund to underwrite the Fund’s Annual Community Celebration... To read more, click here
Springs Area is Focus for Todd Trust Grants (August 2011 - Sonoma Index Tribune)
Community Foundation Sonoma County and its affiliate, the Sonoma Valley Fund, have announced that the health and well-being of residents in the Springs area of Sonoma Valley will be the initial focus of upcoming grants from the Roland and Hazel Todd Trust... To read more, click here
Sonoma Valley Fund's Youth Initiative Contributes to "Making Summer School Relevant" (July 2011 - Sonoma Index Tribune)
Summer school is no longer the dreaded bore it once was for many Sonoma Valley students, thanks to Lyndsey Munn and Andrew Ryan, both teachers at local middle schools. Educating and entertaining 81 eighth graders and 93 fifth graders was no easy task, but it was accomplished this summer through a mixture of field trips and relatable classroom lessons... To read more, click here
Sonoma Valley Fund Announces 2011 Ellman Grants (June 2011 - Sonoma Index Tribune and July 2011 - Kenwood Press)
The Sonoma Valley Fund announced today that this year’s George and Phyllis Ellman grants, totaling $37,000, will be awarded to six Sonoma Valley non-profit organizations in support of projects fostering environmental awareness and specific environmental improvements... To read more, click here
Sonoma Valley Fund's Youth Initiative Announces Grants (June 2011 - Sonoma Sun and Sonoma Index Tribune)
The Sonoma Valley Fund announced today that its Youth Initiative Council would provide grants totaling $36,500 to two important summer programs for Sonoma youth... To read more, click here
Sonoma Valley Fund Names 3 New Board Memebers (April 2011 - Sonoma Index Tribune)
Joe Aaron and Scott Smith of Sonoma, and Joshua Rymer of Glen Ellen, three Sonoma Valley residents with extensive national and international business experience, have joined the board of the Sonoma Valley Fund this week... To read more, click here
After School Enrichment Coordinator Selected for Sonoma Program (December 2010 - Sonoma Index Tribune)
Lyndsey Munn has been hired by the Sonoma Valley Unified School District to serve as the Coordinator for the After School Enrichment Program for Adele Harrison Middle School (AHMS)... To read more, click here
Sonoma Valley Fund Recognizes Volunteer “Stars” For the Second Year (July 2010 - Sonoma Index Tribune)
More than two hundred guests attended the Sonoma Valley Fund’s second annual volunteer recognition awards, held this year at the Bouverie Preserve of the Audubon Canyon Ranch. Sonoma Valley Fund (SVF) hosted sixteen Sonoma Valley nonprofit partners... To read more, click here
Sonoma Valley Fund Announces 2010 Ellman Grants (July 2010 - Sonoma Index Tribune)
The third round of grants from the George and Phyllis Ellman Fund, under the auspices of the Sonoma Valley Fund, was awarded this year to... To read more, click here
Sonoma Valley Fund Clarifies Funding of Summer Program (June 2010 - Sonoma Index Tribune)
I was delighted to see the article “Summer School with a twist” by Bill Hoban on June 22nd. As the article mentioned, the school district is getting $26,000 from the Sonoma Valley Fund to pay for eight curriculum-based study trips, bring in expert coach teachers for science and art, and hire high school mentors... To read more, click here
Sonoma Valley Fund’s Youth Initiative Announces $32,000 in Summer Grants (June 2010 - Sonoma Index Tribune)
This spring, the Coordinating Council for Youth Development in Sonoma (CCYDS), responsible for overseeing and implementing the Sonoma Valley Fund’s Youth Initiative, launched two programs to support the youth of Sonoma Valley... To read more, click here
Council Members, Council Executive Named for Sonoma Valley Fund’s Youth Initiative (April 2010 - Sonoma Index Tribune)
Dick Drew, Sonoma Valley Fund’s Chair of the Coordinating Council for Youth Development in Sonoma (CCYDS, pronounced KIDS) announced that the following education and community leaders committed to Valley youth efforts will join him as Council members... To read more, click here
Sonoma Valley Fund Names New Officers (January 2010 - Sonoma Index Tribune)
Founding Board President Whitney Evans has announced a new leadership team for the Sonoma Valley Fund (SVF), effective January 1, 2010. Stepping into the role of President is Harriet Derwingson. Dave Stollmeyer will serve as Vice President and Tom Haeuser as Secretary/Treasurer... To read more, click here
Dick Drew to Head Sonoma Valley Fund’s Youth Initiative (January 2010 - Sonoma Index Tribune)
Richard (Dick) Drew, long-time educator and school administrator, has been tapped by the Sonoma Valley Fund as Chair of its new Coordinating Council for Youth Development in Sonoma (CCYDS, pronounced KIDS)... To read more, click here
Sonoma Valley Fund Recognizes Volunteer “Stars” (July 2009 - Sonoma Index Tribune)
It was a perfect summer afternoon, the cooling breeze arriving just in time to lift the heat of the day, when for the first time, special stars appeared against the Valley sky. The Sonoma Valley Fund launched its new volunteer recognition awards, Sonoma Valley Stars, on Sunday, at its annual celebration... To read more, click here
2009 Ellman Fund Grants Announced (July 2009 - Sonoma Index Tribune)
The second round of grants from the George and Phyllis Ellman Fund, under the auspices of the Sonoma Valley Fund, were awarded this year... To read more, click here
Sonoma Valley Fund Underwrites Gang Prevention Forums (December 2007 - Sonoma Index Tribune)
The Sonoma Valley Fund, responding to the critical issue of gang violence, has stepped forward to help underwrite the continuation of forums on gang prevention... To read more, click here
New Sonoma Valley Fund Awards First Grants (July 2007 -Sonoma Index Tribune)
The Sonoma Valley Fund, an affiliate of the Community Foundation Sonoma County, has awarded seven new grants to local Valley organizations totaling $22,000... To read more, click here
New Fund Seeks Sonoma Valley Charitable Groups to Apply for New Grant$ (April 2007 - Sonoma Index Tribune)
The Sonoma Valley Fund, a newly established affiliate of Community Foundation Sonoma County, invites local Sonoma Valley charitable organizations to apply for one of their two new grants... To read more, click here
Sonoma Valley Citizens Open New Local Endowment Fund (December 2006 - Sonoma Index Tribune)
To help ensure a permanent source of funds for Sonoma Valley charitable organizations, Community Foundation Sonoma County is pleased to announce the establishment of its newest affiliate, The Sonoma Valley Fund... To read more, click here
