As Fall unfolds, we are glad to share with you the many initiatives we are supporting to strengthen and enrichen life in West Marin and to tackle together the many challenges facing us.
Community Enrichment Grants
We continue to support community activities and cultural vibrancy across West Marin through our Community Enrichment program. You may have taken part in some of the wonderful events and gatherings this summer, many of which were put on with support from West Marin Fund. It seems a lot of us have a yearning to be together, to celebrate community in all its diversity, and to put aside the worries of the world at least for a moment. To keep community activities going throughout the year, we’ve just awarded a new round of grants to 17 organizations for a total of $57,000. These include music programs for preschoolers in Bolinas, new equipment for the Latino Photography Project and KWMR to extend their reach, support for a community concert, transportation for Nicasio students to go on field trips, as well as health and wellness fairs across West Marin.
Housing Action
All this year, we’ve been working with the local community land trusts (including CLAM and BCLT), the County of Marin, Marin Community Foundation, local leaders and community groups of the families most affected by ranch closures, as well as community service organizations. Together, we’ve shaped thinking and plans for 40+ units of interim housing to come on stream in the next 18 months, with pathways built into the plan that lead to long-term affordable worker housing. This collaborative effort is ambitious, costly, and urgent, with a goal of $25 million.
As West Marin’s place-based community foundation, we’ve been able to catalyze gifts of $9 million for interim housing. These generous gifts from individual donors have in turn attracted a further $4 million from private philanthropy and leveraged additional funding and low-interest loans from the County and Marin Community Foundation. While these numbers are large, so is the need, with more than 150 people seeking homes and work in the coming months, at a difficult time of year. Relative to other parts of Marin and the Bay Area, the costs are reasonable for the number of units being created.
It will take all of us together to solve West Marin’s housing challenges and ensure more affordable housing for our workforce and their families. To reach out to the organizations that are part of this amazing effort, go to wmhousingsolutions.org/contact under Reach Out.
Business Start-Ups for West Marin
After months of collaborative work between the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the County of Marin, and West Marin Fund, we celebrated the launch of Emprende West Marin this October. The program provides training and coaching to residents wanting to launch or expand their businesses. Given the current challenges facing our Latinx neighbors who are losing their homes and jobs, the first two courses are offered in Spanish and in-person in Point Reyes Station. A remarkable 50 people have enrolled, with men and women of all ages, each bringing a deep sense of hope and inspiring ideas—from a bakery, a mobile pupusería, and beauty services to home care, landscaping, and tattoo art—all of which showcase the creativity and talent of our communities. The courses are supported by the County of Marin’s Office of Equity Microenterprise Program. Plans are already underway to launch an English-language course next year.
In addition, West Marin Fund expects to provide small grants to participants who complete the program and develop a viable business plan—an essential step in bridging the gap between training and accessing a loan, which can be difficult for those unable to take on that financial risk.
For more information, please contact programs@westmarinfund.org.
Upcoming Nonprofit Trainings: Storytelling for Change
We’re excited to announce two free online workshops in November focused on Storytelling for Change, facilitated by Luis Ortega, founder and director of Storytellers for Change.
Register NowFor nearly a decade, West Marin Fund has offered trainings designed to strengthen nonprofits serving West Marin. This year’s workshops will help participants harness the power of storytelling to inspire empathy, connection, and action. The sessions will include group discussions, hands-on activities, and collaborative exercises. All participants will also receive An Expert Guide to Narrating Impact, which contains worksheets and detailed descriptions of the concepts covered during the workshop.
Join us to explore how your story can be a powerful catalyst for community change.
Board Leadership
We are delighted to welcome Chris Brahm to the West Marin Fund Board. Chris is an advisor and investor in technology. He served on the Board of Larkin Street Youth Services in San Francisco and has a strong commitment to affordable housing and support for vulnerable populations. He also served on the board of Common Sense Media and is currently on the board of Common Sense Privacy with a commitment to digital rights advocacy. Chris lives in Bolinas.
As a community foundation, West Marin Fund believes in the power of collaboration and community to build a just, thriving and enduring West Marin. If you share this belief and are interested in joining our Board of Directors we want to hear from you! We aim to appoint 1–3 new board members over the next 3 to 6 months to bring additional skills and experience, and to expand the board’s geographic, cultural, demographic diversity.
End of Year Giving
With major shifts in federal and state funding, many local organizations are facing uncertain futures since they have historically relied on government support for a significant portion of their work. We hope you will give more, earlier, to your favorite nonprofits whose work you admire—and to add another nonprofit to your giving this year. We encourage you to:
- Use your IRA for charitable contributions as part of your annual distribution
- Set up monthly donations to provide ongoing support—the amounts add up over time!
- Include your favorite nonprofits in your will
And, of course, we hope you will help West Marin Fund to continue to provide critical support to the entire landscape of West Marin’s nonprofit organizations.
Together, We’ve Created West Marin Fund
We’re coming up to 15 years in 2026! Our journey and evolution have been the result of a lot of joint effort, generosity, relationship building, and vision. We thrive on working together to create something special and long-lasting that benefits West Marin and those who live, work and visit here. Hundreds of you are involved in many different ways and we deeply appreciate your participation. Thank you for helping West Marin Fund to:
- Award over $7.5 million to 92 nonprofits in the last five years
- Provide 305 local school children with the experience of being philanthropists through our Giving Through Youth Program, awarding $70,000 to 43 local nonprofits. See our recently published review of the last 10 years!
- Hold dozens of skill-building trainings for local nonprofits, as well as for local businesses seeking government support during COVID
- Successfully advocate and provide safety-net funding for a public preschool in Tomales that provides an additional 20 places to young children on scholarships
- Triple our staff team to better serve the region
- Shape our 10-Year Vision and Strategic Direction to best serve the needs of West Marin
Sixteen years ago, West Marin did not have its own community foundation. Together, we’ve built a dynamic, inclusive organization that listens and responds, follows and leads, and strategically fills gaps. A big thank you for all your support, encouragement and involvement!
