2021 California Disaster Response

Philanthropy California Partners and Purpose

 

Philanthropy California is an alliance of Northern California Grantmakers, Southern California Grantmakers, and Catalyst of San Diego and Imperial Counties. We partner with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to support immediate relief and long-term recovery efforts. This response page provides essential information on how individuals and institutional funders can help.

 

    

 

 Philanthropy California is deploying its deep work in disaster resilience efforts toward:

  • Sharing what’s needed now, emerging issues, and where funders can make the most of their contributions
  • Publicizing trusted funds for relief and recovery
  • Advising how best to meet short and long-term needs
  • Connecting funders, government partners, and organizations active in responding to the disaster
  • Supporting funders with tools, connections, and expertise

Philanthropy California monitors fires, heat waves, drought emergencies, power shut offs, and other natural hazards and provides vetted funds and resources on this response page. Please visit our government partner websites, CalVolunteers and CalOES, for more information about how you can help, as well as to prepare for and recover from wildfires.

 

If you have questions about Philanthropy California's wildfire response, please contact Alan Kwok, Director of Climate and Disaster Resilience at akwok@ncg.org.
 

The Philanthropy California team vetted the list of response funds below to help you direct resources to communities. This list is updated on a regular basis.

 

You can filter the list based on region and beneficiary. We hope that it will assist in taking rapid action to support families, businesses, community-based organizations, and others during this crisis.

Center for Disaster Philanthropy: California Wildfires Recovery Fund

With an emphasis on recovery, this fund targets and supports vulnerable populations and communities disproportionately affected by disasters, identifies and fills in gaps where public resources are unavailable or scarce, gives locally, and prioritizes grants to small nonprofits and community groups, and builds and supports collaborative relationships among donors.

VISIT FUND

Caldor Fire Fund. El Dorado Community Foundation

The Caldor Fire Fund has been established to support the families impacted by this fire, and your entire donation will go to support those families. With your support, we can help to make a difference in the lives of those who need us now more than ever. All donations to the Caldor Fire Fund will be unrestricted.

VISIT FUND

California Community Foundation: Wildfire Relief Fund

The California Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund focuses on intermediate and long-term recovery needs that follow wildfires in California, with special efforts to serve the most disaster-vulnerable populations including the disabled, farmworkers and other migrant communities whose homes and employment are impacted by wildfires, Native American populations living on or proximate to impacted tribal lands, economically-disadvantaged populations without resources to respond to and recover from wildfire impacts, and specific impacted vulnerable populations whose lives have also been affected by structural racism which limit their practical ability to access disaster response, recovery and mitigation resources.

VISIT FUND

California Fire Foundation: Disaster Relief Programs

The California Fire Foundation administers a variety of programs that provide assistance to the victims, firefighters, and communities that are affected by natural disaster. These programs support critical needs of those touched by natural disaster — from immediate assistance to long-term recovery.

VISIT FUND

California Tribal Fund

The California Tribal Fund was created to support California-based, California-Native-led nonprofits and tribal programs in controlling and protecting their food systems, water, languages, traditional ecological knowledge, and land.  The fund currently accepts donations to address drought emergencies and wildfire impacts in tribal communities. 

VISIT FUND

Direct Relief: California Fire Relief

During fire responses, Direct Relief provides N-95 masks, medical aid, portable Wildfire Health Kits, and financial assistance to healthcare agencies and first responders in wildfire-affected communities across California.

VISIT FUND

Emergency Readiness Fund - United Way of the Wine Country

Donations made to the Emergency Readiness Fund are distributed as strategic grants to emergency readiness and response efforts across Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, and/or Sonoma counties. Grants are awarded primarily to nonprofits providing equitable access to information and resources including financial assistance before, during, or after an emergency. Emergencies range from fires, floods, wind events, power outages, and other natural and human-made disasters, including pandemics and industrial accidents along with associated economic impact. 

VISIT FUND

Entertainment Industry Foundation: Defy:Disaster

This fund supports firefighters, first responders, and communities impacted by wildfires throughout North America. Your gift will benefit the brave firefighters keeping our neighborhoods safe, as well as the most vulnerable families who have suffered extreme loss in the fires.

VISIT FUND

Global Giving: California Wildfire Relief Fund

All donations to this fund will support wildfire relief and recovery efforts in California. Initially, the fund helps first responders meet survivors' immediate needs for food, fuel, clean water, medicine, and shelter. As needs emerge, we will support longer-term recovery efforts run by local, vetted organizations in the impacted area(s), particularly those working with low-income, historically underserved communities.

VISIT FUND

Greater Bay Area and Central Coast Wildfire Relief Fund - United Way

Working together, United Way Bay Area, United Way of the Wine Country, United Way Monterey County, and United Way of Santa Cruz County will assist the residents and community agencies in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Mendocino, Lake, Humboldt, and Del Norte counties that have been adversely affected by wildfires. The collected funds will be applied to immediate assistance for residents affected by the wildfires and long-term community recovery. Immediate assistance will focus on providing assistance to displaced families, support for evacuees, and other identified basic needs.

VISIT FUND

Humboldt Area Foundation & Wild Rivers Community Foundation: Disaster Response & Resilience Fund

The Disaster Response & Resilience Fund supports residents of Humboldt, Trinity, Del Norte, and Curry counties, as well as adjoining Tribal lands during current and future disasters, including fires, earthquakes, flooding, and other natural and man-made disasters. Grants are made to nonprofit agencies, public benefit organizations (schools, government agencies, federally recognized Tribes, etc.), charitable organizations and groups with a qualified fiscal sponsor. There is no written application process, and we strive to have funds in place for both immediate disaster response and to help communities become more resilient in the face of future disasters.

VISIT FUND

Latino Community Foundation: Wildfire Relief Fund

Contributions to this fund support Latino-led organizations responding to the immediate needs of Latino and farmworker families impacted by the current wildfires across all the state of California. Funding provides emergency food and financial assistance, rapid rehousing, and relief and recovery support to low-income, undocumented, Latino and indigenous workers and families.

VISIT FUND

League of California Community Foundations: Disaster Relief, Recovery And Resilience Fund

The League of California Community Foundations has established a fund to provide a centralized opportunity for funders to invest in disaster resilience and response through community foundations – trusted intermediaries who are deeply connected to affected communities. 
The Disaster Relief, Recovery, and Resilience Fund will support the response to, recovery from, and resilience to natural hazard events for communities across the state of California. A key focus area of the fund is supporting resilience through disaster prevention, mitigation, and preparedness, in addition to disaster relief and recovery. 

VISIT FUND

North State Wildfire Recovery Fund - Community Foundation of the North State

The North State Wildfire Recovery Fund will support intermediate and long-term recovery efforts for major wildfires within Shasta, Siskiyou and Tehama Counties, as well as preparedness efforts. Grants from the Wildfire Recovery Fund will aid nonprofits or public agencies who assist individuals who lost housing or belongings, help to rebuild homes, provide case management services, basic needs assistance, mental health services and financial assistance. It will also assist wildfire survivors with supplies, provide firefighters with safety equipment, and/or environmental restoration activities. Grants may also support nonprofits or public agencies focus on lessening future catastrophic wildfire impact through mitigation and brush clearing efforts, prevention, and preparedness education.

VISIT FUND

North Valley Community Foundation: Wildfire Relief and Recovery Fund

This fund provides emergency relief and support to North State communities affected by wildfires in Butte, Colusa, Glenn, and Tehama counties. This fund exists to raise money to support nonprofits and agencies providing immediate assistance to evacuees, animals and others impacted by fires in impacted areas.

VISIT FUND

Placer Community Foundation: River Fire Relief Fund

Contributions to the fund will provide support for those affected and the recovery efforts. The Placer Community Foundation will work with local public officials to identify areas where philanthropy can have the greatest impact. 

VISIT FUND

Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples: Flicker Fund

The Flicker Fund provides crisis relief, climate fire response, and is designed for emergency response. The Flicker Fund directs support basic and urgent health and wellness needs of the most vulnerable with a focus on elders, multi-generational households and families with children; engage with traditional healing practices and remedies, food systems and immune support; and amplify historic and cultural teachings, stories and lifeways that advance traditional knowledge systems informing community members on health, healing and moving forward with vitality.

VISIT FUND

Tahoe/Truckee Emergency Response Fund - Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation

The Emergency Response Fund is taking donations to support neighboring communities that have been impacted by the wildfires surrounding our North Tahoe Truckee region. Donations received during this time will be distributed into local nonprofits and community foundations who are working directly within their communities to support those impacted by this severe wildfire season.

VISIT FUND

United Way of Northern California: Wildfire Recovery & Disaster Relief

Several wildfires have ravaged Northern California over the past few years. United Way of Northern California is accepting donations, offering help and supporting programs to assist with relief and long-term recovery operations. The fund provide emergency cash grants to those who lost their homes  and assist nonprofit partners in their provision of direct services to survivors. It also provides help for survivors through our mid- to long-term wildfire recovery programs.

VISIT FUND

Center for Disaster Philanthropy: The Disaster Philanthropy Playbook

The Disaster Philanthropy Playbook is a compilation of philanthropic strategies, promising practices and lessons learned that help communities be better prepared when a disaster strikes their community. In particular, it is aimed at helping philanthropic organizations and individual donors be more strategic with their investments and recognize the importance of supporting long-term recovery for vulnerable populations.

 

 

California Governor's Office of Emergency Services

The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services connects residents with a wide range of services and programs targeted specifically at those who have been affected by wildfires.

 

 

California Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD)

VOAD associations improve outcomes for people affected by disasters by facilitating cooperation, communication, coordination, and collaboration among nonprofit organizations, community-based groups, government agencies, and for-profit companies. Contact your local VOAD to learn how your organization can support disaster relief and recovery efforts.

 

 

Disaster Relief Guide

You'll find support for business assistance, capital programs, cybersecurity for business, and additional resources.

 

 

Guide to Disaster Assistance Services

The State of California’s Guide to Disaster Assistance Services for Immigrant Californians provides information on health, housing, emergency supplies, employment and other services available to all Californians, regardless of their immigration status.

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