Sonoma County Vintners Foundation grants $1 million to local nonprofits

The fundraising arm of a Sonoma County winery trade group has announced $1 million in grants to 87 nonprofits in the county.

Sonoma County Vintners Foundation, with signature fundraising event, Sonoma County Wine Auction, stated this year’s grants were funded from the 2020 Sonoma County Wine Auction.

“The pandemic has been a challenge for all, but especially for those in our nonprofit community. This year’s approach was to prioritize and focus the grant distribution to address the challenges and pressing needs they face,” stated Sonoma County Vintners Foundation President, Clay Mauritson in the Wednesday announcement.

The full list of grants shows the 87 donations went to several categories of organizations. Examples of funded groups in education are Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma-Marin, California Human Development, Career Technical Education Foundation and Sonoma County Common Ground Society.

Also given grants were environmentally oriented groups such as Pepperwood Foundation, Russian Riverkeeper, Sonoma County Regional Parks Foundation and Sonoma Ecology Center. Arts and culture recipients included Healdsburg Museum & Historical Society, Healdsburg Performing Arts Theater, Luther Burbank Memorial Foundation and Museum of Sonoma County.

Health and human services grantees included Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation, Shared Housing and Resource Exchange California, Social Advocates for Youth, Sonoma Overnight Support and Sonoma State University.

The 2021 Sonoma County Wine Auction will be a live event and is scheduled to take place Sept. 18 at La Crema Estate at Saralee’s Vineyard. Named one of the nation’s top charitable wine auctions, proceeds have supported more nonprofits than any other fundraising event in Sonoma County.

To make a donation, contributions may be made payable and mailed to Sonoma County Vintners Foundation, 400 Aviation Blvd., Suite 500, Santa Rosa 95403 or donate online.