Environmental Initiative

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About VCCF's Environmental Initiative

Ventura County was identified by the Washington Post as the fastest warming county in the continental United States with average air temperature increasing 4.68 degrees Fahrenheit since the late 1800s, twice as much as the global average. Additionally, in 2021, the Ventura County Civic Alliance identified drought and climate change as the biggest threats facing our community. It became crucial that the Ventura County Community Foundation address climate change through an Environmental Initiative.

To learn more, please contact Mike Silacci at [email protected].

2024 Environmental Image (1)

Environmental Initiative

VCCF embarked on an Environmental Listening Tour in April of 2021 after 76 percent of donors from a focus group identified the environment as one of their top two areas of interest for their giving. According to Giving USA, the national average of contributions to the environment in 2022 was 3%, compared to 2.5% percent of VCCF’s annual giving supporting the environment in 2022.

To date, over 50 organizations, with programs in Ventura County focused on environmental issues, from environmental justice, conservation and restoration, wildfire recovery and prevention, natural resources, youth education, farm-to-table food access, workforce development, and so much more have attended and shared their needs and where philanthropy can best help fill the gaps through the Environmental Listening Tour.

The Ventura County Community Foundation has met with over 50 different local environmental nonprofits and community partners, via Zoom and through in-person site visits, to learn about their causes and needs which can be supported through philanthropy.

Outcomes of the Environmental Listening Tour

  • Capacity Building: A majority of the organizations expressed the need for more capacity-building grants and long-term funding, explaining why this type of funding can be harder to secure when their projects span across multiple years rather than more short-term support.
    How VCCF is addressing the gap: VCCF is raising funds to support the operating needs for environmental nonprofit organizations so that they can do more of their great work.
  • Collaboration Across the Sector: Many of these organizations conduct similar work, and with an introduction through a Ventura County-wide environmental initiative would be able to build relationships and tackle the greater needs of the community.
    How VCCF is addressing the gap: VCCF is actively facilitating partnerships and fostering ongoing relationships among environmental organizations across various sectors, creating opportunities for organizations that may not have previously worked together to connect, share insights, and identify shared goals.
  • Community Education, Engagement, and Advocacy: Nearly every organization has called on philanthropy to continue to support their educational programs and initiatives, and to further their community engagement efforts. Organizations explained the benefits of donors and philanthropic supporters getting involved with their work by attending meetings, visiting sites, and learning about their organizing, advocacy, and local community engagement work.
    How VCCF is addressing the gap: VCCF assists in coordinating site visits and meetings to learn more about the partnering organizations and how philanthropy can best support their programs and expanding their work in Ventura County.

The following groups have participated in the VCCF Environmental Listening Tour: