Environmental Initiative

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].

Environmental Initiative

Community Foundation Climate Collaborative

VCCF has joined the Community Foundation Climate Collaborative as a member of the Great Pacific Regional Action Network. This group focuses on the intersectionality of climate, economic justice, and the clean energy transition; provides immediate emergency and crisis response while addressing root causes and supporting long-term resilience; shifts power to communities that have been excluded from key decision-making spaces; and builds alliances and capacity building for nonprofits.

Central Coast Climate Collaborative

in 2025, VCCF joined the Central Coast Climate Collaborative (4C), an organizing platform, uniting local governments, communities, nonprofits, businesses, academia, and Tribes to collaboratively advance climate equity and resilience across California’s Central Coast region.

4C believes that climate change is the greatest threat to humanity and all living beings, with economic and racial disparities exacerbating its impact on vulnerable communities. We must unite to address these shared challenges, recognizing that our diverse people, cultures, economies, and geography provide a unique strength. Effective solutions depend on partnership, collaboration, and transparency across organizations and communities. While urgency is critical, building trust and overcoming barriers at a collaborative pace is essential to creating lasting support systems and in the long run, the only viable solutions for society are just and equitable solutions.

The Central Coast faces interconnected challenges, including ecosystem degradation, economic inequality, and social divisions, all exacerbated by climate threats such as sea level rise, wildfires, drought, and decreasing water supply. These issues often cross existing boundaries, making regional collaboration essential. 4C addresses these challenges by uniting local governments, communities, nonprofits, businesses, academia, and tribes to advance climate solutions and build resilience. It serves as an information hub and capacity builder, tracking funding opportunities, offering training, and hosting convenings to connect stakeholders across the region. Through these efforts, 4C works to promote equitable access to climate solutions and advocates for the unique needs of the Central Coast.

Environmental Listening Tour

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:

Environmental Workforce Collaborative

The Environmental Workforce Collaborative implements comprehensive, boots-on-the-ground strategies to mitigate and adapt to escalating fire, flooding, and heat risks, while fostering a more sustainable region. By integrating habitat restoration, conservation training, home hardening, and multicultural education, partners deliver interventions in areas hardest hit by recent wildfires and rising temperatures while focusing on environmental career pathways and training to build long-term resilience.

Partner Organizations: Safe Passage Youth Foundation, Concerned Resource Environmental Workers (C.R.E.W.), Santa Monica Mountains Fund, Ventura Regional Fire Safe Council and Los Padres ForestWatch

Latest Coverage

Editorial: The Power to Adapt to Wildfires

Clean Power Alliance Power Response Newsletter item for the Chambers of Commerce, CBOs and Member Agencies – March 28, 2022

Inching back from the brink: Ojai woman helps save endangered plants on Channel Islands

More than $1 Million in Incentives Remain Available for the Installation of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Ventura County

Oxnard to seek national wildlife refuge status for Ormond Beach

Power Up: This slice of California shows the extreme consequences of a warming Earth

12 Local Non-Profits Granted Over $280,000 to Advance Southern California Clean Energy Initiatives

2023 Survey Summary: Climate Change Strategies

Access Granted: Santa Clara River Preserve opens to the public