California Homelessness and Housing Policy Funders Network

A national network of funders supporting strategic, innovative, and effective solutions to homelessness

California Homelessness and Housing Policy Funders Network

The California Homelessness and Housing Policy Funders Network is generously supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.

Overview

Philanthropy has a unique and critical role in not only supporting policy that addresses affordable housing needs and efforts to end homelessness, but also in ensuring that legislation is created with racial equity at the center and prioritizes people. Philanthropy can use its voice and power to uphold the proven practices that house people and ensure that everyone is treated with dignity. As a movement, we know much of what needs to be done. And, with the increase of different types of philanthropy – 501c4s, LLCs, corporate giving, and individual philanthropists – we have more ways to innovate and work together to bring the crisis to an end.

This network of funders focused on learning and diving deep into housing and homelessness policy will help create a statewide coalition of influence and expertise by aiding in the understanding and knowledge of policies that directly impact housing affordability and stability across California.

There is tremendous value in coming together at a local level to learn and support fellow organizations that have common goals, albeit slightly different approaches. This network provides dedicated and candid space for funders at various knowledge levels to gain insight around various issues related to housing and homelessness policy which will lead funders to move towards action more effectively and efficiently by bringing organizations to consensus.

Advisory Group Organizations:

Who Can Join?

Participation is limited to private funders in California. Only private funders (e.g. foundations, United Ways, corporate giving programs, philanthropy serving organizations, and members of Funders Together) located or funding in California will be allowed to participate.

If you are interested in joining or have any questions about the network or eligibility, please reach out to Lauren Bennett at [email protected].

Upcoming Calls and Meetings

Check back soon!

Do you like this page?

Be the first to comment

Sign in with

We joined Funders Together because we believe in the power of philanthropy to play a major role in ending homelessness, and we know we have much to learn from funders across the country.

-Christine Marge, Director of Housing and Financial Stability at United Way of Greater Los Angeles

I am thankful for the local partnerships here in the Pacific Northwest that we’ve been able to create and nurture thanks to the work of Funders Together. Having so many of the right players at the table makes our conversations – and all of our efforts – all the richer and more effective.

-David Wertheimer, Deputy Director at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Very often a lack of jobs and money is not the cause of poverty, but the symptom. The cause may lie deeper in our failure to give our fellow citizens a fair chance to develop their own capacities, in a lack of education and training, in a lack of medical care and housing, in a lack of decent communities in which to live and bring up their children.

-President Lyndon B. Johnson, 1964 State of the Union Address

Funders Together has given me a platform to engage the other funders in my community. Our local funding community has improved greatly to support housing first models and align of resources towards ending homelessness.

-Leslie Strnisha, Vice President at Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland

Our family foundation convenes local funders and key community stakeholders around strategies to end homelessness in Houston. Funders Together members have been invaluable mentors to us in this effort, traveling to our community to share their expertise and examples of best practices from around the nation.

-Nancy Frees Fountain, Managing Director at The Frees Foundation