Learn More — and How to Help
Catalyst has been working hard to prepare for this moment since before election day, and we know that this will be the work of years.
Even as we continue with ongoing philanthropic work, we must respond urgently to policy changes and budget cuts already hitting the Valley—and prepare for the impacts that are bound to intensify, not just in immigration, but across the Sonoma community and economy.
We have launched a new rapid-cycle grants program, Frontline Grants, that will put needed funds in the hands of Valley nonprofits by early June. The aim is to improve community resilience in the face of this rapidly changing environment in the ways the nonprofits believe are most important now.
This program builds on two significant grants Catalyst made early on, responding to immediate federal policy changes:
We granted $51,000 in December 2024 to Sonoma Immigrant Services, funding a new part-time position to organize education and training sessions for immigrants and employers related to immigration rights and changing laws. SIS has the legal expertise necessary to lead these efforts, and the additional capacity ensured their outreach has been swift, effective and far-reaching.
We then granted $58,200 to the Sonoma Valley Collaborative in January 2025 to take on the vital role of coordinating and disseminating immigrant-related information to/from all the impacted frontline organizations, with a particular emphasis on employers and employees. This has allowed these organizations to focus on providing direct services and ensured a central hub of timely and accurate information.
Meanwhile, we are continuing our work to ensure a more effective and efficient local food system, which will need to adapt to federal budget cuts and shifting needs, as many Valley residents are likely to lose jobs or quit going to work.
We can take these actions thanks to the trust and generosity of our donors, who see the strategic advantage of an unrestricted, pooled fund that can be tapped wisely, without delay, at a scale beyond the reach of all but a few individual funders.
If you want to lean in, consider the following actions:
Make a direct financial contribution to or offer to volunteer at any of the frontline organizations in immigration or human services.
Make a contribution to Catalyst, for the community-wide needs that no single organization or donor can meet alone. We are filling gaps, strengthening the Valley’s overall response and making sure we are also looking ahead, together.
Get trained as a volunteer Legal Observer by North Bay Rapid Response Network to help document an ICE visit.