December 12, 2024 (Oakland, Calif.) — Common Counsel Foundation’s (CCF) Fund for an Inclusive California announces $1.7 million in grants to grow the influence and impact of small and emerging grassroots power building organizations advancing a housing justice agenda throughout California. This round of grants range from $25,000–$100,000 and contribute to the Fund’s $13.5 million total in funding for community-led housing solutions since 2018. The grants reaffirm the Fund’s commitment to supporting the leadership and influence of directly impacted communities on the decisions and policies that ensure safe, affordable, and stable housing for everyone. 

“Housing justice cannot be achieved without building political power. CCF is reaffirming our commitment to this work and aim to embody what it means to cede power, take the lead from movement partners, and align resources to advance a bold vision for housing justice,” shares Jazmin Segura, director of Housing Justice Initiatives at Common Counsel Foundation. “This work is more critical now than ever before, and CCF is doubling down on funding power-building at the local and statewide levels.”

The Fund is led by a unique co-governance structure made up of both community leaders and funders. Since its inception, the Fund for an Inclusive California has prioritized accountability to its community partners through shared decision making and developing funding strategies in consultation with those partners to nurture, strengthen, and expand local and regional power across the state. 

“The Fund’s partnerships and grantmaking exemplify funding that is guided by deep-rooted relationships, which aligns with and elevates the solutions created by people who have lived through these challenges,” says Diana Amparo Jiménez, Program Officer, Housing Justice at Weingart Foundation and member of the Fund’s co-governance body. “This is the powerful role we can play as funders, supporting their visionary solutions that ensure a more equitable and just society for generations to come.”

This $1.7 million provides vital funding for organizations in the Central Valley and Inland Region — areas confronting some of the state’s most challenging housing issues — along with the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and statewide organizations. Groups funded are advancing critical efforts, including long-term visionary strategies, such as taking land out of the speculative market, increasing the voting power of young Black, Indigenous, and people of color across the state on housing issues, advocating for local and state policies that protect the rights of tenants, and engaging low-income Californians to curtail the abuses of corporate landlords. 

“Our communities face mounting challenges in securing a place to call home, and keeping it amid the pressure of corporate investors,” shares Pastor Curtis, executive director of Faith in the Valley, a long-standing partner of the Fund. “Despite these hurdles, we celebrate each hard-fought victory in securing renter protections for our communities. As we look ahead to a new year and the federal threats that will impact working people, we remain steadfast in our commitment to building stronger, more deeply united communities and protecting those most at risk. Together, we are growing our power, day by day, towards our vision of thriving neighborhoods.”

Bay Area

• East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE)
• Faith in Action Bay Area
• Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco, Inc.
• North Bay Organizing Project
• Regional Tenant Organizing Network
• Rising Juntos

Central Valley

• California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. – Community Equity Initiative
• Central Valley Empowerment Alliance
• Fresno BHC
• Faith in the Valley
• Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability
• Power California

Inland Region

• ACLU of Southern California
• Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement
• Just San Bernardino
• Pueblo Unido Community Development Center
• Starting Over, Inc.
• Time for Change Foundation
• Training Occupational Development Educating Communities (TODEC) Legal Center
• Warehouse Workers Resource Center

Los Angeles

• ACT-LA
• Community Power Collective
• Housing Movement Lab
• InnerCity Struggle
• Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance (KIWA)
• LA Voice
• Long Beach Residents Empowered (LiBRE)
• Social Justice Learning Institute (SJLI)
• Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE)

Statewide

• ACCE Institute
• HousingNow!
• Homes for All California
• Movement Legal Center
• PICO California – Faith in Action Network
• Tenants Together

For media inquiries, please contact Sabrina Chin, Director of Communications, at [email protected].

APRIL 25, 2024

“We cannot service our way out of this crisis. If we could solve it through policy we would. If we could solve it through services we would. But, we build power through the exercise of power.”

Alexandra Suh, Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance

The Fund for an Inclusive California has deep and longstanding relationships with community organizations across the state. In fact, our partners designed our current five-year strategic approach and are co-governing the way we implement this phase.

In our experience, the real magic and possibility of our work happens when we listen to field leaders’ insights firsthand, learning about their needs and the dynamic landscape they navigate. Instead of checking a box for community input, we focus on building reciprocal relationships, and creating spaces for genuine sharing that helps align funding to the real on-the-ground priorities for California’s communities of color.

A Gathering To Break Silos and Spotlight Possibility

“The truth is whether you are a funder in the education space, health, immigrant rights, environmental justice, worker rights – any funder in California knows you can’t talk about addressing systemic issues without understanding the connections to housing justice and vice versa.”

Jazmin Segura, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Housing Justice, Common Counsel Foundation

On February 13, Common Counsel Foundation in collaboration with the California Housing and Homelessness Policy Funders Network, held the California Housing Justice Philanthropic Convening. The event drew over 80 participants from various foundations and philanthropy-serving organizations, alongside 15 representatives from power-building and community ownership entities statewide. It served as a call to action for funders to engage more actively in this critical work.

This gathering marked one of the first times in recent memory that California-based and national funders convened with power-building and movement-based organizations across California to update conditions and initiatives in communities throughout the state.

It aimed to update funders on community conditions and initiatives, fostering a shared understanding of decommodification, housing preservation, and combating the outsized influence of the speculative market. The event provided a platform for funders to expand their knowledge and engage in meaningful dialogue with organizations striving for a thriving and livable California.

Broadening Perspectives, Learning New Approaches

One of the unique opportunities that is possible through the Fund for an Inclusive California, because of our longstanding relationships with organizations, is hearing directly from leaders in the field. This allows us to gain a deeper understanding of their needs and the forces at play.

The convening was an opportunity to come together with the extensive Funders Together to End Homelessness network to platform our community partners’ perspectives and go beyond usual approaches that foundations may take to approach housing. We created spaces for peers in the sector to explore new possibilities and widen the aperture of what is needed from philanthropy in the fight for housing justice.

The convening was also an intentional effort to expand the scope, definition and understanding of housing justice to provide a wider runway and multiple access points for funders that don’t necessarily see their programs or priorities as housing justice-specific.

The day offered a wide variety of approaches and perspectives. Sessions delved into the intersections of housing with immigrant rights and climate justice, offering fresh insights and strategies. In the de-commodification session, leaders highlighted challenges of being out-organized and outspent by real estate corporations and the speculative market. They emphasized that merely providing services will not resolve the crisis; true solutions come from policy change and building power through collective action. Something that came through across panels and discussions: Funders can embrace the frame “housing justice,” placing greater emphasis on people power rather than only the production of more units.

Heard at the Convening 

“Today’s conversation was remarkably different from sessions we’ve held in the past. Particularly because of how movement leaders were centered today. There is a clear articulation about the vision for what we want, not just what we’re fighting against.” – Rajib Guha, The James Irvine Foundation 

“We have no choice but to meet community needs. What is needed is people and funders who are not afraid to understand all the intersections. We need unrestricted support so that organizations can meet the needs.” – Jewel Patterson, Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement

“Navigating pushback after housing advocates win. The clapback is real. Elected officials are typically not renters, and therefore, that perspective is missing in the legislature. We need to toxify the relationship between legislatures and real estate. When we see the real estate lobby ally with police, this needs to be amplified.” – Christina Livingston, ACCE Institute

“C4 funding is crucial. Invest in places like the Central Valley and Inland Empire without divesting from coastal cities. Invest in all of these because the rules are different in all areas.” – Saa’un Bell, Power California

“We need more in-depth solutions for complex problems. If it feels familiar it is not a solution.” – Chris Ko, United Way of Greater Los Angeles

“Invest in the life cycles of movements. Not 1-2 year stints.” – Carla de Paz, Community Power Collective

Takeaways from the Sessions

The sessions were full of information, stories and perspectives from community leaders and funders who are in the thick of these efforts. We gathered these takeaways from the day:

• We are at a critical juncture. Funders must invest in housing justice individually as well as work collaboratively with other funders to amplify the impact of organizers working at various levels.
• Organizing efforts are becoming more sophisticated and robust, gaining momentum towards greater efficacy. Amidst rampant real estate speculation, innovative solutions and models are being developed.
• It is crucial to organize and establish a strong foundation statewide, forming coalitions at local, regional, and statewide levels while securing funding. Centered around BIPOC and intergenerational communities, the increasingly powerful movement is often underfunded and underestimated in terms of needs and potential.
• Recognizing the scale and potential impact, both the public and philanthropic sectors must acknowledge this as a collective responsibility. There is a necessity not only to invest individually but also to align our investments collaboratively as funders to amplify the impact of organizers working at various levels.

As funders, we’re being challenged to rethink our approach. The energy at this gathering was invigorating, with many expressing eagerness to explore, learn, and grow together. There was a real excitement about embracing what’s possible, redefining our roles as funders, and unlearning outdated practices to support real progress in our work and organizations.

A few foundations shared reflections about how they are approaching housing justice work:

• The James Irvine Foundation shared that the many of this gathering’s speakers are grantees of Irvine Foundation, but they are in different portfolios. The foundation is taking an effort to learn across silos.
• Northern California Grantmakers (NCG) is thinking about how to connect the dots across housing, criminal justice, and more. What connects the dots is power building. Unrestricted dollars, go bigger are resonant themes. That’s what’s doing it differently. NCG’s goal is to underscore this.
• Blue Shield of California Foundation places an emphasis on housing justice for survivors. Blue Shield supports organizations and coalition partners. There is a need to increase resources for organizations, to give deeper, especially if they are leading coalitions.

What we heard from attendees: Reflections, curiosity, and commitment to action

The excitement in the room was palpable, and we were thrilled to learn through feedback surveys that attendees were soaking in the insights from community leaders, gaining fresh perspectives on housing justice and its relevance to their efforts. The funder attendees share that they found inspiration and actionable ideas to bring to their work and institutions.

These are a few of the ways funders who attended shared they were committed to action and taking information back to their institutions:

• Strategic Engagement and Education: Presenting housing justice topics to donors, engaging with Community Land Trusts, and integrating housing justice into conference programming. Hosting learning sessions about important legislation like ACA 1 for institutional funders and grantmakers.
• Funding and Support for Housing Initiatives: Backing Amendment ACA 1, working with local funding bodies, funding narrative communication strategies, and recognizing the importance of multi-year investments in narrative and power-building campaigns.
• Partnership and Community Building: Building relationships with new partners and stakeholders, connecting various investment areas, and engaging in more funder organizing within institutions and across the sector.
• Research and Policy Advocacy: Researching housing justice convenings, exploring land trust decommodification, identifying regional corporate holdings and rental vulnerabilities, and integrating housing discussions into policy priorities.

Lingering questions and areas for more learning

While the day was packed with information, there is so much more that funders are eager to learn about. We heard from participants that these are areas for more discussion and collaboration:

• Align funders’ mission and goals effectively.
• Explore new partnership opportunities for broader impact.
• Address housing justice issues in the region comprehensively.
• Navigate tensions between traditional and innovative solutions.
• Enhance grantmakers’ organizing capacity for resource mobilization.
• Prepare for potential CA Business RT measure and corporate landlord pressure.

Finally, we heard from funders that they are interested in learning more and want to explore these approaches to be better advocates and allies for housing justice efforts:

• Strengthening multi-sector alliances for housing justice
• Cultivating a culture of landback reparations
• Identifying funders interested in community-driven affordable housing solutions
• Strategies for acquiring property in land trusts
• Making Community Land Trusts (CLTs) more sustainable and impactful
• Best practices and shared resources for housing justice initiatives
• Technical assistance in policy advocacy and securing funding
• Decommodifying housing – Practical steps to implement this concept
• Peer-to-peer discussions and networking opportunities
• Longer opportunities for funders to share insights and grant highlights on housing justice

Advancing Housing Justice as an Intersectional Issue

Centering People and Their Right to Home
The definition of housing justice that the Fund for an Inclusive California is working toward comes from the collection of efforts and definitions of our Community Advisors. They define housing justice as intersectional, centering people and their self-determination, the right to a home, and having an analysis around the causes of the housing crisis as well as solutions that incorporate structural racism and the role of a market-driven housing sector.

We are eager and committed to continue toward this vision, following the lead of our community partners, and providing a space and path for others to learn, join and pick up the mantle of housing justice in their institutions, for the communities you serve.

Stay tuned for upcoming opportunities to engage in learning, funding and advocating for housing justice. We’re planning more gatherings and opportunities for the months ahead.

FEBRUARY 1, 2024We are excited to introduce our newly reimagined governing body for the Fund for an Inclusive California. This moment marks a transition from a funder-only steering committee into a leadership body guided by the expertise of field leaders and funders. This evolution is the result of an intensive eight-month strategic planning process and aligns with our ambitious goal of raising $25 million over the next five years to support housing justice efforts across the state.

The Fund for an Inclusive California strives to model how foundations can partner with, take the lead from, and learn from community leaders to ensure grantmaking strategies are aligned with the needs and vision of those most impacted by housing insecurity. This council of leaders will guide implementation of the Fund’s strategic plan and help us adapt our grantmaking and funder education efforts with the real-time changing landscape.

Members were selected with an eye toward geographic, racial, and gender diversity. They are visionaries pushing the edge of possibility when field leaders and funders come together as strategic thought partners.

Meet the new Fund for an Inclusive California governing body:

• Diana Amparo Jiménez, The Weingart Foundation
• Saa-un Bell, Power California
• Cynthia Bourjac, Alliance for Community Transit-Los Angeles
• Christa Brown, The San Francisco Foundation
• Sonya Gray-Hunn, Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement
• Rajib Guha, The James Irvine Foundation
• Rae Huang, Housing Now! California
• Craig Martinez, The California Endowment
• Jennifer Martinez, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
• Kate O’Hara, East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy
• Vonya Quarles, Starting Over, Inc.
• Pastor Curtis Smith, Faith in the Valley
• Derek Steele, Social Justice Learning Institute

Their collective wisdom and diverse perspectives will guide F4ICA in our mission to support base building groups in building long-term power towards housing justice.

Join us in celebrating this new chapter of F4ICA’s journey. Together, we will continue to build a powerful network of champions for housing justice efforts across California – putting community priorities and power at the center.

JANUARY 31, 2024In January 2024, Inside Philanthropy spoke with Jazmin Segura, Director of the Fund for an Inclusive California, as well as Community Advisors and funder partners to learn more about the community-driven strategies and new co-led governance structure that is the next stage in advancing power sharing with community partners.

“Despite new legislation and continued promises of action, a full 28% of all people experiencing homelessness in the U.S. live in California. For years, the proposed solution has been to build more housing, but one pooled fund is taking a different approach.

The Fund for an Inclusive California, which officially launched in 2018, is a trust-based collaborative fund that works to address the state’s housing crisis by supporting power-building and community-led organizing efforts in the state. Originally meant to sunset in 2020, the fund has announced a new round of grants totaling $1.7 million as part of its five-year, $25 million second phase.

The fund, which is an initiative of the Common Counsel Foundation’s Housing Justice Initiative and remains housed there, has retained many of its original funders, including The California Endowment, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the James Irvine Foundation, the Weingart Foundation and the San Francisco Foundation. The fund raised $13 million in its first phase.”

“We see that shifting political power from the few to the many is a critical element of what this fund is trying to do to ensure that communities that have been disproportionately impacted by housing inequality and housing insecurity, those who have been most in danger of displacement, land grabs, climate crisis, that they have a powerful voice and that they get to have the opportunity to influence and inform the decisions and solutions.”

Jazmin Segura, Director of the Fund for an Inclusive California at Common Counsel Foundation

The fund is also prioritizing organizing other funders and educating them on housing justice. The fund allows for funders to break out of their silos and find ways to fund the different strategies needed to address an issue as big as housing inequality.

‘Collaboration,’ Segura said, ‘is necessary to make a significant impact.’”

DECEMBER 5, 2023Oakland, CA – Today, the Fund for an Inclusive California announced the first $1.7 million in grants to support local, regional and state-wide community organizing efforts for housing justice and equitable development across the state. These grants signify the launch of the Fund’s next five-year phase, designed by community partners and focused on growing interconnected organizing efforts in California toward a variety of solutions for permanently affordable housing.

The Fund for an Inclusive California, a program of the Common Counsel Foundation’s Housing Justice Initiative, is a pooled fund building on the first phase of funder partners who remain supportive, including The California Endowment, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, The James Irvine Foundation, The Weingart Foundation, and the San Francisco Foundation. In its previous five-year phase, the fund raised $13 million to grow community power for housing efforts from a diverse range of foundations.

“The work of our community partners is truly inspiring, and is essential for a future where communities of color can stay and thrive in California. Funders understand that we have to use every tool we have to keep people in their homes, to support building power in communities, and to change this untenable housing paradigm,” said Jazmin Segura, director of the Fund for an Inclusive California.

“Our funding aligns with and centers the priorities identified by communities with the lived experience to shape and implement sustainable solutions. This phase of the Fund’s work is critical to support the organizing and systems change wins that community partners have fought so hard to implement, and that are making tangible differences in the lives of thousands of Californians, with the potential to reach so many more who are struggling to stay in their homes.” added Craig Martinez, Senior Program Manager, Partnership & Programs, The California Endowment.

The community partners funded in this first $1.7 million in grants collectively reach tens of thousands of low-income Black, Indigenous, People of Color Californians. In the last four years, organizations supported by the Fund have secured impressive and unprecedented wins at the local and state levels, from first-ever renter protections and tenant unions in the Central Valley, Inland Region and Bay Area, to influencing Covid-19 recovery dollars, to Measure U-LA, which won in Los Angeles last fall and will raise hundreds of millions of dollars to support affordable housing and reduce homelessness through a transfer tax on luxury real-estate transactions.

The Central Valley and Inland Region are particular focuses for support in this phase of the Fund, with organizations tackling eviction, housing insecurity, and displacement by harnessing the power of the very communities that endure the state’s most intractable challenges.

“In this moment we seeing change happen through organizing in our communities, and building the political influence and economic opportunity of people of color in our state,” said Vonya Quarles, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Starting Over, Inc, in Riverside, CA. “We are organizing to make sure all people have a dignified place to call home. This future is possible through long-term investments in powerbuilding.”

California has the second-highest homelessness rate in the nation. As of 2022, 30% of all people in the U.S. experiencing homelessness live in the state, including half of all unsheltered people. For Californians who are housed, nearly half (45.5%) are renters, making renter power and protections critical for their stability and livelihoods, especially against the outsized role of the speculative housing market.

“Together with the Fund for An Inclusive California, we’re holding a longer-term vision for housing justice in our communities and in our state,” added Derek Steele, Executive Director, Social Justice Learning Institute, Inglewood, CA, in Los Angeles. “But the need for change in systems, for securing protections, and to protect a democracy that we’re all a part of couldn’t be greater than at this moment. And we are working with the Fund and others across the state to expand our reach and our support.”

The Fund for an Inclusive California’s current work builds on its last five years of co-led efforts with organizations growing the power of people at the frontlines of displacement and housing policies. In the coming months the Fund will announce its governance structure for this phase which will be a blend of community partners and funders.

Learn more about the Fund at f4ica.commoncounsel.org. Full list of nonprofits in this round of grants, here.