Napa Valley Foundation is Nonprofit of the Year

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Napa Valley Community Foundation board Chairwoman Carry Thacher (left) and President Terence Mulligan (center) pose with Sen. Bill Dodd at a reception in Sacramento Wednesday, June 6, 2018.SACRAMENTO – The Napa Valley Community Foundation has been honored as Nonprofit of the Year for the Third Senate District in a resolution authored by Senator Bill Dodd, D-Napa.

“We are truly honored to be recognized by Senator Dodd as nonprofit of the year,” said Terence Mulligan, president of the foundation that has distributed more than $50 million since its inception 24 years ago. “He understands the very important role that nonprofits play in making our communities stronger and more vibrant -- in ordinary times and extraordinary times, alike – such as the last eight months following the North Bay fires.  We are truly honored that he’s chosen us as nonprofit of the year in his district.”

“This recognition means a lot to Napa Valley Community Foundation and the hundreds of nonprofit programs that we support in our community every year,” Mulligan said.

Napa Valley Community Foundation has been a bridge between philanthropic families and hard-working nonprofit agencies since 1994, bringing people, ideas and resources together to enhance the quality of life in our community. From Calistoga to American Canyon, it has distributed more than $50 million in grants and is the philanthropic partner to 100 individuals, families, nonprofit agencies and corporations in Napa Valley.

The foundation manages the Napa Valley Community Disaster Relief Fund, established after the 2014 Napa earthquake with a $10 million gift from Napa Valley Vintners. In the wake of the 2017 October wildfires, the fund was used to raise another $15 million to help recovery efforts. The money has enabled 15,000 fire survivors to receive relief services like temporary housing, meals and medical care. Another 2,000 households suffering economic hardship as a result of the disasters received direct cash assistance totaling nearly $2.3 million.

“It has been our extreme good fortune to have a stellar nonprofit like the Napa Valley Community Foundation heading up our philanthropy in our area,” Senator Dodd said. “The foundation has a strong track record of filling gaps and addressing urgent needs. Its work following the North Bay fires is an excellent example. So is the program it started five years ago that’s helped nearly 1,000 Napa Valley residents become U.S. citizens. I commend the nonprofit for its tireless efforts and always being there when our community needs it most.”