Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment

The Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment envisions a future where nature is protected, people’s rights are upheld, and environmental justice is advanced—recognizing these values as deeply interconnected. We empower low-income, BIPOC, and environmentally burdened communities to lead the fight for climate justice, resilience, and equity by providing resources, skills, and capacity-building opportunities. Our cornerstone programs focus on: 1) Youth Leadership: Engaging Bay Area BIPOC youth through STEAM- and experiential-based learning to tackle root causes of environmental and climate injustice. 2) Grassroots Support: Strengthening emerging community groups by expanding access to capacity training, organizational development, and resources. Through our grantmaking and youth leadership programs, we amplify grassroots initiatives that foster stewardship of nature, inspire collective action, and hold governments and corporations accountable. We specialize in administering mitigation payments and class-action settlement awards, and using these funds to support grassroots-based conservation, social justice, and consumer protection projects in close conformance with the nexus of the specific settlement. Since our inception, we have awarded over $50 million in community grants and trained more than 200 youth annually through our New Voices Are Rising program, building a movement for a sustainable, equitable future. To date, we have supported over 2,000 BIPOC community members and 1,500 grassroots organizations, empowering them to take an active role in decision-making, address critical environmental challenges, and build community power for lasting change.

Rose envisions a world where environmental stewardship, community justice, and consumer rights are interconnected pillars of a thriving, equitable society. We amplify the voices of historically marginalized low-income communities of color, who stand at the forefront of the environmental and climate crises, particularly emerging grassroots groups in California, the Pacific Northwest, and Bay Area BIPOC youth. These communities, disproportionately affected by environmental and social injustices, possess invaluable knowledge to address interconnected challenges and craft impactful solutions. We provide the resources and capacity-building support needed to unlock their potential and scale their impact. Our goal is to empower communities to lead in creating sustainable solutions that tackle pollution, health inequities, and justice issues, while protecting the environment, fostering inclusivity, and increasing participation in policy and planning for a more equitable future. .

Goal One: We aim to grow all our programs by increasing access for BIPOC youth and underserved communities. In the New Voices Are Rising program, we are enhancing the STEAM-based curriculum, scaling partnerships, and expanding representation from Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Through our grassroots grantmaking efforts, we provide funding across all of California and the Pacific Northwest.

Goal Two: In recent years, we have invested in strengthening our organizational capacity. This includes streamlining our financial system with online timesheets and payroll, hiring a dedicated data manager to integrate program and grantmaking data, and updating our website for community engagement and online portals for more efficient grantmaking. These improvements suppor efficiency and growth.