Foundation News

General News

Race matters in environmental leadership

The recent events in Charleston, SC, and the tragic church burnings in the south have become a call to action for me – suggesting that no matter what specific issue area or sector of social, environmental or other community work we are...
Honoring Rafe Sagarin
General News

Honoring Rafe Sagarin

2000 Fellow (1971-2015) Rafe Sagarin’s tragic death has had many of us in the Switzer Fellowship Network grieving over the loss of a truly magical human being. I say magical because what I and others knew of him was that he epitomized a blend of smarts, savvy, adaptability, creativity and fortitude that one rarely finds in a single human being. by Lissa Widoff, Executive Director
Leveraging Social Sector Leadership
General News

Leveraging Social Sector Leadership

The field of philanthropy includes foundations that make grants and donations and nonprofit organizations that fulfill social purposes. While both are nonprofits, they serve complementary roles in the “social sector”, the realm in which...
Event Recap

30th Anniversary Planning!

Calling all Fellows! Help us plan our 30th birthday party! In 2016, it will be 30 years since Bob and Patricia Switzer established the Foundation's endowment with proceeds of the sale of Day-Glo Color Corp. We want to celebrate this...
Sabbatical reflections
General News

Sabbatical reflections

Emerging from my three-month sabbatical, I feel as though I am just awakening from a dream. It is often in those first hazy moments when we wake up that we remember our dreams, albeit vaguely. The metaphor holds as I reflect on my immediate...
Event Recap

Reflections on this year's retreats from Program Officer Erin Lloyd

As we head into preparations for the selection of the 2015 Switzer Fellows (a most exciting time of year for us here!), I have paused for a moment to reflect on the gatherings we’ve had this year with our 2014 Fellows. The 2014 Fellows are...
Event Recap

Webinar: Water Quality and Environmental Justice in the Central Valley

The Switzer Foundation seeks to protect, improve, and sustain our natural environment for the well-being of people and the planet. We have provided funding to 2009 Fellow Carolina Balazs for her ongoing work on historical inequalities in distribution of clean water to disadvantaged communities in California's agricultural Central Valley. Watch our recent webinar with Carolina, and read more about how her work has expanded recently to strengthen engagement between California’s Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) and communities facing environmental injustices.