Healthy Petaluma Awards More Than $650,000 in Inaugural Together for Women and Families Fund Grants to 11 Local Nonprofits.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PETALUMA, Calif., October 5, 2026 — Healthy Petaluma District and Foundation announces $657,283 in grant awards to 11 local nonprofit organizations, establishing the inaugural three-year grantee cohort for the Together for Women and Families Fund. Launched in February 2026, the $2 million grantmaking initiative was developed in response to the 2025 Women’s Health Needs Assessment (WHNA) to address critical health disparities and expand access to health and wellness resources for women and girls across the Healthy Petaluma service area that includes Petaluma, Penngrove, and Cotati.
The Together for Women and Families Fund is supported by the $10 million settlement Healthy Petaluma received from Providence following the closure of Petaluma Valley Hospital’s Family Birthing Center, which is earmarked for programs and services that benefit the health of women and girls. The $2 million grant fund targets three core priorities identified in the WHNA: strengthening mental health support and coping skills, creating community spaces for connection and belonging, and fostering collective action to address economic stressors.
"When we secured $10 million after the Petaluma Valley Hospital’s Birthing Center closure, we committed to making sure those resources directly benefited the health and well-being of local women and girls," said Ramona Faith, CEO of Healthy Petaluma District and Foundation. "This inaugural slate of grantees represents a major step forward in fulfilling that promise. By partnering with these 11 outstanding organizations, we are delivering direct, culturally responsive support that tackles mental health, social isolation, and economic strain across our community.”
The grant selection process involved a rigorous review process. Staff and an independent volunteer Grant Evaluation Committee evaluated proposals against WHNA priority populations—including Black, Latine, AAPI, and LGBTQIA+ women and teen girls, postpartum mothers, and low-income women—and key systemic barriers such as cost, language access, and cultural responsiveness.
"Our Grant Evaluation Committee reviewed each application with a deep commitment to equity and community impact," said Matthew Ingram, director of community impact at Healthy Petaluma. "These 11 organizations bring proven track records, established trust, and innovative programs tailored to the unique challenges facing women and families in southern Sonoma County. We are excited to support their work over the next three years."
The inaugural cohort of grantees includes:
● Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma-Marin ($65,000) – Expanding the SMART Girls program across more than 35 club sites countywide, providing dynamic health, fitness and self-esteem programming for teen girls.
● Café Puente ($65,000) – Funding culturally centered gathering programs, including Mamás Unidas, Raíces, Puentistas and Puentecitos, that foster community connection, belonging and mental wellness for Latine women, teen girls, mothers and caregivers.
● Children's Museum of Sonoma County ($25,000) – Supporting mobile, bilingual parent-education programming delivered in partnership with organizations serving low-income families in South County, reducing language and transportation barriers.
● Committee on the Shelterless (COTS) ($75,000) – Expanding mental health services and trauma-informed support for low-income mothers and children residing at the Kids First Family Shelter.
● LIME Foundation ($57,600) – Providing workforce training, economic empowerment, and wraparound services for low-income, BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ women and girls ages 16 to 35.
● Mother Care Support ($74,940) – Establishing a dedicated clinical hub and cross-agency partnerships offering lactation support, diaper distribution and clinical maternal health care for new and postpartum mothers.
● North Bay Children's Center ($65,000) – Adding dedicated support nights for postpartum mothers, infant-toddler care and self-esteem and body-boundary education for young girls within preschool curricula.
● On the Margins, Inc. ($75,000) – Offering free, culturally grounded perinatal and postnatal mental health counseling for Latine families in South County.
● Petaluma City Schools ($65,000) – Implementing school-based, culturally responsive group therapy designed to strengthen agency, belonging and emotional resilience for underserved girls and young women.
● Petaluma Health Center ($24,743) – Supporting a wellness group for children ages 7 to 12 and their caregivers, primarily mothers, overcoming cost and provider-access barriers to behavioral healthcare.
● Rebuilding Together Petaluma ($65,000) – Expanding home repair, housing stability and workforce initiatives with dedicated case management, group counseling and support tailored specifically for women.
The slate of grantees was approved by the Healthy Petaluma Board of Directors at the September 2026 board meeting. For more information about the Together for Women and Families Fund and Healthy Petaluma’s community grantmaking initiatives, visit healthypetaluma.org.
About Healthy Petaluma District and Foundation
Healthy Petaluma District, formerly the Petaluma Health Care District, a community-owned and operated special district, and Healthy Petaluma Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public benefit corporation, are both dedicated to improving the health and well-being of southern Sonoma County through leadership, advocacy, support, partnerships and education. Their mission is to foster a healthier community and equitable access to comprehensive health and wellness services. The District has ensured access to local acute care and emergency services and has served southern Sonoma County’s health and wellness needs since 1946. For more information, visit healthypetaluma.org and follow @HealthyPetaluma on Facebook and Instagram.
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