2025 California Disaster Response

Philanthropy California is an alliance of Northern California Grantmakers, Southern California Grantmakers, and Catalyst of San Diego and Imperial Counties. We partner with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to support immediate disaster relief and long-term recovery efforts. Philanthropy California monitors wildfires & natural hazard events and provides individual and institutional funders with vetted funds, resources, and events on this response page.

 

Philanthropy California is deploying its deep work in disaster resilience efforts toward:

  • Publicizing trusted funds for place-based relief and recovery
  • Prioritizing funds that support marginalized or under-resourced communities
  • Sharing emerging issues, and where funders can make the most of their contributions
  • Advising how best to meet short and long-term recovery needs
  • Connecting funders, government partners, and organizations active in responding to disasters
  • Supporting funders with tools, connections, and expertise

Philanthropy California does not:

  • Directly connect community-based organizations to funders
  • Provide general public information on wildfire or natural hazard events. For more information on active wildfires/hazard events or emergency response efforts please visit the CalOES webpage or the California Resiliency Alliance (CRA) wildfire quick-links
  • Direct fire or disaster-impacted individuals to resources. If you have been affected by a recent disaster in California you can call 211 for information on where to find help locally

In order for a fund to be listed on our California Response Funds page, it must meet the following vetting criteria:

  • Must be an experienced grantmaking organization  
  • Must have an anti-discrimination clause in its grantmaking process (this can be on the website, mission statement, or in annual reporting language, etc.)
  • Must have: (a) experience working in the affected community; (b) have pre-existing relationships with organizations with experience working in the affected community; or  
    is planning to transfer all funds to a grantmaker with either (a) or (b) 
  • If community foundation, must be accredited with National Standard or be recommended by a trusted partner.
  • If the fund does not meet above guidelines, must meet an otherwise unmet need.

Please visit our government & non-profit partner websites, California Resiliency Alliance, CalVolunteers and CalOES, for more information about how you can help, as well as how to prepare for and recover from wildfires and other natural hazards.

 

  

 

If you have questions about Philanthropy California's disaster response, please contact:

 

Northern California: Katie Oran, Climate and Disaster Resilience Manager (kaoran@ncg.org).

Southern California: Lily, Bui, Climate & Disaster Preparedness Manager (lily@socalgrantmakers.org).

 

Philanthropy California believes that, in addition to funding immediate and long-term recovery efforts, it’s essential for funders to support building long lasting wildfire & disaster resilience. For every dollar spent on building disaster resilience, communities save six on recovery costs.  If you are a funder interested in supporting wildfire & disaster resilience efforts across the state get in touch with us!

The Philanthropy California team has vetted the list below to help you direct resources to funds supporting non-profits active in place-based relief and recovery efforts with a special focus on supporting communities facing structural inequities. Additionally, some funds specifically support long-term resilience building & recovery efforts, which provide support for communities recovering in the years after a hazard event.

 

You can filter funds based on region to view locally established relief/recovery funds, or you can support statewide funds that re-distribute money to disaster-affected communities. Tags for specific disaster events or hazard categories will be added as needed.

805 Undocufund

The 805 UndocuFund was launched in 2018 with the belief that during the critical recovery period following a natural disaster, undocumented residents should not be excluded from emergency relief funding made available to all other residents. The 805 UndocuFund has been a lifeline for undocumented households severely impacted by the Mountain Fire. On Friday, January 10th, more than 100 undocumented households reached out in need from the recent fires in Los Angeles. Many families have been without work due to hazardous air conditions and spoiled crops, with the fund serving as their only source of financial support during these challenging times.

 

To date, the 805 UndocuFund has provided financial assistance to 178 households, distributing a total of $78,000. This essential aid was facilitated by three dedicated staff members who contributed a combined 125 hours and hosted multiple in-person clinics to assist clients. In partnership with VC VOAD Member Food Share, the fund also distributed $2,765 in gift cards to farmworkers, providing additional support for basic needs.

 

One Mountain Fire relief recipient, Ricardo, shared his gratitude: "Hello, I'm Ricardo. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the great help you gave me. I work in the field. I hope you continue to support us. Thank you very much."

 

VISIT FUND

California Community Foundation: Wildfire Recovery Fund

The California Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund focuses on intermediate and long-term recovery needs that follow wildfires in California, with special efforts to serve the most disaster-vulnerable populations including the disabled, farmworkers and other migrant communities whose homes and employment are impacted by wildfires, Native American populations living on or proximate to impacted tribal lands, economically-disadvantaged populations without resources to respond to and recover from wildfire impacts, and specific impacted vulnerable populations whose lives have also been affected by structural racism which limit their practical ability to access disaster response, recovery and mitigation resources.

Since 2003, CCF’s Wildfire Recovery Fund has awarded over $32 million to support relief and recovery efforts. While some Wildfire Recovery Fund grants are made directly to local organizations offering direct service, a large portion of grants each year go to local community foundations, which in turn provide grants to multiple partner organizations positioned in the communities they serve. Past grants have supported replacing and rebuilding homes for the displaced, and to restore lost belongings and/or employment. Resources have also gone to help provide support services including case management services, mental health services and financial assistance as well as to upgrade support services like 2-1-1 phone lines and information systems, follow-up medical care and supplies and updated safety equipment for first responders.

CCF ensures that resources reach those most in need, leveraging partnerships with community-based organizations and government agencies. For the LA County wildfires, we’ve activated our fund to complement immediate relief, addressing the long-term recovery needs of neighborhoods long after media attention has shifted away. 

 

VISIT FUND

California Fire Foundation: Wildfire & Disaster Relief

Your donation to the CFF Wildfire and Disaster Relief Fund directly supports victims of wildfires and disasters throughout California. At the California Fire Foundation, our purpose is to support the survivors, firefighters, and communities affected by natural disaster, whether that is a large-scale wildfire, a global pandemic, floods, mudslide, earthquake or other disaster. Our wide variety of programs support critical needs of those touched by natural disaster, from immediate assistance to long-term recovery and at the core of everything we do is our mission of providing emotional and financial assistance to families of fallen firefighters, firefighters and the communities they protect across our beloved state.

 

IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE FOR WILDFIRE AND NATURAL DISASTER SURVIVORS:

During fast-moving and chaotic disaster situations, the California Fire Foundation aims to administer direct financial relief to affected communities effectively and quickly. We work with a network of Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to identify residents whose homes are damaged or who are experiencing extended evacuation orders in their communities. These organizations are in a unique position to understand and recognize the immediate needs within their communities. Just as firefighters are often first to reach the frontline of fires, often CBOs are the first line of support to survivors of large-scale disasters at emergency aid centers and with their involvement in the distribution of the $250 Disaster Relief cash cards, we can quickly get vital aid to those in need.

 

MID & LONG-TERM WILDFIRE RELIEF:

Following the unprecedented devastation of the many catastrophic wildfires of recent years, the California Fire Foundation saw the need to provide ongoing, mid- and long-term support to the communities affected by disaster.

 

VISIT FUND

 

Center for Disaster Philanthropy: California Wildfires Recovery Fund

The Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s California Wildfires Recovery Fund supports communities across the state as they work to rebuild and recover from wildfires. Since its inception, CDP has awarded grants to nonprofits and community groups in northern and southern California to help families and entire communities recover through targeted grantmaking that prioritizes medium- to long-term recovery, especially among populations made vulnerable by systemic inequities.

 

VISIT FUND

 

Direct Relief: California Fire Relief

In response to wildfires, Direct Relief provides N95 respirators, prescription medicines, medical supplies, hygiene kits, and financial assistance to local community health centers, free and charitable clinics, other safety-net organizations, and first responders in communities across California.

 

VISIT FUND

Entertainment Industry Foundation: Defy:Disaster and SoCal Fire Fund

Defy: Disaster, a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), is the entertainment community's collective and immediate response to natural disasters. Defy:Disaster mobilizes the industry and the public to deliver funding and support of vital services for the immediate relief, as well as long-term recovery, in affected areas. See media coverage on their current support for the January 2025 Palisades Fire: Variety and The Hollywood Reporter

 

VISIT FUND

 

In response to the tragic wildfires that have impacted countless families and communities across Southern California, Entertainment Industry Foundation, the CAA Foundation (the philanthropic arm of leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency), Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE), a global humanitarian organization that empowers communities in and beyond crisis, and the Los Angeles Unified School District Education Foundation have come together to launch the SoCal Fire Fund.

 

 

This ongoing collaboration will provide immediate and long-term support for community-centered recovery initiatives that aid students, school employees, and families impacted by the January 2025 fires. n addition to the LAUSD community, the LAUSD Education Foundation will collaborate with neighboring districts, including the Greater Los Angeles Education Foundation and the Pasadena Education Foundation, to support impacted students and school employees throughout the region.

 

VISIT FUND

Foundation for California Community Colleges: Wildfire and Disaster Relief Fund

Supporting our communities affected by natural disasters.

Our community college students, faculty, and staff are already being impacted by California’s devastating wildfire season, which has burned more acres in the state this year than in the previous two combined.

 

How Your Gift Helps

Your generous donation provides emergency relief during these difficult times and support for recovering and rebuilding. Past recipients of donors’ support have used the funds to cover their disaster-related needs, including relocation expenses, replacing laptops, and buying supplies, transportation, clothes, and food that were lost or destroyed during evacuations.

 

Hubs of Recovery and Local Support

Our California community colleges serve as the heart and hub for communities throughout our state. They play a critical role in disaster response and recovery, serving as evacuation centers, information hubs, deployment sites, helipads, and providers of first responders. And, in a local crisis, they are in a unique position to get aid to those in need. FoundationCCC established this fundraising effort to support community colleges throughout the state when their students, faculty, and staff are impacted by natural disasters. It launched with an inaugural gift by Evergreen Valley College in 2017, and we have since partnered with local colleges to distribute more than $200,000 through this effort.

 

VISIT FUND

Foundation for the Los Angeles Community Colleges: LA Strong: Disaster Response Fund

Community college students, staff, and faculty are facing unprecedented challenges as multiple wildfires devastate regions across southern California. These events not only threaten lives but also disrupt education, housing, and basic needs. Your generous donation will help provide critical emergency relief during these difficult times and support the long-term recovery.

 

VISIT FUND

Greater Los Angeles Education Foundation: Wildfire Recovery Fund

 The Greater Los Angeles Education Foundation (GLAEF) has established a dedicated fund to direct vital resources to students, families and educators that have been most affected by the wildfires in Los Angeles County.

 

The Los Angeles County Wildfire Relief Fund @GLAEF will be used to support critical recovery efforts through the rebuilding process in the weeks ahead. Our partners at the Los Angeles County Office of Education are coordinating regular calls with leadership from districts and other leaders from across the county. The fund will complement local strategies, leverage aligned resources and address the most urgent needs facing our communities.

 

Funds will be used to support strategies including:

 

Basic Needs Relief

Funds can support access to food, clothes and school supplies, clean water, vital home goods, infant and small child essentials, and practical support like transportation, and emergency relief grants.

 

Counseling

Supplemental support for school site counselors to help families, students and staff navigate trauma and stress related to the fires.

 

Legal Support

Resources and guidance for families navigating complicated bureaucratic and legal issues.

 

Infrastructure Support

Access to air filtration, KN95 masks and campus improvements to ensure ventilation and safe conditions for teaching and learning.

 

Enrichment Activities

Access to programs, as well as games, books and other activities that can restore normalcy and joy to students – some of whom have lost everything.

 

VISIT FUND

International Community Foundation: This is About Humanity Fund

TIAH is issuing an urgent call of support for front/second line farmworkers, day laborers, essential workers and families impacted by fires in Los Angeles. Through 1/31, we are matching up to $50,000 in donations to provide critical relief, housing support, food assistance, and essential resources.

 

 

VISIT FUND

Latino Community Foundation: California Wildfire Relief Fund

Contributions to this fund support Latino-led organizations responding to the immediate needs of Latino families impacted by the current wildfires across the state of California. Funding provides emergency food and financial assistance, rapid rehousing, and long-term recovery support to low-income, undocumented, Latino and Indigenous workers and families.

 

VISIT FUND

League of California Community Foundations: Disaster Relief, Recovery, and Resilience Fund

This fund supports relief, recovery and resilience for natural hazard events in communities across the state of California. Through a statewide coalition of community foundations, funds support:

 

Relief

  • Provide emergency disaster relief for individuals, families, and communities
  • Fill critical gaps in local safety net services that may include food and housing security, physical and mental health access and support, and emergency assistance

Recovery

  • Support the long-term recovery of impacted individuals, families, and communities
  • Support the capacity of organizations to provide long-term recovery services
  • Support case management, project management and construction management associated with recovery
  • Support community-based leadership activities such as convening recovery committees

Resilience

  • Prepare for and minimize damage from catastrophic events
  • Invest in hazard mitigation and prevention for communities at risk of and impacted by natural hazards
  • Support coordinated planning with public/private sector entities, reduce duplication of efforts, and increase the overall effectiveness of disaster prevention and preparedness activities

 

VISIT FUND

Los Angeles Unified School District Educational Foundation: 2025 Fire Response: Emergency Relief

The Foundation has established an emergency relief fund for those in the LAUSD community impacted by the fires. This Fund will support immediate relief, support for continuity of learning, mental health, and other short and long term needs for the community.  

VISIT FUND

National Forest Foundation: Southern California Forest Fund

Funds will be used on Southern California National Forests primarily for three purposes:

 

Post-wildfire Restoration. Conducting restoration activities such as reforestation, soil stabilization and erosion control, rebuilding damaged infrastructure, and ensuring safe hiking and road corridors for forest visitors.

 

Wildfire Mitigation Work. Mitigating the risk of unnaturally severe wildfire in the future through activities to improve forest health and resilience such as forest thinning, prescribed burning, invasive species management, and ecological restoration.

 

Recreation Improvements. To build out and maintain recreation infrastructure including trails, trailheads, campgrounds, visitor centers, and picnic areas for the benefit of the millions of residents and visitors who recreate on National Forests each year.

 

The NFF will implement projects directly with the Forest Service, through other nonprofit partners, with commercial vendors, or through agreements with state or local authorities to achieve the greatest impact with contributed funds. Funds will be applied to the greatest need as determined by the NFF in consultation with the Forest Service.

 

 

VISIT FUND

Pasadena Community Foundation: Eaton Canyon Fire Relief and Recovery Fund

The Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF) has opened the Eaton Canyon Fire Relief and Recovery Fund providing an opportunity for those who want to support immediate and pressing needs even as the fire continues to spread. The Pasadena Community Foundation Eaton Canyon Fire Relief and Recovery Fund provides flexible support to local nonprofit organizations as they respond to the local Eaton Canyon fire.

 

 

 

VISIT FUND

United Way of Greater Los Angeles: Wildfire Response Fund

Wildfires in LA County are affecting tens of thousands of people. United Way focuses on longer-term recovery efforts to support members of our community, and we are working with our community partners to assess the impact on the ground.

 

VISIT FUND

Ventura County Community Foundation: Disaster Relief & Recovery Fund

The County of Ventura, in partnership with the Ventura County Community Foundation, has established the Ventura County Wildfire Relief and Recovery Fund to support community members and local nonprofit organizations most affected by the devastating Mountain Fire.

 

In November 2024, the Mountain Fire burned 19,904 acres, destroying 132 structures and damaging 88 more. Hundreds of households were affected, facing significant loss and hardship. This emergency fund was created to provide immediate financial relief, ensuring that 100% of contributions go directly to those in need and nonprofits supporting those most affected.

 

To date, $975,313 has been granted, helping families secure temporary housing, replace vital medical equipment, and meet other urgent needs. Thanks to the generosity of hundreds of donors, the fund has:

  • Covered emergency veterinary bills and supported over 450 animal rescues.
  • Delivered much-needed financial assistance and emergency childcare for families as they work to rebuild their lives.
  • Allocated over $50,000 to assist farmworkers who lost both work and housing due to the fire.

Unlike other recent fires in Ventura County, FEMA and most other financial assistance programs are not available for this disaster, leaving philanthropy as one of the only lifelines for those most in need.

 

VISIT FUND

Mutual Aid List

Philanthropy CA maintains this live list of mutual aid resources in and around the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County. Watch this space for resources pertaining to community health, rapid response funds, legal aid, housing, basic needs, access and functional needs, language access and trusted messaging, mental health, youth and children, news/information, and disaster coordination meetings/briefings

 

2-1-1

211 is a free information and referral service that connects people to health and human services in their community 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  211 serves people of all income levels, languages and cultural backgrounds and is available to 96% of Californians and to 85% of U.S. households. 211 also plays a critical role in providing information and support in times of disaster, such as evacuation, shelter, food, medical and recovery information, and provides public officials with feedback from callers about changing conditions.  211 programs are supported by United Way, public and private funders, city and county agencies and more. California United Ways operate and/or provide major funding for 2-1-1 programs throughout the state.

 

California Governor's Office of Emergency Services

The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CAL OES) connects residents with a wide range of services and programs targeted specifically at those who have been affected by wildfires.

 

California Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD)

 VOAD associations improve outcomes for people affected by disasters by facilitating cooperation, communication, coordination, and collaboration among nonprofit organizations, community-based groups, government agencies, and for-profit companies. Contact your local VOAD to learn how your organization can support disaster relief and recovery efforts.

 

California Resiliency Alliance (CRA)

The California Resiliency Alliance (CRA) is a 501C(3) non-profit sitting at the nexus between the public and private sectors facilitating cross-sector information sharing and partnerships to empower local and regional resilience. The CRA facilitates information sharing across public-private sectors and across industry sectors. For information on active wildfires visit CRA’s wildfire quick-links webpage

 

Disaster Relief Guide

You'll find support for business assistance, capital programs, cybersecurity for business, and additional resources.

 

Get Earthquake Alerts: MyShake

Earthquake Warning California is the country’s first publicly available, statewide warning system providing California residents crucial seconds to take cover before you feel shaking. Managed by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), Earthquake Warning California uses ground motion sensors from across the state to detect earthquakes before humans can feel them and can notify Californians to “Drop, Cover and Hold On” in advance of an earthquake.

 

Guide to Disaster Assistance Services

The State of California’s Guide to Disaster Assistance Services for Immigrant Californians provides information on health, housing, emergency supplies, employment and other services available to all Californians, regardless of their immigration status.

 

Listos California Resource Hub

Listos California has free materials in many languages that you can use and share to promote disaster preparedness in your home and community.

 

National Weather Service

Provides information on weather conditions across the United States and California. Includes current active alerts, forecast maps, radar, rivers, lakes & rainfall information, air quality, satellite, and past weather data.

Stay tuned for upcoming programs!

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