Our Approach
We are committing all our resources to building a strong, self-sustaining infrastructure that creates lasting change. Together, we can build a Central Valley where our communities can confidently engage in democracy and have greater agency in decision-making.

- Emphasize narrow and deep engagements with our grantee partners.
- Build infrastructure and center equitable systems change.
- Value partnerships and identify anchor institutions to carry on the work post-JBMF.
- Empower networks of local leaders as innovators and agents of change where they live and work.
- Remain grounded in the unique realities of the Central Valley and inspire additional investment in the region.
- Leave a meaningful, systemic, and lasting mark on the Central Valley.
Community-driven Grantmaking
The absence of a philanthropic network in the Central Valley means more resources are needed to address these challenges. The James B. McClatchy Foundation Board’s approval of a spend-down plan means that our approach to activating civic engagement and advocating for multilingual learners must be tailored to meet the demand for support from Central Valley stakeholders.
As a result, we have developed a community-driven grantmaking approach to reach our goals.
- Co-create grantmaking with a trust-based approach and support local leaders' visions that challenge transactional philanthropic approaches.
- Be responsive, flexible, and relevant based on current events.
- Build capacity for the long term.
- Be informed by those with lived experiences.
- Leverage the Sunrise Plan to take calculated risks.
We commit to generational investments to seed a robust ecosystem where organizations grow and thrive, problems are addressed, solutions are vetted, policies are changed, and civic leaders effectively represent their communities.
We envision that our strategies will provide fertile ground for growth, sustainability, and transformative capacity-building. This is the most important work we can do.
We envision a world where diverse experiences are embraced. Racial disparity accounts for wide gaps in education, health outcomes, and economic opportunity. We critically understand the impact of media and education on our society’s perceptions. We seek to create initiatives that birth new narratives.
Founder and Executive Director of Breakbox TC, JBMF Grantee
