Key Takeaways
- • The Duckhorn Portfolio announced six recipients of its 2026 Founders Fund Grants on August 6, 2026, awarding a total of $340,000 to support educational programs for historically disadvantaged groups.
- • Since the Duckhorn Portfolio Founders Fund (DPFF) was established in 2020, it has awarded more than $1 million to 16 organizations over six years.
- • Grantees include the Anderson Valley Education Foundation, Children's Museum of Sonoma County, Mission Scholars, Puertas Abiertas Community Resource Center, Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation, and School on Wheels.
- • Grants are selected by a cross-departmental employee committee that reviews nominated 501(c)(3) organizations and engages grantees beyond funding through events, wine donations, career sessions, and site visits.
Summary
The Duckhorn Portfolio, the St. Helena, California-based luxury wine company, announced on August 6, 2026 the six recipients of its 2026 Founders Fund Grants. The company said the grants total $340,000 and are intended to support its commitment to giving back to the communities where its employees live and work, according to the company's press release. The DPFF was established in 2020 and supports educational programs for historically disadvantaged groups. Over the past six years, it has awarded grants exceeding $1 million to 16 organizations.
DPFF Co-Founder and Associate General Counsel Marika Rothfeld said the 2026 selections were made by the DPFF Committee, which she thanked by name, including Danielle Biagiotti, Alexha Faraud, Amy Gill, Adrianna Baca Kane, Christina LoMedico, Avery Neville, Rob Sorenson, Paige Washington, Monica Watson, and Hayley Yerkes. Beyond the cash grants, the committee engages with grantee organizations through pouring at events, wine donations, career information sessions, check-in lunches, and site visits.
The 2026 grantees are the Anderson Valley Education Foundation, which supports students, teachers, parents, and mentors; the Children's Museum of Sonoma County's Museum-on-the-Go program, which brings hands-on exhibits to families in Sonoma County; Mission Scholars, which provides college admissions guidance and mentorship to low-income students in Santa Barbara over a seven-year support system; Puertas Abiertas Community Resource Center in Napa, a gateway to health and social services for Latino families; the Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation, with a focus this year on its Second Chance Program, Disability Resource Department, and Technology Access & Tools initiative; and School on Wheels, which provides free tutoring and academic support to children experiencing homelessness in Southern California.
The committee is drawn from across the company's departments. Selection begins with a company-wide call for nominations of 501(c)(3) organizations, followed by a review of supplemental materials, virtual meetings with executives from shortlisted organizations, and an assessment of each organization's funding needs against the DPFF charter.
DPFF Co-Founder and Associate General Counsel Marika Rothfeld said the 2026 selections were made by the DPFF Committee, which she thanked by name, including Danielle Biagiotti, Alexha Faraud, Amy Gill, Adrianna Baca Kane, Christina LoMedico, Avery Neville, Rob Sorenson, Paige Washington, Monica Watson, and Hayley Yerkes. Beyond the cash grants, the committee engages with grantee organizations through pouring at events, wine donations, career information sessions, check-in lunches, and site visits.
The 2026 grantees are the Anderson Valley Education Foundation, which supports students, teachers, parents, and mentors; the Children's Museum of Sonoma County's Museum-on-the-Go program, which brings hands-on exhibits to families in Sonoma County; Mission Scholars, which provides college admissions guidance and mentorship to low-income students in Santa Barbara over a seven-year support system; Puertas Abiertas Community Resource Center in Napa, a gateway to health and social services for Latino families; the Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation, with a focus this year on its Second Chance Program, Disability Resource Department, and Technology Access & Tools initiative; and School on Wheels, which provides free tutoring and academic support to children experiencing homelessness in Southern California.
The committee is drawn from across the company's departments. Selection begins with a company-wide call for nominations of 501(c)(3) organizations, followed by a review of supplemental materials, virtual meetings with executives from shortlisted organizations, and an assessment of each organization's funding needs against the DPFF charter.
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