Community Investment

We support a stronger, healthier community.

For more than 40 years, Napa Valley Vintners has invested deeply in the Napa Valley Community. Through our fundraising endeavors, we have invested more than $230 million in community health, youth development, and the environment to help build a stronger community.

Our history of fundraising for the good of the community began with the founding of Auction Napa Valley in 1981 and continues today with Collective Napa Valley. We’re grateful to leverage the world-class reputation of Napa Valley wines and experiences to enhance the well-being of our community.

Thanks to the generosity of our member wineries, supporters from around the world, strategic partners who help underwrite costs, and the dedicated community of volunteers, we are able to make significant community investments that have a big impact on our community.

Current Initiatives

Youth Mental Health Initiative

The foundations of NVV’s Youth Mental Health Initiative are based on the idea of reaching students where they are (at school, at home, and in the community) and removing barriers and stigma around mental health. By investing in our children’s mental well-being during their formative years, they will grow up to be more capable, resilient adults.

Our goals are to:

• Ensure every school-aged child in Napa County has access to affordable, quality mental health services.
• Give parents and community members tools to recognize mental health issues in children and know where to access help.
• Continue to develop wellness hubs where services can be accessed within schools, agencies, or on the go.
• Strengthen collaboration between nonprofit organizations to deliver a cohesive set of services centered on youth mental health.
• Build a sustainability plan, leveraging NVV dollars to develop new funding opportunities to continue the work toward these crucial long-term goals.

Forest Health Initiative

Wildfires remain one of Napa County's most pressing issues. Wildfires can cause devastation and disruption for all residents, local businesses, and schools no matter where the fire is located. NVV is the largest private donor supporting Napa County’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

NVV’s Forest Health initiative brings together multiple agencies and organizations, all cooperating on the implementation of NVV grant-funded projects. Grantee recipients are The Napa Communities Firewise Foundation (Napa Firewise) and Napa County Resource Conservation District (RCD). Together, they are collaborating with local and state government offices such as Napa County Fire Department, CAL FIRE, and other nonprofits like Napa County Land Trust and Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District to complete the work.

Long-term Goals of the project:

• Reduce high-intensity wildfire acreage.
• Decrease property and structural damage.
• Mitigate wildfire-related health impacts.
• Enhance water quality in streams and expand healthy wildlife habitat.
• Decrease vegetation maintenance intervals and costs for county-wide firebreak roads.
• Build a sustainability plan, leveraging NVV dollars to develop new funding opportunities to continue the work toward these crucial long-term goals.

Demonstrating Leadership

In addition to supporting many nonprofits and strategic initiatives, NVV has stepped up during times of natural disaster and emergencies. The Napa Valley Community Disaster Relief Fund, managed by Napa Valley Community Foundation, was created with a $10 million lead gift from Napa Valley Vintners following the 2014 South Napa Earthquake.

In response to wildfires in our community, NVV has supported local firefighting efforts through investments in early detection software, communications systems, fire road maintenance, and the rehabilitation of our forest lands. In total, NVV has committed $2.25 million to the cause.

During COVID, NVV invested $550,000 to help bring COVID testing and vaccinations to Napa County. And even without fundraising in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, NVV granted $8.3 million in 2020 and $5.9 million in 2021 to Napa County nonprofits.

NVV’s Giving Model

Our approach is laser-focused, ensuring that every investment makes the most significant impact possible. By giving deeply in specific areas, we aim to make a big impact. Approximately every 10 years, we commission a community needs assessment through a third party to ensure that our giving is focused on the most critical needs of the community. Our most recent assessment was in 2023. To keep current in between our larger-scale assessments, we utilize needs assessments completed by the county, the local hospitals, and larger nationwide databases like Kids Count. Strategic initiatives we invest in will help solve large-scale community challenges. The pillars of our giving strategy include:

• Being nimble to current needs.
• A focus on specific challenges.
• Giving in areas where our dollars can make a real impact.

NVV Grantmaking

Once specific areas of focus are determined, we then identify critical gaps in which our funding, and our attention, can help drive change. Our grantmaking strategy champions collaboration between nonprofits, government offices, and community organizations, creating an ecosystem of entities working together towards a common goal. At the heart of NVV’s giving strategy lies a dynamic committee of vintners and community members. The committee is made up of up to 10 vintner representatives and four community members. The role of the Grants Review Committee is to:

• Understand community needs.
• Dive deep into relevant issues.
• Know Napa’s nonprofit community.
• Review applications and make recommendations to the NVV Board of Directors.