WALNUT CREEK, Calif. – The well-being of our community depends on the strength and stability of the organizations that serve it. The Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation created the CARE Fund to support nonprofit staff who show up every day for children, families and neighborhoods across Contra Costa County. This year, the Lesher Foundation awarded $200,000 to 34 nonprofits to help teams renew and sustain their impact.
Launched in 2024 as part of the Lesher Foundation’s 30th anniversary, the CARE Fund reflects a growing recognition that nonprofit impact is closely tied to the well-being of the people doing the work. The Lesher Foundation received nearly 100 applications this cycle, underscoring both the need and the sector’s commitment to prioritizing staff care. Since its inception, the CARE Fund has provided $540,000 to 77 nonprofits across the county.
“Nonprofits shoulder tremendous responsibility as they respond to the needs of our communities, and the CARE Fund is one way we honor their dedication,” said Steve Lesher, Board Chair of the Lesher Foundation. “These grants help organizations strengthen their teams so they can continue offering hope, opportunity and support to the people they serve.”
CARE Fund grantees represent a wide range of organizations, with most focused on children and families and others working in education, arts and culture. Grants ranging from $3,000 to $10,000 will support activities such as staff retreats, wellness and renewal practices, professional development, coaching and conference participation.
“Investing in staff well-being ensures that nonprofit leaders and teams have the space and tools they need to stay strong in their work,” said Devorah Levine, Executive Director of the Lesher Foundation. “We are grateful to support organizations that approach their missions with such heart, skill and commitment to the community.”
View the list of 2025 CARE Fund grant recipients at lesherfoundation.org/care-fund. Awardees include:
- Aim High for High School
- Aspire Education
- Beat The Streets CA
- Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants
- C.O.P.E. Family Support Center
- Choice in Aging
- Contra Costa Senior Legal Services
- Contra Costa Youth Service Bureau
- Edventure More
- El Timpano (fiscal agent Independent Arts and Media)
- Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano
- Grace Arms of Antioch
- Grown Women’s Dance Collective
- Hester Savage Fund for Equity in Classical Music
- Immigration Institute of the Bay Area
- Jewish Family and Community Services East Bay
- John Muir Land Trust
- Kristi Yamaguchi’s Always Dream
- Library Foundation of Contra Costa
- Living Jazz
- Meals on Wheels Diablo Region
- Monument Impact
- Motivating Inspiring Supporting and Serving Sexually Exploited Youth (MISSSEY)
- Parents for African American Achievement Collaborative Team
- People who Care Children Association
- Plant to Plate Internship Program
- Pogo Park
- Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center
- Saint Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County
- The Contra Costa Pulse
- The Latina Center
- Trinity Center Walnut Creek
- United Latino Voices of Contra Costa County
- Vida Verde Nature Education
Applications for the next annual CARE Fund cycle will open in fall 2026. Nonprofits serving Contra Costa County residents, particularly those supporting children and families, education or arts and culture in underserved or low-income communities, are encouraged to learn more at lesherfoundation.org
The Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for all residents of Contra Costa County. Founded in 1989 by the late Dean Lesher and his wife Margaret, the Lesher Foundation has awarded more than $100 million in grants to programs benefiting children and families, particularly in underserved and low-income communities. Learn more at lesherfoundation.org
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