This season of gratitude, we’re celebrating the people who make our work possible. Because of supporters like you, California Humanities continues to elevate stories, strengthen communities, and create opportunities for Californians to better understand one another.
Last Giving Tuesday, our donors’ generosity, combined with matching contributions from our staff, helped us surpass our $5,000 fundraising goal. Together, we raised enough to support an entire Connecting California grant, demonstrating how gifts of all sizes can make a meaningful difference.
In 2026, California Humanities built on that spirit of generosity by receiving 380 applications through Connecting California, representing more than $1.8 million in funding requests. Across three funding rounds, we awarded $133,120 to 27 organizations statewide. From immigrant and refugee communities sharing their experiences to intergenerational conversations that preserve cultural traditions, these projects create spaces for Californians to listen, learn, and discover what connects us.
To everyone who gave, shared our message, or championed our mission, thank you. Your support reminds us that every gift, no matter the size, can help create meaningful connections across California.
The Stories We Carry: Finding Belonging in Petaluma
What do we bring with us when we leave one place and make a home in another?
That question is at the heart of Petaluma Belongings: What We Bring, What We Leave Behind, a project of the Petaluma Museum Association. Through personal objects, memories, and experiences, the project invites community members to explore migration as part of their shared history.
As Petaluma Museum Executive Director Tacey Atchley explains: “Migration is not an abstract issue it’s a profoundly human story that has shaped Petaluma, California, and our nation across generations.”
By centering on personal experiences, the project creates opportunities for neighbors to encounter perspectives they might not otherwise hear and reflect on the many journeys that shape a community.
Preserving History, Connecting Generations in Los Angeles
In Los Angeles, A Place to Be is creating space for generations of Black LGBT community to connect through stories that deserve to be remembered.
Building on oral history interviews commissioned by UCLA’s Center for Oral History Research, the project brings community members together through six intergenerational dialogues to reflect on the lives, contributions, challenges, and achievements of people who helped shape the community.
As A Place to Be founder Byron Johns explains: “If this history is not documented and preserved, it can be as if these leaders never existed.”
These gatherings provide opportunities to honor community history while encouraging listening, reflection, and understanding across generations.
Explore the Intergenerational Dialogue
Every Gift Makes a Difference
From Petaluma to Los Angeles and communities throughout the state, Connecting California reflects a simple but powerful belief: our stories can help us understand one another.
These projects are part of a much larger effort to ensure Californians have opportunities to share their histories, ask questions, and participate in conversations that strengthen their communities.
As we reflect on this year’s investments, we are grateful to everyone who has supported California Humanities. Your generosity helps sustain the programs and partnerships that make this work possible.
And as we look toward another year of growing community needs and uncertain public funding, your continued support matters more than ever.
