Smart Growth California is an initiative of The Funders Network. Ron Milam, the Director of Smart Growth California, wrote about his experience at the 2024 Funder Summit in Sacramento.

BY Ron Milam, Smart Growth California

We’re thrilled that over 70 people joined our Funder Summit in Sacramento, and excited to witness the sparks that ignite when new people meet and longtime colleagues see each other again.

We started with a welcome from Dion Cartwright, The Funder Network’s new President and CEO. She shared TFN’s work to center racial equity, focus on community, develop leaders and connect changemakers (Smart Growth California is an initiative of TFN).

We then engaged in a high-level overview of where California stands in addressing its climate goals. The conversation was particularly meaningful for us since Smart Growth California got its start 15 years ago in the wake of landmark legislation that set these climate goals. Numerous leaders engaged with ClimatePlan network joined us for this discussion and provided their insights.

We know that not everyone in our funder network directly funds transportation, land use and climate policy. But we felt it important to start with a deep look at these issues since they directly impact health and equity outcomes.

Read the full post on Smart Growth California’s website here.