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Roger J Trinchero Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$1.1M
Grant Range
$25K - $0.1M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $1,093,200 (2024)
  • Total Assets: $16,938,973 (2024)
  • Grant Range: $25,000 - $100,000
  • Geographic Focus: Napa County, California
  • Number of Grants: 7 grants (2022)
  • Application Method: No public application process

Contact Details

Mailing Address: C/O CTAC, 7029 Pearl Road, Suite 350, Cleveland, OH 44130

EIN: 82-1327850

Note: The foundation does not have a public website or published contact information for grant applications.

Overview

The Roger J. Trinchero Family Foundation was established in 2017 by Roger Trinchero, Chairman of Trinchero Family Estates, one of the largest family-owned wineries in the United States. With total assets of approximately $17 million and annual giving exceeding $1 million, the foundation focuses exclusively on supporting early childhood education and other causes impacting children in Napa County, California. The foundation represents the Trinchero family's commitment to their local community, where Italian immigrant Mario Trinchero purchased Sutter Home winery in 1948 and built it into a wine empire. Roger and his brother Bob have been acknowledged in the Napa Valley community as generous philanthropists and benevolent employers. The foundation has granted millions of dollars to local nonprofits since its inception, reflecting the family's deep roots in and commitment to Napa Valley.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through trustee-directed grantmaking rather than formal grant programs. Known grant commitments include:

  • Multi-year commitments: $100,000 annually (five-year commitment to 10,000 Degrees)
  • Matching grants: $25,000-$27,500 (St. Helena Cooperative Nursery School)
  • Infrastructure support: $150,000 (matching commitment for Napa Valley Vine Trail Vintner Collection)
  • General operating support: Varies by organization

Priority Areas

Early Childhood Education

  • Preschool programs and nursery schools
  • Early learning support and childcare resources
  • School readiness programs

Youth Development and Education

  • College success programs for disadvantaged youth
  • Recreation programs for children
  • Educational infrastructure (Scout Hall renovation)

Basic Needs

  • Food security programs
  • Community support services for families

Community Infrastructure

  • Projects that benefit children and families in Napa County
  • Recreation facilities and trails

What They Don't Fund

The foundation focuses exclusively on Napa County and does not fund:

  • Organizations outside Napa County, California
  • Programs not directly impacting children and families
  • Individual scholarships (they fund organizations that provide scholarships)
  • General operating support for organizations outside their focus areas

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

  • Roger J. Trinchero - President and Founder (born 1946, Chairman of Trinchero Family Estates)
  • Mario Trinchero - Director (Roger's son)
  • Carlo Trinchero - Director (Roger's son)
  • Gino Trinchero - Director (Roger's son)
  • Mark Smithers - Chief Financial Officer
  • Robert Goldman - Secretary
  • Paul Kresk - Director

Leadership Approach

Mario and Gino Trinchero are actively involved in the foundation's board and participate in every funding decision. The foundation represents a second-generation commitment to philanthropy, with Roger Trinchero's sons carrying forward the family's tradition of community support in Napa Valley.

The Trinchero family has stated that their foundation approach ensures "students benefiting from its investment in early childhood education will not lose the ground they have gained once they enter high school and continue their success all the way to baccalaureate attainment," demonstrating their commitment to creating a continuum of educational support from early childhood through college completion.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Roger J. Trinchero Family Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation operates through trustee discretion, with grants awarded based on the board's strategic priorities and community knowledge. All grants appear to be initiated by the foundation's board members rather than through solicited proposals.

Getting on Their Radar

Specific Strategies for This Funder:

Board Member Connections: The foundation's grant recipients are selected through board member knowledge and involvement in the Napa Valley community. Mario and Gino Trinchero sit on the board and are "involved in every decision," suggesting personal connections to board members may be important.

Community Visibility in Napa: The foundation specifically supports organizations with established track records in Napa County. Their known grant recipients are well-established local organizations including Community Resources for Children, ParentsCAN, St. Helena Cooperative Nursery School, St. Helena Preschool for All, and CANV.

Multi-Year Partnerships: The foundation has demonstrated preference for long-term commitments (five-year grant to 10,000 Degrees, ongoing support to St. Helena Preschool for All beginning in 2018) rather than one-time grants.

Community Events and Networking: The Trinchero family maintains strong ties to Napa Valley wine industry events and local philanthropic initiatives. The foundation has supported community-wide projects like the Napa Valley Vine Trail and has a named shelter along the trail (Roger Trinchero Family Foundation Shelter at Larkmead Lane).

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available. As a private family foundation with trustee-directed grantmaking, decisions are made at the discretion of the board throughout the year.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. With only 7 grants awarded in 2022 from a foundation that does not accept unsolicited applications, the foundation maintains a small portfolio of carefully selected partner organizations.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as the foundation does not have a public application process.

Application Success Factors

Alignment with Foundation Focus

Organizations that receive funding from the Roger J. Trinchero Family Foundation share these characteristics:

Geographic Specificity: All known grant recipients are located in and serve Napa County, particularly the St. Helena area where the Trinchero family business is headquartered.

Established Track Record: The foundation funds organizations with proven impact in early childhood education and youth development. For example, Community Resources for Children has served the community for over 46 years.

Continuum of Support: The foundation seeks to create a pathway of support from early childhood through college completion. As stated in their announcement of the 10,000 Degrees grant, they aim to ensure "students benefiting from its investment in early childhood education will not lose the ground they have gained once they enter high school."

Foundation's Stated Priorities

According to their mission statement: "The mission of the Roger Trinchero Family Foundation is to support early childhood education and other causes impacting children in Napa County."

Recent Grant Examples

10,000 Degrees (2021): Five-year commitment of $100,000 annually to support college success programming in Napa County. The foundation specifically valued 10,000 Degrees' model of embedding fellows—near-peer coaches who are recent college graduates—into high school and college campuses.

St. Helena Preschool for All (2018): Five-year commitment enabling the program to fund extra hours and extra days during the summer.

St. Helena Cooperative Nursery School (2018): Initial $25,000 matching grant, later increased to $27,500, demonstrating the foundation's willingness to increase support for effective programs.

Napa Valley Vine Trail: The foundation pledged to match the first 150 purchases of the Vintner Collection at $1,000 each ($150,000 total) and sponsored infrastructure (Roger Trinchero Family Foundation Shelter at Larkmead Lane).

What Makes Organizations Stand Out

Based on the pattern of grants, successful recipients demonstrate:

  • Deep roots in Napa County communities
  • Focus on children ages 0-18
  • Innovative approaches (like 10,000 Degrees' near-peer coaching model)
  • Ability to leverage funding through matching opportunities
  • Commitment to addressing educational equity for disadvantaged youth

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation operates entirely through trustee discretion and does not accept unsolicited proposals. Traditional grant writing will not be effective.

  • Hyperlocal Focus: The foundation exclusively funds organizations serving Napa County, California, with particular emphasis on the St. Helena area where the Trinchero family business is headquartered.

  • Early Childhood Through College: The foundation seeks to create a continuum of educational support, funding programs from preschool through college completion for disadvantaged youth.

  • Long-Term Partnerships Preferred: Multi-year commitments (5-year grants to 10,000 Degrees and St. Helena Preschool for All) suggest the foundation prefers sustained partnerships over one-time grants.

  • Board Member Engagement Critical: With Mario and Gino Trinchero "involved in every decision," organizations must build relationships with board members through community involvement and networking in Napa Valley.

  • Matching Opportunities: The foundation has shown interest in matching grants (St. Helena Cooperative Nursery School, Napa Valley Vine Trail), suggesting they value leveraging their investment.

  • Established Organizations Only: All known grant recipients are well-established nonprofits with proven track records, not startup organizations.

References

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