giving options

a) Give online

b) Call us
(707) 527-4348

or

c) Send a check and
gift designation
Payable to:
SRJC Foundation
1501 Mendocino Ave.
Santa Rosa, CA 95401-4395

The SRJC Foundation AG Trust The SRJC Foundation’s AG Trust committee focuses on raising funds to support the SRJC Agriculture and Natural Resources Department.

Since 1969, the department's program expansion, student enrollments, and resources have grown to keep pace with the agriculture needs of Sonoma County. The department now has more than a dozen diverse program areas ranging from Sustainable Agriculture, Animal Science, and Horticulture to Natural Resources Conservation, Agri-Business, and Viticulture. More than 1,200 students enroll in these courses each year.

The College Farm, established in 1972, is a 365-acre working farm that serves the diversified needs of the Agriculture/Natural Resources Department. We invite your support of the SRJC Agriculture/Natural Resources Department by clicking on the Make a Gift Online button.

Current Funding Priorities
In addition to raising much needed program funds for the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department, the SRJC Foundation Ag Trust is focusing on two endowment funds for the long-term benefit of the department and its students: the Warren G. Dutton Jr. Endowment for the Future of Agriculture and the Outstanding Agricultural Scholar-Leader Award. 

Warren G. Dutton Jr. Endowment for the Future of Agriculture
Established in memory of the late Warren G. Dutton Jr, this endowment assists the SRJC Agriculture/Natural Resources Department by providing funding for the following areas:

  1. Instructional supplies and equipment used in the classroom, laboratory, or in the field.
  2. Student development including leadership activities, judging teams and Shone Farm internships.
  3. Faculty development including support for professional conferences and seminars related to their program area.
  4. Capital projects including partial funding for renovating buildings, equipping facilities, and facilities such as the newly dedicated Warren G. Dutton Jr. Ag Pavilion at the SRJC Shone Farm.

Outstanding Agricultural Scholar-Leader Award
This is a student scholarship fund.  The selection criteria for the Outstanding Agricultural Scholar - Leader Award were established by Steve. It is his desire that the student selected for this award demonstrate a combination of scholastic achievement and leadership accomplishments while attending Santa Rosa Junior College. The successful candidate(s) will be a second year student at SRJC who is planning to transfer to a four year university and major in an agricultural field the following year. The term "agriculture" includes all programs within the SRJC Ag/NR Department including Natural Resources, Horticulture, etc.

Ag Trust Fund
General program fund for the benefit of the Agriculture/Natural Resources Department and programs.

Founding of the AG Trust
The SRJC Foundation's Ag Trust was established in 1998 when local Sonoma County viticulturist and SRJC Foundation member, Bob Salisbury, and Linda Frank, then Executive Director of the SRJC Foundation (1998-2007), proposed the idea to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department. The purpose of the Ag Trust is to raise funds for the benefit of the department and its students.

Warren G. Dutton, Jr. became the founding chair and spearheaded a fundraising event in 2000 in celebration of Shone Farm’s 30th anniversary. This first fundraising effort netted nearly $70,000 for the student activities and departmental supplies. One year later, the Ag Trust held a second fundraising event to honor the retirement of Richard L. Thomas, a long time SRJC viticulture instructor. Funds raised from this event benefited the construction of the Richard L. Thomas classroom at Shone Farm.

After the unexpected passing of Warren G. Dutton in 2001 at the age of 57, the Ag Trust dedicated their next large-scale fundraising event to Warren’s memory. The abundant outpouring of support was indeed a fitting tribute to Warren’s generosity of spirit and leadership in the ag community.

Major gifts from Gallo Family Vineyards, the Harry A. Merlo Foundation, and the Sonoma County Vintners Foundation, combined with the proceeds of two successful events held in 2003 and 2005, spurred the Ag Trust on to raise over $1,000,000 towards equipping the Warren G. Dutton Agriculture Pavilion at Shone Farm. The Pavilion’s construction was funded with Measure A bond funds, approved by Sonoma County Voters in 2002.

With the success of working with major gift partners, fun and exciting fundraising events, and annual contributions from individual and business donors, the SRJC Foundation AG Trust is able to fund a wide variety of annual projects benefiting the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department and students.