About The Dawn Redwoods Trust
Values/ Mission
Through the incredible generosity of our Bohemian members, we provide a tax-deductible mechanism for our more fortunate members to provide assistance to members and communities in need. These vital lifelines ultimately help to preserve our unique arts-based institution.
History
The Dawn Redwoods Charitable Trust (DRT) was organized as a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization in 1983. Its purpose has always been to provide much-needed help to deserving Bohemians, their families, affiliated individuals, and nonprofit organizations primarily in the communities of San Francisco and Sonoma counties. Since its founding, the Trust has always operated as an entity independent of the Bohemian Club.
Governance
Board of Trustees – supports the mission of the DRT to preserve our unique Bohemian arts-based culture, typically by providing short-term support for those in need within our extended family (members, affiliated individuals and their families, as well as worthy charitable organizations in the greater San Francisco and Sonoma areas). The Trustees administer day-to-day activities of the DRT, including grant making, solicitation of contributions, stewardship of assets under management, and reporting on the DRT’s activities to the Bohemian community.
Trustees
David Hagerman, Chairman
Peter T. Allen, Charlie Baxter, Mike Bradley, Bill Dawson,
Dudley Fournier, Henry Hansel, Tom Montgomery, and Bob Stafford
Friends
Friends of the DRT – ambassadors for the DRT to the broader Bohemian community (members, affiliated individuals, and local charities) acting as the DRT’s eyes and ears with both donors and potential grantees.
Friends
Peter T. Allen, Chairman
Shelton Berg, Craig Collins, Jonathan Ferdon, Michael Friedman,
Richard Guggenhime, Joe Lerer, David Martin, Damian Marhefka, Josh Peckler,
Bill Prezant, Bruce Smith, Erich W. Stratmann, and Christian Valentine
Grant Allocations
2024 Individual Grants
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Associate Members
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Other members
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Organizations directly benefitting Bohemians
2024 Community Grants
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Arts-based - SF Bay Area
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Public Safety & Health Services – Sonoma County
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Arts-based - Sonoma County
Who we help
Individuals
Individual grants take many forms, but generally provide the grantee with monies to bridge them to a more financially-secure future. Grants are made quickly, often in a matter of days from the initial grant request, and are treated with the utmost confidentiality. The DRT has issued over 500 grants since its inception.
Individual grant examples:
- Tuition reimbursement
- Payment of unanticipated expenses (e.g., auto repair, hospital & doctor bills, home repair)
- Help in identifying possible solutions to cash flow issues
- Consulting regarding government assistance programs (e.g., MediCal, Social Security, VA housing, etc.)
- Supplemental short-term income to offset loss of job
- Bridge financing to anticipated future income
- Refinancing home and auto loan consulting
DRT grants CANNOT be used to pay Bohemian Club bills.
Feedback from some of those the DRT has helped
Rural Sonoma County continues to have an enormous population of low income residents who are in desperate need for medical help and other healthcare. The continued grants from the Dawn Redwoods Trust provide West County Health Centers with significant and important funding allowing us to provide this important assistance to our community.
Thank you and the members of the Bohemian Club for their loyal support!
Dr. Jason Cunningham D.O.
- Family Physician
- Chief Executive Officer
- West County Health Centers
- Program Director
- Stanford CERC Impact Accelerator
Rural Sonoma County
For over 65 years, Cazadero Music Camp has provided a rare opportunity for youth from a broad range of backgrounds and music abilities to come together and immerse themselves in a rich music curriculum. Cazadero programs offer a nurturing, inspirational environment for young musicians ages 9-18. Our rustic campsite, once the home of the Bohemian Club encampment, now owned by the City of Berkeley, is situated in the redwood forests of Western Sonoma County, where kids enjoy rehearsing, sleeping, and playing outdoors with no cell phone reception to distract them.
The 2025 Dawn Redwoods Trust grant made a big impact on Cazadero Music Camp, in the areas of camper scholarships and facility projects.
Emily Wainacht
- Executive Director
Cazadero Music Camp
“As I got along in age, my ability to keep up with my business and finances became increasingly more difficult. After years of poor management, I eventually found myself in tremendous debt. The DRT helped me with some-short term living expenses then helped me negotiate reductions of some of my financial obligations. More importantly, the DRT helped me establish a plan for moving forward. I don’t know what I would have done without them!”
58 year Club member
“My health had gone downhill significantly. I really wasn’t able to visit the City Club or Grove much anymore. Out of the blue the Dawn Redwoods people contacted me to check in, as they had heard of my situation. While financially my condition was okay, my spirits were really lifted by the outreach of the Trust, particularly as they explained their role on behalf of the Club’s membership. That let me know how much the membership of the Club cared.”
Old Guard Member
“My career in the visual arts has continued to be challenging, especially as my training had been in fine arts. The DRT funded me going back to school to learn digital arts, which has opened all kinds of new opportunities for me.”
Bohemian visual artist
“I was in my late 50’s and through a series of unfortunate events found myself unemployed as a relatively elderly attorney specializing in hi-tech. For months, I used every job search site available and had countless job interviews. I wasn’t getting anywhere and my finances were running dry. The DRT granted me some living expense coverage and connected me with a professional career search firm that helped me reposition my skillset and eventually found me a great new position, that was now 2 years ago”
12 Year regular Bohemian member
“Two years ago, I fell into some very challenging medical problems. I was diagnosed with a serious heart condition requiring very expensive surgery, resulting in an extended period of recovery time where I couldn’t work. I was single, my parents had passed and I really had no where to turn. Thank heavens for the DRT! They helped cover much of my medical expenses, and then helped coordinate a go-fund me effort that ultimately got me through this.”
Well known Bohemian musician
We're Here to Help
If you or someone you know has a need and may qualify for a DRT grant, please contact us here. Alternatively, please contact any of the DRT’s Trustees. Your inquiry will be kept in strict confidence. We provide emergency assistance for our Bohemian family both to benefit those in need, and by doing so, we also help to help preserve our Club’s unique culture.
Community Charities
The DRT also supports charitable organizations in the greater Bay Area and Sonoma County that align with Bohemia’s Four Pillars or provide our local communities with essential health, welfare, and human services. Ideally, we donate to organizations which support the arts and also involve Club members.
Community grant recipients (partial list)
