ST. HELENA, Calif. – August 6, 2026 – The Duckhorn Portfolio (“Duckhorn” or the “Company”) announced today the six recipients of its 2026 Founders Fund Grants. Established in 2020, The Duckhorn Portfolio Founders Fund (“DPFF”) supports educational programs for historically disadvantaged groups in the communities where its employees live and work. Over the past six years, the DPFF has awarded grants of over 1 million dollars to 16 organizations.
“Thanks to the thoughtful work of this year’s 2026 DPFF Committee, six organizations have been selected to receive $340,000 in grants to support their initiatives as we continue our commitment to giving back to the communities where we live and work,” said DPFF Co-Founder and Associate General Counsel Marika Rothfeld. “In addition to the grants, the DPFF Committee actively engages with grantee organizations through a variety of meaningful activities, including pouring at events, wine donations, career information sessions, check-in lunches and site visits—allowing us to witness the tangible impact of our contributions. I want to sincerely thank our committee members for their passionate support: Danielle Biagiotti, Alexha Faraud, Amy Gill, Adrianna Baca Kane, Christina LoMedico, Avery Neville, Marika Rothfeld, Rob Sorenson, Paige Washington, Monica Watson, and Hayley Yerkes.”
2026 Grantee Organizations
The Anderson Valley Education Foundation provides financial support for students, teachers, parents and mentors to pursue knowledge, relationships and enriching experiences that would otherwise be beyond reach, offering a variety of programs to support academic achievement and community interaction at all grade levels.
The Children’s Museum of Sonoma County (Museum-on-the-Go) program delivers playful, transformative experiences to the Sonoma County area to build connections within our community. MOG participates in community family events to bring experiential exhibits and emphasize hands-on engagement and learning to children who may not otherwise get the opportunity to visit the permanent Santa Rosa location.
Mission Scholars provides college admissions guidance, mentorship, and career development for high-performing, low-income students in Santa Barbara. Through a comprehensive, seven-year support system, the organization helps students from high school through college graduation, ensuring their success with scholarships, financial aid, and professional development opportunities.
Puertas Abiertas Community Resource Center is celebrated in the Napa community as the gateway for access to health and social services, a culturally appropriate service provider to Latino families, and a collaborator with a wide variety of community partners. Programs include: financial literacy workshops, basic computer classes, and citizenship, labor law, and consumer fraud workshops.
The Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation’s mission is to offer exceptional teaching and learning in support of associate degree, certificate, transfer preparation, workforce preparation and community education programs, integrated with comprehensive student support services. This year, DPFF is particularly interested in supporting the Second Chance Program (support and resources for currently and formerly incarcerated SRJC students), Disability Resource Department (provides academic counseling, advocacy, and programming for students with disabilities), and Technology Access & Tools (works toward closing the digital divide for low-income students by providing laptop inventory and other tech for student use).
School on Wheels provides free tutoring, mentoring, and academic support to children experiencing homelessness in Southern California. The organization pairs volunteers with students from kindergarten through 12th grade, offering one-on-one tutoring, school supplies, scholarships, and assistance in school enrollment to help overcome educational challenges.
The DPFF Committee (the “Committee”) comprises a diverse cross-section of employees from each of the Company’s departments to ensure a balanced approach to grant-funding selection. The search for potential DPFF grantees begins with a company-wide call for nominations of 501(c)(3) organizations. After receiving nominations, the Committee assesses each organization’s eligibility through a detailed review of supplemental materials and virtual meetings with executives from the organizations selected. The Committee evaluates how the Company can meaningfully contribute to each organization and assesses each organization’s funding needs in alignment with the DPFF charter.
About The Duckhorn Portfolio
The Duckhorn Portfolio is North America’s premier luxury wine company, with eleven wineries, nine state-of-the-art winemaking facilities, five tasting rooms and over 2,200 coveted acres of vineyards spanning 38 Estate properties. Established in 1976, when vintners Dan and Margaret Duckhorn founded Napa Valley’s Duckhorn Vineyards, today, our portfolio features some of North America’s most revered wineries, including Duckhorn Vineyards, Decoy, Kosta Browne, Sonoma-Cutrer, Goldeneye, and Greenwing, among others. Sourcing grapes from our own Estate vineyards and fine growers in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Anderson Valley, California’s North and Central coasts, Oregon and Washington State, we offer a curated and comprehensive portfolio of acclaimed luxury wines with price points ranging from $20 to $230 across more than 15 varietals. Our wines are available throughout the United States, on five continents, and in more than 50 countries around the world.
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