Who We Are

Promoting social and economic justice in Santa Cruz county 

For over 25 years, Santa Cruz Community Ventures (SCCV) has worked to promote economic justice through financial education and asset building. And while our work, and that of our partners, is valuable and needed, our region is facing unprecedented wealth inequality and a housing situation that puts in danger its diversity and identity. 

We know that our work is not just about data or money, it is about people - our neighbors, our families, ourselves. It is about the legacy we build together. 

Over the past few months we spoke to community members, nonprofit leaders, donors, elected officials, and business owners, including the Santa Cruz Community Credit Union - our affiliate partner.

Through these conversations we realized that we needed to approach our work differently. We needed to adjust our design to meet the needs of our community in its efforts to create an inclusive economy. It is with this insight that we are committing to do our work in ways that: 

• are family centered and culturally appropriate; 
• remove system level barriers to economic equity;
• provide leadership development and financial education for children and youth; 
• develop new financial and asset building vehicles; and 
• lift up and leverage the great work already being done.

We will start this new stage in our journey by putting back $500,000 to our region through our free tax assistance program - helping ensure that working families can afford to live here and enjoy a better quality of life. 

We are ready to innovate and support the innovators.  We are ready to go to uncharted waters and take a risk in our dreams, because that is exactly what Community Ventures is all about.
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Join Us.