Our Story

Who we are and what we do.

Valley Onward is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, dedicated to harnessing and cultivating new leaders in California's Central Valley, in an effort to organize around issues that impact women, people of color, and disinvested communities across rural areas in Merced County.

VIDEO: Learn more about Valley Onward’s initiatives.

Where we began.

Valley Onward was founded on a simple but powerful belief: the people most impacted by injustice already carry the solutions. In 2009, the Building Healthy Communities (BHC) initiative brought together over 35 organizations in Merced to tackle the root causes of health inequities. Together, residents, advocates, and leaders built a foundation of equity, community voice, and shared power.

Out of that momentum, Valley Onward was born in 2020 during a time of global crisis and local resilience. Founders Sol Rivas and Isai Garnica Palma, longtime organizers rooted in grassroots movements, envisioned a permanent space for community leadership to thrive beyond temporary grants or programs.

Today, Valley Onward is a trusted nonprofit that supports everyday leaders including parents, promotoras, youth, and neighbors working to create lasting change in health, housing, education, and more. We are proud to be a home for those who dare to imagine and build a better future.

Our name reflects our mission: to move our Valley Onward, together.

Equity First

We lead with justice and inclusion at every level.
Family- Centered

Our work is rooted in care, culture, and community.
Uplifting Women of Color

We center the leadership of women of color in all we do.
Resident Power

Change happens when communities lead the way.
Sustainable Solutions

We invest in long-term systems change, not quick fixes.

What we bring to the Table!

Valley Onward brings to the table is over a decade of experience in community organizing and empowering traditionally marginalized communities, thereby creating civically engaged grassroots community leaders. We have a passion for building up healthy, vibrant, and engaged citizenry from among the most marginalized communities, in order to create more equitable local environments and lasting positive change.