Policy Grants

Advancing Equitable Housing Policies

Bold policy change is needed to address our housing affordability challenges in a way that will benefit residents across the income spectrum, and ensure the economic resilience of the region.

As a regional collaborative entity, the Partnership for the Bay’s Future enables San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties—as well as the nearly 80 cities and towns they contain—to share ideas and develop cohesive policies aimed at protecting families and individuals burdened by high rents, and preserving and producing affordable homes in the region.

Managed by the San Francisco Foundation, the Policy Grants work with community groups to help them bring the voices of renters, low-income residents, and people of color into conversation with governments at the local, regional, and state levels. The Policy Grants also provide resources and technical assistance to help local and regional governments create and successfully implement policies that enable more Bay Area residents to remain in their communities. The Policy Grants are guided by a diverse Advisory Board, which includes investors from the philanthropic and corporate sectors, public sector and policy experts, as well as community leaders.

Interested in our grant programs?

Reports on How the Policy Grants Advances Equitable Policies


Challenge Grants
(Policy Grants 2020 – 2022)

These grants focused on protecting renters and preserving existing affordable housing. The Challenge Grant program provided additional capacity and expertise to grantee local governments, including a mid-career housing policy fellow, support for community partners to engage the local community in the policy process, and access to technical assistance from expert consultants. Learn more about the Challenge Grants:

Grantees and Policy Projects

Bios of Challenge Grant Fellows

Challenge Grant community organizations


Policy Grants 2022 – 2024

Focused on advancing equitable housing policies, these grants support eleven government entities in the Bay Area. Launched in June 2022 and spanning two years, the program will help accelerate policies that preserve and produce affordable housing. Each entity is partnered with community organizations, which ensure community voices are represented in the policy process. A housing policy fellow is also embedded in each entity to serve as a catalyst to advance policy innovation.

Grantees and Policy Projects

Bios of Policy Grant Fellows