The Water Education Foundation hosted an open house and reception on May 7 as part of the Big Day of Giving campaign.

The Foundation’s office was open for visitors between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to meet our team and learn more about how we educate and inspire understanding of the most precious natural resource in California and across the West — water!

Guests enjoyed happy hour refreshments and appetizers while catching up on our latest tours, conferences, maps, water news and training programs for teachers and emerging water leaders.

The open house was held in conjunction with Big Day of Giving, an initiative of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation to grow philanthropy. It is a 24-hour online giving challenge that brings together the region’s nonprofit community to help raise much-needed unrestricted funds and shine a spotlight on the work nonprofits do.

No donation was necessary to attend our open house, but guests were encourage to help us reach our $10,000 fundraising goal by making a tax-deductible donation here.

Here are just a few things your donations helped us accomplish in 2026:

• Build a new mobile-adaptable website.
• Make plans to mark and celebrate our 50th anniversary in 2027.
• Publish an updated Klamath River Basin map.
• Publish an update to our Layperson’s Guide to California in both English and Spanish. 
• Expand Project WET teacher training workshops throughout California.
• Continue free public access to our Western Water news coverage and our daily newsfeed. 
• Award scholarships for our tours, events & workshops.

What people say about the Foundation’s impact:

“Since I completed the Water Leaders program 25 years ago, I have had tremendous respect and appreciation for the Foundation’s important mission as it educates, mentors, provides vital programming and raises awareness of critical water issues in California and across the West.” 
- Alfred E. Smith II, Foundation Board President, Water Leaders Class of 1999

“The Water Education Foundation helped ignite my passion for California water. Through attending events and participating in the Water Leaders class, I learned how valuable my experience in California agriculture can be in broader discussions about water.”
- Sara Reid, VP, Lead Relationship Manager – Western Region, CoBank, Foundation Board Member, Water Leaders Class of 2015

“The Water Education Foundation has significantly enhanced my personal and professional growth! The emphasis on collaboration, equitable communication and partnership within the Foundation’s programs has inspired me to continually look at the ‘bigger picture’ and evaluate how I can adopt an inclusive approach to problem-solving.”
- Cheyanne Harris, Civil Engineer, Brown and Caldwell, Foundation Board Member, Water Leaders Class of 2019