The Hellman Foundation is deeply committed to community centered approaches grounded in the values and practices of trust-based philanthropy and participatory grantmaking. In 2022, with a goal to advance community leadership and cede grantmaking power to local Bay Area leaders, the Hellman Foundation team created a Community Panel to collaboratively review proposals and determine funding recommendations. We continue to learn from, evolve, and apply our Community Panel model, which has already strengthened the impact of our collective work. ​

Community Panel

José Corona (he/him/el)
​Rebozo Ventures​
José Corona (he/him/el) has held senior leadership roles in organizations spanning the nonprofit, philanthropy, private, and public sectors. Recently, José founded Rebozo Ventures, a consultancy practice grounded on humility, compassion, honor, and respect (for self and others). Prior to Rebozo, José led the grantmaking, partnership, and programmatic efforts for Stephen and Ayesha Curry’s Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation. José also served as the Director of Equity and Strategic Partnerships under Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, where he co-founded the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation. José is an Aspen Fellow, a Ricardo Salinas Scholar, and currently serves as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of The Unity Council and Senior Advisor with Raise for Good. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Oakland Museum of California and the San Francisco Giants Community Fund.​

José  joined the Community Panel in 2024.