Mark West Area Community Fund History
The Mark West Area Community Fund was formed in 2023 as the first community-based 501 (c)3 non-profit organization for the greater Mark West Area - including Wikiup, Mark West, Larkfield and Fulton. The MWACF was formed as a way for community members to work together to raise funds from the local Mark West Area Municipal Advisory Council, and other sources, to support local community improvement projects. The first community improvement project the MWACF developed was the Mark West Park.
Historical timeline of recent activities:
8/2/26: New parking lot construction started
7/01/2026: Saba Foundation playground completed!
9/12/25: Building permit(s) approved by Permit Sonoma
8/1/25: State of California approves property tax exemption. Seeking County approval next
7/30/25: Grading of park property completed. Services donated by NorCal Excavation and Trucking
7/12/25: Playground, fitness station, park amenities equipment arrives. Funded by the Saba Foundation
6/9/25: Surveying and staking completed by Curtis & Associates Land Surveying Services
5/10/25: Grading and drainage permit approved by Permit Sonoma. BC Engineering providing permit coordination services
4/18/25: Geotechnical soil sampling completed. Services donated by Bauer Associates Inc.
4/15/25: Park bench donation campaign started. Donate $2,500 and get your name on a bench!
4/8/25: Sonoma Sheriff’s Department provides security review of park plan. Thank you, Deputy Skerrett, for your help!
4/3/25: Park property ownership transferred from Sonoma Land Trust to the Mark West Area Community Fund
2/13/25: Use permit approved by Permit Sonoma. BC Engineering provided permit coordination services
12/19/24: Submitted Use Permit to Permit Sonoma
12/18/24: Playground equipment, fitness station and picnic tables ordered - funding provided by Saba Foundation
12/13/24: Fire Chief Doug Williams gazebo fundraising campaign committee formed
12/10/24: Awarded $300,000 from Ag + Open Space Community Open Space Funding
3/11/24: Ribbon cutting ceremony
1/31/24: Escrow closed on park property
11/22/23: The American and California State flags were raised at the park site
11/14/23: The Fund has contracted with Community Soils, a local non-profit landscape/design organization, to develop park design plans for permitting and development purposes. Based on community input received, the design will be developed and approved by the Fund in winter 2024.
9/20/23: Acquisition funding successfully raised to purchase property for new Mark West Area park. See above press release.
9/20/23: Saba Foundation grant received to fund playground for kids. The playground will be called the “Saba Foundation Playground”
8/26/23: Open house event raised $10,500 from community members!
4/12/23: IRS determination letter received. The IRS determined that the Mark West Area Community Fund is exempt from federal income tax under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 501(c)(3). Donors can deduct contributions they make to you under IRC Section 170.
3/10/23: First Board of Directors meeting of the Mark West Area Community Fund
3/10/23: Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District grant application for $1.169 million submitted by Sonoma Land Trust for the acquisition of the property for the new Mark West Park.
3/8/23: Mark West Area Municipal Advisory Council approves $250,000 towards acquisition of new Mark West Area Community Park
2/1/23: Mark West Area community leaders meet with Sonoma Land Trust and discuss the formation of a non-profit to purchase a new Mark West Area Community Park at the site of a former pre-school destroyed by the 2017 Tubbs Fire.