Valley Rock Foundation Reaffirms Its Mission, Governance, and Legacy
Napa Foundation plans to Sunset
During the inquiry, we established that the Foundation and its directors Robert White and Celeste White fully and faithfully carried out their fiduciary duties.”
NAPA, CA, UNITED STATES, December 30, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Valley Rock Foundation (“VRF”) today issued the following statement in response to a recent Napa Valley Register article that contains numerous factual inaccuracies, misleading implications, and fundamental misunderstandings of nonprofit law, IRS regulations, and the Foundation’s settlement agreement with the California Attorney General’s Office.— Foundation Counsel
The article inaccurately suggests wrongdoing where none has been found, mischaracterizes a negotiated settlement as punitive, and fails to acknowledge multiple verified facts that are a matter of public record.
No Findings of Misconduct or Charges
It is well established that an audit or investigation does not imply guilt. Public officials, corporations, and nonprofit organizations alike are routinely audited without any adverse findings. As a matter of principle, the existence of an inquiry—standing alone—should never be equated with misconduct.
As VRF’s legal counsel stated publicly, the settlement ended a costly and unnecessary inquiry that produced no charges or court action, and allowed the Foundation to complete its charitable mission and orderly wind-down.
A Legacy of Impact and Integrity
The Valley Rock Foundation is proud of its record of service and the lasting impact it has made across Napa Valley, California, and the United States. Its work has supported youth education, agricultural programs, scholarships, healthcare initiatives, nursing education, workforce development, and services for emotionally and economically disadvantaged individuals.
About the Valley Rock Foundation
Founded in 2015 by Napa Valley residents Celeste and Robert White, the Valley Rock Foundation is a Delaware-based private foundation with offices in California. In its founding year, the Foundation merged with the Bar 49 Foundation, originally established in 2002 by philanthropist Ed Keith, with the Valley Rock Foundation continuing as the surviving entity.
The Valley Rock Foundation’s mission was dedicated to “providing financial, recreational, educational, and other forms of assistance to individuals in need, including those who are physically, emotionally, and economically disadvantaged.” Throughout its work, the Foundation placed particular emphasis on the emotional and spiritual well-being of youth and young people, supporting youth agriculture programs, educational initiatives and scholarships, homeless services and substance-use recovery programs, and healthcare initiatives. These healthcare efforts included support for nursing education, workforce development, and access to health services for farm workers and underserved communities.
In fulfillment of Founder Ed Keith’s directive that the Foundation complete its work and close by 2030, the Valley Rock Foundation has donated all of its remaining resources and is voluntarily concluding its operations. The Foundation is deeply proud of the legacy it leaves in honor of Mr. Keith and equally proud of the lasting impact it has made in Napa Valley and in communities throughout California and the United States.
Robert White
Valley Rock Foundation
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