Eligibility Requirements

The community foundation will consider applications that are consistent with current program priorities and goals. Eligible organizations are:

• Nonprofit agencies with evidence of tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and not classified as a private foundation
• Located within and primarily serving residents of Los Angeles County, with the exception of regional, statewide or national public policy efforts that may benefit a substantial portion of the local population
• Operated and organized so that they do not discriminate in the hiring of staff or the provision of services on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin or disability

Limitations

In general, the foundation will not consider funding the following:

• Concurrent or more than three consecutive grants to the same organization
• Direct assistance for the personal needs of an individual (excluding Fellowships for Visual Artists)
• Annual fundraising campaigns
• Sponsorship of one-time, special events
• Endowments
• Existing obligations, or to replenish other sources used to pay for such expenses
• Equipment, unless it is integral to accomplishing a stated organizational objective
• Sectarian purposes (i.e., programs that promote or require a religious doctrine)
• Political organizations or campaigns
• Duplication of existing programs or services by new nonprofit organizations in geographic locations that already have these programs or services
• Feature films, documentaries or video projects

Principal Emphases

Through its discretionary grantmaking and program-related investment programs, the California Community Foundation places particular emphasis on the following:

MEASURABLE RESULTS: To facilitate the creation of long-term solutions to the core causes of social, economic and educational inequity, the community foundation recognizes that grantmaking and program related investments should achieve progress and that such progress should be measurable with specific results. In doing so, the foundation seeks to create maximum benefit for residents and communities through its grants and program-related investments.

MAXIMUM LEVERAGE: To increase both the positive outcomes of its grantmaking and the level of resources available to address critical community concerns, the foundation looks to fund partnership opportunities that reflect results-oriented collaborations among public and private institutional funders, donors and community-based organizations.

HOLISTIC APPROACHES: Even though the foundation has four specific program areas, it strongly promotes efforts that seek to address local conditions through multidisciplinary and integrated approaches.

HIGH-NEED PEOPLE AND PLACES: To ensure the inclusion of underrepresented geographic areas and individuals, the community foundation encourages applications by organizations that represent and serve people and/or communities historically excluded from access to mainstream funding sources.

INSTITUTION BUILDING: Instead of traditional project-specific grantmaking, the foundation’s priority is to create a stronger nonprofit infrastructure in Los Angeles County by providing core operating support to organizations that seek to contribute to the solutions of local issues.