LETTER FROM OUR
BOARD CHAIR

We are living through an unprecedented moment in time, but what gives me hope is our equally unprecedented commitment to responding to the needs of our region.

Within days of the World Health Organization’s official declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic, the California Community Foundation launched the COVID-19 LA County Response Fund to address the urgent and emerging needs of our region’s most vulnerable residents.

People all across our region have opened their hearts to help those affected through our fund. Children and seniors, small businesses and giant corporations all came together to meet tragedy with generosity. Between March and September 2020, the California Community Foundation disbursed nearly $26 million in COVID-19 response grantmaking to support area nonprofits. In addition, our donor fundholders gave $32 million directly to nonprofits, with more than 74% going to organizations serving Los Angeles County. When you add all of the COVID-19 relief efforts together, over $57 million dollars have been distributed.

For more than 100 years, the California Community Foundation has helped donors transform passion into impact on the causes they care about most. We are mindful that every dollar we grant represents the dream and an investment of a donor to strengthen the communities of Los Angeles County.

While the needs and the incredible potential of our county’s residents have never been greater, every day we see the impact of our donors’ generosity and investments. The lasting impactful change we want to see will take time. That is why the California Community Foundation invests for the long term. We can do this because of the incredible faith and foresight of our donors who have made permanent commitments to Los Angeles. Their legacies will continue changing futures for generations to come.

To all our donors, nonprofit partners, advisors and others who have let us share in their generosity, and on behalf of our dedicated and talented Board, I offer my sincere gratitude. Thank you for inspiring us and for joining us in building Los Angeles together.