The “Great Recession” may be over, but L.A. need is rising, the organizations we count on to address our most pressing issues are overstretched and the charitable giving that sustains them is on the decline. “The Generosity Gap: Donating Less in Post-Recession Los Angeles County,” a first-of-its-kind study from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs in partnership with the California Community Foundation, uncovers the concerns and motivations of Los Angeles donors and the extent of the county’s growing gap in charitable giving.

New study finds decline in giving amid urgent and rising need in Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES – June 3, 2016 – A study commissioned by the California Community Foundation (CCF), and conducted by the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, finds that local giving is on a decline, with Los Angeles County residents declaring $7.16 billion in 2006 charitable deductions compared to $6.03 billion in 2013.

The Generosity Gap: Donating Less in Post-Recession Los Angeles County shows that in many L.A. communities, donations are ebbing as needs surge, particularly for families in poverty, youth, the elderly and the homeless. Released today at the Center for Nonprofit Management’s 501(c)onference, the report combines IRS data with a first-of-its-kind survey that asks Angelenos about their charitable giving to L.A. causes. It explores the current fiscal context for giving and offers a snapshot of the behaviors, patterns and motivations by Los Angeles County donors.

“Local nonprofit organizations form a powerful network dedicated to serving the county’s most vulnerable residents, but we know they are stretched for resources,” said Antonia Hernández, president & CEO of the California Community Foundation. “We as a collective region must tap into our talent and generosity of spirit to build stable organizations that can make a lasting difference in Los Angeles County.”

Some of the report’s major findings include:

• Los Angeles County residents are donating $1 billion less to charitable causes than they did in 2006. And those with greater capacity to give overall are giving a lower proportion of their household income.
• Median nonprofit revenues continue to decline dramatically in Los Angeles County.
• White, Latino, Asian American/Pacific Islander, African American and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender donors in Los Angeles give at similar rates across most causes. They vary, however, in the proportion of their giving that goes mostly or entirely to locally focused organizations.
• Given the opportunity to make a large gift to Los Angeles, donors’ highest priority would be ending homelessness. But of their contributions to basic needs causes and combined-purpose organizations in 2015, only one-third went to locally focused nonprofits.
• Planned giving is strongly connected with support for locally focused charitable causes, through both bequests and current contributions, especially among donors under 40.

“UCLA and CCF are local institutions that seek to transform donations from a few into opportunities for many,” said Bill Parent, project director and lecturer in public policy at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. “It is our hope that a better understanding of charitable giving in the region can benefit donors and nonprofits alike, as we work together to build better futures for all Angelenos.”

Commemorating its 100th year, CCF has hosted a range of activities to inform and inspire L.A. residents to give back to their community, whether through volunteering their time, donating to their favorite causes or creating a legacy for future generations. CCF aims to draw attention to complexities, trigger dialogue and encourage solutions to Los Angeles County’s most pressing challenges with this study.

The Generosity Gap was written by J. Shawn Landres and Shakari Byerly, with Paul Ong, Silvia González, Mindy Chen, and Bill Parent of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs’ Center for Neighborhood Knowledge, through support from CCF.

DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT

The California Community Foundation is committed to improving the quality of life for all Los Angeles County residents by addressing the root causes of the county’s most urgent problems. The foundation has served as a public, charitable organization since 1915, empowering donors to pursue their own personal passions and to collaborate with us in transforming Los Angeles County. For more information, please visit www.calfund.org.

The UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs is a leading institution for research and scholarship in the areas of public policy, social welfare and urban planning and other areas vital to the continued health and well-being of our global society. Learn more at luskin.ucla.edu.

CONTACT
 Taleen Ananian
tananian@www.calfund.org
(213) 452-6203

Partnership will accelerate the development of permanent supportive housing, a cost-effective measure to address homelessness.

LOS ANGELES – May 10, 2016 – The California Community Foundation (CCF), Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and Weingart Foundation are partnering to provide $16 million in loans and grants to increase permanent housing solutions for our most vulnerable homeless neighbors.

With the City of Los Angeles facing a state of emergency on homelessness, now is the time to act on solutions. Data has proven that permanent supportive housing (PSH) is the most effective way to end chronic homelessness and is a critical piece to kick-starting solutions to this crisis. PSH combines affordable housing with services that help people facing complex challenges to live with stability, autonomy and dignity.

The coalition has proposed an actionable plan – developed in partnership with nonprofit housing developers and lenders – for the City to produce at least 1,000 PSH units per year, a 700-unit increase from current production. The proposal calls upon the City to create new, local revenue streams to fund the increased production of PSH and to build upon Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Executive Directive 13 to dramatically reduce development timelines for PSH from the San Fernando Valley to the Westside to South Los Angeles.

“We know that permanent supportive housing has a proven track record of helping those most in need, while saving government and tax-payer money,” said California Community Foundation President & CEO Antonia Hernández. “By moving frequent users of services like emergency rooms and shelters into apartments that provide much-needed social services, we’re helping our homeless neighbors stabilize and eventually become self-sufficient.”

The foundations’ contribution and plan will leverage Mayor Garcetti’s commitment of $138 million to combat homelessness over the next year. The coalition aims to build on this momentum and encourage the City to develop long-term solutions to homelessness.

“Homelessness touches every corner of our City, impacting all of us,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “To combat the crisis, my 2016 budget will include a historic $138 million investment to drive forward our homelessness strategies, but as we bring record levels of City investments to the table, we also need all hands on deck. These foundations are leading the private sector by partnering with us to do more for those who need our help the most. I applaud their work.”

“The City of Los Angeles cannot do it alone. In order to meet our production goals, we need both new funding sources and land use incentives. I applaud the foundations’ leadership for bringing together new money to help us achieve our 1,000 unit per year goal,” said Councilmember Gil Cedillo, City of Los Angeles First District. “This commitment, along with the legislation I have put forth to streamline the permitting process under a new Permanent Supportive Housing Program, will allow the City to define development performance standards with possible ministerial actions. This program will help to expedite the housing we need for our most vulnerable population and house L.A. This partnership will make available the necessary money to get these units built.”

These early commitments will leverage another $45 million in loans for the early costs of developing 1,000 new units.  Loans will be managed by CSH. Also known as the Corporation for Supportive Housing, CSH is a highly-rated, nonprofit community development financial institution advancing solutions to improve the lives of the most vulnerable people, maximize public resources and build healthy communities. CSH has worked with all three foundations investing in this partnership and has been located in Los Angeles since 2003. Since 2008, CSH’s Supportive Housing Loan Fund has provided acquisition and predevelopment financing for more than 1,600 permanent supportive housing units. Across the country, CSH has loaned or granted more than $500 million to create supportive housing.

A group of experienced nonprofit housing developers has been involved in developing the housing plan, identifying ways to streamline the system and accelerate production: A Community of Friends, Los Angeles Family Housing, Mercy Housing California, PATH Ventures, Skid Row Housing Trust and SRO Housing Corporation. These and others may apply through CSH for a loan.

In addition to loans, the foundations are planning to make grants to help build the infrastructure needed to meet the ambitious goal of tripling the number of PSH units annually.

These foundations have a long history of leveraging opportunities for acceleration through coordinated funding across Los Angeles County, including working to address homelessness. As members of the Home for Good Funders Collaborative – organized by the United Way of Greater Los Angeles and L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce – foundations and the public sector have jointly aligned more than $650 million over the last four years to address homelessness in Los Angeles County.

Read Mayor Garcetti’s statement.

The California Community Foundation is committed to improving the quality of life for all Los Angeles County residents by addressing the root causes of the county’s most urgent problems. The foundation has served as a public, charitable organization since 1915. For more information, please visit www.calfund.org.

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation is a family foundation established in 1944 by the man who started Hilton Hotels. We provide funds to nonprofit organizations working to improve the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people throughout the world. For more information, please visit hiltonfoundation.org.

Weingart Foundation’s mission is to build a better Southern California by supporting nonprofit organizations to more effectively serve the underserved. For more information, please visit weingartfnd.org.

CONTACT
 Taleen Ananian
tananian@www.calfund.org
(213) 452-6203

LOS ANGELES – April 5, 2016 – The California Community Foundation (CCF) has awarded $5,880,196 through 44 grants to Los Angeles County nonprofit organizations working to address the needs of our region.

Grants this quarter include support for the Los Angeles Scholars Investment Fund (LASIF). Launched in 2012, LASIF goes beyond scholarships to help L.A. students get to and through college. This latest round of $1.6 million to LASIF funds high-performing organizations that deploy critical services like mentorship to ensure college success for students.

Additional grants reflect the foundation’s diverse priority areas in the arts, civic engagement, education, health, housing and economic opportunity, immigrant integration and nonprofit sustainability. Please see below for a full list of grants this quarter.

CCF supports this critical work in the community through funds entrusted to the foundation by donors throughout its 100-year history.

“Our partnerships with thousands of donors and organizations make it possible for us to contribute to strengthening Los Angeles County in a variety of areas,” said CCF President and CEO Antonia Hernández. “I am proud of the work being done in the community to help L.A. reach its full potential.”

The California Community Foundation is committed to improving the quality of life for all Los Angeles County residents by addressing the root causes of the county’s most urgent problems. The foundation has served as a public, charitable organization since 1915, empowering donors to pursue their own personal passions and to collaborate with us in transforming Los Angeles County. CCF stewards $1.5 billion in assets and manages nearly 1,600 charitable foundations, funds and legacies.

For more information, please visit www.calfund.org.

CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION GRANTS BY FUNDING AREA

March 2016

*Received two grants this quarter.

CONTACT

Taleen Ananian

tananian@www.calfund.org

(213) 452-6203

Tackling L.A.’s homelessness epidemic, Housing works, Donor Spotlight on Robert and Barbara Klein, Unsung Hero Spotlight on Mollie Lowery

LOS ANGELES – March 6, 2016 – We are pleased to announce the opening of a photography exhibit that elevates incredible stories of significant – yet unrecognized – contributions  across Los Angeles County and demonstrates how everyday individuals are creating social change.

Portraits of Compassion showcases 30 “Unsung Heroes” of Los Angeles County who are working to improve our region, with original photography by L.A.-based photographers Sam Comen, Stella Kalinina and Noé Montes. The exhibit opens today and will run through April 4, 2016 at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. The Unsung Heroes were nominated by the community and selected by the California Community Foundation (CCF) to uplift examples of people performing selfless acts that are making a positive impact in Los Angeles County.

Conceptualized and commissioned by CCF, the exhibit is a gift to Los Angeles County residents in celebration of the foundation’s 100 years of service to the region. The nation’s third-oldest community foundation, CCF was established as a permanent philanthropic resource to respond to the needs of our region, both now and in the future. Whether in the areas of housing, education, health, immigrant integration or the arts, CCF is committed to improving quality of life for all Angelenos.

“We want this exhibit to turn inspiration into action,” said Antonia Hernández, president and CEO of the California Community Foundation. “The Unsung Heroes teach us that acts of kindness, compassion, generosity and courage have a ripple effect that will multiply over countless lives.”

“Photography is a universal language that speaks to people from all walks of life,” said photographer Noé Montes. “The passions of these Unsung Heroes are as diverse as Los Angeles, and they are transforming our region for the better. By capturing these portraits, we wanted to convey that anyone can make a difference in their communities.”

The Unsung Heroes run the gamut from educators to farmers to cooks to activists. They are dedicated volunteers like Steve Danz, who pilots low-income patients to urgent medical appointments. They are social workers like Yasuko Sakamoto, who have founded institutions critical to our community’s well-being. They are compassionate people like Robert and Jeanne Segal, who have turned personal tragedy into triumph by helping others in need. A common theme to their actions is a deep desire to build a better Los Angeles.

The Unsung Heroes are:

1. Daniel Adler, Long Beach Polytechnic High School
2. Kaz Ando, AIDS Project L.A., Koreatown Youth and Community Center
3. Damiek Barrow, Washington Preparatory High School
4. Shaunelle Curry, Media Done Responsibly
5. Steve Danz, Angel Flight West
6. Sister Margaret Farrell, Covenant House
7. Theresa Farthing, L.A. Kitchen
8. Andrea Flores, The Beat Within
9. Hayward Gray, Jr., People Coordinated Services Senior Center
10. Isabel Guillen, Chavelyta’s Pink Hood
11. Umar Hakim, ILM Foundation
12. John Hwang, Skid Row Stories
13. Ann Jackson, West Park Terrace Block Association
14. Rebecca Joseph, Getmetocollege.org and California State University, Los Angeles
15. Gloria Lazalde, Proyecto Mariposa
16. Jimmy Lizama, Re:Ciclos
17. Mollie Lowery, Housing Works
18. Eduardo “Lalo” Marquez, PIECES
19. Mud Baron, John Muir High School Ranch
20. Cynthia Mendenhall, Watts Neighborhood Advisory Council
21. Sylvia Miller, CASA of Los Angeles
22. Santiago Ortega, St. Francis Medical Center
23. Kaci Patterson, Building Leaders and Cultivating Change (B.L.A.C.C.)
24. Rosalie Portillo, Plaza de la Raza
25. Michael Quill, L.A. Waterkeeper
26. Yasuko Sakamoto, Little Tokyo Service Center
27. Robert & Jeanne Segal, Helpguide.org
28. Harry Shabazian, Students Run L.A.
29. Maria Sipin, Multicultural Communities for Mobility
30. Wesley Walker, Jr., Los Angeles Community Action Network

Portraits of Compassion is open to the public free of charge through April 4, 2016 at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes (501 N. Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012).

For more information, please visit www.calfund.org/laheroes and follow along on social media with #LAheroes.

About the California Community Foundation
The California Community Foundation is committed to improving the quality of life for all Los Angeles County residents by addressing the root causes of the county’s most urgent problems. The foundation has served as a public, charitable organization since 1915, empowering donors to pursue their own personal passions and to collaborate with us in transforming Los Angeles County. CCF stewards $1.5 billion in assets and manages nearly 1,600 charitable foundations, funds and legacies. For more information, please visit www.calfund.org.

About LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes
The mission of LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes is to celebrate and cultivate an appreciation for the enduring and evolving influence of Mexican and Mexican-American culture, with a specific focus upon the unique Mexican-American experience in Los Angeles and Southern California. LA Plaza is the nation’s premier center of Mexican American culture. Providing an experience unlike any other, LA Plaza’s interactive exhibits and dynamic programs invite visitors to explore, as well as contribute to, the ongoing story of Mexican-Americans in Los Angeles and beyond. For more information, please visit lapca.org.

CONTACT
Taleen Ananian
tananian@www.calfund.org
(213) 452-6203

Employer-Sponsored Relief Funds are established at public charities like the California Community Foundation for the purpose of providing one-time grants to employees and their family members who are victims of a qualified disaster or emergency hardship.

By John E. Kobara for The Huffington Post