LOS ANGELES – January 10, 2017 – The California Community Foundation (CCF) has named 14 Los Angeles County artists as recipients of the CCF Fellowship for Visual Artists (FVA), with a total of $350,000 in unrestricted grants.

The prestigious FVA annually awards grants to help artists build successful, sustainable careers and to support the thriving Los Angeles arts scene. This year’s competitive application process received 551 applications – the highest number in the fellowship’s nearly 30-year-history.

“The California Community Foundation has long valued the power of the arts to transform communities and support social change,” said CCF President & CEO Antonia Hernández. “This fellowship’s unique unrestricted grants allow L.A. artists to continue contributing to the cultural vitality of our region for the benefit of all residents.”

Launched in 1987 with a generous contribution from the J. Paul Getty Trust and other donor support, CCF has awarded more than $3 million to nearly 300 visual artists working in a multitude of media across Los Angeles County. As CCF remains committed to capacity-building, artists also receive access to business development support and networking opportunities. Through the generosity of donors, the fellowship has expanded into one of the largest investments in individual artists in California.

This year’s Fellowship for Visual Artists recipients are:

Shagha Ariannia

Linda Arreola

Maura Brewer

Carolina Caycedo

Beatriz Cortez

Paolo Davanzo

Amir H. Fallah

Malisa Humphrey

Ken Marchionno

Amanda Ross-Ho

Aaron Sandnes

Jaime Scholnick

Umar Rashid (Frohawk Two Feathers)

Samira Yamin

“Since 1987 the Getty has worked with the California Community Foundation to support diverse artists of distinction in Los Angeles, and it is very gratifying that the seed the Getty planted with its initial gift has grown so productively under CCF’s leadership,” says Deborah Marrow, director of the Getty Foundation. “As the world takes increasing notice of Los Angeles artists and their work, the CCF Fellowships will remain an important resource for these artists throughout their careers.”

Fellows are selected by a committee of distinguished artists and arts professionals – including fellowship alumni – following a rigorous application process. The grants are often used for project development, exhibits, travel or general expenses. This year, the fellowship changed its applications process to eliminate categories for emerging and mid-career artists and included a simplified, two-round application process.

A digital gallery of the 2016-17 Fellows’ artwork will be live at www.calfund.org/artist-gallery in March 2017.

To find out how you can support CCF’s Fellowship for Visual Artists, please visit us online. One-hundred percent of contributions to the FVA go directly to artists.

The California Community Foundation has served as a public, charitable organization since 1915, empowering donors to pursue their own personal passions and to collaborate with us in addressing the root causes of challenges in Los Angeles County. CCF stewards $1.5 billion in assets and manages 1,600 charitable foundations, funds and legacies. For more information, please visit www.calfund.org.

CONTACT
Chris Compton
marcomm@www.calfund.org
(213) 413.4130

LOS ANGELES – December 20, 2016 – The California Community Foundation (CCF) has awarded $5,569,746 through 34 grants to Los Angeles County nonprofit organizations working to address the great needs and potential of our region.

This quarter’s portfolio of grants includes $565,000 in funding for our Los Angeles Scholars Investment Fund (LASIF) nonprofit partners. Since 2012, in partnership with the College Futures Foundation, LASIF has granted more that $15 million to partners working on innovative ways to ensure college access and success for thousands of low-income students. By combining college and financial aid guidance services with need-based scholarships, LASIF is helping young Angelenos prepare for, pay for and succeed in college.

CCF’s Housing & Economic Opportunity grants this quarter will fund production or preservation of affordable units across Los Angeles County to address the region’s homelessness epidemic. The growing shortage of affordable and available homes for low-income residents is increasing the chances of homelessness for many individuals and families.

“Our work is sustained by the generosity of donors – whether they are individuals, families or corporations – wanting to give back to this place we call home,” said CCF President & CEO Antonia Hernández. “Equally critical are our partners in the vibrant nonprofit sector who are working tirelessly for a better Los Angeles County.”

Additional grants this quarter reflect CCF’s diverse priority areas in the arts, civic engagement, education, health, immigrant integration, nonprofit sustainability and smart growth.

Please see below for a full list of grants this quarter.

The California Community Foundation has served as a public, charitable organization since 1915, empowering donors to pursue their own personal passions and to collaborate with us in addressing the root causes of challenges in Los Angeles County. CCF stewards $1.5 billion in assets and manages 1,600 charitable foundations, funds and legacies. For more information, please visit www.calfund.org.

CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION GRANTS BY FUNDING AREA

 December 2016

CONTACT
Chris Compton
marcomm@www.calfund.org
(213) 413-4130

Download a PDF.

$129 million pledged as part of Centennial Legacy Campaign

LOS ANGELES – November 12, 2016 – The California Community Foundation (CCF) is celebrating the culmination of its 100^th year with a public art exhibit exploring social issues in Los Angeles County and celebrating the many visionary donors who have contributed to the foundation’s Centennial Legacy Campaign.

Initiated in 2013, the campaign aimed to encourage L.A. residents to make permanent legacy gifts to address the future needs of Los Angeles County. The campaign has raised $129 million in pledges from 112 donors. Whether they wish to support a single organization or broad issue area like education or health, CCF will steward their legacy gifts to benefit generations to come.

For 100 years, CCF has championed a variety of issues across the county. Most recently, as our homelessness crisis continues to escalate, CCF has invested in building more permanent supportive housing for the homeless. This includes services like mental health or substance abuse treatment to help our homeless neighbors thrive.

Marking the end of the centennial today is We Are Los Angeles – a public exhibit that aims to foster civic pride and unity – values that frame CCF’s work. Thirty-two renowned local artists have enhanced modern angel statues to convey their hopes for meaningful change.

“The goal of our centennial has been to motivate Angelenos to create enduring legacy gifts and increase conversation about solutions to our region’s most urgent challenges,” said California Community Foundation President & CEO Antonia Hernández. “As art has the power to spark dialogue and move people, we hope the We Are Los Angeles exhibit inspires people toward greater engagement in building a stronger community.”

The exhibit was inspired by Community of Angels, a large-scale temporary public art installation that took place in Los Angeles from 2000-02. The foundation partnered with artist Gayle Garner Roski – who designed an angel in 2002 – to reimagine the design for today. Roski designed the six-foot-tall statue out of plasticated foam core that has two intersecting cutouts mimicking the timeless paper doll.

We Are Los Angeles artists are:

Raul Baltazar
Lili Bernard
Guillermo Bert
Enrique Castrejon
Otha “Vakseen” Davis III
Fabian Debora
Joe Galarza
Joel Garcia
Yolanda Gonzalez
Jennifer Gutierrez Morgan
Zeal Harris
Siobhan Hebron
Pearl C. Hsiung
Sandra Low
Jose Lozano
Poli Marichal
Barry Markowitz
Álvaro D. Márquez
Dalila Paola Mendez
Noni Olabisi
Raul B. Pizarro
Ramon Ramirez
Jose Ramirez
Vyal Reyes
Victor Rosas
Gayle Garner Roski
Miyo Stevens-Gandara
Haruko Tanaka
Linda Vallejo
Ray Vargas
Angel Villanueva
J Michael Walker

You can see their work online at www.calfund.org/wala and in person from Nov. 12-17 at Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles.

Following the exhibit, the angel statues will be sponsored and donated to nonprofit organizations throughout Los Angeles County that are working to improve the quality of life for all residents.

Learn more about the Centennial Legacy Campaign at www.calfund.org/donors/centennial-legacy-campaign.

CONTACT
Chris Compton
marcomm@www.calfund.org
(213) 413-4130

LOS ANGELES – October 20, 2016 – The California Community Foundation (CCF) has awarded $2,477,500 through 27 grants to Los Angeles County nonprofit organizations working to address the great needs and potential of our region.

This quarter’s portfolio of grants includes funding for partners in our unprecedented U.S. citizenship campaign, ¡Protégete! ¡Ciudadanía Ya! These organizations and news outlets will engage Los Angeles County residents on voter education to help newly naturalized citizens access accurate information and resources about the electoral process and voter rights.

CCF is also supporting “Women Vets on Point” – a program of the United States Veterans Initiative and the Education Development Center to combat the increased threat of suicides by female veterans in Los Angeles County. The initiative is a model program for mental health awareness, treatment engagement and care delivery that can be adapted by communities nationwide.

Additional grants this quarter reflect CCF’s diverse priority areas in civic engagement, education, health, housing and economic opportunity, smart growth, immigrant integration and transition-aged youth.

“Every day, I am inspired by the countless nonprofit organizations across Los Angeles County that are working to improve quality of life for all residents,” said CCF President and CEO Antonia Hernández. “I am proud that CCF is part of this critical work in the community and thank our donors who have entrusted their funds to us throughout our 101-year history.”

Please see below for a full list of grants this quarter.

The California Community Foundation has served as a public, charitable organization since 1915, empowering donors to pursue their own personal passions and to collaborate with us in addressing the root causes of challenges in 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

October 2016

CONTACT

Chris Compton
marcomm@www.calfund.org
(213) 413-4130

Download a PDF

The Kresge Foundation’s investment boosts pool of funding to accelerate development of permanent supportive housing, a cost-effective measure to address homelessness.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Interviews are available upon request with residents of permanent supportive housing

LOS ANGELES – September 22, 2016 – The Kresge Foundation is the latest funding partner in an unprecedented, multi-sector effort to annually triple the number of permanent supportive housing units in the City of Los Angeles. Kresge’s $1 million three-year grant and $6 million low-interest loan will help homeless Angelenos facing complex challenges to live with stability, autonomy and dignity.

The Accelerating Permanent Supportive Housing Initiative is a partnership with the California Community Foundation (CCF), Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, Weingart Foundation, the City of Los Angeles and nonprofit lenders and developers. Partners have committed $63 million in a revolving fund to launch 1,000 units each year.

Initiative partners have already seen how thousands of formerly homeless L.A. residents have found a place to call home in permanent supportive housing, where they can also get the mental health and substance abuse treatment they may need. Over the past 25-30 years, nonprofit housing developers have built nearly 10,000 units of permanent supportive housing in Los Angeles. But more needs to be done – and at a faster rate – to address our growing crisis.

“This initiative demonstrates the power in coordinating a multi-stakeholder response around an innovative model that improves outcomes and reduces costs,” said David Fukuzawa, managing director of Kresge’s Health and Human Services Programs. “By blending the work of health and human services, permanent supportive housing provides services while also working to address the systematic challenges that lead to homelessness. We hope that other cities experiencing similar pressures will be able to learn from this collaborative.”

To triple the number of units created, this effort is asking nonprofit developers to collectively start 10 to 15 new developments each year. Loans for developers will be managed by CSH, also known as the Corporation for Supportive Housing, through their Supportive Housing Loan Fund.

Kresge’s $6 million loan will support the fund as well as CCF’s efforts to raise additional resources through donor advised funds (DAFs) for deployment as charitable investments.

“Making low-interest loans from DAFs is an approved use of those funds, but today the vast majority of DAFs are used as grant capital,” said Kimberlee Cornett, managing director of Kresge’s Social Investment Practice. “We know donors want to do the most good with their money and their dollars can potentially go further and be more impactful in the form of low-interest loans. We’re excited to work with CCF to help bring that opportunity to its donors and to direct more money into efforts to end homelessness in Los Angeles.”

A group of experienced nonprofit housing developers has been involved in identifying ways to streamline the system and accelerate production, including A Community of Friends, Clifford Beers Housing, LINC Housing, Los Angeles Family Housing, Mercy Housing California, New Directions for Veterans, PATH Ventures, Skid Row Housing Trust and SRO Housing Corporation. These and others may apply through CSH for loan funds, and through United Way’s Home for Good Collaborative for grant support, to cover the early costs of buying sites, developing plans and securing City approvals. The approval process will also be streamlined through the City’s Planning and Housing departments.

After securing approvals, developments will need long-term funding from private and public sources including state, federal and local sources. This November, the City of Los Angeles will also give voters the chance to approve a $1.2 billion bond measure – Proposition HHH – to finance new apartments for the homeless.

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. The Hilton Foundation provides funds to nonprofit organizations working to improve the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people throughout the world. From its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than $1.5 billion in grants, distributing $107 million in the U.S. and around the world in 2015. For more information, please visit hiltonfoundation.org.

The Kresge Foundation is a $3.6 billion private, national foundation that works to expand opportunities in America’s cities through grantmaking and social investing in arts and culture, education, environment, health, human services and community development in Detroit. In 2015, the Board of Trustees approved 370 grants totaling $125.2 million, and nine social investment commitments totaling $20.3 million. For more information, visit kresge.org.

The Weingart Foundation is committed to advancing social and economic equity by providing grants and other support designed to improve the capacity and effectiveness of nonprofit organizations working with people and communities who currently face the greatest obstacles to opportunity. Founded in 1951, the 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.

Download a PDF.

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

Related:
Local Foundations Partner to Provide $16 Million for Housing Plan to Help Combat Homelessness in Los Angeles

Statement from Mayor Garcetti: Philanthropic Contribution Will Help Advance L.A.’s Housing Solutions for the Homeless

LOS ANGELES – July 6, 2016 – The California Community Foundation (CCF) has awarded $9,393,600 through 112 grants to Los Angeles County nonprofit organizations working to address the needs of our region.

This quarter’s robust portfolio of grants reflects investments in major initiatives to create change that impacts the root causes of some our region’s most urgent issues.

Grants this quarter include funding to support engagement, education and enrollment in Los Angeles County communities with the highest numbers of youth eligible for SB75, the Health for All Kids Act. Signed into law in 2015, Health for All Kids provides health coverage for California’s undocumented immigrant children. CCF is partnering with The California Endowment and the Blue Shield of California Foundation on funding implementation efforts in Los Angeles County.

Twenty-five grants are part of the final year of funding from CCF’s Preparing Achievers for Tomorrow (PAT) initiative, a five-year project aimed at creating a brighter future for the youth of South Los Angeles and the South Bay by improving academic achievement, decision-making skills and self-esteem through sports, music and recreation. PAT was made possible by a $12.5 million legacy gift from an anonymous donor whose life was devoted to helping others and who valued the opportunities that music and athletics can provide young people. PAT will culminate in a festival for students this fall.

This is also the final year of the El Monte Community Building Initiative, a 10-year, $10 million investment to engage and empower residents of the City of El Monte in improving their quality of life, with a focus on health and education for youth. The El Monte Promise Foundation, established as a result of the initiative, will carry on this legacy.

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

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

“Our mission to lead positive systemic change in Los Angeles can only be fulfilled through partnership with visionary donors and dedicated nonprofit organizations,” said CCF President and CEO Antonia Hernández. “I am proud of the work being done in Los Angeles County to address disparity and improve the quality of life for all residents.”

The California Community Foundation has served as a public, charitable organization since 1915, empowering donors to pursue their own personal passions and to collaborate with us in addressing the root causes of challenges in 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

June 2016

Arts – 5 – $705,000
• Arts for LA
• California Alliance for Arts Education
• Cornerstone Theater Company
• Grand Vision Foundation
• Great Leap

Building a Lifetime of Options & Opportunities for Men (BLOOM) – 2 – $625,000
• Brotherhood Crusade
• Social Justice Learning Institute

Civic Engagement – 6 – $610,000
• California State University, Los Angeles Pat Brown Institute
• Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice
• East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice
• California Calls
• L.A. Alliance for a New Economy
• Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education (SCOPE)

Education Pipeline – 5 – $400,000
• UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies
• Crystal Stairs
• Families in Schools
• Parent Revolution
• Pepperdine Graduate School of Education & Psychology/ Parent U-Turn

El Monte Community Building Initiative –  1 – $500,000
• El Monte Promise Foundation

Health – 10 – $1,080,041
• L.A. Christian Health Centers
• L.A. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Center
• San Fernando Community Health Center
• Venice Family Clinic
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital
• White Memorial Medical Center
• St. Baldrick’s Foundation
• Tower Cancer Research Foundation
• UCLA Center for Cerebral Palsy
• Bet Tzedek

Housing & Economic Opportunity –  7 – $720,631
• A Community of Friends
• California Housing Partnership Corporation
• Inner City Law Center
• L.A. Family Housing
• Mercy Housing California
• PATH Ventures
• St. Joseph Center

Immigrant Integration – 33 – $915,000
• Antelope Valley Boys & Girls Club
• Antelope Valley Community Clinic
• Antelope Valley Partners for Health
• Asian Americans Advancing Justice-LA
• Asian and Pacific Islander Obesity Prevention Alliance
• Central American Resource Center (CARECEN)
• Central City Community Health Center
• CHIRLA
• Community Build
• Community Health Alliance of Pasadena
• Day One
• East Los Angeles Community Corporation (ELACC)
• East Valley Community Health Center
• Eisner Pediatric and Family Medical Center
• El Monte Promise Foundation
• El Nido Family Services
• Florence Firestone Merchants Association
• Maternal and Child Health Access
• Mexican American Opportunity Foundation
• New Economics for Women
• Northeast Community Clinic
• Northeast Valley Health Corporation
• Pacoima Beautiful
• South Bay Family Healthcare Center
• South Central Family Health Center
• Southeast LA Community Development Corporation
• St. John’s Well Child and Family Center
• To Help Everyone Clinic
• University Muslim Medical Association
• Watts Healthcare Corporation
• Watts Labor Community Action Committee
• YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles
• Youth Policy Institute

Los Angeles Preschool Advocacy Initiative – 2 – $200,000
• Low Income Investment Fund
• Girls Club of Los Angeles

Los Angeles Scholars Investment Fund –  2 – $190,000
• USC / Southern California College Advising Corps
• Community Partners / Southern California College Access Network

Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative – 1 – $605,000
• Nonprofit Finance Fund

Preparing Achievers for Tomorrow (PAT) – 25 – $1,824,000
• A Place Called Home
• A World Fit For Kids
• Amazing Grace Conservatory
• ArtworxLA
• Brotherhood Crusade
• CORE Educational Services
• Educare Foundation
• Gardena-Carson YMCA
• Heart of Los Angeles Youth, Inc.
• Jr. Posse Youth Equestrian Program
• Life Sail
• Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust
• Los Angeles United Futbol Academy
• Lula Washington Contemporary Dance Foundation
• P.F. Bresee Foundation
• Santa Cecilia Orchestra
• Street Poets, Inc.
• Students Run America
• Theatre of Hearts/Youth First
• TXT: Teens Exploring Technology
• UCLA Uni-Camp University Camp
• USC Thornton School of Music
• Watts Willowbrook Boys & Girls Club
• Youth Mentoring Connection
• Youth ‘N Motion Academy, Inc.

Scholarships – 3 – $132,000
• A Place Called Home
• California State University, Fullerton School of Nursing
• UCLA Black Alumni Association Winston C. Doby Legacy Scholarship Fund

Smart Growth – 8 – $805,000
• Abode Communities
• Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) Institute
• East Los Angeles Community Corporation
• The Funders’ Network
• Hollywood Community Housing Corporation
• LA Voice
• Little Tokyo Service Center
• Los Angeles Community Action Network

Transition-aged Youth – 2 – $81,928
• South Los Angeles Homeless TAY and Foster Care Collaborative
• West San Gabriel Valley Boys and Girls Club

GRAND TOTAL: 112 grants, $9,393,600

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

Dreams for a better life – one out of the shadows with the promise of greater economic vitality for individuals and the region as a whole – were deferred today.

The Supreme Court of the United States ruled 4-4 on the Obama Administration’s immigration executive actions that would have expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and created Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA). The United States v. Texas case will now be sent back to the Texas district court to determine whether the programs are constitutional. The programs were meant to preserve families and give parents of U.S. citizens and those who came to the United States as children the power to earn their own living.

In Los Angeles County alone, nearly 500,000 immigrants are eligible to apply. Today’s ruling leaves hardworking families in the shadows and living under the fear of deportation and separation. It leaves fewer residents with the ability to buy homes, make better wages and fully participate in our civic and economic fabric.

Reflecting our missions to ensure a more prosperous future for all Los Angeles residents, we stand united to continue supporting immigrant integration efforts during these challenging times. We will support organizations that provide vital services to children and families in need and ensure that they are not exploited or defrauded. While this decision is a temporary setback, we will continue to partner with stakeholders across sectors to push for immigration reform that upholds the dignity of all communities and families.

California Community Foundation
The California Endowment
The James Irvine Foundation
Weingart Foundation

Additional updates to long-standing fellowship aim to better serve L.A. County artists

LOS ANGELES – June 8, 2016 – The California Community Foundation (CCF) announces several updates to its Fellowship for Visual Artists (FVA) to better serve the needs of L.A. County’s artistic community, including increasing the fellowship award to $25,000 regardless of career level. Previous award amounts were $15,000 for emerging and $20,000 for mid-career artists.

The goal of the FVA remains the same: to fund outstanding Los Angeles County-based visual artists from diverse backgrounds in order to support sustainable careers in the arts. Since 1988, in partnership with the Getty Foundation and other donors, FVA has provided more than $2.5 million in unrestricted grants to 274 Los Angeles County visual artists. The grants are often used for project development, exhibits, travel or general expenses.

This year’s updates include:

• Increasing the award amount to $25,000 for all recipients regardless of career level. Twelve Los Angeles County based artists will be selected and notified in early December.

• Not requiring identification as emerging or mid-career artist.

• Creating a streamlined application beginning with a simplified initial application. Selected applicants move on to complete the full application.

• Requiring a minimum of five years of professional experience and exhibition history with evidence of work in Los Angeles County.

• Requiring a minimum age of 25 years old.

Changes were the result of an internal evaluation of the existing process, and feedback from artists, professors, gallery owners, curators, writers and nonprofit leaders.

Fellows are annually selected by a committee of distinguished artists and arts professionals – including fellowship alumni – following a rigorous application process. To view a full list of FVA fellows, please visit FVA artist’s gallery/.

The deadline for the first stage of the application is June 30, 2016. For more information and how to apply, please visit www.calfund.org/nonprofits/grant-opportunities/arts/ccf-fellowship-visual-artists/.

Please read the updated Guidelines and Eligibility and Frequently Asked Questions before applying.

CONTACT

Taleen Ananian

tananian@www.calfund.org

(213) 452-6203

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

CCF Joins Leading Nonprofit Organizations Across the United States to Address Urban Challenges 

LOS ANGELES – MAY 18, 2016 – The California Community Foundation (CCF) announced today that it has been selected as a recipient of the Community Progress Makers Fund, a $500,000 grant over the course of two years to continue the foundation’s work in the community around supporting Black men and boys, among other projects.

This new injection of funds at CCF will in part help bolster CCF’s Building a Lifetime of Options & Opportunities for Men (BLOOM) initiative. Since its inception in 2012, BLOOM has worked with more than 500 young Black men in South Los Angeles to develop the skills they need to complete high school, move toward post-secondary options and become productive members of society. BLOOM is a model that the White House spotlighted when My Brother’s Keeper was first launched in 2013.

In addition to the grant, CCF will also have access to technical assistance from leading national researchers and experts and will be provided opportunities to connect with other grantees to share and learn best practices.

“I am grateful to the Citi Foundation for recognizing the importance of supporting local community-building initiatives in Los Angeles,” said California Community Foundation President & CEO Antonia Hernández. “This is the largest outside grant and the first national funding partner to support our work with Black men and boys. We look forward to continued partnership with Los Angeles organizations delivering academic and career guidance to our future community leaders.”

The Community Progress Makers Fund is a $20 million grant initiative to support 40 visionary nonprofit organizations, including CCF, in their efforts to establish new approaches to long-standing urban economic challenges in the United States – including economic development, environment sustainability, urban infrastructure and affordable housing.

“The Citi Foundation feels privileged to support organizations that have demonstrated such strong commitments to their local communities and a willingness to share their experiences with others for the betterment of their neighborhoods,” said Brandee McHale, President of the Citi Foundation. “These organizations have a track record of implementing solutions that work for their communities because they know the people there, understand what resources to tap and, most importantly, feel deeply invested in the places where they live and work. We believe that’s the key to leading urban transformation efforts in Los Angeles and elsewhere across the country.”

The Community Progress Makers Fund builds upon the Citi Foundation’s commitment to identify and support innovative solutions and organizations that are helping build stronger, more resilient cities that are engines of economic opportunity for all. The flexibility of core operating support will allow organizations and their visionary leaders to deploy solutions that address a range of issues.

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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 Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant cities. The Citi Foundation’s “More than Philanthropy” approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfill our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. For more information, visit citifoundation.com.

CONTACT

Taleen Ananian

tananian@www.calfund.org

213.452.6203