Transforming Lives Through Learning
The California Community Foundation (CCF) transforms the lives of Los Angeles County’s most vulnerable populations through innovative education initiatives - from cradle to career. From closing opportunity gaps with scholarships and systemic reforms to supporting youth with mentorship and workforce programs that advance opportunity, CCF champions equity and access from infancy to young adulthood. Initiatives like the Stein ECD Fund advocate for affordable childcare, while programs such as the Consortium for Multilingual Learner Success ensure English learners can thrive. Together, these efforts create pathways for lifelong learning, economic mobility, and community empowerment across our region.
Los Angeles County faces critical educational disparities that limit opportunities for its most vulnerable youth. From early childhood through high school, systemic barriers disproportionately affect students from underserved communities.
Barriers to educational success begin early, with too many families unable to access quality early childhood education. These challenges continue from elementary through high school, where systemic inequities in school funding create achievement gaps that impact college readiness and career opportunities. L.A. County also faces one of the nation’s highest rates of youth incarceration, further compromising educational and career outcomes. These educational disparities have far-reaching consequences, from perpetuating cycles of poverty to limiting economic development and job creation across the region.
With strategic investments and innovative partnerships, California Community Foundation is working to address these educational challenges. Our approach looks to remove the barriers to education that communities have faced by creating new pathways for academic achievement and youth development. From advocating for affordable childcare through the Stein ECD Fund to supporting at-risk youth through programs like BLOOM and Ready to Rise, CCF focuses on equity and access at every educational stage. By investing in direct services and systemic change, CCF strives to build a Los Angeles where every student can reach their full potential.
Los Angeles thrives when opportunity is accessible to all. Only half of L.A. County students meet the requirements to apply to a four-year college, and just 20% of public university students graduate within four years. LASIF addresses these gaps by supporting underrepresented students with scholarships and other resources that drive educational equity and economic mobility. Since 2012, LASIF has granted over $25 million to 46 nonprofits, impacting 38,000+ students and awarding more than 7,000 scholarships. Among 2015 enrollees, 70% earned bachelor’s degrees by 2021, far exceeding local and national averages. Recent initiatives, such as the BROADEN Project, elevate youth voices by involving them directly with research on dual enrollment. Student Fellows prepared a memo entitled “Navigating Dual Enrollment: Los Angeles Scholars Share Their Insights on What Matters Most for Success.” Learn more about grants and connect with our team.
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Ready to Rise (R2R)
In partnership with Los Angeles County and the Liberty Hill Foundation, Ready to Rise looks to reform a punitive juvenile justice system and replace it with investments that support young people and unlock their potential. Approximately 70% of youths incarcerated in Los Angeles County come from five regions: South, Southeast and Central Los Angeles, the Harbor area, and the Antelope Valley. Those regions have higher unemployment rates, lower educational attainment and high percentages of very low-income residents. The program invests in organizations serving youth ages 11-24 facing incarceration, housing instability, and educational challenges to end the school-to-prison pipeline. The partnership empowers community organizations through education, leadership development, mentorship, and workforce training. Grantees receive funding to amplify their impact in targeted communities, transforming educational, personal, and professional outcomes while reducing youth interactions with the justice system. All grantees are committed to comprehensive youth development to improve youth outcomes.
Launched in 2012, BLOOM supports young Black men at risk of or involved with the juvenile justice system, helping them achieve academic and life success. With mentorship and tailored programming, BLOOM boasts a 90% high school graduation rate—significantly higher than L.A. County’s 75.1% for Black males. Impact Highlights: Active in 49 school sites across L.A. County, Over 50 college graduates and 66 current enrollees, Recognized as a national model by the White House. Support the BLOOM Alliance in transforming futures for Black youth in South L.A. Donate now.
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Research shows that quality early care and education (ECE) experiences can secure children’s success in K-12 and beyond. However, in Los Angeles County, home to nearly half a million infants and toddlers, we only have licensed facilities to serve less than 5 percent of children under 24 months. The Stein ECD Fund Partnership, launched in 2023, brings together the California Community Foundation’s Education team and donors Mindy and Gene Stein to build a three-year California-wide communications campaign to build broader support for early childhood investments. The campaign focuses on policy solutions for families with children from birth to age three. It aims to create public urgency and build support for accessible, high-quality, publicly funded child care.
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Consortium for Multilingual Learner Success
The Consortium for Multilingual Learner Success is a collective of nearly 100 organizations in California advocating for increased resources for Dual Language (DLL) and English Learners (ELs). Focused on closing opportunity gaps, the Consortium promotes transparency in education funding and expands access to college-preparatory courses for English Learners and Dual Language Learners. Its achievements include a 2020 Policy Agenda framework that improved education access and outcomes for EL students across California and Los Angeles County.
California Thriving Youth Initiative (CTYI)
In collaboration with the Stuart Foundation, CTYI invests in adolescents’ leadership, education, and well-being through two multi-year collaborative funds: The Purpose of Education Fund and the Youth Thriving Through Learning Fund. These funds leverage a $30 million investment by the Stuart Foundation, additional philanthropic contributions, and state-level education investments to create equitable systems that empower young people—particularly those furthest from opportunity—to thrive. CTYI's efforts include strategic grantmaking, storytelling, and fostering systems-wide change to support belonging, purpose, and agency among California’s youth.
Join with CCF in closing the gaps in the education pipeline and help all of our children to realize their true potential.