We are Santa Monica

Santa Monica is a strong community with a long history of helping those in need. We Are Santa Monica Fund provides a critical and timely vehicle for neighbor-to-neighbor support, as members of our community struggle to get by, put food on the table, and care for their loved ones. The Fund also responds to longstanding racial equity concerns that—while not unique to our city—we must take action to address. Specifically, the Fund is focused on providing grants to nonprofit partners that serve the Santa Monica community in the following support areas:

Vibrant  Local  Economy

Promoting opportunities for workers, creators, and entrepreneurs  to survive and thrive.
Supporting cultural organizations that make up the fabric of our city.
Partnering with non profits that ensure that small businesses have the resources they need to keep their doors open, care for employees,  and serve customers.

Santa Monica for All

Investing in programs that advance  equity,  protect human rights and dignity, increase  and celebrate diversity, foster inclusion, address injustice, and ensure access.
Providing resources for the Santa Monica Black Agenda and groups and programs led by and serving Black, Hispanic, AAPI, and Indigenous Santa  Monicans, the LGBTQIA+ community, and people  with disabilities.
10% of all undesignated donations will support the Santa Monica Black Agenda.

Healthy Neighborhoods

Offering  residents of all ages access to nutritious food, spaces to exercise and play, places to live, and ways to improve physical and mental wellness.
Investing in the health and sustainability of our community and planet by conserving energy and protecting our air, water, and natural places.

Lending a Hand 

Sharing resources with people and families who need extra support and care.
Investing in community resiliency.
Providing relief for emergency occurrences, natural disasters, and other unexpected community needs that require immediate funds, supplies, or repairs.

The We Are Santa Monica Fund is a partnership between contributors, the California Community Foundation (CCF), and the City of Santa Monica. Donations by contributors may be designated to support one of the specified support areas: Vibrant Local Economy, Santa Monica for All, Healthy Neighborhoods, and Lending a Hand. For donations made without a designated support area, at least 10% will be used to develop and implement the Black Agenda in Santa Monica, and the balance will be allocated to the support projects at the City’s discretion.

The We Are Santa Monica Advisory Board makes recommendations to CCF regarding distributions to eligible and operating nonprofits, or, in certain cases, City programs that benefit the community, and the funds must be used in connection with the associated support area. The City of Santa Monica has a decades-long track record of working closely with highly regarded nonprofits to ensure that funds and services are delivered efficiently and fairly. In the event that the City is the best partner for delivery of donated funds, it is eligible to receive allocations from the Fund, at CCF’s discretion. The We are Santa Monica Fund is a component fund of CCF. Contributions to the CCF represent irrevocable gifts subject to the legal and fiduciary control of the foundation’s board of directors.

If the We Are Santa Monica Fund receives contributions that exceed the amount that can be used in responding to the support projects, the City may recommend that the fund distribute the excess proceeds to non-profits or the City for general charitable uses that benefit the City’s residents.

Donate Online

Click below to make a secure, tax-deductible donation online:

Donate Now

Donate by Mail

You may also send checks payable to the California Community Foundation, noting that the donation is for the We Are Santa Monica Fund. Checks should be mailed to:

California Community Foundation
717 W Temple St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Click here for more information about the We Are Santa Monica Advisory Board or click here to apply for a We Are Santa Monica grant.

Contributions to the California Community Foundation represent irrevocable gifts subject to the legal and fiduciary control of the foundation’s board of directors. This charge will appear on your credit card statement as a payment to “Calif Comm Fdn – CCF”. In addition, California Community Foundation incurs a third-party administrative fee of 2.7 percent for credit card contributions. The foundation will charge the fee directly to the individual fund.