The League of California Community Foundations was created in 1994 as a statewide partnership of community foundations. The League helps to ensure California's communities are healthy and strong by:

• Supporting the work of the state's community foundations,
• Nurturing new and emerging community foundations with the goal that every Californian have local, viable charitable giving options and every nonprofit organization have access to funding and other assistance, and
• Encouraging private philanthropy and private giving for the public good.

In 2009 the League comprises 24 member foundations. League members together have investments exceeding $6.5 billion, much of which has been permanently set aside by donors to generate income for annual grantmaking in California's communities. In 2008, the most recent year for which data are available, League members and their contributors gave more than $800 million to local nonprofit organizations doing important work in health and human services, education, the environment, economic development, the arts and much more.

League members are committed to the philosophy that local control of philanthropic resources is essential for solving problems and building strong communities. Community foundations exist precisely to facilitate local, community-focused charitable giving, which is why the League offers resources, technical assistance and other support for emerging community foundations in underserved parts of the state. When the League was created 15 years ago one of every five Californians lived in an area with no community foundation. Today, more than 97 percent of the state's population has access to the benefits of community foundations.

Members of the League pursue excellence in all aspects of their work. The League helps its members build capacity and become more effective by serving as an information resource, facilitating strategic partnerships and developing special initiatives. The League represents community foundations and advocates for community-based philanthropy at the state level, ensuring that legislators, policymakers and regulators understand the unique and vital role community foundations play in the lives of a growing number of California citizens.

The League often works in partnership with major private foundations in the state and across the country, including The California Endowment, The James Irvine Foundation, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the C.S. Mott Foundation. Recognized as a leader within the field, the League was asked to help develop and oversee several major national initiatives, including one to build public awareness of community foundations and another to advance the field's standards of excellence and accountability.

Back to top