In addition to its ongoing services for members, the League has conducted two special initiatives in support of members and the communities they serve. These initiatives are the Community Foundations Learning Network and the Statewide Visibility Program.

Community Foundations Learning Network
The Community Foundations Learning Network is the League's comprehensive capacity-building and professional development program. The Learning Network was created in 2002 in response to member requests for a coordinated and integrated set of professional development activities to promote peer exchange and learning.

With support from The James Irvine Foundation and The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Learning Network offers a range of activities and services for League members, associate members, their affiliate funds, and emerging CF's. These include foundation site visits, an annual Board Chair/CEO retreat, a mentoring program for emerging foundations, an annual Community Foundation Basics Institute covering essential information needed for effective community foundation practice, training institutes and workshops on specialized topics, an information and referral network to facilitate knowledge-sharing among members, ongoing coaching, and technical assistance.

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Statewide Visibility Program
The Statewide Visibility Program, underwritten by League members, The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, is a comprehensive effort to promote awareness and understanding of community foundations. The Program reaches out to estate and financial planners, attorneys, accountants, real estate agents, investment advisors and other professionals whose clients can benefit by working with their local community foundations. The Program also supports members' efforts to communicate effectively with current and prospective clients, and with the general public.

Participants in the Statewide Visibility Program have access to a portfolio of customizable communications materials developed to help community foundations in California tell their stories. The Program features a three-year series of advertisements in trade publications ranging from the California Bar Journal to CalCPA Magazine. The Program also supports members by helping them plan and execute local outreach and relationship development activities.

Visit the public website of the Statewide Visibility Program at www.forgoodforeverCA.org.

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