Mission
The League of California Community Foundations is a statewide partnership which fosters collaboration among community foundations in California in order to advance community philanthropy.

Goals
The League was established, and continues to grow, in order to achieve the following philanthropic goals:

1. To create and sustain a statewide vehicle for collaborative programs, asset development and public policy activities which further the mission of the League and which build communities and advance philanthropy.



2. To ensure that community foundation coverage extends throughout the state, providing any and every donor or prospective donor with local, viable philanthropic options and every nonprofit organization with access to a source of possible funding and other assistance.



3. To strengthen existing community foundations and to assist new and/or emerging community foundations which aim to serve underserved areas and communities.

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Shared Principles
As a voluntary association of independent and autonomous charitable institutions, the League of California Community Foundations is committed to the fundamental philosophy that local involvement in the use of philanthropic resources is a key tool for effective community-building and problem-solving. Members of the League hold a shared commitment to the following set of philanthropic values:

• The League supports and advocates for policies that encourage private philanthropy and private giving for the public good.



• The League aims to foster appropriate and thoughtful relations among its members in order to support one another and to advance philanthropy in California.



• The League serves as an information resource, helping existing community foundations reach the highest level of philanthropic performance and organizational integrity.



• The League serves as a resource for new and emerging community foundations which aim to serve those areas and communities not already served by an established community foundation.



• The League serves to represent the interests of community foundations at the state level, educating and informing policymakers and regulators about community foundations and their philanthropic missions.

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Values
Members of the League of California Community Foundations are individually and collectively committed to achieving the highest levels of philanthropic excellence in all aspects of their work. As members of the League, community foundations agree to conduct themselves according to the following values:

• Community foundations aim to maximize the use of local philanthropic resources for the greatest common good.



• Community foundations aim to increase the overall level of philanthropy in the areas they serve.



• Community foundations are a resource for donors and financial professionals, maintaining the highest levels of current knowledge regarding planned charitable giving.



• Community foundations have the resources to maintain the highest level of knowledge about community needs, opportunities and resources, and can work effectively with a variety of stakeholders as objective, informed conveners and as advocates for their communities.



• Community foundations serve as advocates on policies and issues which directly affect the well-being of the communities they serve.



• Community foundations strive to ensure that their boards and staffs reflect the diversity of the local communities they serve.



• Community foundations ensure that their policies, decisions and operations encourage inclusiveness and broad-based community involvement and strive for full community accountability with regard to their stewardship of community philanthropic assets.



• Community foundations provide an open forum for community dialog and decisionmaking while avoiding taking divisive positions on matters of community conflict.



• Community foundations aim for the highest level of financial stewardship, studiously avoiding any form of conflict-of-interest in their financial, grantmaking and other functions.

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