Recognizing Collective Impact for Community Foundation Week

From November 12 to 18 each year, The San Diego Foundation joins nearly 800 community foundations to celebrate Community Foundation Week (#CFWeek), a time when we can share and reflect on the stories of impact over the last year.

Created in 1989 by former president George H.W. Bush, Community Foundation Week recognizes the important place-based work of community foundations throughout America, including management and investment of donor-advised funds for charitable purposes; elevating understanding of community need and community engagement; and strategic grantmaking and philanthropic leadership, including their collaborative approach to working with the public, private and nonprofit sectors.

In fiscal year 2018, The San Diego Foundation and our generous donors granted a record $67.4 million to nonprofits, including 5,871 grants to 1,755 organizations strengthening our regional communities and advancing quality of life.

The impact can be seen across generations, from children who have brighter futures thanks to more early childhood education opportunities to older adults who can now remain connected to their communities thanks to a greater emphasis by cities, counties and nonprofits creating age-friendly communities.

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Community Foundation Impact

The first community foundation was created in 1914 in Cleveland, Ohio, and operates now as the Cleveland Foundation.

Total giving by community foundations in 2015 was nearly $7 billion, according to Council on Foundations. Community foundations in our home state of California gave the most, with total giving reaching nearly $1.5 billion.

What is a community foundation?

Community foundations, like The San Diego Foundation, are grantmaking public charities dedicated to improving the lives of people in a defined local geographic area. We bring together the financial resources of individuals, families, agencies and businesses to support nonprofits strengthening our communities.

Charitably-minded individuals turn to community foundations to manage donor-advised funds because community foundations:

• Have insight and community knowledge
• Grow your giving and impact through strategic investment
• Provide expert advisors in philanthropy
• Ensure optimal tax advantages
• Maximize the impact of your gift(s)
• Deliver the highest degree of personal service
• Connect you with charitably-minded peers
• Honor your legacy
• Simplify the giving process
• Accept a variety of assets
• Invest your fees back into the community

A donor-advised fund is a simple, tax-efficient way to give to your favorite nonprofit organization(s) or area(s) of interest. You are able to contribute assets, such as cash, stock or real estate, and take an immediate tax deduction, then support your favorite community initiatives or nonprofit organizations whenever you are ready.

Over time, your initial charitable contribution grows through tax-free investments, and at any time you can grant your funds to nonprofits focused on impactful, local initiatives that mean the most to you.

Collective Impact

As we enter the giving season, millions of people from every background will give back to the communities that have supported them. They’ll also ensure that their heartfelt giving – however they choose to give – will have the most impact.

That’s why so many of them will choose to give to a community foundation. A gift to your local community foundation is an investment in the future of your community.

During Community Foundation Week, consider joining us in recognizing our collective impact and the difference we can make together.

Support TSDF this #CFWeek