Our History

In 1988, the Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation (RBCF) was founded to make Rancho Bernardo an even better place to live and work. As the organization became more successful, an endowment fund was established to provide funds for nonprofit community activities in Rancho Bernardo for decades into the future.

In 1993, RBCF’s first organized fundraiser was established — the “Pathway of Pride”. Donors of $1,000 or more benefit from an engraved granite plaque commemorating their donation set in the walkway around the lake in our beautiful Webb Park.

Other fundraising programs, including an annual Community Cruise and an annual Thanksgiving Community Luncheon, have generated more than $150,000 for our community, with 50% going to the endowment and 50% distributed to nonprofits serving Rancho Bernardo every year.

In 1996, RBCF became a proud affiliate of The San Diego Foundation, which invests our endowment, assists with managing our grant application process, manages our funds, and supports our events so RBCF members can make a difference in our community, now and forever.

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Board of Directors

Debbie Kurth, President
Scott Lawn, Vice President
Steve Dreyer, Grants Chair
Shirley Napierala, Secretary
Dave Brooks
Bonnie Ann Dowd
Don Glover
Mary Karscig
Terry Norwood
Benita Page
Michael J. Stelman
Daniel Wilson

*Founders

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News & Events

2018 RBCF Thanksgiving Luncheon

December 2018 Letter to RBCF Members

Get updated on the latest news and events from the Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation for the 2018 holiday season....

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Press Release from The San Diego Foundation

Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation Awards $83,000 at 30th Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon

RBCF awarded $83,000 to 20 different programs that benefit Rancho Bernardo at the 30th Annual...

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RBCF President Debbie Kurth and Paul Schumann

May 2018 Letter from RBCF Board Chair Debbie Kurth

Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation Board Chair Debbie Kurth shares exciting events and opportunities happening with RBCF....

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Become a Member

You can be remembered as someone who made a difference in the Rancho Bernardo Community by making a gift today that will meet tomorrow’s needs. When you become a member of the Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation, you make a difference for the causes you care about in this special community. Half of all membership dues go immediately into grantmaking efforts, while the other half goes into a permanent endowment to sustain future efforts for the good of the Rancho Bernardo community.

Matt McLaughlin established an endowment legacy fund at The San Diego Foundation that continues to make a profound impact on the North County region. The Matt McLaughlin Live Here, Give Here program supports membership dollars raised, growing Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation grantmaking from member contributions for our community.

Other member benefits include participating in grantmaking, board and/or committee leadership, attending events, and recognition in promotional materials. All members get one vote each year for the local grant applications they deem most worthy and valuable to Rancho Bernardo.

Join or Renew Your Membership

 

Contribute to an Existing Fund

You can make a contribution of any amount by writing a check to the Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation. If intended for general charitable needs of the community, your donation will be placed in our endowment fund or non-endowment fund. Or, you may designate your gift for one of the following existing funds:

  • RB Emergency Reserve Fund: A reserve fund to be made available in the event of a fire, an earthquake or other community disaster affecting Rancho Bernardo for supplies, equipment and food.
  • RB Symphony on the Green Fund: Supports music and musical programs and projects in the Rancho Bernardo area.
  • RB Smith Scholarship Fund: Open to graduating high school seniors from Rancho Bernardo who will attend an accredited, public four-year university in the state of California. Special consideration will be given to applicants who have lost one or both parents while in high school.

Download Our Brochure

Grants

Grant Opportunity

2018-2019 Grant Cycle
Health and Well-Being
Secondary – Limited Funding: Music

RBCF is in its 30th year of grantmaking to enhance the quality of life for those who live, work and play in Rancho Bernardo. In the current cycle, RBCF will accept proposals that address the health and/or well-being of individuals and/or families in the Rancho Bernardo community.

Focus Area
For this 2018 grant cycle, RBCF will be accepting proposals for programs that clearly address the health and/or well-being of individuals, families in the Rancho Bernardo community.

Examples include: programs that address mental, physical and/or nutritional health of the general population or targeted groups such as children, seniors, low-income individuals and the homeless. Special consideration will be given to the special needs population.

Separately, RBCF will award up to $10,000 in increments of funding levels between $1,500 and $5,000 from the RB Symphony on the Green Fund to support music and musical programs and projects in the Rancho Bernardo area.

Application deadline is Monday, May 14 at 1:00pm (PST)

Grant Guidelines – Health and Well-Being

Grant Guidelines – Music

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Grants Awarded

2017 – 2018

The Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation granted $71,821 to Rancho Bernardo nonprofits and schools at the 28th Annual Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation Thanksgiving Luncheon.

  • $8,000 to Rancho Bernardo Historical Society for technology upgrades and the preservation of historical documents
  • $6,500 to Bernardo Heights Middle School for the installation of an athletic track and fitness stations
  • $6,500 to RB Veterans Memorial Association for the maintenance and permanent storage of RB Veterans Memorial
  • $5,000 to Bernardo Heights Education Foundation for the purchase of Chromebooks for the Bernardo Heights Middle School Science Department
  • $5,000 to Bernardo Heights Middle School Choir Boosters for upgrades to the RBHS Performing Arts Center audio system
  • $5,000 to Poway OnStage for the Arts in Education Initiative
  • $5,000 to Spirit of the Fourth for the annual Fourth of July celebration
  • $5,000 to Voices for Children for the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program
  • $4,000 to San Diego Zoo Global for the Safari Express Program for Rancho Bernardo Seniors
  • $2,500 to Rancho Bernardo High School Friends of the Library to enhance the Success via Media and 21st Century Technology Learning Center
  • $2,000 to Black Mountain Dance – Southern California Ballet for the Community Outreach Initiative to Rancho Bernardo youth
  • $2,000 to Let’s Light the Cross for enhancement of the Battle Mountain Cross
  • $2,000 to Poway Symphony Orchestra Foundation for the production of Poway Symphony Orchestra concerts in 2017-2018
  • $2,000 to Rancho Bernardo High School Music Boosters for the purchase of instruments for students
  • $2,000 to Rancho Bernardo High School PTSA to support the annual Grad Nite
  • $2,000 to Write Out Loud for the Rancho Bernardo Literary Initiative supporting local youth
  • $2,000 to YMCA of San Diego County, Childcare Resource Service for the Teens in Motion Program
  • $1,721 to Westwood Elementary School for the production of student-created television, titled “Roadrunner TV”
  • $1,500 to Burn Institute for the Fire Safe Kids Program
  • $1,500 to Friends of the Rancho Bernardo Library for the production of RB Library Concerts
  • $600 to Seniors Helping Our Kids to support the one-on-one reading and tutoring between Rancho Bernardo youth and seniors

Learn More About Grantees

2016 – 2017

The Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation granted $70,200 to Rancho Bernardo nonprofits and schools at the 27th Annual Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation Thanksgiving Luncheon.

  • $7,500 to Highland Ranch Educational Foundation to replace old classroom technology used by students
  • $6,000 to Youth Philharmonic Orchestra to support operational expenses and programming in Rancho Bernardo
  • $5,000 to Chaparral Elementary School to support the school’s outdoor education initiatives and Native and Edible Garden project
  • $5,000 to Include Autism to support the expansion of the community-based Social Behavior Therapy Program for Youth with Autism to Rancho Bernardo and Poway
  • $5,000 to Southern California Youth Ballet to expand programs and community outreach initiatives to Rancho Bernardo residents
  • $4,200 to Write Out Loud to support 30 youth and senior programs in Rancho Bernardo
  • $4,000 to ElderHelp of San Diego to support the HomeShare and Seniors A Go Go projects
  • $4,000 to Rancho Bernardo Senior Services Center to support operational expenses
  • $3,500 to Rancho Bernardo High School to support the Silver Spur student newspaper
  • $3,500 to Rancho Bernardo High School Parent Teacher Student Association to support Grad Nite and resurfacing of campus tennis courts
  • $3,000 to Rancho Bernardo Historical Society to support a website upgrade
  • $3,000 to The Continuing Education Center at Rancho Bernardo to support advertising to targeted communities
  • $2,500 to Poway Center for the Performing Arts Foundation to support the Arts in Education Initiative that serves K-12 students in Rancho Bernardo
  • $2,500 to Turtleback Education Foundation to support the installation of a digital marquee to increase community engagement
  • $1,500 to Burn Institute to support fire safety programming and the installation of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in senior homes in Rancho Bernardo
  • $1,500 to Rancho Bernardo High School Friends of the Library to support operational expenses
  • $1,500 to Rancho Bernardo Veterans Memorial Association Fund to support maintenance and upkeep of the veterans memorial at Webb Park
  • $1,000 to 4Community Solutions to support the Rancho Bernardo Neighborhood Watch technology upgrade initiative
  • $1,000 to 4Community Solutions to support 10 home safety workshops hosted by the RB Fire Safe Council
  • $1,000 to 4Community Solutions to provide scholarship opportunities for Rancho Bernardo girls who want to take part in Girls Golf programming
  • $1,000 to Ed Brown Senior Center at Rancho Bernardo to support a handicap fitness program for older adults
  • $1,000 to Friends of the Rancho Bernardo Library to support 10 chamber music concerts hosted by the library
  • $1,000 to Spirit of the Fourth, Inc. to support the Community Fair Entertainment Program
  • $500 to 4Community Solutions to support RB United’s Community Preparedness & Recovery Project
  • $500 to 4Community Solutions to support the Rancho Bernardo Hall of Fame annual recognition event

Learn More About Grantees

2015 – 2016

The Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation granted $70,578 to Rancho Bernardo nonprofits and schools at the 26th Annual Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation Thanksgiving Luncheon.

  • $8,978 to Continuing Education Center for equipment and marketing
  • $7,500 to Turtleback Education Foundation for equipment for new learning programs
  • $7,500 to Highland Ranch Educational Foundation for laptops for learning system
  • $5,200 to Rancho Bernardo High School Healthy Connections for programs office expansion
  • $5,000 to Burn Institute for educational materials and fire safety
  • $5,000 to Youth Philharmonic Orchestra for free music lessons
  • $4,500 to ElderHelp of San Diego for service expansion
  • $4,400 to Rancho Bernardo High School Speech & Debate for professional coaching assistance
  • $4,000 to Write Out Loud for program delivery of story-box theater
  • $3,500 to Rancho Bernardo High School PTSA for support of annual event Grad Nite
  • $3,000 to Rancho Bernardo High School Silver Spur for updated equipment for student newspaper
  • $3,000 to Rancho Bernardo United for archery development program
  • $2,500 to Friends of Rancho Bernardo Library to support Chamber Concerts and Success via Media program
  • $1,500 to Rancho Bernardo Senior Services for operations support
  • $1,000 to Silver Age Yoga for free senior yoga sessions
  • $1,000 to Rancho Bernardo Fire Safe Council for preparedness efforts
  • $1,000 to Rancho Bernardo Veterans Memorial Association for maintenance and improvements
  • $1,000 to Ed Brown Senior Center for a weekly arthritis class program
  • $1,000 to Spirit of the Fourth to support Patriotic Community Concert

Learn More About Grantees

Contact Us

For more information or to join today, contact Trudy Armstrong, Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation Director, at trudy@sdfoundation.org or 619-764-8602.

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