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Here for Good

What is a Community Foundation?

A community foundation is a nonprofit organization that brings together the financial resources of families, individuals, and organizations who care about a specific place and then invests those resources back into the community and the people who live there.

Gayle Ortiz, donor, with teens from Salud y Monarca, a Live Oak based girls empowerment program. “There is no one else in Santa Cruz County that does what the Foundation does—caring for our community today while ensuring we can care for it in the future. The trust the Foundation has built over 40 years makes me feel very confident in how they operate.”

What does Community Foundation Santa Cruz County do?

We provide:

Philanthropic Advising

  • Expert and personalized service to donors and their advisors about tax-wise charitable giving tools to achieve their charitable goals.
  • Over 40 years of trusted knowledge of local nonprofits to help donors align their passions to meet our county’s needs.

Support for Local Nonprofits

Community Leadership

  • We convene conversations on urgent community needs to inspire collective action around key local issues and rally resources in moments of crisis and opportunity.

Creating Lasting Impact

  • Build endowments to provide permanent resources for our community
  • Invest in the next generation by awarding scholarships and fellowships to local students and artists.

So we can:

  • Give and rally timely, flexible resources
  • Generate wise and durable solutions to our community’s most pressing problems
  • Respond to crises together
  • Build trust across differences

Together, we are building a Santa Cruz County that is just, equitable and resilient—a place where all people can thrive, now and in the future.

Support the work behind the impact

Give to the Friends of the Foundation Fund