Ways To Give


Discover how your generosity can support ongoing progress in Santa Cruz County.

Partner with Us

We’re honored to be your partner in effective giving. We’ve been a bridge between the giving community and local nonprofits since 1982 and together with donors, have helped organizations across Santa Cruz County truly make a difference. Whatever issue is close to your heart, count on us to support your generosity in whatever ways work best for you. Additionally, our expert team can help you set up a Donor-Advised Fund or use other charitable tools so you can support the causes you care about.

A Fund for Every Cause

You can also give directly to an existing fund. We use our 40 years of philanthropic expertise, extensive knowledge of the nonprofit community, and experience advancing solutions to local issues in our grantmaking decisions.

FEATURED FUND

Greatest Needs Fund

The Greatest Needs Fund addresses a broad range of critical and emerging needs in health and human services, economic and community development, education, the arts, and the environment. Grants support trusted nonprofits working to address pressing local issues.

Housing Assistance Fund

The Housing Assistance Fund offers a flexible source of funding to help eligible Santa Cruz County residents and families obtain and maintain long-term stable housing. The funds allow for maximum flexibility tailored to the unique needs of each household experiencing a housing crisis. Administered in partnership with Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County Santa Cruz County’s Housing for Health Division.

Rise Together Fund for Racial Equity

The Rise Together Fund for Racial Equity provides grants to advance racial equity in Santa Cruz County. Since 2020, the Fund has fueled an intercultural coalition of local Leaders of Color and a team from the Community Foundation in our collective effort to advance racial equity in Santa Cruz County.

Friends of the Foundation Fund

This fund sustains our work in helping nonprofits effectively achieve their missions, supporting generous community members in their personal giving, and enabling us to serve as a hub for philanthropy building a Santa Cruz County where people can thrive now and in the future.

Santa Cruz County Scholarship Endowment

The Santa Cruz County Scholarship Endowment is a community scholarship fund that exists to benefit students of our region forever. It gives the option for you, your business, family, or friends to support the dreams for higher education for local students.

Santa Cruz County Disaster Fund

The Santa Cruz County Disaster Fund is dedicated to supporting residents impacted by floods, wildfires, earthquakes and other local disasters. Funds raised will be issued as grants to support trusted local nonprofit organizations working on the front lines of disaster recovery.

Equal Access Santa Cruz County

The Equal Access Santa Cruz County Fund has a simple goal: bridge the digital divide and bring true high-speed broadband to every family in the Santa Cruz community, regardless of income level.

Santa Cruz County Climate Action Endowment

An endowed fund to ensure perpetual support to a wide range of climate-related concerns and climate-change-affected areas of our community.

Fund for Women and Girls

An endowed fund to ensure that women and girls have resources and opportunities to thrive. When a woman thrives, a family thrives. When a family thrives, a community thrives.

Let’s Chat

We take your generosity personally.

Hilary Bryant, our Donor Services Director, is happy to help you determine how best to transform your compassion and contributions into benefits for Santa Cruz County that are meaningful to you.

Or call her at 831.662.2065