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
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.
Santa Cruz County Endowment Fund
The Santa Cruz County Endowment serves our county’s most critical needs as they emerge, in perpetuity. In this way, we can together do the most good, in the most efficient and effective ways, to create positive community impact forever.
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.
Foundation Forever Endowment Fund
The Foundation Forever Endowment was established to ensure the ongoing legacy of the work of the Foundation itself. This fund allows us to continue to support effective local nonprofits and individual donors alike in achieving their missions and their personal charitable giving goals. Giving to the Foundation Forever Endowment secures our role as the nexus of philanthropy within Santa Cruz County forever.
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.
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.
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.