As I reflect on the last 12 months, I see a year of many changes and challenges coupled with significant accomplishments and activities. No one would have imagined how the pandemic and economic recession would affect our local communities, the Foundation, or our work. I believe we matured as an engaged local funder and...
Since the pandemic began, there's been lots of speculation about how our economy - and communities - will emerge from it. Economists describe the various 'recovery curves' that have existed for some time. As we move from pandemic relief efforts to rebuilding, a new curve has entered into this economic lexicon that we should...
When I began my relationship with LACF as a board member, I was excited by the Foundation’s willingness to support emerging nonprofits through fiscal sponsorships. Fiscal sponsorships – where a supporting organization like LACF will accept donations on behalf of a project or entity that does not qualify for tax-exemption on its own –...
A Conversation on Risk, Trust, and Equity in Philanthropy A few months ago, I had the privilege of hosting a conversation among a group of outstanding nonprofit leaders about the intersectionality of risk, trust, and equity in philanthropy. The philanthropic sector this year has made tremendous strides in responding to community needs, reducing...
Over the past months of this pandemic, I’ve witnessed and participated in emerging collaborations between funders – both institutions and local families with significant means – to tackle issues such as mental health, equity, and homelessness (more on that moving forward). Sustained collaborations between organizations remain challenging, but a willingness to minimize bureaucracy and...
So much of what philanthropy has done over the past few months in response to the COVID-19 pandemic was long overdue (also long overdue but perhaps not as clearly seen yet is the sector’s response to address inequities and structural racism – that’s a subject for a future post). In a matter of a...
Words have often escaped me over the past week. I have seethed in anger and cried silently. I have watched the anguish of people in communities across the US and the world. I have read essays, opinion columns, and social media posts. I have learned from the words written and spoken by friends and...
LACF 2020 Nonprofit Relief Fund In my previous note on LACF’s 2020 Nonprofit Relief Fund, I reported that we had met our round one goal of distributing $100,000 to eight local nonprofits on the front lines of our local communities’ response to the coronavirus pandemic. Round 2 of LACF’s 2020 Nonprofit Relief Fund Grants...
A Bit of Good News in Uncertain Times It’s hard to believe that it’s been four weeks since my team and I suspended our ‘normal’ work and shifted into responding to the emerging local crisis brought on by the coronavirus. Within a few days, we: Reached out to several nonprofits already responding to and...
LACF 2020 Nonprofit Relief Fund The daily onslaught of coronavirus news continues unabated. And the impact will undoubtedly resonate for months. Los Altos Community Foundation (LACF) is now learning nonprofit organizations and services that have been impacted by the outbreak. They need new support now, and we anticipate additional needs in the future....
