Pasadena Community Foundation Marks Increasingly Important Role of Community Foundations This Week

The Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF) said it is joining the nationwide celebration for Community Foundation Week taking place through Thursday that recognizes the increasingly important role community foundations play in strengthening localities and helping residents thrive.

As one of the fastest-growing forms of philanthropy, community foundations are independent, public entities that steward philanthropic resources from institutional and individual donors to local nonprofits. Their collaborative approach in working with the public, private, and nonprofit sectors addresses community problems and finds solutions for communities large and small, urban and rural.

Here in Pasadena, PCF’s substantial grantmaking program supports local nonprofit agencies in addressing social issues like homelessness and food insecurity, uplifting the arts and students, invigorating environmental and racial equity initiatives, and fostering community and economic development.

“The work of community foundations reaches beyond the practice of giving – it also touches the lives of individuals. There is a tangible, positive impact for individuals and communities as a result of community foundations nationwide,” says Jennifer DeVoll, PCF

President and CEO. “National Community Foundation Week gives us an opportunity to applaud the partnerships and ongoing work that it takes to build, nurture, and expand a healthy community.”

PCF’s impact in the greater Pasadena area is notable.

By the end of 2021, PCF will have awarded $2.7 million in grants to more than 100 local nonprofit organizations. This year, PCF has continued to take a lead role in pandemic relief while also maintaining its core grant programs, the organization said in a statement.

PCF said in a statement it is particularly proud of its partnership with the City of Pasadena with two pandemic relief projects: the citywide effort to distribute vaccines equitably and efficiently, and Micro-Business Grant Program, which ultimately assisted 59 locally- and minority-owned businesses keep their doors open.

Founded in 1953, Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF) is a tax-exempt public charity created by and for the people of Pasadena that manages nearly $130 million in charitable Assets.

PCF works with individuals, families, and organizations to establish philanthropic funds, create, and build endowment funds, and distribute charitable gifts to nonprofit organizations. https://pasadenacf.org/