Newsletter of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation Winter 2013

Setting the Stage for the Next 30 Years Foundation Celebrates 30 Years, $100 Million in Grants, Immeasurable Impact

n September 18th, nearly 300 Ofundholders, nonprofit leaders and community luminaries gathered at the Crocker Art Museum to celebrate the Foundation’s anniversary. It was almost 30 years ago to the day that the Crocker hosted the reception where our first president, Leonard Friedman, announced the formation of the “Sacramento Regional Foundation” to “provide financial support for organizations that address the cultural, civic, health, education, environmental Former Sacramento Mayor and Founding Board Member, Burnett Miller; Former Sacramento Mayor and welfare needs of the community.” and Fundholder, Anne Rudin; Founding Board Member, Herbert Rodebaugh; Lynn Rodebaugh Our formation was made possible by a visionary group of women from the into a reality and three decades later, “ For the Junior League, this was a Junior League who recognized that ours we salute their contribution. dream 30 years ago, and now it’s a was the only sizeable community in the The 30th anniversary Celebration reality – a magnificent reality.” state without a community foundation of Generosity was also a chance to – Merrily Wong, founding board member to build philanthropic resources. At the celebrate the value of partnerships. As urging of the James Irvine Foundation, our Platinum Sponsor, Sacramento Bee they worked hard to turn their vision publisher and president Cheryl Dell noted that the McClatchy family has been an instrumental part of the continued on back page

“ When people ask –‘What are some of the things you’ve done that really make a difference?’– the Foundation is certainly very high up on my list. I’ve done lots of things I’ve loved. I’ve enjoyed this community more than I can say, but this was really special.” Carolyn Reid, Jan Stohr and Merrily Wong, among those honored for leading the Junior – Muriel Johnson, former board member Sacramento Bee Publisher & President, Cheryl Dell League’s effort to establish the Foundation

955 University Avenue, Suite A, Sacramento, California 95825 Tel 916.921.7723 • Fax 916.921.7725 • www.sacregcf.org Newsletter Winter 2013 Page 2

2013: Another Year of Creating Impact

Setting the Stage for The Foundation Welcomes Homelessness Prevention the Following New Funds During the past year, the Foundation has continued to A Blessing to Others Fund support our region’s homelessness service providers in Alex Kelter and Mary Ann Misenhimer their transition towards “Housing First.” This philosophy is Fund for Healing grounded in national data which demonstrates that placing American River Natural History Association Endowment homeless people in a home first – before anything else is Arts Day of Giving Fund addressed – is the most effective and cost-efficient means B Street Theatre Endowment Fund of reducing homelessness. Once stabilized in permanent, Dennis and Nancy Marks Expendable Fund supportive housing, formerly homeless families and Eugene and Thora Chin Scholarship Fund individuals are more able to become stabilized in a home GivingEdge Fund environment by having access to “wraparound” services Harry J. and Liesa G. Voth Fund that offer a link to health care or job training, for example. Lawrence and Judith Sheingold Fund Leff-Davis Fund for Visual Artists Housing First – By the Numbers* Lionakis Foundation Endowment March 4th Impact Fund to End Hunger Strategy Rate of return to homelessness Cost of Service per household Nancy & Hank Fisher Family Fund Individual Family Individual Family Parvin Family Endowment Fund Peter H. Shattuck Scholarship Housing First 13% 2 % $6313 $5369 Endowment Fund Temporary Shelter 31% 11% $8132 $8357 Rebuilding Together Sacramento Endowment Fund *Program Evaluator Study of Homeless Programs, 2012, MKS Consulting The Ruzich Family Fund In order to be eligible for $15 million in federal support next year, local homeless Team LIVESTRONG Challenge service providers must demonstrate progress in the area of Housing First. A vital Community Fund element in reaching that goal is offering a “Single Point of Entry” in order to Yolo Community Foundation coordinate access to the system of care. The current system is disjointed, making Cache Creek Conservancy Reserve Fund it difficult for homeless people and service providers to connect efficiently. Cache Creek Nature Preserve Recognizing this as a key leverage point, the Foundation has made a strategic Endowment Fund investment in launching an implementation plan for a coordinated entry system Davis Recreation & Community Services Program Fund in 2014. The Foundation continues to look “upstream” in all of its impact work, and the progress made in homelessness prevention thus far can be seen in the collaboration among homeless providers towards solving coordinated entry and reallocating resources to create a better system of care. More importantly, progress has been shown in human terms by the 17% reduction in chronic homelessness since 2007 – demonstrating that the Foundation's work together with our partners is making a difference in one of our community's most intractable problems.

Homelessness – By the Numbers (Sacramento County)*

Number of homeless 2,538 – statistically unchanged people on any given day since 2007

Unsheltered Homeless (those living in 786 people – a 22% reduction places not meant for human habitation) since 2007

Chronic Homelessness 17% – down from a high of almost 30% (as a percent of all homeless people) in 2007 due to the creation of new, permanent supportive housing units

*Sacramento Homeless Count 2013 – County and Survey Report, July 2013, Focus Strategies Newsletter Winter 2013 Page 3

Setting the Stage for a More Generous Region GiveLocalNow Movement Continues to Grow

The GivingEdge Makes Local Giving More Effective Since its inception, the Foundation gifts count – no matter how small or has devoted significant resources and from how far. Over 65% of gifts were Together with our funding partners, time to GiveLocalNow. The goal of this between $25 and $50, and gifts came the Foundation is building an exciting unique community project is to create a from every county in our region, 33 resource for donors, funders and more charitable region by encouraging states and 4 other countries. nonprofits: theGivingEdge is the region’s more people to give more – and give With results like these, we are new “philanthropic search engine.” locally – in the belief that our region can excited to announce the region’s BIG This unique searchable database offers eventually reach national averages for Day of Giving on May 6th, 2014. On that a platform for nonprofits to create giving if we just provide the means and day, nonprofits across all sectors will portals that include information on the inspiration. participate, and our community will join their programs, governance, financial Both the means and the inspiration hundreds across the nation to give in management, community impact, and came together last April 29th, when honor of the centennial of the founding much more. GiveLocalNow’s first-ever, online Arts of the first community foundation in The GivingEdge played an important Day of Giving raised over $525,000 for Cleveland, Ohio. While the goals for role in the Arts Day of Giving as a 78 arts groups from over 2,500 donors, May 6th are bold, we know that this vibrant source of information about exceeding expectations and inspiring region will answer the call, and we look participating arts groups. Nonprofits the Foundation to continue efforts to forward to celebrating another step participating in the 2014 BIG Day make charitable giving accessible to all. forward in proving that generosity has of Giving will be required to have a On that day, our region proved that all taken flight in our region. GivingEdge portrait. May 6, 2014 BIG Day of Giving GivingEdge Partners May 6, 2014 BIG Day of Giving: will be brought to you by: Bank of America Goals for the Region GiveLocalNow Placer Community Foundation Total donations $1M Nonprofit Resource Center RCA Community Fund Placer Community Foundation Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Total donors 5,000 Sacramento Metropolitan Art Commission Percent of gifts from 30% Commission Sacramento Region Community new donors Sacramento Region Community Foundation Foundation Sierra Health Foundation Nonprofits participating 400 Yolo Community Foundation Teichert Foundation

Growing Generosity Among the Region’s Youth: Grants Advisory Board for Youth The Foundation continues to invest in the next generation of philanthropists by funding the Grants Advisory Board for Youth (GABY) program. For more than a decade, GABY has been supporting local youth by developing their knowledge of philanthropy, skills for serving their community through service learning, and resources for implementing youth-led projects. Since its founding, GABY has granted over $467,000 to more than 240 such projects and trained 145 youth leaders in philanthropy. Newsletter Winter 2013 Page 4

Setting the Stage for Education To Flourish

The Foundation continues to seek out innovative but proven ways of improving graduation rates for our students. We have renewed our support for CityYear, now in its second year of working to improve the 3 factors that have been determined by education researchers to affect high school graduation rates: chronic absenteeism, disruptive behavior, and poor performance in math and English. When these patterns are identified and changed before students enter high school, the odds that they will graduate are vastly improved. Over a four-year period, an astounding 1 in 5 students in Sacramento County will drop out of high school, which is higher than the state average. To combat this lifelong City Year’s Performance in 5 Priority Schools – By the Numbers economic and social disadvantage, CityYear has deployed 50 trained Foundation’s investment $100k/year for 3 years, Americorps volunteers to address these renewable annually based very issues and assist 5 priority schools on achievement of goals in Sacramento Unified School District, Average daily attendance rate maintained 95% serving over 2,100 students. On a new front, the Foundation Reduction in rate of expulsions & referrals 30% has recently launched the Reading 3.0 Initiative in partnership with the RCA Number of schools reaching significant improvement 4 out of 5 Community Fund, a donor advised fund, in Academic Performance Index scores with a focus on achieving reading proficiency by the 3rd grade. This development for teachers, and students from any secondary school partnership reflects the Foundation’s incorporate an evaluation component. and attending any institution of desire to increase the impact of our Another facet of the Foundation’s higher learning. While they draw direct investments by joining with our support for education is our scholarship students from the Sacramento area, fundholders to make significant grants program. This year, the Foundation also California and beyond, the majority to worthy programs and foster results- awarded over $500,000 in scholarships of the Foundation’s scholarships have based innovation. Accordingly, Reading to 264 students through 30 different a regional focus. In order to support 3.0 will offer grants of $35,000-$50,000 scholarship funds that we manage on students’ desire to better themselves, over a 3-year period to public schools in behalf of donors who care deeply about no matter the goal, our scholarships Sacramento County that demonstrate the next generation’s access to higher support those attending a range of effective use of technology, make an education. institutions, from vocational schools impact on the “summer slide” before The Foundation is unique in its and community colleges to 4-year school starts, employ professional ability to administer scholarships to universities and graduate programs.

Reading 3.0 Initiative – By the Numbers Foundation Scholarships – By the Numbers Foundation’s investment together with $200,000 over 3 years RCA Community Fund • 264 Scholarships totaling $577,140 in 2013 Program Goals • More than $6.5 million in • Achieve 3rd grade literacy in at least 3 Sacramento County public schools scholarships since 1997 • Demonstrate meeting school-specific and grade-specific reading goals within 3 years of program implementation • The impact of higher education • Highlight the effective application of technology as a critical boost to literacy on one life: immeasurable Newsletter Winter 2013 Page 5

Setting the Stage for a Vibrant Arts Scene A Fond Farewell Now, more than ever, traditional, eparting oard classical arts organizations face D B increasing challenges to their viability. Members Leave While there are many reasons for this trend – the recession, the aging of Their Mark on audiences, and increasing production costs – one of the most far-reaching the Foundation factors is the lack of public school arts education to nurture the next Those who join our board of directors generation of arts lovers and supporters. make a ten-year commitment to In keeping with the Foundation’s serve, and it is usually a commitment focus “upstream” on the root causes made by seasoned community of issues while also addressing more leaders after years of serving on urgent “downstream” needs, the other nonprofit boards. At the end of Foundation has taken a keen interest in this year, we will bid a fond farewell supporting both ends of the spectrum. to six board members who have The Foundation has invested heavily given a decade of their time and in time and financial support in Any expertise to act as ambassadors for Given Child, the Kennedy Center for the the Foundation and work with our Performing Arts program that seeks staff to guide strategic direction. It to ensure access to high quality arts is with gratitude that we say farewell experiences for every child in every K-8 to Dan Cole, Michael Dunlavey, school. In its second year, Any Given Robert Earl, Robert Lorber, Daniel Child brings arts experiences into Parrish and Jeanne Reaves. During the classroom and offers professional their tenure, the Foundation made development in arts education for top: Young violin students preparing backstage for their String Fever Recital experience. significant progress in moving from teachers. While the Friends of the above: Students and teachers from the San Juan an organization mainly focused on Arts Commission has taken over School District participating in the Sacramento growing assets and administering administration of the program in Philharmonic’s String Fever program recital. grants for fundholders, to becoming Sacramento, the Foundation remains a the region’s largest local grantmaker. major investor and partner in the program. to bring classical arts to nontraditional The Foundation also emerged as a While we work to build the next venues and nurture the next generation generation of arts lovers, the Foundation of artists and arts enthusiasts by leader in galvanizing the community also recognizes the value of investing in working with local schools. This new around key areas of need in which we our major arts institutions. An example direction aligns with the Foundation’s could play a unique role by bringing is our support for the recent merger of overall strategy for sustaining local diverse partners together to solve the Sacramento Opera and Sacramento arts – protecting the future by building our region’s problems. Finally, under Philharmonic, now known as the new audiences while ensuring the their leadership, the Foundation Sacramento Region Performing Arts present viability of these organizations weathered the worst financial Alliance. Under new executive director, which add such vitality and creative meltdown in decades, and steadily Rob Tannenbaum, the Alliance plans capital to our region. grew its assets to support more direct grantmaking. We depend on the Advancing Sacramento Arts – By the Numbers leadership of engaged community members, and as we say goodbye to • Foundation’s Investment together with the James and Susan McClatchy Fund: these remarkable leaders, we look $170,500 with hope to the future and welcome • Any Given Child 2012-13 Achievements: the board members who joined us ➤ 750 children received in-class, arts-integrated residencies by working artists in 2013 – Linda Merksamer, Darren ➤ 14 local arts groups provided 83 arts experiences, reaching 22,172 students Morris, William Niemi, Gary Strong ➤ 212 teachers, administrators and arts specialists received professional and Clarence Williams. development through 10 seminars and workshops. Sacramento Region Community Foundation NONPROFIT ORG 955 University Avenue, Suite A U.S. Postage Sacramento, California 95825 PAID Permit No. 2689 Sacramento, CA

Confirmed to be in compliance with the highest standards for U.S. community foundations. continued from page 1 Special Thanks to our Celebration of Generosity Sponsors Foundation’s history. C.K. McClatchy was a member of the founding board, and leaders of Platinum Diamond the McClatchy family and Sacramento Bee have been on the Foundation’s board of directors for 23 of our 30 years – a tradition being carried on by the Bee’s current CFO, Gary Strong. We charting your course appreciate every one of our sponsors for their Gold Silver long-standing support of the Foundation. Bank of America As we celebrated the generosity of our region, Boutin Jones, Inc. we also set the stage for the future. What will our Crowe Horwath region look like 30 years from now? What quality Earl Consulting Co., LLC of life will our children and grandchildren enjoy? Hefner, Stark & Marois, LLP What will the new generation of philanthropists Ose Family Fund care about? These questions will be at the heart PRIDE Industries of the Foundation’s work moving ahead, and we Safe Credit Union look forward to being part of the transformations that will be brought about by the next 30 years Media Sponsor of generosity. KVIE

2013 Board of Directors: Henry Wirz, Chair; Dennis Mangers, Vice-Chair; Donna L. Courville, Treasurer; Carlin Naify, Secretary; Margie Campbell; Dan Cole; Michael Dunlavey; Robert M. Earl; Jane Einhorn; Mario Gutierrez; Cassandra Jennings; Robert L. Lorber; Linda Merksamer; Diane Mizell; Darren Morris; William Niemi; Daniel I. Parrish; Jeanne Reaves; Meg Stallard; Martin Steiner; Gary Strong; Stephen Tse; Clarence Williams

Staff: Linda Beech Cutler, Chief Executive Officer; Jim McCallum, Chief Financial Officer; Priscilla Enriquez, Chief Giving Officer; Shirlee Tully, Chief Marketing & Development Officer; Fran Baxter-Guigli, Donor Services Officer; Shelley Blackburn, Senior Accountant; Tina Bryce, Grants Manager; Winston Hom, Controller; Jeannie Howell, Community Impact Manager; Kelly Lind, Marketing & Development Associate; Luis Sosa, Communications Associate; Seng Vang, Program Associate; Regina Vanzant, Administrative Coordinator