Dear Friends,

Giving money wisely is not as easy as one might think. The Fresno State Humanics department is teaching our future funders, philanthropists, and board members how to do just that. Through the Fund for the Common Good, Fresno Regional Foundation Board members support this effort by providing the students real dollars to meet real needs in our community.

As part of a semester-long Philanthropy and Grantmaking class, 30 students received direct experience in the grantmaking process, encouraging community involvement and fostering leadership in philanthropy. In the end, their diligence culminated as they awarded $24,000 to three deserving local CBOs: Fresno Arts Council, GRID Alternatives, and the Good Neighbor Center.

Last Monday, I attended their Students4Giving Community Grant Awards presentation by the Humanics Department at Fresno State. As a stakeholder in this community, I was amazed and encouraged by the passion combined with intelligence of these young Humanics Scholars. I knew I was looking at the next generation of community leaders and change-makers.

Dear Friends,

As has become the norm for the Fresno Regional Foundation, we began 2014 from a point of strength and stability. And we have some exciting news.

Three new members joined the Board of Directors this year. With this fairly new group of Board members and my impending retirement, this year offers a time for reflection, transition, and growth for our Foundation.

Much to their credit, this enthusiastic Board has the wisdom to call on outside professionals to help guide the organization through this period of transition. First, they have contracted with a professional executive search firm from the Bay Area to assist them with the recruitment of the next CEO. Next, they engaged a nationally recognized philanthropic consultant to lead them through a strategic planning retreat. And finally, they have brought in a prominent expert in multicultural sensitivity to advise and assist us in our relationships with the entire community we serve.
As the year continues, please be assured that the Staff and Board are deeply committed to improving lives in the San Joaquin Valley through philanthropy. However, we can’t do it without you. Thank you for your continued support. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please feel free to contact us.

Dear Friends,

I am proud to share with you that Sandra Flores, our Senior Program Officer, has been selected for the Class of 2014 California Issues & Trends Program (CIT) through Leadership California. This is a prestigious, year-long program for 60 women leaders from across the state, including executives from Chevron, E&J Gallo, Apple Inc., and Facebook.

CIT provides focused educational programming for women leaders, exposing them to critical public and private sector issues and enhancing their knowledge on California. It connects women leaders from across the state with each other and with top decision-makers, thought leaders, and practitioners.

Sandra has been with us since 2007. She oversees competitive grantmaking programs and leads the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative. 

Dear Friends,

Last week, I had the privilege of attending the 86th Annual Statewide Future Farmers of America Conference in downtown Fresno. Some FRF donors, through donor advised funds, and maybe some of you, support this organization. But until seeing firsthand, I didn’t realize the impact they were having on our youth.

There are over 75,000 high school students enrolled in 311 Chapters throughout California. Much of their focus is on Ag education. But more importantly, their goal is leadership development.

The conference was the culmination of year-long student achievements in career-development, public speaking, and governance. Over 5,000 students participated. The Fresno conference consisted of workshops and five general sessions. What was most surprising and inspirational was that all the keynote speakers were FFA members in their teens!

The more I learned about FFA the more impressed I was. One final observation -- while spending most of the day among all these young people, I hardly saw any of them on a cell phone!

Dear Friends,

We serve a dynamic and multicultural population, and the changing demographics and new technologies have dramatically influenced how people can experience art. And our funding goals reflect our eagerness to support cutting edge efforts.

Our 2014 grantmaking will offer new and traditional art groups the opportunity to explore this new arts landscape and engage new audiences in surprising ways. For example, one funded project, Mobile Murals, will ask the public to join in creating murals that reflect their community.

Come experience for yourself some of these arts programs that challenge the ways we engage in the arts. With catering from Elbow Room, you can eat, drink and meet the masterminds behind 12 unique programs like Youth Orchestras of Fresno, Creative Fresno, Kings Regional Traditional Folk Arts, and more!

We are celebrating our 2014 Arts and Culture grantees on Thursday, April 24 at 5:15 p.m. in the first floor lobby and fountain plaza of our building.

Dear Friends,

For the past three years, we have been working with two outstanding organizations, the San Joaquin Planned Gifts Council and the Association of Fundraising Professionals – California Valley Chapter, to provide a symposium on the best practices in charitable giving. We’ve had great speakers and wonderful networking opportunities for local Estate Planners, CPAs, Attorneys, Development Staff, and Financial Advisors.

This year’s symposium is “The Valley's Changing Landscape”. The speakers include Dr. Antonio Avalos, Economist from Fresno State, who will cover current and future economic structures and Tim Boone, Esq. from Crescendo Interactive. Tim will present case studies of planned gift options using agricultural assets. Lastly, a legislative update on charitable deductions and proposed tax changes.

This half-day event will be on May 6th from 8:00am – 1:30pm at Fort Washington Country Club, breakfast and lunch provided. The cost for members of either of the two professional organizations is $40 and $50 for non-members. For more information and to register click here. 

Dear Friends,

Because of a generous anonymous donor, the Fresno Regional Foundation has established the “Central Valley Drought Relief Fund”. The catalyst of this was a coalition of local individuals and organizations who recognize the magnitude of this crisis and want to help. Already, Granville Homes has pledged $500,000 for the fund.

A five-person Advisory Committee, made up of a judge, an accountant, a banker, a farmer, and a community representative, will consider grants focused on food, housing, utilities, employment, and other essential human services. We know there are families and communities being severely hurt by the drought, and this Fund is another example of our community coming together to help each other. 

Recently, the FRF staff attended the 15^th anniversary celebration of Reading and Beyond.  I heard from all who attended how inspired they were by the words of the guest speaker, Geoffrey Canada. Geoffrey is the founder and director of the Harlem Children’s Zone in New York. He is nationally recognized for his pioneering work helping children and families in Harlem and for his advocating for national education reform.   

One of the strongest messages that Geoffrey sent was that education is the only plan for children in poverty.  They have no plan B.

This confirms that the Fresno Regional Foundation’s focus on success by the third grade is exactly where we need to be. The High Impact Grantmaking focuses on this very issue and will continue to support organizations that are improving the lives of our young people through early education.

We want to continue focusing on the most pressing social issues in the San Joaquin Valley. For this reason we have The FUND for the San Joaquin Valley to deeply and permanently benefit our community, now, and forever. If you would like to support The FUND or would like more information about how you can invest in the lives of our children, give me a call.

Dear Friends,

At last week’s Leave a Legacy luncheon Bob Price, CPA provided a workshop on EstateTax Planning. Bob talked about many of the new IRS laws enacted in 2013.

Bob emphasized that because of these changes many households can reduce taxable income through the use of Charitable Remainder Trusts and Charitable Gift Annuities. The Fresno Regional Foundation offers both and our staff can help you or your client set one up very easily. 

Dear Friends,

London, Romania, Australia, New Zealand, Los Angeles and now the Central Valley! Next Saturday, March 15th the play “Janka” will be performed in Selma. This critically acclaimed show is the compelling and redemptive account of the life of Janka Festinger, a woman who survived the Nazi Holocaust, married an American soldier, and immigrated to the United States to live the American Dream.  A heart felt, one woman performance by Janice Noga.  Janice and her husband, Oscar Speace, who wrote the play, both call the San Joaquin Valley home.

I have seen the play.  It is extremely powerful and I promise you, you will be touched by the performance.  It has traveled the world and, for one night only, you can see it in the new, beautiful Selma Arts Theater.

The Fresno Regional Foundation is sponsoring the performance in honor of Dewey Slater, our past Chair, who passed away unexpectedly last year.

Please click here for ticket information.  I hope to see you there for what will be a memorable evening.