Fresno Regional Foundation

Cohorts

The James Irvine Foundation

The James Irvine Foundation, a private foundation with assets of $1.8 billion, has been a longtime partner for the Fresno Regional Foundation, most recently investing more than $1 million to strengthen the community foundation to serve the San Joaquin Valley region more effectively.

The Fresno Regional Foundation is one of nine small community foundations across the state which received substantial Irvine grants to support their operations and growth as part of Irvine’s Community Foundations Initiative II. The Fresno Regional Foundation received a nearly $600,000 grant in 2005, and was awarded another three-year $600,000 grant in June 2008 as part of the second phase of the initiative.

With Irvine support for core operations, capacity building and regranting, the Fresno Regional Foundation has focused on growing its assets, enhancing its visibility and reputation in the community, and building a high-quality grantmaking program. Some of the results:

• Assets have more than doubled in the last three years
• The community foundation has grown at an annual rate of 37% (compared to 14% for similar US community foundations)
• Grants awarded to local organizations have increased 4% to $4.1 million in 2007
• Nearly 90% of grants were awarded to organizations in the San Joaquin Valley

“We have been pleased to support the “rebirth” of the Fresno Regional Foundation,” said Anne Vally, Special Initiatives Officer at the Irvine Foundation. “The community foundation has demonstrated a remarkable commitment and ability to build new resources for the San Joaquin Valley.”

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