Highlights Newsletter Summer 2007

V E N T U R A C O U N T Y C O M M U N I T Y F O U N D A T I O N

Summer 2007

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I N S I D EFreeze FundRaises $700,000 . . . . . . .4Record $1 Million in Scholarships . . . . . . . .5Heritage Fund Reaches$400,000 Goal . . . . . . .10New State of the Region Report . . . . . . .12

� engagement � educat ion � endowment � grants � scholarsh ips

Twenty years ago, a smallgroup of leading citizens eachpledged to build an institutionthat could transform VenturaCounty by harnessing thepower of charitable capitalwithin the county to sustainour future. As the VenturaCounty Community Founda-tion (VCCF) celebrates its20th anniversary, the results ofthat early commitment areimpressive indeed:

� $29 million in grants to extend donor intent to local nonprofits

� $2,675,000 in scholarships, staking the next generation

� 15 years of long-term investment performance, beating the benchmarks

� $100 million of assets to be harnessed“for good, for ever”

� Effective and respected leadership fromthroughout Ventura County

“VCCF has fulfilled its promise of being aphilanthropic steward for Ventura County,”noted President & CEO Hugh Ralston, whomarks his fourth anniversary this summer aswell. “In all our work – through workingwith donors to establish their legacies, withnonprofits to manage endowments, throughour grantmaking and our efforts to nurtureand train nonprofit board and staff leader-ship, the expansion of civic leadership – wehave honored that commitment by ourfounding board and the partnership witheach donor who has established a fund ormade a contribution.

“Our board is building on thehard work of the past 20 years,and we are looking forward todigging deeper roots into thesoil of this county,” Ralston continued. “It is an enormous privilege to be engaged in thisgood work with so many won-derful and generous people.”

As VCCF celebrates this mile-stone, progress is being made onthe goals set forth in VCCF’smost recent strategic plan, both

in internal goals that strengthen operationsand in expanding the footprint of philan-thropy all across Ventura County. As wemove into our third decade, VCCF offersdonors the ability to create a legacy that willendure forever; to invest in youth throughcollege and technical training scholarships;to strengthen local nonprofits through permanent endowments and program grants;to tackle community priorities throughworking together with other stakeholders tomake a difference; to build community capitalto sustain the work of philanthropy throughVCCF, the Resource Center for NonprofitManagement, and the Ventura County CivicAlliance; to partner with others to leveragedonors’ gifts in areas that matter most tothem; and to simplify charitable giving.

We will be hosting a 20th anniversary partyin August to thank our fundholders for their faith in our partnership and the manywhose contributions have built this uniqueinstitution worthy of the dreams of ourfounders. There’s more good work ahead!

Saluting 2020 years of Service

iIn the months since my mother’s death this pastJanuary, I have been thinking about legacies andhow different they can be. My siblings and I areadjusting to the departure of our last living parent,grappling with changes that every family faces, and looking for touchstones that reflect both theseparation of death and the ways that a life canlinger in the heart.

I have been struck how the work of the CommunityFoundation has resonated in my own family and inthe many families who have chosen to partner withVCCF to extend the legacy of someone important or to mark a passage of someone whose time hasended, sometimes all too early.

Legacies are important, often becoming a frame formeaning and consequence. I have found intriguingthe sometimes disconcerting ways that legaciesemerge in the months after a loved one’s death:

� Using a set of my mother’s favorite china seems oddly comforting, even if it should be on mymother’s table.

� Looking at familiar paintings now hanging in my house revives memories of childhood homes and times long gone.

� Belongings from my grandparents, with a clearchime from the clock, walking on an old carpet,or sitting in a favorite rocking chair bringingback my mother’s parents sharp and clear in my mind.

� A scholarship at her alma mater, fully funded byremnants of a gift annuity, will now open doorsto two students every year to a place she loveddearly, even more as she grew older.

� Establishing a fund to support the flower decorations at our church, extending an annualEaster tradition my grandmother started in 1944as a silent memorial to her son killed in theSouth Pacific.

� Exploring ways that a bequest from my grandparents (a legacyplanned in the 1960s) could honor their lives through VCCF’s Heritage Fund.

� Seeking ways to honor the life of my brother, who struggled with mental illness, through a newVCCF fund to help local nonprofits.

On a more ordinary level, I also find legacies in giftsshared over the years, places we visited together, orcommon interests we shared – books, reading news-papers, even familiar PBS shows. Roses that caughtmy mother’s fancy, or which my grandmother grew,have a special poignance. The presence of absence isboth a constant reminder and a testament to thepowerful influence of a parent.

Of touching impact are the kind memories shared innotes and cards as well as photos from an earliertime (with less gray hair). While these will fade,their force today is a treasured legacy as well.

And yet, in a testimony to a life well lived, the legacies that my mother seeded beyond her family,and those established by those who loved andrespected her, will live on as well, often to brightensomeone who never met her, knew of her strugglesand triumphs, or appreciated her great love of flowers, family and friends.

As we participated this past May in one of myfavorite rituals in the VCCF year, the annual distri-butions of scholarships, I was moved by the speciallegacies established by families, friends, donorsthemselves, and the wider circle of neighbors andcommunities. These legacies are renewed each yearby the investment in students ready to begin theirjourneys, many beyond Ventura County. Over 70scholarship funds have been established at VCCF,


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President’s Letter...Creating a Legacy

continued on page 3

Planned Giving Initiative to Strengthen Local Nonprofits


iIn March, VCCF launched its Planned GivingInitiative (PGI). One of the initiatives of the ResourceCenter for Nonprofit Management in VCCF’sStrategic Plan, it is designed to strengthen localnonprofits’ financial stability and sustainability byexpanding the source of deferred and planned giftsand by engaging donors in customized planned giving to expand nonprofit and charitable work inVentura County.

VCCF recognizes that planned and deferred gifts areabout planning, taking advantage of opportunitiesto maximize value, gifting strategies and long-termimpact. Planned and deferred gifts are also a means toextend a gift to make a difference well into the future.

The goals of the Initiative are specific and includehiring an experienced, dedicated planned-givingofficer to join VCCF to provide service to donorsand local nonprofits. The planned-giving officer willfocus on three main priorities:

� To provide assistance to VCCF donors and/or prospective donors regarding planned and/or deferred giving, including proposals for charitable

gift annuities, working with the Resource Centerto provide an ongoing source of donor and non-profit education about planned-giving strategiesand becoming an additional resource to the allied planned giving professionals in VenturaCounty to help their clients achieve their philanthropic goals.

� To provide a designated group of nonprofits (whowill change on a regular basis) with dedicated advice and service at a severely discounted price, permitting these nonprofits to have access for their staff, board and donors to experienced staffand advice to develop important planned-giving strategies.

� The final priority will be to provide open office hours for donors and nonprofits to seek advice regarding products and services, developing a higher level of information and comfort with theplanned-giving options for area nonprofits.

We expect the new planned giving officer to be onstaff by August 1.

each one a legacy investing in a new generation – alegacy honored by friends and family through theircontributions and thoughtfulness and established inperpetuity at VCCF.

While often a modest substitute, particularly forfamilies who grieve for the loss of a child, a friendgone prematurely or a parent/grandparent whosewisdom and care have been removed from this life,it is one way that legacies live beyond the grave. Itis one way to demonstrate that lives can mean some-thing beyond our own families, and that thosethings we care about most deeply really can – in asmall way – live forever.

In other ways – a familiar flower, a treasured familyheirloom, a cause strengthened and a memory

recalled, the legacy will nourish in ways often personal and private. That is as it should be.

For good, for ever – that is the privilege a communityfoundation can provide for anyone looking toextend a legacy into, and beyond, tomorrow. Let usknow how VCCF can help extend a legacy importantto you and your family. It is an honor to be doingsuch good work together.

Hugh J. RalstonPresident and CEO

President’s Letter...continued from page 2

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tThe Ventura County CommunityFoundation, in partnership with theUnited Way of Ventura County, hasraised more than $700,000 to assistfarmworkers who are struggling withthe after effects of the crop freeze thiswinter. The Freeze Fund is part of theFoundation’s Community Disaster Fund.

The United Way and VCCF each contributed$20,000 to establish the fund. Other contributorsinclude the Irvine Foundation and WeingartFoundation, each donating $75,000. The CaliforniaEndowment donated $262,892. In addition, otherstate-wide foundations working to address the significant needs of farmworkers in Ventura, as well as Monterey, Tulare and Fresno counties, gavecontributions to the joint fund.

Initially, aid from the Fund was distributed as follows:

� 70 percent to rental and utility assistance.

� 30 percent for food and basic needs supplies (such as baby formula, diapers, etc.)

A Freeze Advisory Committee, comprised of non-profit service agencies, governmental agencies,farmworker advocates and agricultural institutions,is meeting regularly to review relief efforts and recommend changes in funding strategies to keepup with changing conditions. For example, moreaid is now being allocated to rental assistancebecause the recent Presidential disaster declarationhas resulted in additional governmental assistancefor food distribution. In addition, our geographicfocus is shifting with the changing work conditions.As many berry- and row-crop workers (largely concentrated in the Oxnard area) return to work,we are shifting aid from the Oxnard area to theSanta Clara Valley region, where citrus and avocadoworkers are expected to be out of work for a longerperiod of time.

As of July 13, grants totaling $507,351have been awarded to the followingorganizations:

St. John’s Health Care Foundation/St. John’s Health Ministries –$38,381 to provide rental and utilityassistance to farmworkers in the La Colonia and Oxnard plains areas.

Catholic Charities – $238,805 to provide rental and utility assistance to farmworkers in El Rio, Port Hueneme, Fillmore, Piru, Rancho Sespe, the Oxnard plains and Moorpark.

Lutheran Social Services – $127,518 to provide rental and utility assistance to farmworkers in theSanta Clara Valley (Santa Paula, Fillmore, Piru, Rancho Sespe).

FOOD Share – $92,647 to purchase and distributefood and basic needs supplies (such as diapers, baby formula, etc.) to Ventura County farmworkers.

Community Action – $5,000 to provide rental andutility assistance to farmworkers in the Oxnardplains region.

Mixteco/Indígena Community OrganizingProject – $2,500 to provide Mixtec translation

assistance at rental/utility assistance service sites, to provide outreach to the Mixteco community andto help identify Mixteco families with urgent freeze-related needs.

Interface Children & Family Services –$2,500 to fund promotoras to do out-reach and data gathering related to the ongoing needs of farmworkers.

Grants will continue to be awarded as existing fundsare received and redistributed.

For more information contact Tina Knight at 805-988-0196, extension 120, or [email protected].

United Way and Ventura County Community Foundation’s Freeze Fund Raises $700,000 to Assist Local Farmworkers

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cRecord $1 Million in Student Scholarships Awarded


Close to 400 scholarships totalingover $1 million were awarded toVentura County students in the2007 VCCF Scholarship Program.Many of the recipients and donorscelebrated at a reception held in May at Buena High School in Ventura.

A record number of applicationswas received to apply for awardsfrom 72 funds that are set up atVCCF by donors, bequests and asmemorials. VCCF scholarship fundsnow total a record $16.2 million.

In addition to the record amount awarded, VCCFreceived 2,402 applications, a 47 percent increasefrom 2006, and a 77 percent increase from 2005.“We know there are more students eligible for ourawards than we have resources, but we continue toexpand the number and dollars available for thisimportant work,” noted Virginia Weber, VCCF’sscholarship officer.

New scholarship funds making awards in 2007include an expansion of the Orfalea ScholarshipAwards to support students studying to becomenurses, CNAs, dental hygienists, physical or occu-pational therapists, counselors, social workers,EMTs, teachers, and early childhood educationmajors. The Orfalea Migrant Education Scholarshipawards were established to support Ventura Countystudents who are the children or dependents ofmigrant or seasonal farmworkers who are enrolledor enrolling full-time in accredited career/technicalinstitutes, community colleges, four-year colleges or graduate school. Twelve students were fundedthrough the Ventura County Medical Education Fund,receiving forgivable loans for nursing students whopromise to practice in Ventura County for two years following completion of their studies.

Making awards for the first timethis year was also the DestinoScholarship Fund with three $2,500awards to Ventura County resi-dents whose essays demonstratedhow their education will assistthem in giving back to thecommunity through promotingeducation, health and wellness,literacy, or other key Destinogoals. Another new fund makingits first award is the David DodgeMemorial Scholarship, for a grad-uating high school senior fromVentura County intending toenroll in a college or university to

study international relations, global studies, and/orinternational cooperation. The William P. ReimanMemorial Scholarship made its first award to a stu-dent demonstrating life-long interest in and concern for agriculture. The Second Century LegacyScholarship made its first award to a graduating high school senior from a Moorpark Unified School District school. The Vivian Klemz MemorialScholarship, started in 2006 as a memorial to themother of VCCF Scholarship Officer VirginiaWeber, gave its first award to an enrolled universitystudent majoring in performing or visual arts.

“We are delighted to partner with so many dedicatedand generous donors, each of whom has made aninvestment in the future of Ventura County students,” noted VCCF President & CEO HughRalston. “We are proud to continue the tradition ofone generation staking the next.”

“We are also enormously grateful to the many volunteers who help VCCF’s dedicated scholarshipteam review applications, ensure technical compli-ance with the donor requirements and make recommendations to the VCCF board,” noted VCCFChair Mary Schwabauer, a longtime volunteer withthe scholarship effort. “We could not have done itwithout them.”

VCCF Chair Mary Schwabauer and 2007 Scholarship Recipient Ryan Hnarakis

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established Destino Scholarship Fund, which willprovide college scholarships to local Latinos with a preference for first generation college students.The following organizations received Destino grantsfor 2007:

El Concilio del Condado de Ventura – $14,500 for the Breakthrough Youth for Success Program, which educates youth about issues such as teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, youth violence, and academic success.

Future Leaders of America – $15,000 for the Latino Youth and FamilyLeadership and Educational Enrichment Program,reaching out to educate families about higher edu-cation, healthy living, and community involvement.

Higgy Foundation – $5,000 to implement a pilot session of the Healthy Family Program in the Fillmore, Piru and RanchoSespe areas.

Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project –

$15,000 to support the Breaking the Silence: HIV/AIDS in the Mixtec Community project, providing HIV/AIDS/STD education, outreach and increasedaccess to services to the Mixtec community.

Parents of Murdered Children –$10,000 to organize the Ventura County GriefConference and to assist local Latino families who have suffered the murder of a child to participate in the 2007 Parents of MurderedChildren National Conference.

Segue Career Guidance Program, Inc. – $10,000 to expand the Segue Program into the Oxnard area, working to empower, inspire andmotivate high school students about future career options.

On April 19, at a reception at The Derby Club atSeaside Park in Ventura hosted by Ovations/FanFareand the Ventura County Fair, Destino: The HispanicLegacy Fund awarded eight grants totaling $87,000to programs serving the county’s Latino community.The grants were awarded to programs that focus on “family strengthening,” the growing obesity epidemic and sexually transmitted diseases as wellas access to higher education, priorities determinedthis year by Destino founders.

In its 11th year, Destino is an endowed grantmak-ing fund that addresses the needs of Latinos inVentura County. A portion of this year’s grantsreflects a $20,000 challenge grant provided byKaiser Permanente with a priority focus on healthcare. This reflects Destino’s ongoing commitment tolocal Latino health care as highlighted in severalgroundbreaking Destino studies focusing on thehealth needs of underserved Latinos in VenturaCounty. Over 35 percent of the 44,049 VenturaCounty residents living with diabetes today areLatino, as are one-third of 1,300 people withHIV/AIDS.

According to the 2000 Census, only about 11 percentof Latinos nationwide now have a college education,while the national average is over 25 percent.Destino has expanded its efforts with the newly

$87,000 Awarded from the Destino Legacy Fund with Focus on Family Strengthening and Access to Higher Education

continued on page 7

“...represents Destino’s ongoing commitment tolocal Latino health care.”

Future Leaders of America accept Destino grant.

lDestino: Raising A Reader Program

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Ventura County AIDS Partnership – $7,500 to leverage matching funds for the VenturaCounty AIDS Partnership’s 2008 Grant Pool,funding HIV/AIDS prevention and education programs in the local community.

Westminster Free Clinic – $10,000 for Nuestra Familia: An Obesity Preventionand Diabetes Management Program, providingLatino parents and children who are overweight,

diabetic and/or at risk for these conditions with avariety of medical and health services.

Since its founding, Destino has given 92 grants total-ing over $648,000, impacting over 39 communityorganizations and 32,000 Latino youth and adults inVentura County.

For more information about Destino grantmaking,please contact Hoa Tran, program officer at VCCF, at805-988-0196, extension 121, or [email protected].

$87,000 Awarded from the Destino Legacy Fund...continued from page 6

lLast year, Destino: The Hispanic Legacy Fund, awardedmulti-year grants to several organizations to implementthe Raising A Reader (RAR) program to strengthenliteracy efforts in the Latino community in VenturaCounty. The grants were awarded as part of Destino’sLatino Literacy Initiative to City Impact (in partner-ship with El Centrito De La Colonia) and OceanView Early Education School.

During the first year of the RAR program, the resultshave been very positive. Seventy-eight percent ofparents in classrooms at the Ocean View EarlyEducation School with a RAR program reportedreading to their child every night, compared to only33 percent of parents in nonparticipating classrooms.

There has been a change in the attitudes and habitsof both parents and children in the community, andthe children who participated are excited aboutreading. Parents commented on the improvement intheir children’s vocabulary and their love of reading.

As a result of the success of the RAR program atOcean View, the school’s Parent Advisory Committeehas provided financial support to replenish materialsfor the program. With increased funding from First5 Ventura County, Ocean View plans to expand RARto six additional preschool classrooms. Destino’s RARprogram was funded by a grant from the Scripps

Howard Foundation, Bank of Montecito and SantaBarbara Bank & Trust.

For more information about grants programs atVCCF, please visit www.vccf.org, or call 805-988-0196.Visit www.raisingareader.org for details about theRaising A Reader Program.

Raising A Reader participants at the graduation ceremony in Oxnard.

tThe Ventura Nursing Legacy Project, a joint effort ofVCCF and CSU Channel Islands, held a communityNursing Summit on Friday, April 20, 2007, to iden-tify priority nursing issues, which have emergedfrom a four-month process facilitated by the university. The process involved nursing leaders,educators, and public and private healthcare repre-sentatives in the county coming together to identifykey barriers and opportunities for the LegacyProject, out of which strategies to engage key stake-holders around potential solutions will be developed.

Delivering a consensus report emerging from thisfirst phase of the project, the PIN (Partners in Nursing)Committee identified the following key issues:

Barriers to Supply

� Insufficient capacity in current education systemto meet demand.

� Recruitment and retention of nursing faculty due to salaries, incentives between service andeducation, as well as teaching loads. Insufficient advanced degree nurses hamper faculty recruitment.

� Full-time nursing students have challenges financing childcare and transportation.

� Academic calendars restrict available clinical student placements and preceptors.

Characteristics of the Nursing Environment

� Risk of work-related physical injuries, workplaceviolence and crime.

� Inadequate incentives, mentorship and trainingprograms to instill leadership, supervision, andmanagement skills for recently promoted staff tobecome effective nursing leaders.

Nursing Legacy Project Holds Summit; Issues Findings

Barriers to Diversity

� Lack of cultural competency and cross-culturalcommunication skills in nursing pipeline poseproblems for local areas to be served.

Barriers to Skill Level

� Lack of programs to facilitate adult learning, technology and cultural proficiency skills to enable mid-career transitions and re-entry.

Key Nursing Practice Issues

� Unrealistic expectations for novices and abbrevi-ated transition to practice creates dissatisfactionand delayed development of competent, confidentpractitioners.

� Mandated nurse ratios have resulted in the dissolution of the CNA role and inadvertentlyshifted this work to RNs.


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the rest of the funds needed, which will be con-tributed to the fund at VCCF. A local company hasgenerously agreed to match funds raised up to$125,000 to build the monument.

“As a former farmworker I agreed wholeheartedlywith Albino Pineda about the need to recognize thehistoric role of farmworkers in Santa Paula andthroughout the region,” said Dr. Aguirre. “The monument will honor them and will also serve as agathering place for residents of the area.”

Community Groups to Build Farmworker Monument in Santa Paula

Emerging Nursing Leadership/Succession Planning

� Lack of mentoring and management skills programs for newly appointed managers hampersdevelopment and retention of the next generation of nurse leaders.

Characteristics of Nurses

� Interpersonal Traits Issues – Differences in com-munication styles between generations and cultures affect healthcare teams, patient care, family, and physician collaboration and respect.

Close to 70 participants from the fields of nursingeducation, nursing practice, healthcare institutions,government agencies, representatives of elected

officials, funding agencies, and the educational sys-tem attended the Summit held on the CSUCI campus.

The Summit also discussed and developed a numberof strategies that might combat these structural andworkforce issues, which will be highlighted in aseries of reports and convenings later this year, to be facilitated by VCCF and CSUCI and otherstakeholders. Developing strategies that engage keystakeholders and aligning them with funding strategies is a key component of this two-year program, one of ten in the U.S. funded by the RobertWoods Johnson Foundation in collaboration withthe Northwest Health Foundation.

For more information or a copy of the full consensusreport, contact Tina Knight at 805-988-0196, extension 120, or [email protected].

Nursing Summit...continued from page 8

sSanta Paula resident and former farmworker AlbinoPineda approached the Latino Town Hall and thecity of Santa Paula with a proposal for a monumentto local farmworkers, and to honor them for theintegral role they play in the region. A fund at VCCFhas been established to receive contributions.

The city of Santa Paula formed an ad hoc committeeto plan for the monument. Members of the commit-tee are City Council members Dr. Gabino Aguirreand John Procter, Planning Commissioner JohnTuturro, Albino Pineda and Bob Borrego.

John Tuturro developed a design for the monument,and Norman Kirk provided the watercolor rendering.The committee is currently finalizing plans for thesite for the monument.

The budget for the monument project is $250,000.The Irvine Foundation has donated $58,000; andthe committee is working with local donors to raise

Drawing of proposed memorial.

For more information, contact Dr. Gabino Aguirre (805-701-3423; [email protected]) or Albino Pineda (805-298-3105; [email protected]). Contributions can be made to VCCF directly.

residents of the county today. The project will becompleted in time for the Tailgate Celebrationplanned for this fall.

For contributions to the Heritage Fund or moreinformation on how you can establish a namedfund, please contact Donor Relations at 805-988-0196,extension 115.

Named Funds/Heritage Fund as of June 30, 2007

James Blackstock Family

Briggs-Crane-Hardison Fund

Leonard and Nina Butler Heritage Fund

Chase Brothers Dairy Fund

Bambi McCormick Clark and Jim Clark Fund

Laurence W. and Margaret L. Fowler Fund

Bud and Sally Hartman Heritage Fund

Elise and Bill Kearney Family Heritage Fund

Leavens Ranch Heritage Fund

Limoneira Company Fund

Mahan Heritage Fund

John and Elizabeth McGrath Fund

Carolyn and John Menne Heritage Fund

Carolyn and John Menne Family Fund

Harold and Paquita Parker Memorial Heritage Fund

Thomas P. and Karen Pecht Fund

Martin V. and Martha K. Smith Foundation Fund

Berenice and Dave Strathearn Fund

Raymond and Betty Swift Fund

Barney Wilkerson Memorial Fund

What is a named fund? A contribution or pledge of $10,000 to an already-established VCCF fund, which will be acknowledged in perpetuity as a contri-bution to that fund’s endowment.

Heritage Fund Reaches $400,000 Goal


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vVCCF is pleased to announce that the Heritage Fundhas passed its $400,000 endowment goal, and willbe providing its first grant in six years. “We aredelighted that donors have helped reach this thresh-old,” stated Vision Committee Chair and VCCFBoard Chair Mary Schwabauer. “It is an importantstep forward in preserving the unique cultural her-itage and assets of our county.” The goal was met byseveral contributions establishing named fundswithin the last six months.

The Heritage Fund was launched by donors in 1999as an expansion of VCCF grantmaking to providesupport for local historical societies and museumsto capture the history of Ventura County. After raising its first cycle of contribution funds, grantswere made to local institutions providing for pre-serving historical records and creating a curriculumfor local fourth graders.

Local leaders have served on the Vision Committee,with current members including Glywn Chase, JimClark, John Lamb, and Mary Schwabauer. To celebrate this milestone, the Vision Committee hasagreed to allocate earnings generated over the pastseveral years to support a research project, in conjunction with the Museum of Ventura County,on early philanthropists in Ventura County with afocus on those whose legacies continue to benefit

Due to the volume of individual donationsand contributions to VCCF funds andprograms since our last newsletter, we areunable to list all of our donors in thisnewsletter. Please look for a listing in ourupcoming annual report and on VCCF’s Website at www.vccf.org. We thank you for yourgenerous support of the good work of theCommunity Foundation, expanding theimpact of philanthropy in Ventura County.

A Thank You to Donors

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tThe Destino Scholarship Fund, a new initiative ofDestino: The Hispanic Legacy Fund focusing on theneeds of Latino students with a preference for firstgeneration college students, was announced at the10th anniversary gala celebration for Destino: TheHispanic Legacy Fund on January 27 at the CrownePlaza in Ventura.

At the event, Antonia Hernandez, CaliforniaCommunity Foundation president and founder ofMALDEF, one of the nation’s leading Latino organizations, was honored for her work with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Her remarks encour-aging engagement in nurturing the communityreceived a standing ovation.

Three hundred people attended the event that washighlighted by a video to honor a decade of Destinograntmaking and to celebrate the new named fundsthat helped VCCF reach its $1 million goal. Thatevening, $135,000 in contributions and pledges forthe new Destino Scholarship Fund were announced.

“For a decade, Destino: The Hispanic Legacy Fund hasbeen meeting the needs of the Latino community inVentura County; and the Destino Scholarship Fund

will make a difference in the lives of many youngpeople,” declared Hank Lacayo, Destino chair. Marty de los Cobos, member of the Destino VisionCommittee and chair of the Destino ScholarshipCommittee noted, “The establishment of the DestinoScholarship Fund for Latino students in the countywho are first generation college attendees is the real-ization of a dream for many of us in the community.”

For information on how to donate to this Fund, con-tact donor relations at 805-988-0196, extension 115.

Gala Celebration Raises $135,000 for Destino Scholarship Fund

Hank Lacayo (left), Destino Vision Committee Chair, with DionicioMorales and Antonia Hernandez, both recipients of the Destino Lifetime Achievement Award.

tTo be launched in summer 2007, the Circuit RiderProgram will provide organizational-specific, writtenbusiness technology assessments based upon on-sitemeetings, technical discovery, asset inventory, recom-mendations on technology policies and training needs.

Each participating Ventura County nonprofit organ-ization will receive between 14–26 hours of dedicatedbusiness assessment expertise including:

� Initial meeting with senior business and technical managers

� Technical discovery

� Recommendations� On-site formal presentation to senior staff

The proposed cost structure is a sliding scale based on organizational budget as follows:

� $0 – $49,999 $150

� $50,000 – $99,999 $250

� $100,000 – $499,999 $450

� $500,000 and above $650

For more information, contact Dena Jenson at 805-988-0196, extension 128, or [email protected].

Resource Center – Technology Work for NonprofitsCircuit Rider Program to Be Launched This Summer

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Ventura County Civic Alliance Releas

In May, the Ventura County Civic Alliance releasedthe 2007 State of the Region Report. Key areasexplored in the report are the trends in housing,transportation/traffic, health, education, public safety, and air quality. The new report updates find-ings from the first Ventura County State of theRegion Report issued in 2002. The report covers 12domains of interest including: agriculture, civicengagement, cultural and recreational resources,education, economy, environmental quality, land useand housing, public health, public safety, naturalresources, social services and transportation. Somekey findings from the study include:

� Although average income has increased, overallhousing affordability continues to decline.

� As housing affordability declines, residents drivefurther between work and home.

� Less than 35 percent of high school graduates inVentura County are prepared to attend a four-year college. That raises the question of whetherthere will be a skilled workforce in Ventura County that can sustain a growing economy.

� Continued low crime rate in the county ensuressafety and security, which is prerequisite forgood business climate and safe neighborhoods.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

13%

49%

12%

16%20%

10%

31%

Ventura US Los Angeles Riverside SanBernardino

Orange CA

Housing Affordability IndexDecember 2005 – Selected Places

0

2,000

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

Annual Delay (1,000’s of Person-Hours)

Annual Traffic Congestion DelaysVentura County 1992-2003

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Santa Barbara Ventura San DiegoOrange

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Percent of High School Graduates Prepared forFour Year College 1999 - 2004

Rates per 100,000 Population

Ventura

Orange

Santa Clara

Statewide

San Diego

San Bernadino

Riverside

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000

Violent

Property

Crime Rates in California Counties 2005


The report was released in the East County at anevent hosted by California Lutheran University’sCenter for Leadership and Values on May 22 and inthe West County at an event hosted by CaliforniaState University Channel Islands on May 23.

The events included presentations of the currentdata on the 12 domains, a presentation of publicopinion data related to the study by Jon Sonstelie ofUCSB, and a panel discussion of the impact of thetrends on the local Ventura County economy, envi-ronment and social equity, the Alliance’s noted “3Es.”

Dr. Charles Maxey, VCCF board member, Alliancemember and dean of the School of Business atCalifornia Lutheran University, led the effort to col-lect and analyze data for the new report. VCCFboard member and Alliance member Mike Silaccichaired the Alliance working group to assess thedata, compile the final report and develop strategiesfor dissemination of the report throughout thecounty. The report was co-authored by John Krist,local journalist and author. The research for thereport was funded by a grant from the Fairburn Fundat VCCF.

Ventura County Civic Alliance Launches Livable Communities Newsletter

In February, the Ventura County Civic Alliance (VCCA) launched its quarterly Livable Communities newsletter.

The email newsletter will discuss the 10 tenets of livable communi-ties and review projects throughout Ventura County that embodythese principles. It will also highlight other news and stories of interest that relate to the quest for long-term sustainability of ourcities and neighborhoods. The inaugural issue can be found athttp://vccf.org/civicalliance/newsletter0507.html.

For more information or to be added to the subscriber list, contactRebecca Evans at 805-988-0196, extension 130, or [email protected].

ases 2007 State of the Region Report

If you would like to becomeinvolved with the Ventura

County CommunityFoundation, please call us to see how you can

participate in our good work.All VCCF funds are listed on

our Web site at www.vccf.org,and details about our

competitive grant programsand our field-of-interest funds

are also available through the Resource Center or

on our Web site.

Come join us!

To obtain a copy of the report, go towww.VenturaCountyCivicAlliance.org. For moreinformation, contact Civic Alliance ExecutiveDirector Rebecca Evans at 805-988-0196,extension 130, or [email protected]. The CivicAlliance is an initiative at VCCF.

13

tThe Social Justice Fund of Ventura County has awarded $50,000 in grants during its first fundingcycle to seven local organizations whose workfocuses on community organizing toward systemicsocial change.

The Social Justice Fund is a grantmaking program created and guided by a “Giving Circle” ofcommunity donors and hosted by VCCF. Otherinstitutional partners are Central Coast AllianceUnited for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) and theMcCune Foundation.

The Social Justice Fund for Ventura County seeks tostrengthen social justice in Ventura County by providing financial grants and other support tograssroots efforts that address root causes of injus-tice and remove structural and institutional barriersto social, economic and environmental equity.

Eighteen proposals requesting more than $150,000were submitted to the giving circle. The followingorganizations received grants for 2007:

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County – $10,000 for the One Step a la Vez Teen Drop-In Center, providing a safe space and advocacy and community organizing training for youth workingto promote safety, tolerance and teen wellness intheir schools and community.

Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation –

$6,500 for the Empowering Neighborhoods ThroughSystems Change Project, to form and empower grassroots coalitions of diverse constituencies inthe Meta Street/Five Points and El Rio neighbor-hoods to identify their community’s assets and areas for improvement, particularly around issues concerning safety, crime and environmental health.

The Social Justice Fund of Ventura County Awards $50,000 in Grants in First Funding Cycle

CAUSE (Central Coast Alliance for aSustainable Economy) –

$8,000 for the Women’s Economic Justice Project, to support Centro Mujer, a women’s communityorganizing center for social change, and to provideleadership development training to low-wageworking women in Ventura County.

The Foundation for Educational andEmployment Resources (Café on A) –

$7,675 for the CORE Leadership Project and theSouth Oxnard Tenant Rights & Youth Organizing Project, to empower and organize the southOxnard community to engage in the public policydebate related to the Oxnard gang injunction andto organize residents living in substandard housingconditions to advocate for housing issues such asrent control, landlord accountability and communi-ty quality of life.

Parents of Murdered Children – $5,900 for the My Son Was Murdered: ACommunity Education and Violence PreventionProject, to create and show a video and presentationon the effect of a child’s murder on the survivingfamily members, with the goal of changing youthattitudes, beliefs and behaviors regarding violenceand homicide.


14

continued on page 15

Social Justice Fund donors and grantees from the Veterans for PeaceOrganization meet at the Grantee reception.

CAUSE as the fiscal sponsor for VenturaCounty Clergy & Laity United for EconomicJustice (VC CLUE) –

$10,000 to raise the community organizingcapacity of VC CLUE interfaith, non-partisan community leaders to respond to issues such as healthcare reform, affordable farmworker housing, intercultural understanding, immigrant rights, anddiscriminatory policies regarding employment.

Veterans for Peace – $1,925 for the Military Recruitment: Alternativesfor Youth Program, to provide information to localhigh school youth and their parents regarding stu-dent rights to privacy of their personal information,ability to opt out of sharing their information with military recruiters, and non-military career optionsfor youth.

15


t donated by Santa Barbara Bank and Trust and theErickson Family Fund at VCCF.

For a list of courses taught at our new center, log onto http://vccf.org/resourcecenter-technology.html.Partial scholarships are available.

For more information or to register to attend, contactDena Jenson at 805-988-0196, extension 128, [email protected].

The Resource Center is now home to a state-of-the-art computer lab – with 10 computer workstationswith flat screen monitors, broadband Internet accessand FREE access to the Foundation Directory Online –Professional. Opened in late 2006, it has been a busyplace, meeting a growing need for training in hardware and software for area nonprofits.

Technology Works for Nonprofits, a strategic initiativeemerging from VCCF’s Strategic Plan, focuses ondemonstrating to nonprofit leaders how appropriateuse of technology can improve efficiency and effectiveness. Initial focus includes trainings on howto use computer hardware, software, data and infor-mation to communicate mission, manage staff andresources, identify donors and funders, strengthenfinancial practices and inform day-to-day operations.Construction of the computer lab and associatedprogramming was generously underwritten by theAmgen Foundation, AT&T Foundation, EdisonInternational, Smith-Hobson Foundation, TowbesFoundation, Verizon Foundation, Weingart Foundationand the Wood-Claeyssens Foundation, with hardware

The Social Justice Fund has committed to a new six-year funding cycle and the new steering committee to lead the effort next year has beennamed. Steering committee members are Social JusticeFund donors who provide leadership for this givingcircle and include:

� Stephanie Angelini, Chair� Judy Bysshe � Sharon Hillbrant� Sue Broidy � Dan Jordan� Julie Drezner � Terri Lisagor� Gary Erickson � Kate McLean, Vice Chair� Jill Fioravanti � Hugh Ralston� Doug Green � Marcos Vargas� Doug Halter

For more information about the Social Justice Fundfor Ventura County, please contact Tina Knight at805-988-0196, extension 120, or [email protected].

Technology Works for Nonprofits

The Social Justice Fund...continued from page 14

Photo exhibition featuring the work of local nonprofits in VCCF's new technology center.


16

12.1 11.3

8.2 9.3

10.3 8.1

9.3 7.9

Fiscal YTD

Last Fiscal Year

Last 5 Fiscal Years

Last 10 Fiscal Years

As of 6.30.07

As of 09.30.06

FY 2001-2006

FY 1996-2006

Performance Summary as of June 30, 2007

Manager Asset Allocation SummaryAs of June 30, 2007

VCCF Policy Index

* Portfolio returns reflect the VCCF endowment funds. Fiscal Year ends September 30, 2007. The Policy Index is 50% Russell 3000/15% MSCI EAFE After taxes / 35% Lehman Brothers AggregateBond. Money market returns for the most recent quarter were 5.23%.

PIMCO TR29%L-R Global

2%

EuroPacific17%

Westclift6%

Conestog2%

TYGH2%

Vaughan Nelson3%

Advisory Research2%

Roxbury6%

Intech6%

Latee6%

Berstein13%

Archstone4%Kayne Anderson

0%Coller

0%

Montauk0%

OCM Opps VII1%

Singuler Guff1%Aetos

4%

Investment Return – VCCF Endowment Funds

iIn partnership with Ventura Adult/ContinuingEducation (VACE), the Resource Center for NonprofitManagement will offer a new expansion of service to local nonprofits – better marketing tools. Thisprogram provides access to professional design services for marketing materials for small to mid-size Ventura County nonprofits.

Developed as a community project by a team fromLeadership Ventura, the marketing templates includean interactive, online interface where nonprofits canselect an electronic template, write narrative text,submit photos, and send these directly to graphicdesigners at VACE for graphic design formatting.The online interface will be password protected and may be accessed through the VCCF Web siteupon completion of a three-hour workshop on non-profit marketing.

The VACE design program will match its design students with the nonprofit participants to designmarketing materials such as three-fold brochures

and direct marketing pieces. The program willsupport workforce development for VACE students(and the chance to work on live projects) and affordlocal nonprofits access, free of charge, to graphicdesign and marketing talent. VCCF will also provideassistance in developing key text around endow-ments, planned giving, and other key charitablemarketing information.

The interface will be available online in summer2007. For more information or to register to attend this new program, contact Dena Jenson at805-988-0196, extension 128, or [email protected] you Leadership Ventura for your role inexpanding professional assistance to local nonprofits.

Resource Center Offers New Marketing Tools

o


The following new funds were established at theVentura County Community Foundation betweenOctober 1, 2006, and March 31, 2007. For a completelisting of all VCCF funds, please visit www.vccf.org.

Agency/Designated Funds

� City Impact Endowment Fund� Santa Paula Farmworker Memorial Fund� V.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Fund

Destino Scholarship Named Funds

� Antonia Hernández Destino Fund� Deardorff Farms Destino Fund� People Media Destino Fund� Southern California Edison Destino Fund� Southern California Gas Destino Fund

Donor-Advised Funds

� The Engineering Fund� Kenrose Kitchen Table Ventura County Fund

Heritage Named Funds

� Briggs-Crane-Hardison Fund� Elise and Bill Kearney Family Heritage Fund� Carolyn and John Menne Family Fund� Martin V. and Martha K. Smith Heritage Fund� Raymond and Betty Swift Fund

Scholarship Funds

� Robert M. Duncan Foundation� Gould Family Scholarship Fund� Orfalea Migrant Scholarship Fund� Orfalea Scholarship Fund� Ryan Orfalea Scholarship Fund� VCCAR Scholarship Fund

Women’s Legacy Named Funds

� Libby Barrabee Fund� Paul J. and Anne O. Leavens Family Fund � Sherry Cole’s “Blessed by Moms” Fund� The Sisters Fund

17

Over 70 VCCF volunteers gathered on a perfect summer evening at the historicMcGrath Ranch house in Ventura to enjoy dinner as guests of VCCF, as part ofthe 2007 Volunteer Thank You event. With brief remarks by Board Chair MarySchwabauer and President Hugh Ralston, the volunteers’ contributions to thesuccess of VCCF’s mission and its impact on the community were highlighted.“You don’t know how important your contributions are,” thanked Schwabauer.“We simply couldn’t do all that we do without your help.”

Ralston noted contributions from eachvolunteer at each table, underscoringthe breadth of the CommunityFoundation’s work and the importantcontributions of each of our volunteers.He noted the most important words inthe nonprofit world are “thank you”and that VCCF could not say enoughto acknowledge and thank the manyvolunteers for helping us expand andachieve its mission.

New Funds Established at VCCF

VCCF Says Thank You to Volunteers!

Ron Bottorff, Stacy Roscoe and Kerry Roscoe

Ted Jensen and Susan Baier

Eleanor and George Tilquist

t


18

The Mental Health Initiative was established toincrease awareness related to mental health issues,leverage unrestricted grant funds to generate a positive impact in the area of mental health throughprivate philanthropy, strengthen and encouragepartnerships among nonprofit organizations servingindividuals with mental health disabilities, andestablish a vehicle for planned giving options forfamilies with mental illness.

Last year, VCCF awarded a total of $48,680 toTurning Point Foundation and Help of Ojai fortraining of paraprofessionals, marriage and familytherapist students, and development of a psychiatriccertification program at local community colleges.

Continuing the MHI for a second year, VCCFsolicited input for $50,000 in 2007 grants from non-profit leaders working with mental health serviceproviders and, based on their recommendations, thegrant priorities this year are paraprofessional training,education and outreach, and partnership building.

Funding for MHI grants comes from the unrestrict-ed Community Response Fund at VCCF. “We believethat helping organizations deal with the challengesof mental illness is an important investment in community needs, and we are pleased to be able toextend our mental health initiative for a secondyear,” noted Hugh Ralston, VCCF president & CEO. “Focusing our unrestricted grantmaking on

Mental Health Initiative Encourages Private Philanthropy to Respond to Mental Health Needs of Ventura County

community priorities is an important responsibilitywe take seriously, particularly as we harness the fundsthat donors have designated for that purpose.”

Donors can also create a legacy to support localmental health efforts and sustain the initiative’sgrantmaking efforts or support for local serviceproviders through:

� A field-of-interest endowment fund directed for mental health services.

� Start an agency endowment to support the programming of a designated nonprofit mentalhealth provider.

For more information about the Mental HealthInitiative and its grants program, please contact HoaTran, program officer at VCCF, at 805-988-0196,extension 121, or [email protected].

VCCF is now accepting donations by credit cardonline at http://vccf.org/donations.html. Pleasenote all vendor fees for online gifts will bededucted from your gift.

For more information, contact Donor Relationsat 805-988-0196, extension 115.

Now Accepting Donations On the Web

http://vccf.org/donations.html

l

19


For more information contact, Everette Garmon at805-890-0169 or George Corbin at 805-496-2982 or go to www.vcwesupportthedream.org. To make adonation through VCCF directly, contact DonorRelations at 805-988-0196, extension 115.

Local resident Everette Garmon, a senior financialanalyst for the city of Ventura, was looking for a wayto contribute to the Martin Luther King, Jr., NationalMemorial Fund, the national organization raisingmoney for the $100 million memorial on the Mall inWashington, D.C., to honor the civil rights leader.

Along with 14 other Ventura County residents,Garmon and George Corbin established VenturaCounty’s Martin Luther King, Jr., National MemorialFund. The goal of the grassroots effort is to raiseenough money for the memorial locally to qualifyfor notice on the D.C. memorial and to educate people about King’s legacy. The local organizationwill be recognized on the memorial’s donor wall if$1 million is raised locally. “There are about850,000 residents in the community. If we raised $1 from each resident we would be very close to the$1 million goal,” said Garmon.

VCCF has a history of partnering with local citizensto raise funds for local causes, as was the case withthe Alaska Flight 261 Memorial in Point Hueneme.“We are pleased to work with these communityleaders to raise funds in Ventura County and to bepart of this national effort,” noted President & CEOHugh Ralston.

VCCF Partners with Local Groups to Support theMartin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Fund

iIn an effort to provide information to current and potential new donors to VCCF, new brochures are beingdeveloped for the Resource Center forNon-profit Management, the Women’sLegacy Fund, Heritage Fund, DestinoLegacy Fund, and the VCCF Invest-ment Process. These brochures can beviewed on our Web site at www.vccf.org,or a copy can be obtained by contact-ing Donor Relations at 805-988-0196,extension 115.

New Brochures Developed

e

vVCCF recognizes the outstanding work of its staff with its quarterly StaffLeadership Awards (SLA). This is our opportunity to say “thank you” tothose who work so hard in furthering our mission.

Virginia Weber received the spring quarter’s SLA for her remarkable workin managing the process for scholarship applications and awards this year. VCCF received 47 percent moreapplications this year than last year!

The winter quarter award was made to Susan Walker for recognition of the significant volume of work sheshepherded immediately prior to the

holidays – in addition to our normal donor communications, she coor-dinated the year-end appeals, the launching of the Century Circle, theholiday party, and several other key donor initiatives.

Well done, Susan and Virginia. You have helped us achieve a significantimprovement in our work, and in our ability to sustain our mission. Thank you!


20

Susan Walker and Virginia Weber Receive Staff Leadership Awards

Virginia Weber, Program Officer, Scholarships

Susan Walker, Director of Donor Relations

Dena Jenson Promoted to Vice President and Director of the Resource Center for Nonprofit Management

Effective March 2007, Dena Jenson was promoted to vice president anddirector of the Resource Center for Nonprofit Management.

“We’re delighted to recognize Dena’s leadership over the past 2 years inguiding the Resource Center for Nonprofit Management and launchingmany of our strategic initiatives, including the Technology Works forNonprofits, Building Board Leadership and the Planned Giving Initiative,each designed to strengthen leadership, organizational practices andlong-term capital to support the mission of Ventura County non-profits,” said VCCF President & CEO Hugh Ralston.

“The nonprofit leaders, board members and volunteers whom the Resource Center serves each day remind me ofthe important role nonprofit organizations play in the social fabric of our communities,” noted Jenson. “Theseindividuals and organizations face real needs and challenges. Funding is a significant part of the solution;but leadership, management excellence, and skilled people are currencies that move beyond the bottom line.The role of the Resource Center is to serve and support nonprofit leaders as they deliver on the promise oftheir missions.”

Congratulations, Dena!

tMeet the Staff – Finance and Accounting

CLARE BROWN

Clare is vice president and controller. She came toVCCF in October 2004. Clare is a CPA with 20 yearsof experience in the nonprofit sector, includingprior service as VCCF’s auditor. She staffs theInvestment, Audit and Administrative/Finance com-mittees, ensures the audited financials and Form990 are completed, and serves on the VCCF seniormanagement team. She is a resident of Camarilloand has three children and four grandchildren. Youmay reach Clare at extension 129.

DONNA HALL

Donna is the finance accountant. She is responsiblefor day-to-day transaction management for VCCF,the Martin V. and Martha K. Smith Foundation, andthe Swift Memorial Health Care Foundation, andassists the vice president/controller. Donna isresponsible for accounts receivable, accountspayable, human resources and VCCF payroll processing. In July she will celebrate her sixthanniversary with VCCF. Prior to working for VCCF,she worked for a CPA firm for 22 years. She is a resident of Oxnard and has three childrenand five grandchildren. Donna can be reached atextension 124.

21


CLAUDIA SANCHEZ

Claudia is the finance associate. She assists withaccounts payable and accounts receivable for VCCFand the Martin V. and Martha K. Smith Foundation.Claudia has been with the Foundation for sevenyears, making her the VCCF staff member with thegreatest longevity. She has two children and is a resident of Oxnard. Claudia can be reached atextension 118.

TALON KLIPPTalon is the office manager and systems administra-tor for the Foundation. Talon is responsible for theday-to-day operational aspects of the Foundationoffice, including all IT and Web issues. He has beenwith VCCF for 4½ years. Prior to coming to VCCF,he was a technician for Procter & Gamble in Oxnard.He resides in Ventura and has two children.

The VCCF Finance and AccountingDepartment staff consists of four full-time employees, each dedicated to keep-ing the finances, financial records and ITsystems of the Foundation organized andup-to-date. Their professionalism anddedication to thoroughness and accuracyprovides the Foundation and its donorswith the assurance of reliability, accuraterecords and accountability for donationsand contributions.

We are pleased to feature our colleagues. Left to Right: Claudia Sanchez, Talon Klipp, Donna Hall and Clare Brown

VCCF Mission Statement

To promote and enable philanthropy to improve our community for good for ever.

nNonprofits often operate on the edge, balancing precious cash flow with an ever expanding set ofprogram needs. In a time of crisis, VCCF can step in to help.

The SUN (Special and Urgent Needs) Fund respondsto urgent or emergency nonprofit needs where asmall investment will make a big difference. Grantsup to $5,000 to support immediate, one-time needsare provided. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

A recent grant to the Boys and Girls Club of Venturawas to repair and replace damaged plumbing at theirfacility. Diane Koranda, CEO, said, “We had a disasterthat we hadn’t budgeted for and did not anticipate.The help from the SUN Fund was tremendous.”

This fiscal year to date (October 1, 2006 - June 30,2007), $30,593 has been awarded to local nonprof-its from the Fund for a variety of projects, including:

Interface Children Family Services received $4,852to provide structural pest control fumigation to treattermites and fungus/dry rot at the State JourneyTransitional Shelter and to perform repairs neededdue to termite damage.

Performance Theater for Young Artists received$5,000, a partial contribution to repair and replacethe theater’s aging van.


Santa Paula Theater Center received $4,000 toreplace outdated lighting dimmer and control panels that could present hazards.

Kids to Kids received $5,000 to purchase a fire alarm system.

Poinsettia Pavilion (Ventura Women’s Center – ATrust) received $4,991 to support the cost of repairing a sagging sewer line causing frequentsewer backup.

Turning Point Foundation received $3,750 toreplace the heater at the Our Place Shelter inVentura and to perform work needed to bring theinstallation up to code.

Ventura County Homeless & Housing Coalitionreceived $3,000 to complete an in-depth survey of the Ventura County homeless population to help inform the county’s 10-year strategy to endhomelessness.

The SUN Fund was established at VCCF to be anevergreen supply of emergency assistance. The Fundis replenished every year by donations from localcompanies and donors that recognize that repairsand disasters need an immediate response.

For more information or to make a donation to theSUN Fund, contact Tina Knight at 805-988-0196,extension 120, or [email protected].

Focus on VCCF FundsSUN (Special and Urgent Needs) Fund Making a Difference

22

l

tThe Board Leadership Institute is an intensive leadership training program to elevate volunteerboard members’ ability to govern local nonprofitorganizations and to demonstrate leadership onbehalf of the nonprofit sector. The inaugural sessionof the Institute began in January 2007 and focusedon board governance, orientation, vision and mis-sion, legal obligations, and roles and responsibilities,among other topics.

The seven-module certificate training program istaught by experts commissioned by VCCF and complemented by the leadership expertise of VCCF board of directors and staff members. Thenext session of the Board Leadership Institute willbegin in October 2007.

Participant Mindy Newhouse, a speech pathologistand founding member of the Center for the WholeChild, said, “The Institute is a crash course in every-thing having to do with being on a nonprofit board.The courses offered are taught in a comfortablemanner with an excellent curriculum and faculty.My participation in the Board Leadership Institutehas taught me so much. I recommend it to anyoneserving on a nonprofit board – even if you, like I,have served on boards in the past.” Newhouselearned about the Board Leadership Institute

Board Leadership Institute Launched

through the Resource Center for NonprofitManagement newsletter.

Pablo Ortiz serves on the board of directors of theGold Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, whichhas three board members enrolled in the Institute’scurrent cycle. He learned about the Institutethrough his involvement with VCCF as a presenterat various forums on media relations. “The informa-tion presented at the courses offered is valuablebecause it helps participants learn how to build relationships between the boards they serve on andthe staffs of the organizations they serve,” saidOrtiz. “The Institute has also given us all insightinto how board members should be selected, theresponsibility of board membership and how togrow the agency the board represents.”

“Ventura County has over 3,000 nonprofits, repre-senting over $1.5 billion in local GDP. Board leadership is critical to its success and effective-ness,” said Dena Jenson, vice president and directorof the Resource Center for Nonprofit Management.

For more information or to register for the next session, contact Dena at 805-988-0196, extension128, or [email protected]. The Board LeadershipInstitute has been developed with support of theAmgen and Weingart foundations.

23


Looking to get a higher monthlyreturn on your investments at aguaranteed rate? To help a localcharity? To expand VenturaCounty’s philanthropic resources?Perhaps you wish to leave a legacy for good for ever? Open acharitable gift with VCCF andbenefit a local charity, theCommunity Foundation and the community.

VCCF Charitable Gift Annuity

Annuity Rates

For more information about eligibility requirements and programdetails, contact Hugh Ralston at 805-988-0196, extension 116, [email protected].

NonprofitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDOxnard, CA

Permit No. 210

Board of DirectorsMary L. Schwabauer, ChairStacy A. Roscoe, Vice ChairPierre Y. Tada, Vice ChairSally S. Yount, Vice ChairScott B. Samsky, Secretary/TreasurerHon. Michael D. BradburyRobert J. KatchHenry L. "Hank" LacayoTerri E. LisagorCharles Maxey, Ph.D.Timothy J. McCallionAlfredo Plascencia M. Carmen Ramirez Michael L. SilacciRobin C. Woodworth

President & CEOHugh J. Ralston

V E N T U R A C O U N T Y C O M M U N I T Y F O U N D A T I O N

1317 Del Norte Road, Suite 150, Camarillo, CA 93010-8504P: 805-988-0196 F: 805-485-5537 E: [email protected] W: www.vccf.org

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Women’s Legacy Receives Gift Under New Law Allowing IRADistribution to Nonprofits in 2007

Circle, and the Cornerstone administrative or unrestricted endowments.

To make a distribution from your IRA, please contactyour IRA trustee to authorize the distribution. This is a way to benefit charitable causes withoutincurring normal penalties. But hurry – unlessCongress changes thislaw, this option expiresin December 2007.

Contact your tax advisoror VCCF if you plan tomake such a distribution,or visit www.vccf.org formore details.

tThe Women’s Legacy Fund at VCCF has received a gift under the new provisions of the PensionProtection Act of 2006. The law allows donors todistribute up to $100,000 from their IRAs to charitable organizations without penalty in 2006and 2007 only.

IRA rollover distributions must come from an IRAtrustee whom donors have to contact directly. Thisdistribution may not be used to make a contributionto a donor-advised fund, a support organization or aprivate foundation.

Under the new law, gifts may be made directly tocharities or to VCCF to support field-of-interestfunds at VCCF, to agency endowments held atVCCF, or as contributions to directly supportVCCF’s work through the Associates, the Century

Philanthropic Stewards for Ventura County.Investing in Ventura County. For Good. For Ever.

Documents

Highlights Newsletter Summer 2007