California Community Foundation
A Los Angeles-based community foundation that manages charitable funds, makes grants, and supports civic engagement across Los Angeles County.
Last updated August 26, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
The California Community Foundation (CCF) is a philanthropic organization headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Established in 1915 by Joseph Sartori, it is a community foundation rather than a conventional operating company: its central role is to connect donors, charitable assets, nonprofit organizations, and community priorities. CCF raises and manages charitable funds, advises donors and financial professionals, distributes grants, works with nonprofit and foundation partners, and advocates for vulnerable and low-income residents. Its primary geographic focus is Los Angeles County. CCF's stated mission is to strengthen Los Angeles communities through philanthropy and civic engagement. The foundation combines donor-directed grantmaking with programmatic initiatives designed around persistent local needs. Donor-advised grants make up a substantial share of its annual grantmaking and can support qualified organizations in the United States and elsewhere, while CCF's own program areas concentrate on the social and economic conditions of Los Angeles County. The foundation's principal program areas include arts and culture, education, health care, and housing and neighborhoods. Its arts work supports the organizational capacity of small and midsize cultural institutions, expands affordable and accessible arts opportunities, and encourages participation by diverse, low-income residents and professional artists. Its education work emphasizes school readiness and improved reading and mathematics outcomes for students in kindergarten through fifth grade, together with cooperation among schools, districts, teachers, and parents. In health care, CCF focuses on affordable, sustainable access to quality care for low-income adults and children, including support for community clinics and people without insurance. Housing and neighborhood work addresses affordable housing and broader, geographically focused strategies for improving underserved communities. Through the Community Foundation Land Trust of CCF, the organization can acquire land and collaborate with public and private partners on financing, approvals, and construction while preserving long-term affordability. Additional grants may support people with developmental disabilities, older adults, animal welfare, disaster relief, and young adults transitioning from foster care. CCF also treats civic participation as a mechanism for community change. Its activities have included immigrant integration, assistance for eligible permanent residents seeking U.S. citizenship, and advocacy related to preschool and early-childhood care. The Los Angeles Preschool Advocacy Initiative, described as a multiyear effort launched in 2007 with the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, sought to improve access to quality early care and education for underserved communities and address the needs of children from birth through age five. For much of its first 65 years, the foundation primarily awarded grants for equipment and capital projects. Its later model is broader, combining charitable asset management with ongoing grantmaking, civic engagement, community advocacy, and partnerships. Foundation Center rankings cited for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012 placed CCF among the largest U.S. foundations by assets and giving, and among the leading community foundations on those measures. Because those rankings are historical, they should not be treated as a current size or financial ranking.
History
The California Community Foundation was founded in 1915 in Los Angeles by Joseph Sartori. Its earliest decades were characterized primarily by grants for equipment and capital projects. This traditional community-foundation role allowed charitable resources to be directed toward local institutions and physical community needs, although the available reference material does not identify the individual grants or projects from this period. Over time, CCF developed into a broader philanthropic institution. In addition to making grants, it began emphasizing charitable fund management, donor relationships, nonprofit capacity, civic engagement, and collaboration with public, private, and philanthropic partners. Its geographic identity remained strongly tied to Los Angeles County, while donor-advised funds enabled grants to qualified organizations beyond the county and, where permitted, internationally. The foundation's modern program structure addresses several interconnected issues. Its arts program seeks to reinforce the cultural vitality of Los Angeles County by helping small and midsize arts organizations improve their operating capacity and by increasing access for underserved residents. Its education program focuses on early preparation for school and elementary-level reading and mathematics performance, while encouraging cooperation among educators, families, schools, and districts. Its health-care program emphasizes regular and affordable care for low-income adults and children, particularly through community clinics and services for uninsured people. Housing and neighborhood work became another important part of CCF's community-development approach. The organization has supported affordable-housing efforts and geographically concentrated, multiservice strategies for underserved neighborhoods. Its Community Foundation Land Trust model is intended to preserve affordability over the long term: the land trust acquires land, works with public and private partners to secure approvals and financing, and helps ensure that resulting homes remain affordable for decades. CCF has also pursued civic-engagement strategies based on the idea that residents can influence larger social issues through collective action and shared problem-solving. Identified initiatives include immigrant integration, the Los Angeles Citizenship Collaboration, and the Los Angeles Preschool Advocacy Initiative. The preschool initiative, described as beginning in 2007 with the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, addressed early care and education access for underserved communities and the developmental needs of children from birth to age five. By the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012, Foundation Center rankings cited in the reference material placed CCF among the 100 largest U.S. foundations by asset size and total giving. The same historical comparison ranked it fifth among community foundations by total giving and seventh by assets. These figures describe a past ranking rather than current financial performance. Today, CCF's documented identity is that of an active Los Angeles community foundation combining donor-advised philanthropy, issue-focused grants, affordable-housing activity, and civic partnerships.
- 2012
Historical national foundation ranking
[1]For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012, Foundation Center rankings cited CCF among the 100 largest U.S. foundations by assets and total giving, and among the leading community foundations by those measures.
- 2007
Preschool advocacy initiative begins
[1]CCF began a multiyear Los Angeles Preschool Advocacy Initiative with the David and Lucile Packard Foundation to expand quality early care and education for underserved communities.
- 1915
Foundation established
[1]Joseph Sartori founded the California Community Foundation in Los Angeles.
Products and positioning
A place-based philanthropic intermediary focused on strengthening Los Angeles County through donor services, grantmaking, nonprofit partnerships, affordable-housing activity, and civic engagement.
Philanthropic services
Donor-advised funds
Charitable funds through which donors can recommend grants to qualified organizations. These funds form a major part of CCF's annual grantmaking and can direct support to eligible causes in Los Angeles County, elsewhere in the United States, and internationally.
Grantmaking program
Arts Program
A program intended to strengthen Los Angeles County's cultural life by supporting the operational capacity of small and midsize arts and cultural organizations, expanding affordable access for underserved communities, and encouraging participation by diverse, low-income residents and professional artists.
Grantmaking program
Education Program
An education-focused grantmaking area centered on school readiness and reading and mathematics performance among kindergarten through fifth-grade students. It also supports collaboration among schools, districts, teachers, and parents.
Grantmaking program
Health Care Program
A program focused on improving access to sustainable, affordable, quality health care for low-income adults and children. Community clinics and people without health insurance are among its stated areas of attention.
Community development program
Housing and Neighborhoods Program
A community-development program addressing affordable housing and multiservice strategies for underserved neighborhoods. It includes the Community Foundation Land Trust of CCF, which works with public and private partners to preserve the affordability of housing over extended periods.
Marketing campaigns
- 2007Los Angeles Preschool Advocacy Initiative
Los Angeles County
A multiyear partnership with the David and Lucile Packard Foundation focused on increasing access to quality early care and education for underserved communities and addressing child-care and developmental needs from birth through age five.
- Los Angeles Citizenship Collaboration
Los Angeles County
A civic-engagement collaboration designed to encourage and assist eligible lawful permanent residents in pursuing U.S. citizenship through cooperation among nonprofit, public-sector, private-sector, and philanthropic participants.
- Immigrant Integration Initiative
Los Angeles County
A concentrated effort using culturally competent local nonprofits to help newcomers participate in the social, civic, and economic life of Los Angeles County.
Recent events
Getty announces $10 million COVID-19 relief fund for Los Angeles arts organizations[3]
Reported:
The J. Paul Getty Trust's Board of Trustees announced that it will create a $10 million COVID-19 relief fund to support Los Angeles-based nonprofit museums and visual arts organizations. The California Community Foundation will administer the fund.
Sources3 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/california-community-foundation · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled