
Explore the local impact of donor advisors at the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation
"On behalf of the team, I not only would like to thank our extraordinary donor...but would also like to thank your team at the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation for connecting donors to charitable projects such as ours.”
- Nonprofit beneficiary of an RSFF "miracle donor"

Taking Time to Grow Impact
When Mary moved with her husband John to the Rancho Santa Fe area, she joined the community foundation’s Women’s Fund. Soon Mary got to know the foundation team and began exploring ways to support military families. Grants from Mary’s fund are now more than double her original contribution. Meanwhile, she has taken on a major leadership role at the foundation by joining the board of directors.
A pair of donors came to the community foundation with a vision of a significant multi-year grant program around their value areas. The donors have clear ideas about important criteria for grantee organizations – strong management, stable leadership, solid data about impacts – but needed guidance from the community foundation about which local nonprofits fit the bill. Foundation staff did a deep dive to conduct research, make recommendations and coordinate site visits. The community foundation has elevated the donors’ ability to co-fund an impactful program and make substantial grants with their combined resources.
Joining Forces as Funders


Honoring a Family Legacy
A new donor came to RSFF as the successor advisor to her family’s fund. She was raised by philanthropists and wanted to carry on her family’s legacy. The foundation identified an opportunity to make a major gift supporting a music program at a local state university. The donor’s parents had instilled a lifelong love of music and she was delighted to be able to honor their memory in this way. Once she saw the impact of her gift and the appreciation of the faculty and students, she increased her support.