Explore the local impact of donor-advisors at The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo County
Caring for Neighbors
Through a very generous bequest by two former community members, The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo County established a fund dedicated to supporting health and human services nonprofits. The donors wished to help close the gap in shelter and services for unhoused people throughout the county. Through this fund, the foundation has distributed approximately $1.5 million to address unmet needs of the most vulnerable members of the community.
Growing the Arts
A community member donated a rental property to the local community foundation, which used the proceeds from the property sale to create a donor-advised fund to support local arts and culture nonprofits. The donor enjoys a close relationship with the community foundation, whose staff helped them learn about the needs and issues in their community. The donor’s children are becoming philanthropists in their own right and plan to serve as successor advisors to the family fund.
Turning Grapes into Grants
Two local winery owners started a fund in the early 2000s – with profits from the sale of one of their most popular wines – to provide medical care, nutrition and education for farm and vineyard workers. The fund has made grants to health and human services, nutrition, education and immigrant service programs throughout the San Luis Obispo community. Witnessing the success of the fund led the donors to start a college scholarship for the children of vineyard and farm workers. The donors became active participants in the community foundation’s donor education events and even served on the board.