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Civic engagement is a major cornerstone to strengthening communities in Los Angeles County.
Realizing that grant dollars are not enough to address complex regional challenges, the foundation actively seeks out partnerships that enable Angelenos to not only discuss the issues that are important to them, but to also find innovative, workable solutions. The foundation has taken on this civic engagement role in a variety of settings.
Learn more about the foundation's civic engagement activities:
Community Building Initiative
The California Community Foundation announces the El Monte Community Building Initiative (CBI), a 10-year effort to revitalize the community by engaging residents and developing their leadership, and improving their physical environment and social services. This multimillion dollar investment will be in the form of grants and loans
directed through partnerships with nonprofit groups, private partners and the local government in the City
of El Monte.
Learn more about the CBI.
Community Experience Partnership
The Community Experience Partnership (CEP) is an initiative designed to mobilize the experience, talents and skills of baby boomers (born between 1946-1964) to benefit the communities where they live and work. The foundation is one of 30 community foundations across the U.S. initially selected by The Atlantic Philanthropies to participate in this innovative effort.
The goals of the partnership are to:
- Change public perceptions of older adults by recognizing the value their experience and perspectives can bring to community problem solving
- Identify and expand model programs for civic engagement of older adults
- Identify the barriers to increased civic engagement and the policy changes needed to overcome these barriers
- Develop more leaders in the field
In 2007, CCF completed an assessment of civic engagement opportunities and barriers for older adults. It focused on immigrant boomers because of their significant numbers in the general population. CCF produced a report on the findings, along with a countywide inventory of civic engagement resources, both of which are found below.
Resources
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Immigrant Integration Initiative
The foundation has a unique opportunity to exert leadership in the complex and conflict-fraught topic of immigrant settlement and community transformation — a challenge that we can no longer ignore as immigrants comprise one third of Los Angeles residents, nearly half of the workforce, and two-thirds of those under 18 are children of immigrants. The foundation has a long-standing commitment to improve the quality of life of residents in Los Angeles County, and it is becoming apparent that immigrants are a permanent majority of our community.
The immigrant integration initiative will articulate a grantmaking strategy to strengthen efforts to integrate immigrant newcomers into the social, civic and economic life of the communities where they live and work. In addition, the strategy will outline ways to assist receiving communities in developing the organizational capacity and leadership infrastructure to facilitate communication and interaction between long-term residents and recent arrivals.
Through this initiative, CCF hopes to:
- Improve economic opportunity.
- Enhance civic participation.
- Foster openness among all residents.
Los Angeles On the Leading Edge: Immigrant Integration Indicators and Their Policy Implications
In April 2008, the foundation partnered with the Migration Policy Institute to release Los Angeles on the Leading Edge, a report funded by CCF that analyzes demographic trends among immigrant populations in Los Angles County and nationwide. Detailing the need for coordinated integration strategies and policies, the report sheds light on how to integrate the millions of immigrants into the social, civic and economic fabric of society.
For more information, contact Director of Civic Engagement Virginia Mosqueda at
(213) 413-4130.
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Los Angeles Preschool Advocacy Initiative
The Los Angeles Preschool Advocacy Initiative (LAPAI) is a multi-year effort to increase access to high quality preschool education for underserved communities. The California Community Foundation (CCF), in partnership with the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, is leading a countywide grassroots campaign to build support for quality preschool through stakeholder engagement, community organizing and public policy reform.
Learn more about the LAPAI.
Revitalizing Downtown Los Angeles
The community foundation is involved in the Grand Avenue Project to transform the civic and cultural districts of downtown Los Angeles into a vibrant residential, retail and entertainment center.
Learn more about the Grand Avenue Project.
RESOURCES
President Antonia Hernández Offers Solutions to L.A.'s Housing Crisis in UCLA Anderson Forecast
 Read about the pioneering work the Community Foundation Land Trust is doing to address the housing crisis in Los Angeles in the UCLA Anderson Forecast released in March 2007.
The report features solutions to other challenges the city faces, including education, health care and community engagement.
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CCF Supports Affordable Housing by Endorsing Two Housing Bonds on November 2006 Ballot
The California Community Foundation continues its efforts to support affordable housing by endorsing two housing bond measures that appeared on the Nov. 7, 2006 ballot.
Learn more about the housing bonds and CCF's endorsement.
CCF Highlights LAUSD Educational Priorities Important for a New Superintendent
The California Community Foundation published an ad in the Los Angeles Times to focus public attention on the educational priorities that a new superintendent should address for students in the Los Angeles school district.
Read the LAUSD ad that appeared in The Los Angeles Times.
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We work with area universities, nonprofit groups and others to improve the region's civic health by linking community stakeholders with potential partners to strengthen their effectiveness at the local level.
To learn more about the community foundation’s civic engagement activities, contact Vice President of Civic Engagement and Administration Linda Wong at (213) 413-4130.
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