Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Open Board of Directors Meeting
San Bernardino Community College District
114 S. Del Rosa Drive
San Bernardino, CA 92408
Minutes
Present: Deborah Barmack, Peter Barmack, Rigo Bejarano, Ann Bryan, Matthew Buck, Mike Burrows, Rachelle Bussell, Ken Coate, Scott Davis, Erik Johnson, Mark Kaenel, Lowell King, John Mirau, Dan Murphy, Brian Reider, Jan Remm, Kristine Scott and Paul Shimoff.
Guests: Charee Gillins, Knea Hawley and Jose Marquez
Announcements: 1) Committees were reminded to submit their white papers for the advocacy trip to D.C. 2) Inland Action members Pam Langford and Ray Wolfe have been nominated for the IEEP Red Tape to Red Carpet Awards Reception. The intent of the awards are to recognize efforts to support job creation and eliminate barriers to economic growth for the Inland Empire. The event will be held on Thursday, February 25, 2016. 3) Inland Action members are invited to a going away party for Member Carlos Valdez who is relocating to Sacramento. The event will be held on Thursday, March 10 from 4:30 p.m. – 8:0 p.m. at the Century 21 Showcase located at 7835 Church St, Highland. The invitation will be sent to the membership.
M/S/P: Minutes from February 16, 2016
John Mirau introduced Dr. Jonathan Yorba.
There are more than 500 accredited community foundations in 49 states with 96% participating in the National Standards Plan-based on excellence and accountability. A community foundation is a tax-exempt, nonprofit, autonomous, nonsectarian philanthropic institution supported by the public. Long term goals include:
- Building permanent, component funds established by many separate donors to carry out their charitable interests
- Supporting the broad-based charitable interests and benefitting the residents of a defined geographic area, typically no larger than a state
- Serving in leadership roles on important community issues.
The Community Foundation in our area was founded in 1941 in Riverside with $600,000 seed money. Jonathan Yorba has been an advisor since 2008 and the CEO since 2013 when they created a strategic plan with implementation that began in 2014. The mission is strengthening Inland Southern California through philanthropy. Their tag line “Here for Good” speaks to both the long term commitment to Riverside and San Bernardino Counties as well as fulfilling their mission.
The Strategic Plan Focuses on:
- Asset Development Goal: Increase gifts to the Foundation by a minimum of 10% annually compared to gifts in the previous year (exclusive of gifts from the S.L. Gimbel Foundation Fund.)
- Business Model Goal: Correct the menu of products offered by The Community Foundation to be consistent with known data and sustainable to The Community Foundation.
- Grant making Goal: Align The Community Foundation’s grant making practices and community leadership work to achieve greatest community impact.
Jonathan Yorba explained that they now have a wonderful and fully engaged Board of Directors that will accomplish their mission by focusing on raising, stewarding and distributing assets in addition to community leadership. Since 2013 they have increased assets from $60m to $91m. Dr. Yorba stated he believes they ideally should be at $500m for our area. The Community Foundation has the freedom to direct the unrestricted portion of their assets which currently totals $230,000. Their other assets fall into the following categories:
- Nonprofit/Agency Fund
- Designated Fund
- Donor Advised Fund
- Field of Interest Fund
- Scholarship Fund
The monies they direct have moved from the “spray and pray” theory to a verification process that monies are being used effectively and efficiently. The Community Foundation has implemented a new long term (3year) funding plan where they can allocate more money to individual organizations. They will review the outcomes of the Strategic Plan in 2017.
The Community Foundation grant making is in areas such as Arts & Culture, Community Development, Education, Environment, Health Services and Human Services.
Suggestions for the two counties: We must demonstrate to larger foundations what we are doing locally, communicate the success of local giving like “Give Big” campaign and the post 12/2 donations totaling some $2m. Encourage additional funders highlighting our substantial economic impact. Work with the Philanthropy Caucus in both the House and Senate and work with the San Bernardino County Capacity Building Consortium, Funders Alliance and other like groups.
The Community Foundation’s vision is for a vibrant, generous and just region—with unlimited opportunities.
A Q & A Period followed.
Meeting adjourned at 8:30 a.m.