Our Mission, History, and Values

Since our founding in 1983, the Sacramento Region Community Foundation has been dedicated to connecting people who care with causes that matter. As the Sacramento region’s primary provider of philanthropic services, we help people who want to give back to their community. By managing their charitable giving, we help donors in El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo counties achieve their philanthropic goals effectively, intelligently, creatively, and confidently.

Our Mission

The Sacramento Region Community Foundation leads, serves, and inspires enduring philanthropy for a just and vibrant Sacramento region.

For 40 years, the Sacramento Region Community Foundation has managed charitable funds for local families, businesses and nonprofits. 

Our History

In the early 1980s, a small group of community leaders saw a need in the Sacramento region — a need for stable, permanent, financial support that would promote charitable giving and increase the capacity of local nonprofits to meet the growing region’s critical needs. In 1982, a steering committee was formed by the Junior League of Sacramento to explore the idea and attract the necessary funding to turn the community foundation from concept to reality. The Sacramento Regional Foundation was officially incorporated in May of 1983.

40 years later, the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, as it is now called, manages nearly 700 charitable funds for local families, businesses and nonprofits through El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo counties. The majority of those funds are permanently endowed and total assets have grown to over $178 million. Annual grants awarded to nonprofit organizations from our charitable funds have grown from $272,900 in 1983 to over $24 million in 2022, and more than $225 million since inception.

We offer personalized service to each donor, and house a variety of giving vehicles to accommodate your charitable interests. It is our business to be knowledgeable about community needs so that we can guide you to organizations that address the issues that you care about. If you are interested in creating a lasting legacy, the Foundation can provide assurance that gifts will support organizations and causes of your choice — now and forever.

Open a Charitable Fund

Our staff is available to offer personalized advice to help guide decisions about your fund and your plans for giving. We are here to help, and look forward to supporting your charitable vision. 

Meet our staff

Our Core Values

We strive for excellence in all areas of our work and on behalf of all we serve.

• Leadership: We lead with courage, speak up, partner with, and amplify community voice, and take informed risks to advance our mission in our region.
• Stewardship: We build a philanthropic legacy for future generations through responsible care and management of the resources entrusted to us.
• Ethics: We exercise the highest standards of integrity, honesty, and accountability in everything we do.
• Equity: We are committed to use our resources and work in partnership with others to address systemic inequities in our region.
• Learning: We embrace continuous learning and use data, self-reflection, and the experiences of our community to inform and strengthen our work.
• Teamwork: We nurture a joyful, trusting, and inclusive environment where everyone’s perspectives are heard and respected.

Our Vision

A thriving and resilient region where generosity and collaboration create equitable opportunity.

The Sacramento region has the right to expect the Foundation to meet high standards of integrity, transparency, and professionalism. As your community foundation, we are proud to uphold the provisions of the Donor Bill of Rights and our Service Credo and to be guided by them in all of our dealings. Additionally, we are confirmed in compliance with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations, indicating we meet the highest standards for philanthropic excellence.