Philanthropy in the Sacramento region spans across every kind of donor. Alongside families and individuals, local businesses have long been part of what makes generosity here so strong, giving in ways that reflect their values.
The stories that follow show just how varied that can look. Each company gives through a Business Fund at the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, where their teams recommend the grants and we handle the rest: the paperwork, the investments, and the personal service that makes giving simple, without the administrative burden of a private foundation.
This type of charitable fund can carry a company’s generosity through every season of business — even the last one. When All Things Right & Relevant, Sacramento Valley Veterinary Medical Association, and the BENT Film Festival wound down their operations, each turned that moment into a lasting gift to the region through partnership with their local community foundation.
However it happens, when local businesses give, the whole region is stronger for it.
Golden 1 Credit Union: Giving as a Way of Doing Business
For Golden 1 Credit Union, community giving is part of what it means to do business in Sacramento. Through the Golden 1 Credit Union Foundation Fund at the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, the credit union has supported disaster relief and other community needs, often through employee-led efforts that help neighbors in need. In doing so, Golden 1 extends its mission beyond its branch walls and gives employees the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the communities they serve.
Erica Taylor, Golden 1 Credit Union’s Senior Vice President of Community Impact and Public Relations Officert, says the giving program shapes company culture, giving employees “a sense of doing something bigger than themselves.” Her biggest surprise? “How easy it is.” Her advice to other business leaders is just as direct: “Start small. Start big. Start somewhere.”
Raley’s: Beyond the Food Donation
For nearly 40 years, Raley’s Food For Families has helped feed communities across Northern California and Northern Nevada. Opening a Business Fund at the Foundation gave the team something new: room to think differently about what their food bank partners actually need. Sometimes that’s a van. Sometimes it’s safe storage or better distribution.
The fund made it possible to run a grant cycle focused on that behind-the-scenes infrastructure, strengthening the partners who get food where it needs to go. For a lean team, the Foundation’s administrative support made the process simple, so the staff could stay focused on the mission. As Operations Manager Zoe Edwards puts it, the Business Fund means “amplifying the impact that we are able to make in the community.”
Lionakis: Built by Employees
When Lionakis created the Lionakis Foundation, the design and architecture firm made one decision that shaped everything since: Employees would lead it.
New hires can give $5 each pay period, and about a quarter do. Colleagues donate unused paid time off, organize volunteer days, plus nominate and vote on the causes their grants support each year. The firm adds proceeds from its golf tournament and matching gifts, so each employee can direct dollars to the community.
That shared commitment paid off: Lionakis reached its $1 million endowment goal three years early. “My message to business leaders interested in enhancing their company’s philanthropic efforts is simple: Just start,” says Laura Knauss, Lionakis President.
Maximize Your Philanthropy
It’s easy and rewarding to set up a charitable fund with the Sacramento Region Community Foundation. We’re here to help you create the right giving account for your goals — and enjoy the benefits of flexible service, expert guidance, effective investments, and local impact.