We help people give where they live, in Solano County. We even have separate “interest area” funds so donors can give specifically within their own home communities.
We're in touch with the needs of our communities and residents in ways that government and other large institutions are not. We build partnerships that build support.
In 2018, we awarded over $660,000 to nonprofits and educational institutions that improve community life. Since 2006, we have made over $7.4 million in grants and scholarships to help our community and residents in need.
Endowment funds that start small will grow. You can give knowing that your endowment will be working for a better Solano County, forever. When community needs change - even needs that we cannot fathom today - our programs adapt in response.
We're structured to make giving simple. You can establish a fund, address a community need, name us in your will or life insurance policy, or leave a real estategift. We are flexible.
With so many nonprofits in Solano County, it can be tough to figure out where to help. We work with and know our local charitable organizations and will introduce donors to their work.
You can choose to make a gift to benefit local nonprofits now and we can help you decide where your contribution will do the most good. Donors can create charitable funds at the Foundation and recommend grants that support the issues and groups they care about. Or, you can rely on us to make grants that reflect your particular interests.
Like your personal savings, our endowment funds grow. In the year 2000, we had one endowed fund, valued at $200,000. By late 2018, we had 28 endowment funds with a total value of almost $8.4 million. Endowed funds represent approximately 92% of the total net assets held under management at the Foundation. As these permanent funds grow, the Foundation has greater resources to make a significant contribution to the community in perpetuity.
The Foundation was selected as a Funding Information Network partner of the Foundation Center in 2006. We are a grantwriting and grantseeking resource for those communities we serve. We are in the process of applying for our 3rd coveted "Certificate of Compliance with National Standards of Excellence for Community Foundations" from the Council on Foundations.
Our staff, Foundation Board of Directors, and advisors (attorneys, financial planners, bankers, accountants, and administrators) will assist you and your professional advisors in crafting the best and most appropriate philanthropic instruments to realize your charitable goals & objectives.
We offer technical and administrative support to nonprofits making a difference in the arts, civic affairs, education, environment, animal welfare, youth and senior programs, and health and human services. We help donors assist the community in widely varied ways. We network with community foundations across the county so that Solano County residents can participate in regional and national crisis response.
If you want to make a difference right away, you can give now. There are many ways to give and see the benefit of your generosity immediately. But, you can also leave assets - such as appreciated stock, a home or ranch, retirement fund, or life insurance policy - to the community foundation in your estate plan.
Many of our donors make modest gifts, with a desire to lift the lives of their fellow citizens and see change in their community. People of wealth and resources also choose the Solano Community Foundation as their philanthropic partner, knowing that we have the professional expertise to prudently manage large funds and maximize investment returns. Donors may wish to work in collaboration with their colleagues, business partners, and family members to increase their endowment contributions, and some already do.
The Foundation's role is also to help people become donors. We strive to build a culture of giving in and for the community, and foster greater giving and volunteering in our community.
By combining your resources with others who share your interests, you maximize your contributions and take advantage of our expertise and low administrative costs. Our annual fees, charged for fund and program management, meet the standards set by the national Council on Foundations, and are lower than many other administrators of donor's funds, both commercial and nonprofit.
Each year our staff exercises due diligence in reviewing hundreds of applications for funding. The members of our Board and Grants Committee research and visit nonprofitstto make thoughtful decisions about which organizations and programs to support.
We collaborate with other local and regional funders. We host workshops for them so they can better understand the needs in this region and help local nonprofits improve their chances of receiving their grants.
While individual nonprofits focus on specific issues, the Foundation studies the communities we serve as a whole. With your input, we develop grantmaking and other programs that address the most pressing needs of our local people.
We offer workshops, trainings, and research resources to help local nonprofits work more effectively. Smarter nonprofits make better use of their financial gifts, volunteers, and staff. They are invaluable assets to our community. We also provide free access to the Foundation Directory Online, a database of extensive information on more than 100,000 private grantmakers. This extensive resource is available at the Foundation and we help users maximize their efforts.
An educated person makes better decisions about how and where to give. The Foundation staff works with each donor to help him or her learn more about the problems we face as a community and to generate solutions. We offer a variety of workshops relevant to the needs of our donors and grantees.
We are an attractive alternative to starting and managing a private foundation since you can avoid the complications and let us do the work. We handle all record keeping, reporting to the IRS, accounting, and investment management. You do the fun part of giving without the hassles.
All gifts to the Solano Community Foundation are tax-deductible. Donors who establish a fund at the Foundation benefit from the highest available tax deductions for charitable contributions. We also offer a range of ways to give that can save you money while also benefiting the community.
When you establish an endowed fund at the Foundation, your contribution works forever to support the issues that matter most to you. After your death, your gift continues to help. Even a person of modest means can leave a lasting legacy to their charitable work. We preserve a donor's saved assets, long after they're gone.
We identify community needs and generate solutions. We introduce donors to organizations with similar dreams and missions. We do the homework and the legwork so you can have the good feeling that comes with making a difference in your community.
View and download "25 Things You Should Know About SCF" as a PDF document.