Community Foundation for Monterey County responds to community needs

A year ago the Community Foundation for Monterey County (CFMC) was actively planning for its 75th Anniversary in 2020. If there was ever a year that reinforced the wisdom of the community leaders who formed the organization in 1945, it is 2020. The CFMC has never felt more needed.

The COVID-19 Relief Fund was formed to meet the needs of the community and has granted more than $3.1 million. Early in this economic and public health crisis, not knowing how long it would last, the foundation decided to grant funds as they came in. The response has been remarkable. CFMC donor advisors have transferred more than $962,000 into the COVID 19 Relief Fund and made direct grants of more than $930,000 to agencies for COVID relief.

The foundation also received generous private foundation contributions (the fund was initiated through a pledge from the Monterey Peninsula Foundation), corporate contributions, and donors throughout Monterey County gave generously. Gifts are still coming in and grants going out.

There is no known timetable for when this crisis will end. In December the Posey Family Foundation stepped up and donated $300,000 to the COVID-19 Relief Fund as a one-toone match to spur donations. Already donors are responding.

“We’re immensely grateful to the Posey Family Foundation, donors and funders who have stepped up to support our community. We hope this inspires others to give so we can help meet the growing need,” said Dan Baldwin, CFMC President/ CEO.

In 2020 Monterey County also suffered three wildfires: the River, Carmel and Dolan fires. The CFMC immediately created the Monterey County Fire Relief Fund. CFMC donor advisors, partner foundations and the community again responded with remarkable generosity. The new Community Fund for Carmel Valley, an affiliate fund of the CFMC, and the Big Sur Disaster Relief Fund, a special purpose fund of the CFMC each received donations and made grants for disaster relief for fires in their respective areas. The three funds have granted more than $760,000 in total for fire relief.

The foundation has also granted $1.5 million in scholarships, was deeply involved in 2020 Census efforts working for a complete count and processed millions of dollars in gifts and additional grants.

The local business community is doing its best to adapt to extreme circumstances. Individual families have lost jobs, and, in many cases, lost homes to the fires. These dynamics put even more stress on nonprofit agencies during a calamity that is ongoing. Philanthropy cannot solve the scale of this problem, but it can be of tremendous help.

“We need our agencies to be healthy to be able to support our communities. As we approach year-end, whether through Monterey County Gives!, the CFMC or directly to your favorite nonprofits, know that your support will make a difference,” said Baldwin.

Seventy-five years ago the 32 visionary men and women who met in Monterey to provide “a responsible agency through which public-spirited benefactors may contribute to funds” created a powerful legacy. The Community Foundation for Monterey County is truly “Here for Good.”