Partnership gives local nonprofits a stronger foundation

In an effort to magnify the impact of local philanthropy, Lodi Community Foundation announced this week that it will form a new partnership with Community Foundation of San Joaquin.

The partnership will be an affiliation agreement, the nonprofits said, and CFOSJ’s grantwriting expertise, as well as its administrative services, will help the Lodi foundation further expand its ability to support both donors and nonprofits.

In addition, CFOSJ will receive more than $5 million in charitable assets from Sacramento Region Community Foundation as part of the merger, allowing LCF’s charitable funds to be managed locally.

“Lodi Community Foundation owes its growth and successes these past 16 years to the incredible support and guidance of Sacramento,” LCF board chair John Ledbetter said in a Tuesday media statement. “With this move to San Joaquin, we’ll have a local philanthropic partner working with us to improve the lives of all Lodians.”

The decision to merge with CFOSJ comes after years of collaboration on a variety of local events and efforts, including the annual Community Philanthropy Summit hosted in Lodi.

The event brings local nonprofits, businesses and residents together to discuss how to more successfully encourage the community to donate to special causes.

In addition, the two organizations have worked together to support Lodi nonprofits through Jumpstart, CFOSJ’s program that provides local nonprofits with the tools needed to build fundraising capacity to sustain their own programs.

Most recently, LCF granted $5,000 to nine Lodi nonprofits through CFOSJ’s annual 209Gives virtual fundraising event.

“We can help Lodi nonprofits be better informed about local programs and resources available to them,” Ledbetter said. “It’s the right time for our organizations to make this move.”

The LCF was established in 2005 to help accomplish the philanthropic goals of the Lodi community effectively, efficiently and in a sustainable manner. Its mission is to advocate and facilitate charitable giving to create lasting legacies that build a stronger Lodi community. For more information, visit www.lodicommunityfoundation.org. The CFOSJ partners with donors to advance the public good through philanthropy, as well as build a healthy and prosperous community by promoting equity and supporting community connectivity. Over the last two years, the organization granted out more than $5 million to mostly local nonprofits to support a range of community needs.

For more information, visit www.cfosj.org. “This new partnership between our two foundations will enhance collaboration to expand our collective impact,” CFOSJ CEO Moses Zapien said in Tuesday’s media statement. “We look forward to working together to support the local donor and nonprofit communities to improve the lives of our residents.”