El Dorado County residents, past and present, turn to the El Dorado Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern – improving the quality of life in El Dorado County.

Individuals, families, businesses and organizations create permanent charitable funds that help our region meet the challenges of changing times. The Foundation pools, invests and administers these funds. We then use the earnings to award hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants each year to many of the humanitarian, educational, and cultural organizations in this remarkable area we call home.

With current assets of $8.3 million and 130 different funds established by individual donors, community groups and nonprofit organizations, El Dorado Community Foundation has returned more than $3 million to the community since it was established in 1990.

Like all community foundations, we are overseen by a volunteer board of leading citizens and run by professionals with expertise in knowing our community’s needs. We go beyond simply making grants that advance charitable activities: we also identify current and emerging issues, stimulate resources to address those needs and help our region prepare for the future.

We are among over 600 community foundations across the nation which serve as broad-based, charitable vehicles for donors of all kinds in their geographic areas.

We are proud to have achieved certification as a Community Foundation by the National Standards Action Team of the Council on Foundations. These standards have also been adopted by the League of California Community Foundations.

The El Dorado Community Foundation meets the 60 requirements for the standards established. Specific demonstrable characteristics, practices, or goals are required in six areas of organization and operation:

We are honored to be recognized by these national and regional organizations which promote and support excellence in philanthropy.

The Foundation is a member of the Council on Foundations, Community Foundations of America, and the League of California Community Foundations.