VCCF Highlights Newsletter Winter 2013

V E N T U R A C O U N T Y C O M M U N I T Y F O U N D A T I O N

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Let VCCF’s history flash before your eyes. View our virtual timeline at vccf.org.

The new VCCF Nonprofit Center opened for business in December.

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VCCF made its first home in space donated by United Way of Ventura County.

Then

Stewarding legacies. Building nonprofit leadership. Investing in the future.

See how far we’ve come and see where we are going in this special 25th anniversary issue of Highlights.

Now

All this happened in 1987World population reaches 5 billion.

VCCF becomes the newest of the nation’s then-250 community foundations.

Beloved Camarillo White Horses auctioned

upon the passing of Carmen Camarillo Jones.

draws hundreds of thousands to the streets of Los Angeles.

Pope John Paul II

Anti-smoking advocates propose

Ventura County’s first banon smoking in public places.

shakes up the San Gabriel Valley.Whittier Narrows quake

Black Monday.Dow Jones plummets

508 points onBaby JessicaMcClure rescued 58 hours after falling into a well shaft in Midland, Texas.

President’s Letter

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At the Ventura County Community Foun-

dation, we hold fast to the dream that has animated our work since our founding 25 years ago. Ventura County residents succeed at creat-ing even better communi-

ties when they work together using charitable capital raised locally.

Experience has taught us strengthening community succeeds in part as we invest in our nonprofit sector and in part when we bring together donors who care about Ventura County. Donors working together can achieve far more than they ever could do on their own.

That is the unique power of a community foundation; it links donors to strengthen the region where we live, work and raise families. At VCCF, we care about Ventura County deeply, and we aren’t going to stop caring; we are here for the long haul.

We believe our mission is reflected in three core responsibilities:

•Stewarding donor legacies: protecting donor intent and investing wisely for the long term;

•Building nonprofit leadership: strengthening the skills of nonprofit staff and boards to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the vital nonprofit sector;

•Investing in the future: building from significant scholarship investments in helping youth and workers get the skills they need to shape our region’s future through convening, strategic grantmaking and building more charitable capital to sustain our future health as a region.

While our growth in size and scope over the last quarter century remains impressive, it is what we do with the assets we have, how we distribute them and how we engage others in the work of building

community that reflects our true value – both to the donors who entrust us with their dreams and the community we serve today and tomorrow.

Whether it is posting stable long-term returns on the endowments we manage, distributing grants to local nonprofits and scholarships to hundreds of local students or teaching leadership skills to over 500 local nonprofits, VCCF plays a vital role in Ventura County’s life.

A community foundation works best when it can harness both the capital and the hearts in the region it serves to further a vision of a healthier and more robust community.

Ventura County is a place worth investing in, and we see the fruits of a quarter century’s philanthropic investments every day – in the number of donors investing in nonprofits, in those providing skilled leadership for the future, in grants that carry legacies and passions into the daily work of nonprofits and the changed lives of scholarship students.

Whatever the outcome of ongoing debates at both the national and state level about the scope of the public purse, we know that many solutions to our challenges reside right here in Ventura County. We are encouraged our generation will not only shoulder these opportunities with confidence and humility but will do so with the sure knowledge – one day at a time and by working with each other in common cause – we can shape a future we all can take pride in.

Building community together

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Invest ing Together. For good. For ever.

Hugh J. Ralston,President & CEO

In appreciation ... VCCF thanks Kate McLean and Cathy

Edge. Their leadership of VCCF created a

solid base for the organization to grow.

Kate McLean served as VCCF’s first president from 1990 to 2003.

Cathy Edge served as VCCF’s first executive director from 1987 to 1990.

Stewarding legacies. Building nonprofit leadership. Investing in the future.

VCCF invests in a gathering place for nonprofits

The Ventura County Community Foundation

has moved to a Camarillo office building to expand its Center for Nonprofit Leadership and serve as a hub for nonprofits at a centralized location.

Called the VCCF Nonprofit Center, the new quarters allow the foundation to triple the classroom and technology space for the Center for Nonprofit Leadership, which offered more than 110 workshops in nonprofit management last year. Doubling its hours of instruction since 2004, CNL has outgrown the space VCCF leased off Central Avenue.

VCCF also is leasing office space to fellow nonprofits at below-market rates. So far, the United Way of Ventura County, Interface Children and Family Services and the Gold Coast Veterans Foundation have signed leases.

“Buying this property is an expression and an extension of our mission to promote and enable philanthropy to improve our community by having a place where community leaders can gather,” said Pierre Tada, VCCF’s board chairman.

“The investment in this building is a way to build

up Ventura County nonprofits by increasing opportunities for the sector’s leaders to interact and learn together at the Center for Nonprofit Leadership. We see that as an asset for the entire community.”

This is the first building VCCF has bought in its 25-year history, and favorable market conditions allowed the foundation to make the purchase, according to Hugh J. Ralston, VCCF president and CEO.

The VCCF board has committed $3 million of the foundation’s capital to the Nonprofit Center and embarked on a capital campaign to raise $10 million more.

VCCF officials continue to negotiate leases with several local nonprofits with varying space needs, Ralston said.

“We believe this close proximity will foster collaboration between nonprofits that will result in more creative and cost-effective programs to serve the needs of the people of Ventura County,” Ralston said.

Construction to finish the second floor is under way with occupancy expected this spring.

Growing the grassroots

The VCCF Nonprofit Center will offer startup nonprofits further

subsidies on their rents in a shared office suite, thanks to a grant from the VCCF Community Response Fund. This space has been set aside to help to offer reduced rates to 501(c)(3) nonprofits with operating budgets between $25,000 and $185,000. To learn more about the criteria for qualifying, go to vccf.org. The application deadline is Feb. 6.

Photo by Hannah Davey The new 53,500-square-foot VCCF Nonprofit Center is at 4001 Mission Oaks Blvd., neighboring the Camarillo Ranch House. On freeway frontage off Highway 101 near the Flynn Road and Dawson Drive exits, the building features a community room large enough to welcome 150 people, expanded classrooms and subsidized office space for area nonprofits.

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VCCF founders: The right 10 people at the right time

5Invest ing Together. For good. For ever.Stewarding legacies. Building nonprofit leadership. Investing in the future.

Joseph P. Brown, Sr. Laura K. McAvoy Michael S. Milligan Alan TeagueMartin V. SmithRichard C. ShipleyJohn NewmanTom R. Leonard Ralph D. Mahan

VCCF Founding Board of DirectorsVCCF wishes to express its most

sincere gratitude and appreciation

to the founding Board of Directors.

Without their vision, VCCF

wouldn’t be the organization it

is today. *Not pictured: Joe Leggett

With their eyes fixed on the future, the VCCF founding board stepped into uncharted terri-

tory in late 1987. The 10 civic-minded individuals took a leap of faith

by starting a nonprofit unlike any other in Ventura County, one they believed would change forever the county’s charitable landscape.

“Philanthropic dollars were leaving Ventura County. Aware people wanted to create endowments but before VCCF, there was no vehicle for that,” said Laura McAvoy, an attorney who served as secretary-treasurer of the founding board.

Twenty-five years later, the organization they started with no assets has grown to $118 million and 628 funds.

The idea of starting a community foundation in Ventura County found its strongest backers on the staff and board of United Way of Ventura County. The then-executive director believed the founda-tion should operate as part of United Way, said Alan Teague, whose family started United Way and who had served as its board chair.

Teague liked the idea of a community foundation in his native Ventura County.

“United Way couldn’t serve all the needs of local agencies, and it did not build capital,” said Teague, who now serves as chairman of the board of Limo-neira Co. in Santa Paula.

While recruiting a board of directors, Teague ap-proached the late A.A. “Bud” Milligan, then president of the Bank of A. Levy. Milligan told Teague he was interested in serving, but believed the community foundation should be a separate organization. That was the only way to ensure the endowment would remain untouched.

Others Teague spoke to agreed. And when VCCF went its own way, there were no hard feelings, said McAvoy, who served on the United Way’s executive

board committee at the time VCCF was founded. “United Way and the Community Foundation co-

existed for the benefit of the community,” she said.In fact, United Way provided VCCF with its first of-

fice space after it incorporated in September 1987.The California Community Foundation also helped

the embryonic organization by giving VCCF its first fund: the Milton McKevett Teague Scholarship. The fund, honoring the Santa Paula lemon baron and Alan Teague’s uncle, had been placed at the Los Angeles-based foundation because no organization like VCCF existed at the time it was started.

The new board members found they needed operat-ing capital. Things were so tight they were paying the light bill from their own checkbooks.

“Fortunately, we only had one light in the office,” Teague quipped.

Hiring the first executive director, Cathy Edge, helped ease their cash crunch. Edge had worked for the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation in Flint, Mich. She successfully applied for a grant to get VCCF financial breathing room. Eventually The James Irvine Foundation would provide additional funding to the fledgling organization.

The next challenge was educating Ventura County donors on the purpose of endowments and how VCCF would protect their charitable intent and assets in perpetuity.

The directors put their reputations on the line as they called on potential donors.

“You had working directors beating the bushes. It was scary at first, with thin margins,” Teague said.

Among the hardest workers was the late Joe Brown of Thousand Oaks, he added.

“He was a natural-born leader with tremendous contacts. He didn’t mind calling on people,” said Teague of the man who would succeed him as board chair.

Founding board member Dick Shipley recalls it as slow, deliberate work and not without disappointment.

“We knew it would take time. It’s not like anyone was going to waltz in with a fund. We watched a fund from Santa Paula go to the Bay Area. That hurt,” Shipley said.

He went on to chair the Technical Advisory Com-mittee, which advised financial planners on the services available to their clients through VCCF.

The founding board saw their efforts come to fruition, said former VCCF President Kate McLean, because they had sterling reputations.

“Those founding board members were so clearly rec-ognized as honest civic leaders it gave us instant credibil-ity,” said McLean, who served as VCCF president from 1990 to 2003.

It was that credibility, said McAvoy, which allowed VCCF to form important partnerships.

Her favorite happened in 1991 when 3M Corp. sold its excess $1.5 million in pollution credits to Proctor & Gamble. P&G needed those credits to expand operations in Ventura County, but 3M had a policy against profit-ing from the exchange of emission credits.

3M officials decided to establish a Clean Air Fund that would supplement the budget of Ventura County Air Pollution Control District and has funded such pro-grams as offering consumers incentives to convert from

gasoline-powered lawn mowers to electric mowers and helping transportation districts convert to alternative fuel buses.

“They needed an entity in which they had total confi-dence. That was us,” McAvoy said.

The founders learned early on the importance of pro-fessional development in Ventura County’s nonprofit sector.

McLean recalls the response she received from some nonprofits when VCCF announced its first grant cycle.

“Some weren’t sure if they were 501(c)(3)s,” she said. To fill the nonprofit education gap, VCCF started

what is now called the Center for Nonprofit Leadership. Back then, it consisted of one bookshelf with nonprofit-oriented titles.

VCCF grew, said McLean, because the community was behind it. When she was recruited by the original board in 1990, VCCF had less than a month’s operating capital. When she left in 2003, assets had reached $32 million.

Edge, VCCF’s first staff member, believes the founda-tion succeeded for many reasons but not the least of them is the vision of the founding board.

She praised them, saying, “I can’t tell you enough about the founding board of VCCF. They were just very committed and so right for getting the organization off the ground.”

VCCF archive photoFounding Board Member Tom Leonard, right, passes a gavel to Joseph Brown as he takes the lead as VCCF’s second board chair. Brown served as chair from 1997 to 2000.

Kate McLean hired as VCCF’s new president.

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25 years of making a difference

Photo by Hannah DaveyTeresa Seeley, executive director of the Conejo Free Clinic, knew there was a need to test uninsured women for female cancers.

VCCF Grantmaking

Though VCCF start-ed small, through

25 years of grantmak-ing efforts it has awarded over $68 million to local nonprofits. VCCF is hon-ored to be able to build a better Ventura County with the help of our lo-cal donors to make such a profound and lasting difference in their com-munity. “The Ventura County Community Founda-tion has a 25-year legacy of giving that would not have been made possible without the generosity of donors who believe working together we can make a real difference,” said VCCF President and CEO Hugh Ralston. “Giving is a matter of the heart, and thanks to the big hearts of Ventu-ra County citizens, our community is an excep-tional place with a bright future.”

June 6, 1989 VCCF presents its first grant:

$15,000 to the Rape and Sexual Abuse Center of Ventura County for its abuse prevention and educa-tion program for children with spe-cial needs.

March 1994 After the Northridge Earthquake

of January 1994, VCCF grants

$11,000 to six organizations through the Ventura County Fire/Earthquake Fund to aid with the re-covery for the quake’s victims.

March 2000Destino: The Hispanic Legacy

Fund grants Santa Paula High School $18,000 for the school’s Ag-riculture and Science Academy.

August 2001To preserve the history of Ventura

County, VCCF’s Heritage Fund grants six organizations a total of $25,000 for historical publications and exhibits.

June 2005The Special and Urgent Needs

Fund, or the SUN Fund, awards $5,000 to The Samaritan Center of Simi Valley to assist with the opera-tion of homeless drop-in day, until other funds are secured. The Center serves over 200 clients per month.

November 2009The Housing Authority of the

City of San Buenaventura receives a $102,000 grant from the Ven-tura County Fund for Farmwork-er Housing for the Hansen Trust Farmworker Apartments in Ven-tura.

2009-2010 Through the ArtsLIVE in Ventura

County Initiative, in partnership with The James Irvine Foundation, VCCF grants 39 organizations and individual artists a total of $213,373 to heighten the visibility of art cre-ated in Ventura County.

July 2012The Women’s Legacy Fund grants

$172,000 to 12 organizations pur-suing projects on domestic-violence prevention and services for abuse victims, efforts to shelter women and initiatives to educate, train and provide economic opportunities for women and girls.

The County Endowment Fund – precursor to VCCF – is established within United Way of Ventura County.

The County Endowment Fund moves to become a free-standing organization, changing the name to the Ventura County Community Foundation.

VCCF Articles of Incorporation are signed and filed by Secretary of State March Fong Eu. VCCF is an official entity.

Alan Teague elected VCCF’s first Board Chair

Deborah Geis of Santa Paula becomes VCCF’s first scholarship winner.

The number of grants awarded in 1989 is 35, totaling over $77,000. 35 VCCF

publishes its first newsletter.

1983 • 1987 • September • December • 1988 June • 1989 January • December • 1990 • • September •

How good would you feel if your donation literally saved a life? Donors to the Women’s Legacy

Fund at VCCF know the feeling. A grant to the Conejo Free Clinic to screen for female

cancers saved the life of Jill Benton of Malibu Canyon. Benton, whose full-time job is caring for her elderly

mother, has no health insurance. Thanks to a $5,000 grant in 2010 from Women’s

Legacy Fund, the Thousand Oaks clinic was able to offer free breast, uterine and ovarian cancer screenings to uninsured and underinsured women.

Benton took advantage of the program. When her mammogram came up abnormal, the clinic’s doctors sent her for more screenings. Eventually she was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer.

“I started to cry,” said the 53-year-old Benton. “I never thought I would get cancer.”

The Conejo Free Clinic staff helped her receive treatment through the public health system. She had surgery in November 2011 and completed radiation treatments in April 2012.

Teresa Seeley, executive director of the Conejo Free Clinic, said the grant helped speed up the diagnostic process, and time is critical for cancer patients.

“With this grant we are able to go through the diagnosis in a matter of days, not weeks, as can happen with uninsured patients,” Seeley said.

The program was so successful the Women’s Legacy Fund again awarded the grant to the free clinic in 2012.

In all, the Women’s Legacy Fund awarded $172,000 in grants in 2012.

To learn more, go to vccf.org.

VCCF’s 25 years of building community

The first scholarship fund – Milton McKevett Teague – established to aid students studying agriculture.

VCCF archive photos

Above, students learn robotics in the Upward Bound program at California Lutheran University in 2002, thanks to a VCCF grant. Right, Buttercup is brought back to health thanks to a 2003 grant from VCCF’s Special and Urgent Needs Fund.

Ralph Mahan is introduced as the final founding board member.

Joseph P. Brown, Sr.Joe LeggettTom R. LeonardRalph D. MahanLaura A. McAvoy

Michael S. MilliganJohn NewmanRichard C. ShipleyMartin V. SmithAlan Teague

Cathy Edge, VCCF executive director

VCCF receives a $200,000 gift to endow the A.A. and Jeanne W. Milligan Fund, the largest gift received by the foundation to date. Since its establishment, the fund has awarded 39 grants, giving $153,800.

A real lifesaver for women

Follow the milestones over the next 10 pages

VCCF Founding Board

VCCF

In the 21 years since its inception, the VCCF Center

for Nonprofit Leadership has grown from the single room at VCCF’s former 1355 Del Norte Road office to the 4,960 square feet in the new VCCF Nonprofit Center on Mission Oaks Boulevard.

Not to mention more name changes than the Artist Formerly Known as Prince.

Berta Steele, the Funding Information and Resource Center for Nonprofits volunteer librarian when it opened in Nov. 1991, said the early days of the Center were exhilarating.

“It was such an exciting time of building and expanding,” Steele said. “So many came in saying, ‘Can you help me? Can you help me?’ It felt really good to do something so positive in the nonprofit community. I think we still do great work with them.”

Here are milestones in the Center’s growth:

November 1991Funding Information and

Resource Center for Nonprofits opens with one bookcase and a single shelf of books.

1996Within five years, the library

has two full walls of materials and offers 22 workshops per year.

October 2001The first 55 graduates of the

Resource Center for Nonprofit

Management are recognized after completing the eight-month Excellence in Nonprofit Management Program and the Winning Grants Series.

May 2006The Resource Center for

Nonprofit Management launches its “Building Board Leadership” series.

October 2006The Resource Management

Center for Nonprofits opens its Technology Center, boasting 10 state-of-the-art computer consoles linked and networked.

October 2008The Resource Center for

Nonprofit Management unveils its new name at the annual open house. It’s now the Center for Nonprofit Leadership. “The new name for the Center more accurately reflects what we do here at VCCF,” said VCCF President and CEO Hugh Ralston. “We train executives, staff and volunteers from nonprofit organizations to make those organizations more successful, so they can expand effective service to our communities in Ventura County.”

March 2012The Santa Barbara Foundation

partners with VCCF on CNL’s Board Leadership Institute program, offering applications for the first time to Santa Barbara County nonprofits.

The Center for Nonprofit Leadership gained space to assist more Ventura County nonprofit leaders

when it opened at the new VCCF Nonprofit Center in late 2012.

Along Highway 101 near the Flynn Road exit, the new facility allowed the Center for Nonprofit Leadership to more than triple its space. It also serves as headquarters for the Ventura County Community Foundation.

Offering more than 110 workshops last year and more than doubling its hours of instruction since 2004, the Center had outgrown its former quarters at VCCF’s

long-time offices on Del Norte Road in Camarillo. For the most popular courses, the Center sometimes had been forced to relocate workshops offsite.

“The move means we expanded the number of organizations and people we serve each year,” said CNL Director Dena Jenson. “We can provide more cutting-edge resources, a comfortable learning environment and a community space that promotes the exchange of ideas.”

The VCCF Nonprofit Center, 4001 Mission Oaks Blvd. in Camarillo, allows the Center’s resources to

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grow. According to CNL Director of Programs Susan Seale, the Library catalog and seating capacity for the Technology Center have increased, as well. Classroom space is more varied, giving CNL faculty an opportunity to stretch their teaching strategies.

“We have a lot more options and classroom configurations,” Jenson said. “We can do more role playing, discussions and be more kinesthetic. Some of our instructors want to get students out of the seats and before we couldn’t provide that canvas.”

Faculty have given more than 300 primarily volunteer hours each year to the Center through teaching workshops, and at the VCCF Nonprofit Center, faculty can hold office hours to reach out on a more personal level to nonprofit students.

“The faculty are the lifeblood for the Center. Our new home gives them more opportunity for effective teaching,” Jenson said.

A gathering place for all nonprofits and the community is the inspiration behind the VCCF Nonprofit Center, Jenson noted.

“It will be a community asset, and we will be able to extend our home to their home,” she said. “The Center and the building itself will be a central force for the community.”

Building nonprofit leadership

Illustration by Main Street ArchitectsThis rendering shows the roomy quarters of a Center for Nonprofit Leadership classroom in the new VCCF Nonprofit Center.

Funding Information and Resource Center for Nonprofits opens. It is known today as the Center for Nonprofit Leadership at VCCF.

The descendants of Dominick and Bridget McGrath establish and endow a fund so the legacy of their ancestors will be forever remembered.

The Ventura Boys & Girls Club’s “Beat the Streets Band” makes its debut performance in Ventura’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, thanks to a VCCF grant of $20,000 through the California Community Foundation Youth Regranting Fund for instruments for the 130-youth band.

1991 November • 1992 June • 1993 March • 1994 March • 1995 March • 1996 January • 1997 April • 1997 September • 1998 September • 1999 August •

The 100th fund is established at VCCF: The TEACh (Training and Education for Achievement by Children) Fund is created with a $27,000 donation from the estate of Ventura County resident Thomas J. “Johnny” Donovan. Assisting youth “aged out” of the foster care system, it has awarded 220 scholarships totaling $289,976.

The Women’s Legacy Fund is established at VCCF. It has awarded 142 grants for a total of $1.09 million.

VCCF launches Destino 2000, its second field of interest fund. It has awarded 114 grants totaling $838,217.

Joe Brown elected VCCF’s second board chair.

VCCF expands and moves to 1317 Del Norte Road, Suite 150, Camarillo.

VCCF celebrates 10 years and $18.8 million in community support, awarding grants to more than 350 county nonprofits totaling more than $4.9 million. Permanent endowment surpasses $16 million.

The Heritage Fund is established at the Ventura County Community Foundation to preserve the history of Ventura County. Since its inception, it has awarded 24 grants totaling $106,764.

CNL expands to serve more nonprofits

It all began with one bookcaseCenter for Nonprofit Leadership triples

its space for nonprofit education

Continued on Page 9

Continued from Page 8

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Scholarship was the break he needed

Continued on Page 15

10

A ring sounds through UCLA student Nicolas Molina’s

apartment. He reaches for his cell phone and glances at the screen, noting a 203 area code on his caller ID. It’s 8:58 p.m. on a Monday in April. Suspecting it’s a telemarketer, Molina answers his cell.

Instead, it was the best offer he could imagine.

“You’ve been accepted to Yale Law,” the caller told him.

Molina, a VCCF scholarship winner, is the son of two migrant workers. He faced challenges in his pursuit of an education, but his fierce determination kept him going.

“It wasn’t until I got to college that I saw that I didn’t have the same upbringing,” Molina said. “Challenges are something that I’m used to, and I take them head on.”

A 2007 Santa Paula High School graduate, Molina had to walk several miles to school. He lacked the materials for coursework and faced a language difference. While he was born in the United States, Spanish is Molina’s first language.

“I was in this little cocoon of Spanish in my early years,” he said.

The language barrier also came into play with his parents and their ability to participate in his education.

“They never had formal schooling so it was all very foreign to them,” Molina said. “They never developed a parent-teacher relationship or asked how I was doing in school. But they tell me to do well and to do

what I’ve got to do.”He was accepted straight out of

high school to UCLA as a history and economics double major with a minor in education studies. After the initial shock of receiving his acceptance letter, anxiety set in.

“Will I be good enough to do well? And how will I finance my education?” Molina asked. “I was grateful for the opportunity but fearful at what lay ahead.”

That’s where VCCF stepped in. Molina was awarded the John and Agnes McFarlane Fund Scholarship and the Orfalea Fund Scholarship in both 2010 and 2011.

“There was finally relief. I was thankful that the money helped me focus more on school,” Molina said. “The investment that donors make can make the difference for all of the students. It sounds cliché, but it did for me. I am very thankful for the help I’ve had along the way.”

The Ventura County Community Foundation came to the aid of

253 students to the tune of more than $1.2 million at the 2012 Scholarship Reception in June. The scholarships came at a critical time for these students, as the California State University and University of California higher education systems were looking at more tuition hikes.

According to Collegeboard, tuition on average across the nation has increased 8.3 percent between 2010 and 2011, so even Ventura County students attending school out of state may have to absorb higher costs.

Scholarships

Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crashes about 3 miles north of Anacapa Island.

Kim Gunter sets up Alaska Airlines Flight 261 Memorial Fund at VCCF.

The Regional Civic Alliance of Ventura County forms at VCCF. The program is later renamed Ventura County Civic Alliance.

The first 55 graduates of the VCCF Resource Center for Nonprofit Management are recognized after completing the eight-month Excellence in Nonprofit Management Program and the Winning Grants Series.

2000 January • February • August • 2001 February • October • 2002 May • 2003 January • March • July •

Bill Bang elected VCCF’s third board chair

Alice McGrath’s 85th Birthday Luncheon raises almost $15,000 for the Alice Greenfield McGrath Destino Fund, benefiting Destino 2000: The Hispanic Legacy Fund.

VCCF hits No. 6 on The Pacific Coast Business Times’ Largest Philanthropic Foundations (based on total assets).

Attorney James C. Basile dies and leaves in excess of $7 million to his scholarship fund, a gift that causes the number of scholarships offered by VCCF to nearly triple and allows the foundation to offer multiyear awards.

Regional Civic Alliance for Ventura County unveils first State of the Region Report.

Hugh Ralston becomes president and CEO of VCCF.

Courtesy photoNicolas Molina is not only the first person in his family to go to college but thanks, in part, to a scholarship from VCCF he has been accepted at Yale Law School.

Photos by Hannah DaveyAbove: Martha Zeiher of SAGE Publications presents Craig Patton with the SAGE Scholarship. Below: Ana Morales Kall, left, and VCCF Board Member Mary Schwabauer embrace at the 2012 Scholarship Reception.

2012 Scholarship Reception

R icky Medrano’s cry echoed through the prison hospital.

He and his mother, Susan, had a moment together, only to be separated because of her past mistakes.

Ricky was born while his mother was locked up in a Bakersfield prison on drug charges. Born into this bleak situation, Ricky might be expected to struggle and ultimately fail at life.

Only days old, Medrano was removed from the prison by his grandmother, who raised him on and off with his parents, who were cycling in and out of prison. At age 3, Medrano’s aunt and uncle – with four children of their own – took in Ricky and his three sisters.

He turned into a studious young man and a hard worker – a trait he said he learned from his guardians. He worked through high school at the Habit Burger and later at the Integrated Waste Management Division as a student aide while leading his class as the president his sophomore, junior and senior years, all while earning a 4.0 GPA.

“I had to work all four years to pay for my cell phone, gas, car insurance and anything else I wanted,” Medrano said. “My family was not poor, though. I was provided with everything I needed but anything extra was on me to pay for, including college.”

Graduating from Foothill Technology High School in 2004, Medrano attended Ventura College

as a biochemistry major.“I always saw college in my future

and had no illusion I would be doing anything else. My only obstacle was money, and VCCF generously made my life through college financially easier,” Medrano said.

Hunkering down his freshman year at Ventura College, Medrano applied for as many scholarships as he could. His research and hard work paid off: Among other scholarships, Medrano was awarded the $20,000 James C. Basile Scholarship at VCCF in 2005.

“I felt humbled to win the scholarships, especially for that much money. I am very appreciative of James C. Basile and the funds he donated to the foundation,” Medrano said. “My books for one semester cost almost $1,000. Combined with

Courtesy photoRicky Medrano, his girlfriend Jenifer and daughter Kailey recently vacationed at Yosemite National Park. Medrano won the $20,000 James C. Basile Scholarship in 2005 as a biochemistry freshman at Ventura College.

Farmworkers’ child heads to top law school

“As a student, it is frightening not to know specifically how you are going to pay for your education,” said VCCF President and CEO Hugh Ralston. “With possible mid-year fee increases for California schools, we are pleased to help so many students with a financial cushion for their education.”

To encourage youth philanthropy and to prove

giving can start at any age, the Ventura County Community Foundation launched initiatives focused on giving and Ventura County’s future in the early months of 2012.

Thanks to a $20,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation, Ventura County Together and the Ventura County Civic Alliance – two VCCF partners – each staged a contest to engage youth in their community.

“These contests have encouraged youth not normally volunteering and engaging in the community to develop and come to care for a cause close to their hearts. This is exactly where philanthropy begins,” said VCCF President and CEO Hugh Ralston.

Kids as grantmakersThe premise of Ventura County

Together’s Give Big Give Back Challenge was for groups of young people to create a service project to raise funds, collect items and spread awareness of a nonprofit serving the community. The group whose project created the largest impact won the opportunity to recommend a $1,000 grant to the organization of their choice. Groups were judged on a quantifiable outcome of their projects, such as dollars raised, toiletries collected, as well as how many peers they engaged in the project and how closely their project exemplified the mission of VCT.

The Balboa Middle School

Interact Club was selected as winner of the challenge, raising money to provide gift cards for Interface Children and Family Services to distribute to families in crisis. The group exemplified the GBGBC engagement test, in that they started with 15 students, built themselves into a group of 67 student volunteers and advocates, which then grew to a group of 450 of their peers and parents who attended the talent show and purchased refreshments to support the families of Interface.

Youth as visionariesThrough a four-part contest over

eight months, the Ventura County Civic Alliance encouraged young people to express creatively their views on sustainability to put the spotlight on VCCA’s Compact for a Sustainable Ventura County.

“Because the future of the area directly affects our youth, VCCA’s Young Leaders Project encouraged them to express their ideas and aspirations for the county,” Ralston said.

Over 20 young leaders submitted videos, music, photography and art. After each contest, a showcase was held, awarding the winners prizes donated from eco-friendly organizations such as Lynda.com, Patagonia and Island Packers.

VCCA also hosted a Facebook campaign that had a reach of 5,000 views and 614 engaged users. The Facebook page allowed users to share and comment on their ideas of sustainability and county issues.

The success of these youth campaigns have stirred the possibility for a program at VCCF for youth to volunteer and assist local nonprofits.

1312

Scholarships

The Fund for Farmworker Housing awards its first grants totaling $127,500 to three organizations working to find solutions to agricultural workers’ housing issues in Ventura County.

VCCF gives a then-record $600,000 in scholarships to local students.

2004 June • September • 2005 February • June • 2006 January • • October • November • 2007 May •

Community members donate $18,355 to VCCF’s World Disaster Fund to aid victims of the Dec. 26, 2004, tsunami in Southern Asia.

Mary Leavens Schwabauer elected VCCF’s fourth board chair. In 2008, VCCF establishes a fund in her honor to support VCCF operations.

The Social Justice Fund is launched at VCCF as a donor-advised fund, with VCCF serving as fiscal sponsor and host.

Destino: The Hispanic Legacy Fund turns 10. 10 The Resource Management

Center for Nonprofits opens its Technology Center, boasting 10 new state-of-the-art computer consoles.

VCCF is certified in compliance with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations, making VCCF one of just 150 organizations nationwide to achieve this distinction.

The Ventura County Civic Alliance launches Phase 1 of the Compact for a Sustainable Ventura County.

Spotlight shines on arts scholarA young Amanda Landis

watched in awe as the singers and dancers floated across the Nordhoff High School stage. The curly-haired blonde girl was caught up in the magic of musical theater, determined to emulate the “big kids” she saw in the spotlight when it was her time to shine.

It’s now her time. Landis was awarded the Young Artists Scholarship at VCCF’s 2012 Scholarship Reception. She joins the ranks of seven other Ventura County students.

The Nordhoff High School graduate now attends Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., to pursue a degree in theater with an emphasis in musical theater.

“I wouldn’t be going to an amazing university without my involvement in the community,” said the now 18-year-old Landis. “Winning this scholarship means my community is giving me the chance to do what I love.”

Landis enjoys giving back to her community through stagecraft, volunteering her time performing, choreographing, vocal directing, costuming or just lending a hand. Landis recently worked on two children’s productions: “High School Musical Jr.” at Topa Topa Elementary and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” at Ojai Arts Center.

Landis’ performance in school was stellar, ending high school with

a 4.2 GPA. She was recognized as a California Scholarship Federation Seal Bearer, a National AP Scholar with Distinction and she earned five academic letters from Nordhoff. Landis was also active in her high school arts programs, including the audition-only A Capella Choir. She was the only freshman ever to be admitted to that prestigious ensemble.

“It’s wonderful to know that I’m part of a community that’s invested in its youth,” said Landis. “I know I’m coming back here and working in the community. This is such a gift.”

The “Send Our Best to the Best” campaign is under way to raise $375,000 to endow permanently the Young Artists Scholarship fund. Donors interested in contributing

to assist other students like Landis are invited to contact Lindsay Smith at [email protected] or (805) 988-0196, Ext. 115. Or make donations online at www.vccf.org.

SCHOLARSHIPSBY THE NUMBERS$ 8,584,359.50 Total amount of scholarships awarded to Ventura County students by VCCF*

3,428Total students awarded scholarships*

4,096Total number of scholarships awarded*

1988 Year the first VCCF scholarship – the Milton McKevett Teague – was awarded $20,000Largest single VCCF scholarship award, from the James C. Basile Scholarship Fund – $5,000 renewable for four years

*These numbers are from the official scholarship program that was launched in 1992. Scholarships awarded between 1987 and 1992 are not taken into account.

Photo by Hannah DaveyAmanda Landis won the 2012 Young Artists Scholarship which she is using to study theater at Northwestern University.

Investing in youth

VCCF Photo Students at the Balboa Middle School Interact Club won the grantmaker challenge by raising friends and funds for Interface Children and Family Services.

Dottie Loebl issued a blanket “indictment” of the entire

audience at the 2012 VCCF Community Leadership awards.

“Everyone here is guilty of the practice of philanthropy,” said Loebl, winner of the Philanthropist Award.

In their third year, these honors spotlight the exemplary volunteer work of residents, businesses and nonprofits that strive to build community in Ventura County and are an annual opportunity to celebrate the work of those who invest time, talent and capital into improving the quality of life in Ventura County.

Loebl was one of four individuals and two organizations honored at the third annual award ceremony at the Museum of Ventura County in May.

A former VCCF board member,

Loebl of Ojai began volunteering at public and private educational institutions in Ojai, and then expanded to include financial support and leadership for countywide programs and causes.

Jessie Peterson of Oxnard, winner of a VCCF Training and Education Achievement by Children, or TEACh, Opportunity Scholarship, received the Next Generation Award – an honor that shows philanthropists can start early. Through her experiences in the foster care system, the San Francisco State University student interned on Capitol Hill with the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, where she created a policy recommendation report, “The Future of Foster Care: A Revolution for Change.” The report was presented at a congressional briefing

and was released to policymakers and advocates across the country.

Director and lead teacher of the Bell Arts Factory Youth Art

15

taking 20 units and having limited time to work, the money helped me focus more on school, rather than ‘how to make it.’”

Covered financially between scholarships and school aid, Medrano decided to “pay it forward.”

“When I was given my financial aid check in my sophomore year at Ventura College, I donated $1,000 of it to my high school’s ASB class because I know how hard it can be fund-raising for them,” Medrano said.

After transferring to the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 2006 and graduating with a degree in aquatic biology in 2008, Medrano took an extended internship with

the National Park Service at the Presidio of San Francisco. As a habitat restoration intern, he helped restore native areas by removing invasive plants and introducing California native species.

Now living in Camarillo with his girlfriend Jenifer and 3-year-

old daughter Kailey, Medrano is a grounds worker at California State University, Channel Islands, where he cares for the plants on campus. Medrano plans to enter the graduate biology program at the university when the program launches in 2014.

“VCCF gave me an opportunity not to have to stress as hard and work as much during college so I was given more time to focus on my studies and truly appreciate the college experience,” Medrano said. “I was able to graduate from UCSB having no student loan debt thanks to the donors of VCCF. Not many can say that who are expected to pay for college on their own.”

Research that mattersState of Region Report to be unveiled in February

Continued from Page 11

14

2008 October • December • 2009 June • 2010 Apri l • 2011 February • 2012 January • July • September • to the future

ArtsLIVE in Ventura County kicks off, offering $120,000 for the first grant cycle. The three-year initiative increased support for the arts in Ventura County as part of the Irvine Foundation’s Communities Advancing the Arts Initiative.

Pierre Tada elected VCCF’s fifth board chair

VCCF earns recertification for its compliance with standards set by the Community Foundations National Standards Board.

VCCF purchases a Camarillo office building to house the foundation’s headquarters, expand its Center for Nonprofit Leadership and serve as a hub for nonprofits at a centralized location.

Ten volunteers who have donated their time and talents to bettering the lives of thousands in Ventura County are honored with the new Ventura County Community Foundation’s President’s Award.

Jeremy Hanna and Elizabeth Hatakeyama win the inaugural Young Artists Scholarships at VCCF.

VCCF presents the inaugural Community Leadership Awards. These awards salute the efforts of community leaders in Ventura County and highlight the importance of leadership in our nonprofit sector.

Greg Merfeld, a Conejo Valley man living with ALS, establishes a national scholarship at VCCF to help the children of parents suffering from the disease pay for their college education.

VCCF’s anniversary:25th

The Ventura County Civic Alliance, a VCCF initiative, plans to release its third State of the

Region Report for Ventura County on Feb. 20 and 21. Published every five years, the report is independently

researched and provides current data on 12 quality-of-life indicators in Ventura County.

Because the data are objective, elected officials, business owners and nonprofit leaders rely on the report in decision-making.

“There have been significant changes since our last look in 2007,” said David Maron, the chair for the State of the Region Committee.

He cited in particular advances in local industries that readers will find innovative and stimulating.

The research has been performed by Jamshid Damooei, an economics professor at

California Lutheran University. Writer for the 2013 report, Tony Biasotti, found a

few predictions in the 2007 State of the Region Report overtaken by events.

Unemployment in our region stood at 4.2 percent back then, and by 2012 would decrease to 4 percent, according to the report. Damooei and his research team have found unemployment in Ventura County is sitting at 10 percent, after the Great Recession few saw coming.

“It’s not that they were wrong; it’s just a reminder that things can change dramatically,” said Biasotti, referring to the economic downturn in 2008. “The big takeaway is that it’s been a rough five years.” For information on the State of the Region Report, go to civicalliance.org.

Born in prison, youth unlocks his potential“I always saw college in my future. My only obstacle was money, and VCCF generously made my life through college financially easier.” — Ricky Medrano,

James C. Basile Scholarship recipient

There’s more online

We hope you enjoyed seeing these milestones in VCCF. Go to vccf.org to see dozens more photos, an audio interview with the first executive director and media reports.

2012 Community LeadershipAward winnersDorothy LoeblPhilanthropist Award VerizonOutstanding Organization Award Jessie PetersonNext Generation Leader AwardMichele FosterKesa Ryono Award Bill BangFounders AwardUnited Way of Ventura CountyChairman’s Award

VCCF honors community leadersVentura County Community Foundation President and CEO Hugh Ralston and VCCF Board of Trustees Chair Pierre Tada, second row left, honor the 2012 VCCF Community Leadership Award winners after the May ceremony at the Museum of Ventura County. From left, Dorothy Loebl of Ojai, Jessie Peterson of Oxnard, Michael Murray of Verizon, Michelle Honles who accepted on behalf of Michele Foster of Ventura, United Way of Ventura County Board of Directors Chair Adam Thunell and former VCCF Board Chair Bill Bang of Thousand Oaks.

Photo by Katrina Maksimuk

Continued on Page 16

Lauren Arzu came to VCCF in March as the market-ing and outreach coordinator for the Center for Non-profit Leadership. Her responsibilities include online registration, the eNewsletter, social media and work-shop outreach.

Colleen Cason has been promoted to senior director of Communications and Marketing. Her new duties in-clude overseeing the marketing strategy for VCCF, in-cluding the Center for Nonprofit Leadership, the 25th anniversary celebration and the VCCF Nonprofit Cen-ter Capital Campaign.

Hannah Davey, former communications assistant, has been promoted to communications associate. She will continue to assist Colleen and will add marketing assistance for the Capital Campaign to her duties. LaToya Ford has been promoted from program as-sociate and grants manager to program officer. She now is charged with focusing her efforts on the Women’s Legacy Fund, donor-advised funds and agency endow-ments, among other funds.

Joining the staff in May, Linda Garcia is VCCF’s new vice president of Programs and Grants. Last fall,

the VCCF board voted to combine that department with Donor Services. Linda now will be charged with engaging donors and volunteers and articulating the impact of VCCF’s grantmaking to stakeholders.

Kay Wolverton-Ito joined VCCF in early 2012 as a development associate, assisting Director of Donor Relations Lindsay Smith in donor engagement, fund development and executing VCCF events.

VCCF sends its best wishes to Financial Accountant Donna Hall who retired in June. Donna became part of the VCCF family in July 2001. With over a decade at VCCF under her belt, she is enjoying retirement, traveling and spending time with her husband and family.

Director of Fund Development Jerusha Schmalzel moved with her husband, Marc, to her native Arizona in September. Jerusha has been a valued member of the VCCF team, and we wish her every success.

Read our new staff bios at http://vccf.org/about/staff.shtml.

Program, Michele Foster of Ventura was awarded the Kesa Ryono Award commemorating the late VCCF colleague who went above and beyond in supporting people from all walks of life in her community. Nominated by the public for her work, Foster is a passionate domestic-violence activist who uses art as a tool of healing.

Former VCCF Board Chair Bill Bang of Thousand Oaks was honored by the current board with the Founders Award, which was established to celebrate a long-time leader from the Community Foundation itself. Bang joined the VCCF Board in 1995, serving as chair from 2000 until 2005. A long-term advocate for the arts and The Wellness Community, he has been instrumental in the advancement of the Museum of Ventura County, the Alliance for the Arts and the New West Symphony.

The Organization Award went to Verizon for its support of local nonprofits, including VCCF’s Destino: The Hispanic Legacy Fund, the Center for Nonprofit Leadership at VCCF and youth initiatives launched by the Ventura County

Civic Alliance at VCCF. Californians in need were helped by more than $8 million from the Verizon Foundation in 2011.

“Nonprofits are more than ever on the frontier of hope,” said Mike Murray, Verizon director of Government & External Affairs for Southern California, in his acceptance remarks.

Pointing to the rock wall at the back of the Smith Pavilion at the Museum of Ventura County, United Way Board Chair Adam Thunell

used that as a metaphor. “Those rocks are all different

but they blend together. That is how nonprofits work together for the community,” said Thunell in accepting for his organization the Chairman’s Award, honoring a person or organization that sets an example of community leadership and extends the important work of collaboration and partnership.

United Way and VCCF have a long history of collaboration on such efforts as providing basic services through Ventura County Together and in the award-winning Freeze Fund, which assisted farmworkers who lost their jobs in the killer freeze of 2007.

Sponsors of the annual event included The Gas Co., Santa Barbara Bank & Trust, Granite Peak Partners, Zestnet, Canterbury Consulting, FOOD Share, the CLU Center for Leadership and Values, Roz McGrath, Mary Schwabauer, the Erickson Group, Public Policy Associates, Hank Lacayo, Chuck Maxey, Ph.D., Manchester Financial, Terri Lisagor, Ed.D., Gallagher 20/20 Consulting and Mike Silacci.

16

The Ventura County Community Foundation recently earned recertification for its compliance

with national standards set by the Community Foundations National Standards Board.

VCCF is the only community foundation in Ventura County to earn this designation and was among the first in California to be certified when the standards program began a decade ago.

National standards were adopted by community foundations to highlight “best practices” in governance, structure, mission, fund development, community leadership, grantmaking and donor relations.

“This is similar to the Good Housekeeping Seal for community foundations,” said Diane Miller, manager of the Community Foundations National Standards Board, a supporting organization of the Council on Foundations. “It says VCCF has demonstrated a commitment to operational quality, integrity and accountability at the

highest level of the field.” With over 200 community foundations in compliance

nationwide, the program is designed to assure donors, as well as their legal and financial advisers, that the foundation is a trustworthy charitable partner.

“This is critically important to our donors and the wider communities in Ventura County we serve,” said Hugh J. Ralston, VCCF president and CEO. “When people make a charitable bequest, establish a fund or set up an annuity, they are putting their trust in us. They are counting on us to manage the investment wisely, honor their charitable wishes and, in some cases, provide lifetime income to a loved one. The National Standards reconfirmation says our house is in order,” added Ralston, who serves as president of the Community Foundations National Standards Board but is not involved in the confirmation process.

To learn more, visit vccf.org or cof.org.

Seal of approval

Continued from Page 13

17

VCCF welcomes, promotes staff; salutes dedicated workers

Ralston to lead community foundation quality panel

VCCF President and CEO Hugh Ralston has been selected to head the Community Foundations

National Standards Board as its new president.A supporting organization of the Council on

Foundations, the CFNSB oversees the quality, value and integrity of community foundations’ compliance with the Nationals Standards for U.S. Community Foundations, promoting and recognizing foundations with the highest standards of ethical behavior. The board also ensures the standards remain relevant to the changing times, needs, policies and resources as well as oversees the vigorous compliance process. VCCF was recertified for its compliance with standards set by the CFNSB in January.

“I am honored to be elected the president of the board that is charged with this important responsibility for our field. In an era when transparency and effectiveness

are important markers, the community foundation field continues to distinguish itself as being the only group within philanthropy that certifies its members against rigorous standards of accountability and practice that is designed to be best of class,” Ralston said.

Serving on the CFNSB since its inception in 2009, Ralston joins the 11-person board for a one-year re-electable term as president. He will remain at the helm of VCCF, adding the CFNSB presidency to his responsibilities.

HUGH J. RALSTON

Invest ing Together. For good. For ever.Stewarding legacies. Building nonprofit leadership. Investing in the future.

VCCF meets highest U.S. standards

Photo by Katrina MaksimukFormer VCCF Board Chair Bill Bang accepts a Community Leadership Award from current Board Chair Pierre Tada.

GARCIA HALLARZU WOLVERTON-ITOCASON DAVEY FORD SCHMALZEL

18Invest ing Together. For good. For ever.

19

Foundation’s portfolio posts strong gains in FY 2012

Charitable gift annuity: VCCF offers flexibility, local benefit

In these challenging financial times, a VCCF gift annuity continues to offer solid benefits and an opportunity to make

a difference for the Ventura County charity or cause you choose.Only at VCCF can you benefit multiple regional charities of

your choice with a gift annuity, while receiving tax-advantaged income.

These annuities allow you to leave a legacy in Ventura County while receiving guaranteed life income and tax benefits.

For more information about eligibility requirements and program details, contact Lindsay Smith at (805) 988-0176, Ext. 115, or email her at [email protected].

65 4.7%

75 5.8%

85 7.8%

60 4.4%

70 5.1%

80 6.8%

90+ 9.0%

Age Rate

65/70 4.4%

75/80 4.9%

85/85 6.7%

65/65 4.2%

70/75 4.8%

80/80 5.7%

90/90 8.2%

Age Rate

For One Life(Yourself)

For Two Lives(Yourself and another)

effective date 1/01/12

The VCCF portfolio surged 17 percent for fiscal year 2012, it was announced at November’s annual Open

Investment Committee Meeting.“We continued to see strong results from our portfolio,

validating our disciplined long-term strategies,” said Rob-ert Katch, investment committee chair and VCCF board member. “We are pleased our relative performance is up, and our long-term performance remains a solid base for our grantmaking and other philanthropic investments.”

VCCF’s total assets were $118 million as of Sept. 30.VCCF and its investment consultant cited strong invest-

ment returns in both equities and fixed income markets, while cautioning the future continues to hold risks due to swings in the international economy.

“We live in a global world, both of opportunities and risks,” said Bob Cluck, long-time consultant to the founda-tion’s investment committee and chairman of Canterbury Consulting. “As we diversify our portfolio into international markets to take advantage of the growth in markets across the world, we are also exposed to the ups and downs of the world economy.”

Katch also pointed out VCCF’s 10-year investment per-formance ranked in the 8th percentile of foundations with less than $1 billion invested, meaning VCCF’s portfolio performed better than 92 percent of those of its peers.

VCCF posted an 8.4 percent return for the last 10 years, against an Attribution Index* of 7.3 percent. The Attribu-tion Index evaluates the performance of fund managers and reveals the power of the manager’s investment decisions.

VCCF portfolio returns are compared to a benchmark to determine whether a manager’s choices affected invest-ment performance or if the portfolio rose or fell with the markets. The difference between the two reflects additional value captured by VCCF’s investment managers to gener-ate long-term growth for the portfolio, sustaining VCCF’s donor contributions to our region.

VCCF investments gain 17 percent despite volatility in global markets

Asset Allocation Summaryas of Sept. 30, 2012

DomesticEquity

36%

Private Equity12.5%

FixedIncome17.7%

InternationalEquity

18%

HedgeFund

15.8%

Check the web: Visit vccf.org for more information on VCCF’s investment strategies.

Performance Summary(net of fees)

as of Sept. 30, 2012

Fiscal YTD 17 15.3

FY2011 (1.8) 1.3

Last 3 Years* 8.5 8.4

Last 5 Years* 3.0 1.9

Last 10 Years* 8.4 7.3

VCCF Endowment Portfolio Attribution Index

Investing Together. For good. For ever.

The VCCF Nonprofit Center is at 4001 Mission Oaks Blvd., next door to the historic Camarillo Ranch House in Camarillo.

Working togetherhas a new home

We call it the VCCF Nonprofit Center, and we see it as a hub where nonprofit leaders come together to learn, collaborate and get better at their important work. Centrally located along the Highway 101 corridor in Camarillo, the 53,500-square-foot VCCF Nonprofit Center offers these amenities:

• Triple the space for the VCCF Center for Nonprofit Leadership to add classrooms and increase the offerings of its Library for Nonprofit Research and Development and its dedicated Technology Center.

• A community conference space that can welcome up to 150 people.• Opportunities to foster collaboration between nonprofits that will result

in more creative and cost-effective programs to serve the people of Ventura County.

As we celebrate our 25th anniversary year, this new home symbolizes VCCF’s commitment to strengthen community in Ventura County.

OPPORTUNITIESLeasingBe an inaugural tenant. The VCCF Nonprofit Center will lease office space to our fellow nonprofits at below-market rates in this centrally located Class A office building.

PhilanthropyThe more than 20 naming opportunities range from the entire building to the Center for Nonprofit Leadership, classrooms, the Technology Center, the grass-roots space, conference rooms and possible memorial plantings. Gifts from VCCF’s $10 million capital campaign will secure the center’s future financial strength.

Learn moreContact Hugh J. Ralston, [email protected] or 805.988.0196, Ext. 116. Take a look online at vccf.org/nonprofitcenter.

Ventura County Community Foundation

* In the case of the VCCF portfolio, the benchmarks are 35 percent Russell 3000, 20 percent Morgan Stanley Capital International All Country World Index Except U.S., 15 percent Barclays Capital Aggregate Bond, 20 percent Hedge Fund Research Index Fund of Funds Composite Index and 10 percent CA US Private Equity Lag.

VCCF Datebook

Highlights contributors: Writers: Hannah Davey, Colleen Cason; Design and production: Talon Klipp, Hannah Davey; Photos: Hannah Davey, Ka-trina Maksimuk, Jerusha Schmalzel. To access Highlights online: vccf.org/media/publications. This publication is printed on recycled materials.

Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage

PAID Investing Together. For Good. For Ever.4001 Mission Oaks Blvd., Camarillo, CA 93012805-988-0196 Fax: 805-484-2700 [email protected] www.vccf.org

Oxnard, CA Permit No. 210

Board of Directors Pierre Y. Tada, ChairGary E. Erickson, Vice ChairTimothy J. McCallion, Vice Chair & TreasurerStacy A. Roscoe, Vice ChairScott B. Samsky, SecretaryMary L. Schwabauer, Immediate Past Chair Tim GallagherRobert J. Katch Henry L. “Hank” Lacayo Terri E. Lisagor, Ed.D.Charles Maxey, Ph.D.Roz McGrathStan MantoothM. Carmen Ramirez Michael L. Silacci Bonnie Weigel

President & CEO Hugh J. Ralston

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

V E N T U R A C O U N T Y C O M M U N I T Y F O U N D A T I O N

VCCF is certified in compliance with national standards for U.S. community foundations.

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NOTE OUR NEW ADDRESS:VCCF Nonprofit Center4001 Mission Oaks Blvd., Suite ACamarillo, CA 93012

For directions, go online to vccf.org/nonprofitcenter

COMING THIS YEARFeb. 7: Center for Nonprofit Leadership Open HouseFeb. 20 & 21: Release of the Ventura County Civic Alliance State of the Region ReportJune 6: 2013 Scholarship Awards ReceptionJune: 25th Anniversary Community Leadership AwardsSummer: Heritage Fund Grantee ReceptionFall: Destino Grants ReceptionNovember: Open Investment Committee Meeting