We at Kern Community Foundation know that our Nonprofit Community needs funding support now more than ever.
That’s why we’re STAYING THE ONLINE COURSE WITH REGARD TO GIVE BIG KERN!
Our B-i-i-i-g Giving Day is still going to happen on May 5, with the givebigkern.org platform going live to receive donations a month out, on April 5, and staying open till May 6.
Click here to read how close to 130 participating nonprofits are being encouraged to make Give Big Kern their online day of giving at a time when they can showcase their most dire needs to Kern’s giving community — because collectively, we can and will get through this crisis.
Please plan to support Kern’s nonprofits through Give Big Kern!
In an effort to be transparent in all we do, Kern Community Foundation publishes an “Impact Sheet” during the first quarter of the year, detailing the previous year’s accomplishments in our two strategic initiatives, Educational Attainment and Nonprofit Strengthening. Our 2019 Impact Sheet is hot off the presses, and we think you will agree that our 20th Anniversary Year was one of many accomplishments, which are victories shared with all our fund holders, donors, supporters, partners and friends. Thank you! Click on the image to access a downloadable PDF copy.
Kern Community Foundation is seeking the right candidate to fill an exciting new position. The Community Network Coordinator will report to the President and CEO and be part of a small team responsible for supporting the Foundation’s community convening work, in particular supporting day-to-day communications and logistics, community engagement and data function for each identified network.
Kern Community Foundation is a vibrant nonprofit enterprise created by and for the people of Kern County. Our mission Is powerfully simple: Growing community. Growing philanthropy. Today, thanks to the generosity of dozens of individuals, families and corporations, the Foundation has grown to hold more than 170 charitable funds with assets of more than $27 million and has awarded more than $24 million in grants and scholarships to the community. Learn more about the Foundation on our home page, kernfoundation.org.
Hello, Local Philanthropists and Community-Minded Business Partners!
Here’s your chance to support Kern County’s ENTIRE nonprofit sector all at once by sponsoring Kern Community Foundation’s Online Day of Giving, Give Big Kern: One Day to Celebrate the Giving Spirit of Kern County!—winner of the 2019 Beautiful Bakersfield Award for helping to create “A Better Bakersfield.”
Coming up on its fifth year and held on the first Tuesday in May—which falls auspiciously on a fun date on the 2020 calendar: Cinco de Mayo!—this countywide crowdfunding event affords sponsors a highly impactful and visible way to practice philanthropy. You can be part of a Nonprofit Strengthening effort that increases the visibility, capacity and sustainability of over 100 local charities, giving them the means to raise unrestricted dollars while growing their donor and volunteer pools.
Your gift will allow Kern Community Foundation to empower participating charitable organizations with the following tools and services FREE OF CHARGE:
Access to their own fundraising page on GiveBigKern.org, an easy-to-use, state-of-the-art crowdfunding platform from GiveGab, an industry leader managing close to 110 giving days across 48 states;
Customized training on online fundraising, social media & email marketing, event planning, board engagement, and donor/volunteer cultivation;
Printed and downloadable marketing materials in English & Spanish to help them promote their giving day campaigns widely for maximum effect; and
Motivational cash prizes to encourage greater community engagement.
Two ways to help:
Become a Monetary Sponsor at the $1,000 to $20,000 level. Click here to download our Four-page Sponsorship Pamphlet, which highlights Give Big Kern’s record-setting results in 2019 (close to $430,000 raised!) and outlines the benefits to you as a 2020 Sponsor. Sponsorships purchased before year-end 2019 may be claimed as tax-deductible donations in the current tax year (our EIN#: 77-0555874).
Next year’s Give Big Kern theme is “Give Like It’s a Fiesta!” With your support, we can make it the most fun and festive Give Big Kern ever. Thank you for your kind consideration. We will be happy to answer any questions you might have. Contact Louis Medina, Director of Community Impact, at Louis@kernfoundation.org or 661.616.2603.
Kern Community Foundation is pleased to announce the 2020 lineup of presenting agencies in our Nonprofit Showcase Series, Philanthropy on Tap, conducted in partnership with the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce and its Bakersfield Young Professionals (BYP) Program.
The purpose of Philanthropy on Tap is to introduce the work of a wide range of nonprofits to the greater community, and highlight opportunities for philanthropic and volunteer engagement with them. In a relaxed setting, over drinks and hors d’oeuvres courtesy of Kern Community Foundation, we are helping to expand strategic networking connections between our for-profit and nonprofit partners in the spirit of our mission:
“Growing community. Growing philanthropy.”
In 2020, events will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on the Tuesdays below at two popular Bakersfield locations:
Imbibe Wine & Spirits Merchant, 4140 Truxtun Ave.
Temblor Brewing Company, 3200 Buck Owens Blvd.
Congratulations to the 8 organizations selected from a competitive pool of a total 28 that applied!
February 4 at Imbibe: Junior League of Bakersfield
April 7 at Temblor: Southern Sierra Council, Boy Scouts of America
June 2 at Imbibe: Covenant Community Services
August 4 at Temblor: PathPoint
September 1 at Temblor: Double-Header Featuring Helping Animals Live Tomorrow (H.A.L.T.) Rescue & Strength of Shadow (S.O.S.) Dog Rescue
October 6 at Imbibe: Bakersfield Pregnancy Center
December 1 at Temblor: Be Finally Free
You can also view the current schedule of Philanthropy on Tap events through the end of 2020 at kernfoundation.org/events.
“Jumpstart” is a competitive grant opportunity made available to Kern County nonprofits thanks to a public-private partnership between Kern Community Foundation and fundraising technology and training giant Network for Good (NFG), with generous funding support from the Kern County Board of Supervisors.
The program allows five Kern nonprofits–one from each County Supervisorial District–the opportunity to receive 12 months of fundraising technical assistance and easy-to-use software from NFG at a greatly subsidized cost.
Jumpstart is designed to help Kern’s nonprofits work smarter, not harder, by building upon the important fundraising work they have already begun through Give Big Kern and other efforts. The program weds the high-touch nurturing and cultivation of long-term relationships with individual donors to the high-tech use of donor development software, in order to help charities diversify and expand general operating dollars.
Our application period for Jumpstart 2020 is currently open through 5 p.m. Monday, November 25, 2019.
Click hereto read a success story from 2019 participant, Independence Through GRACE, which more than doubled its Give Big Kern fundraising from 2018 ($20,000) to 2019 ($49,000) after they implemented lessons learned from their Jumpstart Fundraising Coach. In the article, you will also find useful links to a slide presentation on Jumpstart and to Kern Community Foundation’s Online Grants Platform so you can get started with your application. Questions? Please write to Louis@kernfoundation.org or call 661.616.2603.
That’s how much funding IN NET-NEW DOLLARS FROM INDIVIDUAL DONORS nonprofits that graduate from the Jumpstart Fundraising Technical Assistance Grant Program are raising, on average, at the end of the 12-month training period!
Some Kern County nonprofits enrolled in Jumpstart since January of this year have already raised more money than they did in all of 2018!
This could be you!
Jumpstart is a fundraising technical assistance program that strengthens Kern County nonprofits by giving them access to hands-on coaching and the use of state-of-the-art fundraising software for one year at a greatly reduced tuition cost, thanks to generous funding from the Kern County Board of Supervisors.
The program helps to ensure participants’ sustainability by teaching them the skills to nurture and cultivate long-term relationships with individual donors, with a view toward diversifying funding streams and expanding unrestricted, general operating dollars that are not program-limited like grant funding.
Jumpstart is administered by fundraising technology and training giant Network for Good. In 2020, Kern Community Foundation will once again make the program available through a competitive grant opportunity open to Kern County Nonprofits that have not participated in Jumpstart in the past.
Join us to learn about whether your Kern County Nonprofit qualifies and how you can apply online through Kern Community Foundation.
RSVP Now to Attend Our Oct. 24 Informational Grant Workshop (A.M. and P.M. Options Available). Space is Limited!
The workshop will be held Thursday, Oct. 24, in the 3rd Floor Multipurpose Room of the Kern County Administrative Building, 1115 Truxtun Ave., Bakersfield, CA 93301.
We recommend that you park in the city’s public parking lots south of the railroad tracks on N Street near 14th Street. There is street parking along and north of Truxtun Avenue as well; but please be mindful of time restrictions to avoid ticketing.
It is exactly three months to the day since the first of three large earthquakes and countless aftershocks struck Ridgecrest, China Lake, and surrounding areas, causing damage to local homes, businesses and government installations, and displacing entire families who continue to struggle to this day.
Fortunately, thanks to the generosity of Kern County’s giving community and key philanthropic partners, Kern Community Foundation recently awarded $114,875 to eight nonprofit agencies from donations received through the Foundation’s Kern County Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund, which KCF established within 24 hours of the massive 7.1 quake that reverberated throughout Kern the evening of July 5.
More than 90 percent of donations were large gifts of $10,000 to $50,000 received from Berry Petroleum Company, Mojave Pistachios, W.A. Thompson Distributing Company, and The California Endowment. Smaller gifts were received from a number of generous community members.
Grants were awarded in late September through a competitive application process, and range between $1,500 and $28,000. Moneys will help the following nonprofit agencies with ongoing earthquake relief activities as well as facilities repairs:
High Desert Lighthouse Ministries: $28,000
The Salvation Army Ridgecrest Corps: $28,000
Women’s Center High Desert: $28,000
Desert Area Resources and Training: $11,476
China Lake Museum Foundation: $10,000
Mission Community Services Corp. (MCSC) Kern Women’s Business Center: $6,399
Almost Eden Rescue: $1,500
Socks & Paws Animal Rescue: $1,500
“The needs of the Ridgecrest community were so varied and critical after this horrible event, it was simply mind-boggling,” said KCF Board Member Justin Leland, Director of Business Services for Moneywise Wealth Management, who participated in the grants evaluation and allocation committee. “By being able to take part in the grantmaking process, we had a window into the most pressing needs of the community through the compelling written testimonials of those people and organizations with boots on the ground. Personally,” he said, “I will forever be more mindful of the needs within a community after a natural disaster. It isn’t just buildings and property affected by these disasters but lives, community services and outreach, personal connections, and financial stress.”
Indeed, through their funding requests, grantees described how they found themselves facing such challenges as having to respond to a noticeable increase in domestic violence following the quakes; to scrambling to locate temporary lodging for displaced families; to helping those who were still housed with much-needed home repairs; to taking in runaway dogs that had gotten spooked by the combination of both the quakes and Fourth of July fireworks; to providing Small Business Administration workshops and services to help affected businesses get back on their feet; and many other dire circumstances.
Most grantees had to respond to community needs while taking care of the damages their own facilities had incurred. For that reason, the grant application included a section for applicants to detail lessons learned from the East Kern quakes with a view toward implementing emergency preparedness in the future. I got Priligy prescribed by my doctor since I usually came after 2-3 bumps, and I had hope for at least 3-5 minutes. Unfortunately, at www.papsociety.org/priligy-dapoxetine/ the price at about 10 USD per tablet is quite a high one and you have to wait at least 1 hour until the effect occurs completely.
KCF President and CEO Kristen Beall Watson said, “In addition to providing critical resources to the communities impacted by the earthquakes, this process helps us identify gaps in the response continuum and design more proactive systems for meeting great needs.”
Donations can still be made to the Kern County Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund. Simply follow this link.
We at Kern Community Foundation know that our Nonprofit Community needs funding support now more than ever.
Kern Community Foundation is seeking the right candidate to fill an exciting new position. The Community Network Coordinator will report to the President and CEO and be part of a small team responsible for supporting the Foundation’s community convening work, in particular supporting day-to-day communications and logistics, community engagement and data function for each identified network.
Hello, Local Philanthropists and Community-Minded Business Partners!
Kern Community Foundation is pleased to announce the 2020 lineup of presenting agencies in our Nonprofit Showcase Series, Philanthropy on Tap, conducted in partnership with the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce and its Bakersfield Young Professionals (BYP) Program.
The purpose of Philanthropy on Tap is to introduce the work of a wide range of nonprofits to the greater community, and highlight opportunities for philanthropic and volunteer engagement with them. In a relaxed setting, over drinks and hors d’oeuvres courtesy of Kern Community Foundation, we are helping to expand strategic networking connections between our for-profit and nonprofit partners in the spirit of our mission:
“Jumpstart” is a competitive grant opportunity made available to Kern County nonprofits thanks to a public-private partnership between Kern Community Foundation and fundraising technology and training giant Network for Good (NFG), with generous funding support from the Kern County Board of Supervisors.
$19,300!
amilies who continue to struggle to this day.
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