Donor
Portal
Planned
Giving
Give
Now
Donor
Portal
Planned
Giving
Give
Now
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What We Do
What We Do
KCF connects generous donors to energized community members and organizations, matching their charitable interests with our community’s needs.
Kern Community Foundation Strategic Initiatives
KCF creates positive impact by focusing on the underlying causes of issues, asking the tough questions, and seeking long-term solutions with lasting results.
Kern Futures
Kern Community Foundation Nonprofit Strengthening Initiative
Community Initiatives
Community initiatives are funds that are run by a volunteer committee, supported by KCF staff, and have their own independent grantmaking capability.
The Women’s and Girls’ Fund
Grantmaking
Founders & Advocates
Kern River Valley Community Fund
Upper Kern Fisheries Enhancement Fund (UKF)
Crisis Response and Resiliency
Kern Community Foundation is often called upon as a trusted community partner to act as a philanthropic first responder and thought leader in times of crisis. Find out about our Crisis Response and Resiliency work here.
Keep Our City Open
Kern Connected Community Network
The Kern Connected Community Network was launched to help provide a smooth transition for patients, individuals and families to community resources.
Donor Funds
Kern Community Foundation has more than 160 charitable funds, a full range of giving instruments, and a full staff of skilled professionals ready to serve you.
Kern Real Estate Foundation
Kern Real Estate Foundation (KREF) is exclusively dedicated to simplifying and facilitating charitable gifts of real estate.
Donors
Donors
KCF works with individuals and families, corporations and organizations, creating philanthropic plans that benefit the community and fulfill their charitable intent.
Kern Community Foundation – Types of Funds
KCF offers a variety of funds and can help you choose the fund that best accomplishes your goals for giving.
Support the Foundation
KCF and our generous supporters and fundholders are committed to improving life in Kern County through effective philanthropy.
Leave a Legacy
You can practice smart generosity by creating a permanent charitable fund at Kern Community Foundation as part of your estate planning.
Corporate Giving
KCF can help business manage their corporate philanthropy while elevating their corporate brand within the communities they serve.
Donor Stories
A variety of individuals, families, and corporations use Kern Community Foundation as their partner in philanthropy.
Donor Portal Quick-Reference Guide
A quick-reference guide to introduce the basics of the new Donor Portal.
Nonprofits
Nonprofits
KCF strives to support the nonprofit community of Kern County with support in the form of competitive grants and a wide range of professional development and visibility opportunities.
Available Grants
Kern Community Foundation offers competitive grant opportunities at different times throughout the year.
Build an Endowment
Establish an endowment fund at KCF giving your staff and Board the freedom to focus on programs and services while KCF manages your endowment.
Nonprofit Empowerment Center
Workshops, resources and funding opportunities, COVID-19 resources, nonprofit leadership and diversity, equity and inclusion.
Foundation Directory Online
Toolkit for Nonprofit Strengthening
Nonprofit Leadership
Nonprofit Strengthening Events
Nonprofit Search
We’re committed to making it easy to find, learn about and give to the causes you care about most. Discover the impact local nonprofits have on our community with our comprehensive nonprofit database.
Community Events
This calendar features fundraisers and other outreach events from our various nonprofit partners so that the public can get to know Kern’s diverse nonprofit community better.
KAN
Kern Alliance of Nonprofits (KAN)
The Kern Alliance of Nonprofits (KAN) is a small group of local nonprofit leaders who care deeply about building the capacity of the nonprofit organizations in Kern County.
KAN Events
View events from Kern Alliance of Nonprofits (KAN).
Nonprofit Resources
Useful Online Resources and Research Aids for 501(c)(3) Nonprofits.
Kern County Students
Kern County Students
Scholarships are an important step toward students achieving their personal dreams. KCF provides resources, funding, and learning opportunities for our recipients and their parents.
Scholarships
Regardless of who you are, where you come from, or what you hope to become, financial support from our wide range of scholarship opportunities can be the springboard to help you fulfill your educational goals.
College Resources
Resources that KCF has collected to help students, parents, and school administrators to learn about federal and state financial aid, planning for college, and seeking scholarships.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question? See our frequently asked questions about our scholarship programs and resources.
Youth Jobs
Advisors
Advisors
KCF provides convenient, creative, flexible strategies in our management of charitable funds for individuals, families, businesses and nonprofit agencies.
Types of Funds
KCF can work with you to provide solutions that will help your clients achieve their philanthropic vision today and ensure that their charitable intentions are honored in the future.
What Clients Can Give
Families and businesses can tap into KCF to quickly and easily donate hard-to-value assets, and open family or corporate funds to further their charitable goals.
Investment Options
KCF offers a variety of investment solutions to meet the goals of your clients, including a selection of investment pools and our individually managed fund program.
Tools, Resources, and Documents
Comprehensive source for planned giving, trust illustrations, presentations, and networking opportunities with the Estate Planning Council of Bakersfield.
About
About the Foundation
KCF believes in giving now and making long-term investments to support effective charitable organizations and programs making Kern County a better place to live, to work and to visit.
Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors governs Kern Community Foundation, sets policy and makes final grant decisions. All members are volunteers serving a maximum of nine years.
Staff
Our professional staff members are ready to help you match your giving interests with community needs and opportunities
Publications and Resources
Kern Community Foundation community giving guide, financial reports, investment performance summaries, and other publications.
Our Funds
Our experienced staff works personally with each of our donors to develop a giving plan that achieves their charitable and financial goals.
News
Keep up-to-date with the latest Kern Community Foundation and non-profit news.
KCF Events
See and register for Kern Community Foundation events.
Careers
See our current job openings and how to apply to join the KCF team.
Contact
Staff Member
Justin Leland, Chair
Latest Events
Bakersfield Area Golf Tournament 2026
October 19
Stockdale Country Club
See More Events ▸
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Get updates about Kern Community Foundation’s work and how you can be involved.
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