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The Santa Cruz Community Foundation is a permanent charitable resource that was founded in 2001 by area residents to empower our community to invest in itself.
The Santa Cruz Community Foundation (SCCF) and FESAC have a unique international partnership that identifies current and emerging issues and mobilizes and strengthens community resources to solve these issues.
The border region is faced with a number of critical challenges. Santa Cruz County is the poorest county in an economically depressed state. Nogales Sonora struggles to accommodate unprecedented growth, a rapidly expanding cross-border trade and the flow of migrants.
The foundations assist this unique border region to prepare for the future by strengthening, through grants and training, nonprofits (NPO) on both sides of the border. There is a diverse set of NPOs on the border ranging from job training programs, community centers, boys and girls clubs, arts groups, environmental restoration, agriculture, indigenous arts and culture, humane societies, libraries, children’s homes, domestic violence abuse programs, migrant shelters and soup kitchens that exist to alleviate the many inequalities and social and economic problems of the region.
SCCF and FESAC Services
- Capacity building for local nonprofit organizations – board trainings, strategic planning and partnerships.
- Student intern, research and service projects – currently with Stanford, University of San Francisco, and the University of Arizona.
- International development programs highlighted by a regular schedule of cross-border tours.
- Resource development – grants, donors and fundraising events.
Santa Cruz Community Foundation goals for 2012-13
- Increase the number of donors so that SCCF donor sponsored funds generate sufficient resources for granting to NPOs and funding core SCCF community service operations.
- Become the department of philanthropy for donors and companies seeking to support and strengthen the border region and secure its future.
- Provide a robust training and organizational development program for NPOs on both sides of the border to maximize efficiency and productivity through collaboration and improved professionalism in internal procedures and policies.
- Provide an objective, fact based and non-politicized forum, The Border Institute, for public and cross sector education whereby issues critical to regional community social and economic development can be discussed and meaningful programs planned, implemented and evaluated. Work to realize the vision of a stronger, more unified and prosperous cross border community for Southern Arizona and Sonora.
From the Executive Director
As this unique border region copes with rapid growth and the challenges that accompany such growth, we are called upon to find solutions for the problems that affect the quality of our schools, our environment, and the health and social care systems on which we all depend. Santa Cruz Community Foundation (SCCF) is the only local organization that strengthens and builds the nonprofit sector with financial support and technical assistance.
While government and business play critical roles, nonprofits focus all their energies on improving the healthcare, elderly, social and environmental services on which the homeless, the very young and the very old, the poor and disadvantaged rely.
Given the international nature of our area and the many ties of culture, history and economy with our sister state of Sonora, it is important to note that SCCF has a partner foundation in Sonora, FESAC, so it is uniquely positioned to deal with the many issues that observe no borders or boundaries.
SCCF has compiled an impressive record of community service. In 2009 and in collaboration with the Ford Foundation, 16 local nonprofits received more than $54,000 in awards, and 38 young people were awarded scholarships totaling $143,240.
As an affiliate of Community Foundation for Southern Arizona and a member of the U.S./Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership, we have access to many resources to aid and strengthen Santa Cruz County and our sister city Nogales Sonora.
Through your support for Folklorico in the spring and Partners in Philanthropy year round, we work together to create a future that will bequeath to our children the beautiful natural, social and cultural environment that makes Santa Cruz County such a wonderful place to live. Together we will make that future a reality. Join us!
– Bob Phillips
Crossings
This documentary produced by the Santa Cruz Community Foundation in Nogales, Arizona, tells the stories of migrants and the agencies that exist to protect their welfare. We hope that the movie gives you a sense of the power of individuals and agencies working together to deal with critical social, educational and health issues. When that happens, lives are changed and our community grows, not only in commerce, but, even more, in compassion.