Since 1953, Pasadena Community Foundation has connected philanthropic generosity with impact, supporting local nonprofit organizations and initiatives that strengthen our community. Whether it’s supporting local nonprofits, funding scholarships, or building endowments for the future, PCF is deeply rooted in the Greater Pasadena area.
Committed to Our Community
Since 1953, Pasadena Community Foundation has been a trusted philanthropic partner serving the Greater Pasadena area. With a deep understanding of our local neighborhoods, history, and unique challenges, we work tirelessly to strengthen our community through thoughtful, sustainable philanthropy.
Our Vision: To foster a thriving and connected community.
Our Mission: To inspire generosity and engage the resources of our community for present needs unfulfilled and future needs unforeseen.
Community Champions
With strong ties to the community, our board and staff understand local needs and challenges. We are passionate about strengthening the Greater Pasadena area through strategic philanthropy and community partnerships.
$ 10.75 M
granted in Altadena since 1953
$ 70 M
granted in Pasadena since 1953
$ 505 K
granted in Sierra Madre since 1953
Thanks to generous donors across Greater Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley, we have made a significant impact in our grantmaking footprint of Pasadena, Altadena, and Sierra Madre.
Our grantmaking is focused on six Impact Areas, all designed to help local nonprofits improve well-being, build resilience, and drive opportunity in our community.
Support for museums, arts education, historic preservation, cultural programs, and performing, visual & literary arts to create a vibrant community and a shared sense of pride and identity.
Helps foster a healthy and thriving community with funding directed toward job training for individuals, disaster relief, and public libraries as resources and gathering spaces for residents.
Amplifies the efforts of organizations focused on caring for domestic and wildlife animals and those that improve, restore or protect urban forests and parks, the Arroyo Seco, and surrounding foothills.
Enhances the collective health of our community and supports institutions and organizations focused on medical research, disease prevention and assistance, health initiatives and regimens, end-of-life care, and much more.
Not only focused on promoting food security and homelessness prevention, this Impact Area provides support for special populations, including seniors, adults in recovery, and those with learning differences and developmental or intellectual disabilities.
Expands opportunities for students within the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD), supports a broad range of college scholarships, and fosters the well-being of young people in the Greater Pasadena area.
Transparency & Accountability
PCF receives an unqualified opinion in every annual audit, signaling operational excellence and financial integrity.
A community foundation is a place-based organization that makes grants for charitable purposes in a specific community or region. Community foundations acquire funds from a variety of donors and sources and supports local nonprofit organizations with a wide range of grant funding, often based on focus or impact areas. PCF is one of more than 800 community foundations in the U.S. and a member of the League of California Community Foundations.
Community foundations, including PCF, are recognized by the IRS as 501(c)3 public charities, and as such are permitted to accept 100 percent tax-deductible donations to the maximum extent allowed by the law (more than allowed for private foundations).
Community foundations’ assets are derived from diverse sources, whereas private foundations are typically the assets of one family or institution. Private foundations are required by law to pay out (give away) a minimum of five percent of their assets each year. Community foundations do not have an annual payout requirement; however, PCF’s annual spending policy adheres to the guidelines of the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA).
PCF helps donors use all types of liquid and illiquid assets as charitable contributions, including cash, stocks and securities, IRA or other retirement funds, real estate, life insurance products, and high value personal property. PCF also accepts bequests and deferred gifts an estate. PCF staff will work with you to determine the type of fund that fits your needs, you will sign a fund agreement, and PCF will assist in the transfer of assets to your new charitable fund. Visit our Ways to Give page to learn more about creating funds at PCF.
While many of fund holders live in Pasadena, PCF welcomes donors from across the country. Donor Advised Funds at PCF may be used to make grants to public charities anywhere in the U.S. at the donor’s discretion. PCF’s discretionary grants are the only ones restricted to the Pasadena community.
Visit our Grantmaking page to view our grant programs and application details.
PCF’s grants are restricted to organizations, institutions, programs, and projects working in the footprint of the Pasadena Unified School District, which includes Pasadena, Sierra Madre, and Altadena. An organization serving a larger area may apply for a grant, but the project requesting funding must be Pasadena-focused.
We believe strong communities thrive when philanthropy tackles real needs. To create lasting impact in Greater Pasadena, we focus on six key areas that that drive opportunity, build resilience, and improve well-being.
This milestone investment marks the largest grant ever distributed from a PCF fund to date and represents an important step in long-term recovery efforts for Altadena residents impacted by the devastating Eaton Fire.
The Board of Directors at the Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF) is honored to announce that following a nationwide search, Khanh Russo has been selected to serve as PCF’s next President and CEO following the retirement of Jennifer DeVoll. Khanh currently serves as Vice President of Policy and Innovation at the San Francisco Foundation (SFF), where […]
This milestone investment marks the largest grant ever distributed from a PCF fund to date and represents an important step in long-term recovery efforts for Altadena residents impacted by the devastating Eaton Fire.
The Board of Directors at the Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF) is honored to announce that following a nationwide search, Khanh Russo has been selected to serve as PCF’s next President and CEO following the retirement of Jennifer DeVoll. Khanh currently serves as Vice President of Policy and Innovation at the San Francisco Foundation (SFF), where […]
