Sacramento Region Community Foundation

It’d be incredible if every business took encouraging philanthropic giving as seriously as the folks at Lionakis. Here’s how they run their employee giving program, according to President Laura Knauss, with support from our team: • From its inception, the Lionakis Foundation has been employee-led, ensuring active staff involvement in the company’s philanthropic values. We offer flexible giving options to encourage participation. For example, during orientation, new employees are invited to contribute $5 each pay period to the Lionakis Foundation; while it’s completely voluntary, about 25% participate. Many employees give annually through one-time donations or unused paid time off, and we also encourage employees to organize volunteer days and work at nonprofit events. • Additionally, the firm contributes proceeds from its annual golf tournament, provides $100 for each employee who volunteers during the year, and matches the first $100 an employee donates. As a result, each of our 185 employees can direct an additional $200 through the Lionakis Foundation! • Then, once a year, employees nominate and vote for causes they care about, and we allocate grants to these organizations across the communities we serve. Read more about the Lionakis Foundation on our blog on our website: https://lnkd.in/dc5czxMM

This month, we're celebrating work anniversaries for our Senior Accountant, Maria Ruñez Patrick, and our Communications Coordinator, Jasmine Ripoyla! Maria has been with the Foundation for five years and is an integral member of our Finance team. While she handles grant disbursement, assists all teams with budgeting, and manages with day-to-day financial operations, she is also often the first person to jump in to help anyone in the Foundation team with their projects, events, and tasks. Jasmine is celebrating her third year with the Foundation. She manages social media for both the Foundation and Big Day of Giving, designs key pieces of Foundation collateral, and coordinates many of our digital marketing efforts. Additionally, she is a key member of the Big Day of Giving team! We thank both Maria and Jasmine for their years of service with us! 🧡

During our recent annual retreat at the Sacramento Zoo, our staff got the chance to feed okapi — the only living relative to the giraffe! Native to the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo, okapis are known to be an incredibly rare sight in their natural habitat, owed to their very sensitive hearing. While the okapi is unfortunately endangered, the Sacramento Zoo "works to increase awareness and protect this unique species through active research on the individuals housed here, and through its support of the Okapi Conservation Project: a grassroots conservation organization with professionals in the field working to lessen the human pressures affecting the species." Huge thanks to the Sacramento Zoo for this wonderful experience!

We awarded $999,500 from scholarship funds to 375 students this year! We're proud to support the academic and educational goals and dreams of students in the Sacramento region. 💛

We're proud to have attended the recent Yolo Youth Service Awards, hosted by our affiliate, Yolo Community Foundation. These exceptional students have exemplified leadership and integrity through their work in their communities, alongside managing their academics. Well done and congratulations!

🌟 EDUCATION SESSION SPOTLIGHT 🎤 We're leveling up our stories of impact with Vanessa Schnaidt (Cause Communications) on October 7 during her session, "Storytelling for Fundraisers." Better stories lead to bigger dollars. From increased visibility to community engagement, smart communications is an essential part of every organization's fundraising strategy. This interactive session will focus on leveling up impact stories, so local nonprofits can attract the right supporters for their important causes. Learn more at sacregcf.org/summit.

🌟 EDUCATION SESSION SPOTLIGHT 🎤 We're examining the power of trust-based philanthropy with Amanda Garcia Merz (CA/NV Credit Union League) on October 7 during her session, "Trust-Based Philanthropy: Enhancing Impact Through Transparency and Collaboration." Trust-based philanthropy is a game-changer, emphasizing transparent, collaborative, and equitable relationships that make giving feel more impactful and rewarding. Imagine reducing bureaucratic hurdles and truly empowering communities while building stronger, more authentic connections that resonate with everyone involved. This lively session will explore how this innovative approach can amplify positive change and make philanthropic efforts shine. Learn more at sacregcf.org/summit.

🌟 EDUCATION SESSION SPOTLIGHT 🎤 John Koch will present a session titled, "Building Your Philanthropic Legacy: Planned Giving Made Simple," at the Philanthropy Summit on October 7! Are you interested in leaving a philanthropic legacy but unsure where to begin? Discover how you can support your favorite causes while also providing for your family’s future. You don’t need to be a Rockefeller or have a law degree to make a significant impact. Join a local expert in planned giving to explore various strategies for incorporating philanthropy into your estate plan. Learn more at sacregcf.org/summit.

🎫 Tickets for the Philanthropy Summit have officially sold out! 🥳 We look forward to a day of education and celebration with more than 300 local philanthropists and changemakers. If you're still interested in going to the Philanthropy Summit, you can register to be added to our waitlist! We will contact you if more tickets become available for sale. Visit sacregcf.org/summit to learn more. If you have a charitable fund with us or the Yolo Community Foundation, please use your unique link to learn more about attending the Philanthropy Summit.

We had a wonderful time connecting with one another, learning more about each other's strengths, and providing updates about our work at our recent staff retreat! We thank the team at 34 Strong, Inc. for facilitating the conversation around each staff member's Clifton Strengths and the Sacramento Zoo for hosting us in their space. 💚