The James Irvine Foundation

The election results have California and the nation grappling with a new reality.     Our goal is a California where all low-income workers have the power to advance economically. “All” is a crucial word in that goal, and achieving it is not possible when immigrants are demonized, scapegoated, and threatened. Sadly, there is a long history of systemic racism in our country and casting blame on immigrants and people of color for society’s ills. It’s why we have proactively supported immigrant rights and power-building organizations to plan for different election scenarios.      Moving forward, we are committing additional resources for rapid-response efforts that will help California families know their rights and have timely, accurate information to protect themselves and their communities. We are also supporting our grantees in strengthening their legal, security, and operational infrastructure in response to the political rhetoric and potential actions targeting nonprofits.      We in philanthropy have the privilege to speak out and a moral imperative to support organizations protecting and organizing working people—and Irvine seeks to do just that. Read our full statement in this blog post from our CEO, Don Howard: https://irvine.ly/4fg8Pjx

On this election day, California’s philanthropic community stands united in purpose: to continue advancing racial justice, economic opportunity, and environmental sustainability—ensuring a brighter future for all communities and universal access to the American Dream.    Together with the California Black Freedom Fund, California Community Foundation, The California Endowment, The California Wellness Foundation, College Futures Foundation, East Bay Community Foundation, Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, Latino Community Foundation, Liberty Hill Foundation, San Francisco Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Tipping Point Community, and Weingart Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation is committed to continue building a future rooted in justice and equity.     #UnitedForCalifornia #PhilanthropyForChange #StrongerTogether https://irvine.ly/48DFPzV

Child care work is physically demanding, often unstable, low-paying—and vitally important, which is why labor shortages and high turnover have become a nationwide problem. In California, child care workers earn an average of $18 per hour and most can’t afford quality care for their own children, as child care costs outpace housing as the top expense for households around the state. Women of color make up nearly two-thirds of the state’s early childhood workforce, yet they make less money and are less likely to be in leadership roles than their White counterparts with the same level of education. What would it take to make child care work a true, valued profession, in a way that benefits both caregivers and families? How is anti-immigrant policy and sentiment affecting the work and the job market? What are viable solutions—from corporate-provided or state-sponsored care to unionization—for California and the nation?  Join us and Zócalo Public Square on December 2 in Redlands or online to learn what a good job looks like in the field: https://irvine.ly/4hqjx8A 

Last week, Irvine partner Ventures brought together co-op leaders, entrepreneurs, funders, nonprofits, and community members to discuss how co-ops can benefit local economies. The event also marked the launch of Futuro, an incubator program by Ventures aimed at increasing the number of worker-owned co-ops in #Salinas!   Maria Cadenas, MBA, Executive Director of Ventures, says, “The data is showing that stronger regions come when we’re more diversified, have better distribution of wealth and opportunity. The possibility of business to not only be a provider of labor, goods and services, but to be a provider of well-being for our neighbors, I think is very powerful.”     Learn more in Monterey County Weekly: https://lnkd.in/gJZ3djZd    #CoOps #Entrepreneurship #PriorityCommunities 

Irvine’s #JustProsperity initiative was built upon a history of grantee listening and represented a significant deepening of this practice. The initiative engaged grantees early in the landscaping and strategy development, which, over time, gave grantees increased visibility into our internal considerations and decision-making process. What made this engagement different, and what conditions contribute to authentic, reciprocal grantee-funder relationships? Engage R+D spoke to our staff, Design Circle members, and external consultants, identifying 10 key insights. These include: - Be open, honest, and transparent about power dynamics and expectations  - Demonstrate full commitment at every level of leadership   - Provide a “through-line” with clear goals, objectives, and feedback loops   - Create conditions and support for ecosystem actors to build relationships across differences Check out the learning brief to learn more: https://irvine.ly/4dVa5Hj 

Congratulations to Vanessa Perez, MBA, Executive Director of Irvine #PriorityCommunities grantee partner Time for Change Foundation, on being recognized as a JPMorganChase 2024 Community Icon in the Women-Led Business category! This award celebrates Vanessa’s forward-thinking leadership and her commitment to helping build resilient communities where everyone can thrive.     “This recognition is a reminder that change is possible and that we’re building something bigger than ourselves. At Time for Change Foundation, we see firsthand how resilience and opportunity can open doors for people to build lives filled with stability and purpose. This award inspires us to keep going, knowing our work matters deeply to the communities we serve.” – Vanessa Perez 

What would it take to make child care work a true, valued profession—in a way that benefits caregivers and families alike? How is anti-immigrant policy and sentiment affecting the work and the job market? What are viable solutions—from corporate-provided or state-sponsored care to unionization—for California and the nation?      Register now to join Child Care Law Center Executive Director Maisha Cole, child care worker and administrator Juanita Gutierrez, National Domestic Workers Alliance President Ai-jen Poo, and Child Development Consortium of Los Angeles (CDCLA) Executive Director Lisa Wilkin on December 2 in Redlands as they discuss what a good job looks like in the field right now and their vision for a more sustainable, nurturing future: https://irvine.ly/4hqjx8A The conversation will be moderated by Better Life Lab at New America Staff Writer Rebecca Gale.    #GoodJobs #ChildCare 

Interested in learning more about the power of storytelling, media, and journalism to elevate community voice and drive meaningful change in Fresno and the greater Central Valley?     Register now to join the Central Valley Community Foundation and Fresno DRIVE on October 30 in Fresno to hear from Emmy and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Maria Hinojosa: https://lnkd.in/gGHW9hei    #CentralValleyCF #FresnoDRIVE #journalism 

There are 61 million people with disabilities in the United States, yet only 2% of all philanthropic funding supports disability initiatives, and just $0.01 out of every $10 goes to support disability justice.  In honor of #NationalDisabilityAwarenessMonth, Workforce Matters Funders Network asked Irvine’s Tuquan Harrison and Kessler Foundation’s Elaine E. Katz, MS, CCC-SP to briefly share about their work to invest in and advance opportunities for workers and learners with disabilities.   As we work to expand our investments in disability employment, Tuquan is “excited to be able to benefit from the Kessler Foundation’s long history of investing in this space as the Irvine Foundation leans into building disability inclusion into our workforce equity portfolio. We know people with disabilities are disproportionately impacted by low wages and job economic insecurity, and we cannot accomplish our goal of a California where all low-income workers have the power to advance economically without specific investments in opportunities for disabled workers and learners.”   Thank you, Workforce Matters, for featuring Tuquan!  Read the full blog post at: https://irvine.ly/4eSYwC4 

#California is home to approximately 5.6 million workers paid low wages, more than half of whom are Hispanic. A subset are property service workers — the janitors, security officers, maintenance and custodial workers, stadium, arena, and airport employees, and others providing important services to the buildings of California.     In light of this, we spoke to Luis Sandoval, Executive Director of Building Skills Partnership (BSP), which provides workforce development, citizenship, civic engagement, and academic opportunities for property service workers. Luis shared more about BSP's mission, what led him to the work, and how the organization addresses the unique needs of Latino and immigrant workers.     Luis shared, “We believe that true prosperity stems from investing in people. By equipping workers with essential skills and resources, we empower them to secure quality jobs and achieve economic mobility. Together, we are building a more just and vibrant future—one where every individual has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to their community."   Read on: https://irvine.ly/4dBoMPK