Our History

The Beginning - Historic Preservation
The Community Foundation's history began in 1945 with the desire by a group of community leaders such as Col. Allen Griffin and S.F.B. Morse to preserve historic buildings and sites which were under increasing pressure from developers. They formed the “Monterey Foundation” in order to identify, raise money and purchase notable adobes such as the Fremont adobe, Casa Gutierrez, and Casa Abrego. The properties were then donated to preservation groups such as the Monterey History and Art Association or the State Parks Historic District to preserve them for the enjoyment of the public – and Monterey thus became and still is the most historic city in California.

Preserving Open Space and Community Treasures
After 1970, the community's attention then turned to preservation of open space on the Monterey Peninsula. The Foundation served as the catalyst for the dedication of a grove of cypress trees near Cypress Point as a memorial to S.F.B. Morse, the purchase of the Indian Village and Navajo tracts in the Del Monte Forest in Pebble Beach, saving the garden next to the First Theater in Monterey, and buying the top piece of Jacks Peak Park overlooking Monterey. Once again, the goal was to save these properties for future generations, and eventually they were all donated to preservation groups such as the Del Monte Forest Foundation and others.

Building a Permanent Legacy
The catalyst for the third stage in the Foundation’s life cycle was a commitment by the Board of Directors in 1981 to hire full-time staff and begin the process of building permanent endowments to benefit the full range of community needs. This effort was funded in part by a 13-year series of grants from the Mewborn Trusts of the San Francisco Foundation. By 1984, the endowment had grown to $1 million, and the Foundation became the “Community Foundation for Monterey County.” Since that year, the Foundation has dedicated about half of its competitive grants to agencies that serve either the entire county or primarily the Salinas Valley. Over $81 million has been awarded since 1981.

The Future
Through regranting, programs such as the Neighborhood Grants Program and the Management Assistance Program and initiatives such as the Literacy Campaign for Monterey County, the Foundation continues to improve the quality of life in Monterey County. As the steward of nearly 300 funds and total assets of over $123 million at the end of 2009, the Community Foundation is now the largest grantmaking foundation on the Central Coast. The Foundation serves as a “catalytic convener,” responding to community needs with agility and matching donors, resources and area nonprofits to achieve the greatest impact.