Blog & Events

Fund for Homeless Women Awards $144,000

The Fund for Homeless Women of the Community Foundation for Monterey County (CFMC) awarded $144,000 to seven faith-based and nonprofit organizations in December. Grants will support direct emergency assistance to homeless women as well as meals, support services, temporary shelter and transitional housing. The amount awarded was $50,000 more than originally anticipated due to the groundswell of support the fund...

Read more

Laurel Lee-Alexander Named Vice President of Grants & Programs

The Community Foundation for Monterey County (CFMC) welcomed Laurel Lee-Alexander as its new Vice President of Grants and Programs. Lee-Alexander was most recently Director of Philanthropy at the Monterey Peninsula Foundation. As Vice President of Grants and Programs, Lee-Alexander is responsible for all the CFMC’s grant programs (nearly $10 million in 2013), as well as programs such as the Center...

Read more

Power of Local Philanthropy

Community foundations have a lot to celebrate. Not only is our field celebrating its centennial, but we are in the midst of Community Foundation Week nationwide. One-hundred years ago the first community foundation was formed in Cleveland, Ohio. The idea was for local philanthropists to create a pool of assets that was independent of their individual charitable interests. So as...

Read more

Scholarships & Awards Empower Youth

Scholarship programs are an important part of CFMC’s work to strengthen our communities. The CFMC manages 36 scholarships and awards that benefit students, teachers, and community members throughout Monterey County.

Read more

Anita Tarr Turk Fund for Breast Cancer Research

Anita Tarr Turk of Gilroy, CA was a vibrant businesswoman, travel enthusiast and avid equestrian who became ill with breast cancer in her 40s and battled it for more than three decades. She never let cancer rob her of her positive outlook and determination. Wishing to spare others the pain she suffered, she was motivated to provide support for “top...

Read more

Bob Nunes Honored at 2014 Celebration of Philanthropy

More than 250 supporters came together at the Community Foundation for Monterey County (CFMC) Celebration of Philanthropy October 22 at Corral de Tierra Country Club. CFMC board chair presented F. Robert (Bob) Nunes with the 2014 Distinguished Trustee Award for his support of nonprofit organizations in our region. The CFMC established the award in 1989 to honor those who have...

Read more

Neighborhood Grants Program: Individuals + Small Gifts = Big Impact

In the world of philanthropy we are susceptible to celebrating the Big Numbers. Total assets. The huge bequest. Ginormous grants. We often forget that the greatest impact comes from small gifts, and that a donor’s trust can produce remarkable rewards. We recently held the annual check presentation ceremony for the Neighborhood Grants Program (NGP).

Read more