Southern Monterey County Foundation
The Southern Monterey County Foundation is people helping people to improve the quality of life for local residents.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
The Southern Monterey County Foundation (SMCF) is a way for people to give together to strengthen communities from King City to points south. It is guided by an advisory board of area residents who have a deep understanding of community needs, appreciation for Southern Monterey County and the tradition of neighbors helping neighbors. From 2014 through 2022, the SMCF has granted more than $200,000 to benefit the communities of Southern Monterey County. The SMCF is an affiliate fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County.
Impact – $192,000 Granted
2022 Grants
2022 Grants
In November 2022 the SMCF granted $23,815 to 14 organizations:
- King City Boxing Club – $2,000 for providing positive activities for youth
- Kinship Center, A Member of Seneca Family of Agencies – $2,000 for the King City Mental Health Clinic
- City of King Recreation Department – $2,000 for their swimming lesson program
- Special Kids Connect – $2,000 for their Spring Resource & Emergency Preparedness Fair for special needs families
- Read to Me Project – $2,000 for their home-based early literacy and reading program
- City of Greenfield: Greenfield Community Science Workshop – $2,000 for science mobile clinics in San Ardo and San Lucas
- Girls Incorporated of the Central Coast – $2,000 for substance abuse prevention for girls
- Hesperia Hall Foundation – $2,000 for a promotion video for Hesperia Hall
- Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services – $2,000 for a transportation program
- Legal Services for Seniors – $1,000 for no cost professional legal services for low-income seniors in Southern Monterey County
- Partnership for Children – $1,500 for increasing access to medical care for children with serious illnesses and supporting their families
- Harmony At Home – $1,000 for bullying prevention programs for Southern Monterey County Schools
- O’Neill Sea Odyssey – $1,815 for ocean education and climate resiliency for King City
- Sol Treasures – $500 for social media outreach
2022 grantmaking was supported in part by Chevron.
Past Grants
2021 Grants
In November 2021 the SMCF granted $25,300 to 14 organizations:
- City of King Recreation Department
- Girls Inc. of the Central Coast
- Greenfield Community Science Workshop-serving King City and San Ardo
- Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services
- King City Boxing Club
- King City in Bloom
- Kinship Center
- Mee Memorial Hospital
- Monterey College of Law
- San Antonio Community Betterment Association
- Sol Treasures
- South Monterey County Animal Rescue
- Special Kids Connect
- The Parenting Connection.
2021 grantmaking was supported in part by Chevron.
2020 SMCF Grants
A 2020 grant to Monterey County Agricultural & Rural Life Museum helped fund the COVID-19 Oral Histories and Documentary Project
In 2020, the SMCF made grants totaling $21,250 to 13 nonprofit organizations providing a variety of community-based services aimed at improving the quality of life for Southern Monterey County residents: Campaign for the Preservation of Mission San Antonio de Padua, COVID-19 Relief Fund of the CFMC, City of Greenfield: Community Science Workshops, Girls Inc. of the Central Coast, King City Boxing Club, Kinship Center, Monterey College of Law, Monterey County Agricultural & Rural Life Museum, Monterey County Pops!, Partnership for Children, Sol Treasures, Special Kids Connect, and Sun Street Centers.
2020 grantmaking was supported in part by Chevron.
2019 SMCF Grants
In 2019, the SMCF made grants totaling $27,900 to 19 nonprofit organizations providing a variety of community-based services aimed at improving the quality of life for Southern Monterey County residents: Campaign for the Preservation of Mission San Antonio de Padua, City of Greenfield for Greenfield Community Science Workshop, City of King Recreation Department for the city’s Free Swimming Lessons Program, Foundation for Monterey County Free Libraries, Girls Incorporated of the Central Coast,Hartnell College Foundation, King City Boxing Club, Kinship Center, Legal Services for Seniors, Monterey County Agricultural & Rural Life Museum, Monterey County Pops!, Partnership for Children, Portola Butler Continuation High School, Rancho Cielo, Salinas Valley Fair, San Antonio Elementary School, Sol Treasures, Sun Street Centers, Youth Music Monterey.
2019 grantmaking was supported in part by Chevron.
2018 SMCF Grants
In 2018, the SMCF made grants totaling $21,000 to 17 nonprofit organizations providing a variety of community-based services aimed at improving the quality of life for Southern Monterey County residents: Campaign for the Preservation of Mission San Antonio de Padua, Central Coast YMCA, City of Greenfield: Greenfield Community Science Workshop, City of King Recreation Department, Community Food Pantry of King City, California State University Monterey Bay, Foundation for Monterey County Free Libraries, Girls Incorporated of the Central Coast, Harmony At Home, King City Boxing Club, Kinship Center, Legal Services for Seniors, Monterey County Agricultural & Rural Life Museum, Monterey County Pops!, Partnership for Children, Rancho Cielo, South Monterey County Animal Rescue.
2018 grantmaking was supported in part by Chevron.
2017 SMCF Grants
In 2017, the SMCF made grants totaling $20,000 to 15 nonprofit organizations providing a variety of community-based services aimed at improving the quality of life for Southern Monterey County residents: Campaign for the Preservation of Mission San Antonio de Padua, City of Greenfield: Greenfield Community Science Workshop, City of King Recreation Department, Community Food Pantry of King City, Foundation for Monterey County Free Libraries, Girls Inc. of the Central Coast, GRID Alternatives Central Coast, King City Boxing Club, Legal Services for Seniors, Monterey County Agricultural & Rural Life Museum, Monterey County Dance Foundation, Monterey County Pops!, Partnership for Children, Sol Treasures, YWCA Monterey County.
2016 SMCF Grants
In 2016, the SMCF made grants totaling $15,000 to 10 nonprofit organizations providing a variety of community-based services aimed at improving the quality of life for Southern Monterey County residents: Children’s Hospice & Palliative Care Coalition, City of King, Community Food Pantry of King City, Girls Inc. of the Central Coast, King City in Bloom, Legal Services for Seniors, Monterey County Agriculture & Rural Life Museum, Rancho Cielo, San Antonio Elementary School, Sol Treasures.
2015 SMCF Grants
In 2015, the SMCF made grants totaling $10,100 to seven nonprofit organizations providing a variety of community-based services aimed at improving the quality of life for Southern Monterey County residents: Campaign for the Preservation of Mission San Antonio de Padua, Community Food Pantry of King City, CSU Monterey Bay, Girls Inc. of the Central Coast, Legal Services for Seniors, Sol Treasures, Youth Music Monterey.
2014 SMCF Grants
In 2014, the SMCF made grants totaling $25,000 to 10 nonprofit organizations providing a variety of community-based services aimed at improving the quality of life for Southern Monterey County residents: Campaign for the Preservation of Mission San Antonio de Padua, Community Food Pantry of King City, Girls Inc. of the Central Coast, Monterey County Agriculture & Rural Life Museum, Rancho Cielo, Salinas Valley Fair, San Bernardo Grange, SMCERTA, Sol Treasures, Youth Music Monterey.
Click the link for grant eligibility and guidelines.
Campaign for the Future – The Dream
The goal of the Campaign for the Future is to ensure that the ever-changing needs of the Southern Monterey County community will be met. Building the Southern Monterey County Foundation creates philanthropic resources to strengthen nonprofits serving the people of South County.
Because the fund is invested to grow over time and a percentage is granted each year, resources will be available to respond to changing needs as they arise. Join us by pooling your gift with those of your neighbors to create a permanent charitable resource — a “community chest” — to enhance the quality of life of the place we call home.
Ways to Give
Ways to give include:
- Gifts of stock or real estate
- IRA qualified charitable distributions
- Life insurance
- Life-income gifts such as Charitable Gift Annuities (CGAs) or Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRTs).
You can create a named fund within the SMCF endowment with a new gift of $25,000 or more. Grants can be made in your name, your family’s name, or the name of your loved one or business for generations to come. You can make a five-year pledge or include the SMCF in your will or trust.
Please contact Brian Thayer or call (831) 375-9712 to learn more.
Support South County – Join Us!
Gifts of any amount are appreciated and will make an important difference. Donations can be one-time gifts or pledges over any number of years.
| GIFT LEVELS | GIFT AMOUNT | 5-YEAR ANNUAL COMMITMENT |
| Diamond | $250,000 | $50,000 |
| Platinum | $100,000 | $20,000 |
| Gold | $50,000 | $10,000 |
| Silver | $25,000 | $5,000 |
| Titanium | $10,000 | $2,500 |
| Copper | $5,000 | $1,000 |
| Bronze | $1,000 | varies |
- Your gift will go to the endowment to become a permanent resource for Southern Monterey County.
- All potential grants are reviewed by the SMCF advisory board and will be used only for organizations serving this region.
- You can donate by credit card by clicking the Give Now button below.
- If you wish to donate by mail or let us know of your commitment, please download the Pledge Form and send it to us.
- Gifts in the name of loved ones, planned gifts and legacies established through your estate are additional ways to support the SMCF.Thank you for your support!
People Helping People
Founding Family Donors – the first 10 Years
Community Champions: Community Generators: Founding Family: Friends of the Southern Monterey County Foundation: *In MemoriamThank You SMCF Founding Family Donors
Southern Monterey County Foundation Founding Family Donors
SMCF Advisory Board
Oscar Avalos (Chair), King City; Grace Borzini, King City; Ryan Casey, King City; Rob Cullen, King City; Chris Graveline, King City; Michel Hardoy, Lockwood; Erin King, King City; Anita McKean, King City; Lynnie Oliveira, San Ardo; Betsy Roth, Lockwood; Tom Shepherd, Lockwood; Teri Umbarger, King City; Carlos Victoria, King City
