Foundation For California Community Colleges

The Foundation for California Community Colleges is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization based in Sacramento, California. It was incorporated in 1998 by Dr. Larry Toy, the founding president and chief executive officer of the organization. The organization has annual operating revenue of over $35 million. The Foundation's mission is to benefit, support, and enhance the California Community Colleges. It is the official foundation to the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office and Board of Governors. The Foundation's Board of Directors is currently composed of eight individuals, each serving six-year terms. Members include: Patricia Sullivan, Lance Izumi, Dan Noell, Isabel Barreras, Jan Dehesh, Mario Camara, Gary Reed, and James Sargen.

On May 6, 2008, The Bernard Osher Foundation California awarded an upfront gift of $25 million to announce the California Community Colleges Scholarship Endowment, which is managed by the Foundation for California Community Colleges and benefits students at all 112 California Community Colleges. This is believed to be the largest donation to a public two-year college system in US history.This gift launched a three-year fundraising campaign on behalf of the Community Colleges, resulting in a $67.7 million scholarship fund that will fund at least 3,380 scholarships every year, in perpetuity.

The Foundation is actively involved in programs that improve air quality throughout the state of California, and has administered the California Department of Consumer Affairs—Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) Smog Check Referee program and Call Center since 2004. Referee Centers are located on 31 Community College campuses and two vocational centers, and offer students the opportunity to gain on-the-job training in the automotive industry. Over 100 students are trained through these centers each year. The Referee program assists consumers with routine California Smog Check appointments and specialized services such as locating hard-to-find parts, certifying exemptions, and issuing cost waivers. In addition, the Foundation operates a Call Center that assists consumers in scheduling smog check appointments and answering questions about automotive smog issues.

On August 20, 2010, the Foundation announced a $10.9 million award from the United States Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration for Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) to create the California Connects program, designed to increase digital literacy and Internet usage in underserved California communities by working with the 33 Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) programs in California Community Colleges Now in its second year, this program has created new jobs in California; purchased products from California and USA businesses; began the process of developing digital literacy modules for all Californians to access; and forged new relationships with government agencies, educational entities and business and industry leaders.

On February 16, 2010, the Foundation announced a grant award of $20 million arising from the Reformulated Gasoline Settlement Fund. This fund was created as a result of an antitrust class action. The purpose of the fund is to achieve a clean air or fuel efficiency benefit for California consumers. With these funds, the Foundation administered the Vehicle Repair, Retirement and Replacement for Motorists (VRRRM) program, which helped consumers throughout California to repair, retire, or replace their high-polluting vehicles through the program’s suspension in August 2012.