“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”—Mahatma Gandhi
Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF), connects people, resources and
solutions to create a lasting impact in our world. It envisions an engaged and thriving
community that is inspired by the growing generosity of the people living here. Through
trust, empathy, and respect, change for the better has been improving/continues to
improve the lives of those who live within Ventura County.
Vanessa Bechtel, AIFA, CSPG, President and CEO of VCCF, said: ‘Here at VCCF, we
believe generosity is one of the ways a community tells the truth about what it loves,
and that Ventura County is a place worth loving and a community worth serving.
Together, we are dedicated to building a community where every person knows that
they matter.
“Regarding the VCCF Scholarship Program, one exciting update we have is that in 2026
alone, over $2 million has been allocated to Ventura County students. We are thrilled to
share this news!”
As a nonprofit VCCF has been improving Ventura County for nearly 40 years. The
initial focus was to help nonprofits to become more sustainable and to give donors a
way of leaving complicated gifts, like real estate and stocks. In 1990, VCCF added the
possibility for people to fund scholarships for deserving students. In 2000, VCCF
continued to evolve by providing community grantmaking where donors could give
together towards a common cause.
Now, VCCF gets large numbers of residents to work together as the agents of change
to continue to improve Ventura County. Since 1987, VCCF has granted approximately
$250 Million to support our community. The support has been provided to 10,000+
organizations and local business. The vital support of over 24,000 donors has helped to
contribute to the mission in order to provide a wide support, while entrusting the
community members.
Through offering nonprofit services and grants, VCCF is the home to the library for
nonprofit research and development with various print publications, books, and
periodicals on nonprofit management topics, as well as the Foundation Directory Online
database for grant seekers.
VCCF has been able to transform lives one initiative at a time. These initiatives include:
- Isabella Project-Highest Quality Early Childhood Education
- Animal Welfare
- Caregiver
- Environmental
- Scholarships for Local Students
- Disaster Resilience and Preparedness
The Community can get involved through:
- Virtual Lunch and Learns
- Isabella Project Lunch and Learn
- Coffee and Connections
- Donor Peer Network
- Community
Events.
To find out more either call VCCF at: (805) 988-0196 or, go to the website at:
www.vccf.org. Ask for information at: info@vccf.org.