Santa Cruz County leader and philanthropist Diane Porter Cooley (1928-2022) knew what it takes to build a thriving community, and she left us instructions. “Community is about living life together. It’s about getting through hard times, floods, and fire; camping with girl scouts; serving meals and building clinics; helping kids and planting trees.”
Diane and her husband Don were some of the founding members of Community Foundation Santa Cruz County, a center for giving where people can make philanthropic contributions that have a lasting impact. Since 1982, generous families have empowered $279 million in local grants and scholarships, including $2 million in the Foundation’s 2025 Community Grants. This annual initiative supports over 100 nonprofit organizations.
These grants are made possible thanks to the generosity of dozens of families who entrust the Community Foundation with their charitable visions or have made a gift to the Greatest Needs Fund. The organizations receiving grants benefit from the flexibility to apply funds where they’re needed most, rather than for restricted purposes and 25% of those grants go to nonprofits supporting the health and wellbeing of youth through social services, education, and arts and culture.
Helping Local Youth Succeed in School & Life
A thriving childhood is built on a foundation of play, learning, dance, art, music, cultural celebrations, environmental stewardship, and healthy eating—fundamental aspects nurtured by community grants.
One of the thousands of local youth supported by a Community Grant is River Loftus. When River walks into the Live Oak Clubhouse run by Boys & Girls Club of Santa Cruz County (BGCSCC), he feels a deep sense of community and purpose. Currently a junior at Harbor High, River started attending the Live Oak Clubhouse when he was a 6th grader at Shoreline Middle School—right when the Live Oak club opened. But now when he heads to the club after school, it’s as a junior staff member.
River is part of the club’s workforce readiness training program that helps teens like him learn how to write a resume, apply for a job, learn how to interview, and work as a volunteer where he gains valuable service hours and experience that strengthen his professional skills and college applications. “I like helping out,” says River simply. “I also like how it helps me build responsibilities and, of course, I like playing with the kids.”
At their three sites in Santa Cruz, Live, Oak, and Scotts Valley, BGCSCC serves more than 2,000 youth each year from all social and economic circumstances, helping them develop the skills needed to succeed in school and life.
Like many youth organizations across the county, BGCSCC is noticing an increased need for services. Executive Director Lis DuBois says, “Our organization continues to see a growing request for scholarship support as the cost of housing, food, and essentials continue to rise.” She adds, “The $30,000 grant from the Community Foundation will allow us to continue to provide the things local youth need most: meals, mentors, and safe places to create, learn, grow, and play.”
Supporting Youth Today… and Tomorrow
Kevin Heuer is the Foundation’s Director of Engagement and Impact and runs the Community Grants program. He says, “The charitable funds that families have established here serve as our community’s permanent resource for addressing the issues of today and tomorrow. Thanks to our community’s generosity, we are making a Santa Cruz County where we live life together, and take care of each other, our children, and future generations.”
For more information about the Community Foundation, visit: cfscc.org
Jenny Kurzweil is the proud mom of two sons, a recent college graduate from Arizona State University and a first-year student at Cabrillo College. She’s also the Senior Communications Officer for Community Foundation Santa Cruz County.
Comcast is proud to sponsor this column, which features the great work of non-profit groups supporting the Santa Cruz community.
