The nonprofit Rancho Santa Fe Foundation celebrated its 35th anniversary last week at the Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club. This community foundation makes an impact at a local and global level by connecting donors with regional and global needs to maximize philanthropy and partnering with nonprofits. In its impactful 35 years, the RSFF has partnered with numerous programs throughout San Diego including the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus which has two funds with RSFF- non-endowed and endowed, and the White Sands endowed scholarship fund established by residents of the White Sands who grant scholarship awards to employees who are pursuing their education while working at the White Sands. La Jolla residents Victoria Hanion and Paul Thiel are RSFF directors while Dick Woltman is a director emeritus. It has also hit some impressive milestones including having $100 million in assets under management and has given over 6,000 grants and dedicated $52 million in funds to nearly 600 nonprofits. Additionally, it has partnered with local and national organizations to put on programs like the NCSC Thyme Together Food Truck. All these accomplishements make the RSFF a foundation which serves as an example of what hard work and dedication can accomplish. Executive director of the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus, Diane Salisbury shared her thoughts, “Reaching the $1 million milestone on our endowment campaign this past summer was exciting. We are two-thirds of the way to our $1.5 million dollar goal, which we hope to accomplish by June 2017. When La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) started a $1.5 million endowment campaign four years ago, two things were of the utmost importance to us: we wanted to place our funds with a foundation that had an investment strategy that would responsibly grow our money, and we wanted a partner that could help us navigate our first-time endowment effort. At RSFF we’ve had access to key people in the foundation from the start.” Brad & Rhoda Green of the White Sands said, “The RSFF manages the funds that provide scholarships to White Sands La Jolla qualified employees through the Resident Cooperative Scholarship Fund (RCSF). For the RCSF committee, every time a qualified employee comes to us for a scholarship it is a milestone. Thanks to the guidance, help, professionalism and friendship of the RSFF, we can help each scholarship recipient to be functional and successful in today’s world through financial aid, granting scholarships, and raising funds.”
 And executive director Christy Wilson said, “The theme of our 35th Anniversary Celebration was Come Give with Us. In the spirit of 35 years of philanthropic work in the community, we accomplished two major milestones this year; attaining more than $100 million in assets over 35 years and exceeding $60 million in total grants made in the same time period. In attendance were four of the original 12 board members (35 years later), many past board members and most of our current board. Also invited were donors with whom we have worked and assisted with their charitable giving, and representatives of the 2016 grantees who received grants from the Community Impact Fund (a pool of funds focused on discretionary grants). Everyone present has given some measure of their time, talent or treasure to the foundation to enable us to achieve these goals.   
As a result of the celebration, we have received a $35,000 challenge grant which will be matched dollar for dollar by local residents by the end of the year. Called “35 for 35”, we are encouraging people to honor this milestone year with a contribution of $35, $350 or $3500 that will be added to the Community Impact Fund, enhancing our ability to respond to the most pressing needs in the San Diego region. Contributions may be made at – www.rsffoundation.org – through the Donate Button.