Place-Based Funding Forum Offers Perspective and Insight

PBI Associate Director Taffany Lim said the forum was "an opportunity to address some of the concerns and confusion about place-based funding that have reverberated within L.A. County communities."

First 5 LA Director of Planning and Development Teresa Nuno was a panelist and explained the rationale behind First 5 LA's new place-based approach. "Looking at 10 years of experience in grantmaking, we learned that a large number of our initiatives were creating silos. There was a desire to prioritize the areas with the highest need, and to better integrate the funding in order to make the biggest difference."

Representing the corporate side of philanthropy was JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s Vice President and Community Relations Officer Virginia Victorin, who explained how corporations must strive to find a balance between their business goals and pure philanthropy. As a result, JPMorgan Chase moved to a place-based funding model three years ago, targeting Leimert Park, Vernon Central, Boyle Heights/East Los Angeles and Northwest Pasadena.

Beatriz Maria Solís, director of Building Healthy Communities, South Region for The California Endowment, described how her organization saw an opportunity to effect change by engaging civic and community leaders. The Endowment's place-based funding efforts focus on advocacy and policymaking versus service delivery, with an emphasis on giving all community members - youth, families, residents - a seat at the table.

All four panelists addressed the topic of selecting regions for funding. Vera de Vera, director of the Community Building Initiative at the California Community Foundation, explained that after studying 11 different communities, the city of El Monte was selected because of its demographics and the need for affordable housing. Now in its third-year and based upon its findings, the foundation has shifted its focus to ensuring positive outcomes for children and youth in El Monte.

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