Phasing Out of Area 1:
A Foundation Explanation

After seven years of making grants to prevent neglect and abuse among children ages 0 to 5, the Foundation's board has decided to phase out our funding in this area, beginning in January 2008. This decision will not affect the 2007 funding cycles or any existing grants.

This decision followed an extensive assessment of our entire grantmaking program, conducted in part by an outside consulting firm. This was a difficult decision, but in the end we were persuaded by several factors. The past few years have seen significant attention brought to bear on the 0-5 age group by other organizations, most notably First 5. Also, throughout our seven-year grantmaking history, we consistently received far fewer funding requests in Area 1.

The Foundation also recently welcomed a new president and CEO, Dr. David Alexander, and he is leading a review of our strategic plan. The results of that planning process, expected by the end of the year, will yield additional information about the future direction of our grantmaking program.

We deeply appreciate the commitment and work of our community partners in preventing abuse and neglect of children. For further information, write to grants@lpfch.org

-- Marjorie Fujiki
Interim Director of Community Programs and Grants