We are now accepting applications for the Creative Connections Fund, our new open, competitive grants program for small and midsize arts organizations in California. The fund provides grants of up to $50,000, over one or two years, for artistic creativity and cultural participation projects. The deadline for applications is Monday, August 4.

In our spring Irvine Quarterly, we covered the launch of an exciting new effort to solve underlying problems in California's governing system. The Irvine-supported organization, California Forward, is now drawing positive attention from the state's leading newspapers for its fresh approach to these seemingly intractable problems. Read the recent news and opinion articles.

Ten of California’s largest foundations, including the Irvine Foundation, recently made a joint commitment to increase funding for minority-led and other grassroots organizations that primarily serve low-income and minority communities. Read a letter from Irvine President Jim Canales that describes the commitment, and a news release and statement by the ten foundations. Details will be announced by the end of 2008.

Irvine's Board of Directors recently approved 34 grants totaling nearly
$22 million to support a variety of efforts in our program areas of Arts, California Perspectives and Youth. Of that, $3.3 million will support four California arts organizations that are exploring new methods of audience development and programming through the support of Irvine's Artistic Innovation Fund. More on the 34 grants.

An unusual alliance is forming among education stakeholders in California that don't always see eye-to-eye, including teacher and labor unions, charter schools, school boards, industry and state government. What's bringing together the more than 60 members of the Coalition for Multiple Pathways is an effort to improve high schools by expanding programs that connect classroom learning with the real world.

As part of the Communities Advancing the Arts initiative, Irvine has launched www.AdvancetheArts.org. This new site shares on-the-ground knowledge, resources and experiences among the initiative's nine community foundations, which are working to grow local funding for the arts in California. The site also invites other community foundations and local partners to bring their perspectives.

In a recent speech, Irvine President Jim Canales described the Foundation's commitment to investing in California's Inland Empire, the fastest growing region of the state. The speech previewed findings from a new Irvine-sponsored study by the Public Policy Institute of California that highlight the dramatic demographic shifts taking place in the region.

As part of Irvine's commitment to effectiveness, we are releasing our 2007 Annual Performance Report, which looks at our progress last year across a variety of measures. A letter from Irvine President Jim Canales points out that measuring a foundation's impact is a complex question. By sharing our approach, he writes, Irvine hopes to contribute to the broader discussion about assessing philanthropic effectiveness.