The mission of The James Irvine Foundation is to expand opportunity for the people of California to participate in a vibrant, successful and inclusive society.

James Irvine, a California agricultural pioneer, established the Irvine Foundation in 1937 to benefit the people of California. Over the last 70 years, the Foundation has met the objectives of its founder by providing over $1 billion in grants to more than 3,000 nonprofit organizations.

Following a process of strategic planning undertaken during
2002–2003, Irvine board and staff took a fresh look at the people of
California — who they are, where they live and what their prospects are. As a result, the Foundation refined its mission and its grantmaking program, focusing on the notion of expanding opportunity as the guiding principle in all of our activities. Whether we expand opportunity by helping youth navigate critical transitions in their lives, by fostering creativity and nurturing a rich cultural environment in our state, or by improving decision making related to the critical issues facing California today and into the future, our vision is a state where full and active participation by all Californians becomes a reality.

In pursuit of this mission, we are guided by the following goals:

• Advance the educational and economic prospects of low-income Californians to share in and create California's prosperity.
• Engage a broad cross section of Californians in the civic and cultural life of their communities and the state.
• Enhance mutual understanding and communication among diverse racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups.
• Enrich the state's intellectual and creative environment.