The goal of the California Perspectives program is to improve decision making on significant state issues by informing public understanding, promoting broader civic participation and encouraging more effective state governance.

Priorities

The program engages in the following areas of grantmaking:

• Infusing new ideas and perspectives for effective governance: Improve the responsiveness and effectiveness of state and local governments through the development and dissemination of promising governance reforms.

• Mobilizing Californians: Foster involvement of underrepresented communities in public decision making and increase rates of voter participation.

The California Votes Initiative supports organizations that encourage voter participation among infrequent voters in the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino.

The Families Improving Education Initiative supports families — particularly those in low-income, ethnic and immigrant communities — to become involved in educational policymaking concerning their local schools.

• Informing Californians: Improve public understanding about significant state issues and highlight solutions to important public concerns.

• The James Irvine Foundation Leadership Awards: Recognize California leaders who are advancing innovative and effective solutions to significant state issues.

How we define significant state issues

We consider significant state issues to be those that:

• Affect a large number of Californians, with particular emphasis on those issues affecting populations in the Foundation?s priority regions of the San Joaquin Valley, Inland Empire and Los Angeles County
• Have a substantial impact on low-income and disadvantaged Californians
• Are anticipated to continue to be of consequence into the future
• Can be shaped by state public policies

Profiles of illustrative grants

The following grantee profiles are illustrative of the type of work the California Perspectives program seeks to fund:

Infusing new ideas and perspectives for effective governance:

• Institute for Local Government

Mobilizing Californians:

• Latino Health Access

Informing Californians:

• New America Media

For additional background on projects the Foundation funds through its grants programs, see the current and back issues of Irvine Quarterly.