Two years ago, the Irvine Foundation joined a group of nine other foundations in a collaborative effort to increase civic participation among communities of color and other underrepresented populations in four California counties – San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside. The work, led by the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund, aligns closely with Irvine’s focus on civic engagement.

The collaboration, called the California Civic Participation Funders, has several unusual aspects. For one, its members are quite diverse. Participating foundations run the gamut from large to small; focus on a wide range of issues, from community health to economic justice to women’s rights; and include both 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 organizations. Another distinctive aspect is its approach, which allows a high degree of autonomy among participating funders, while pursuing a common strategy and goals.

As of January 2012, the California Civic Participation Funders had invested $1.2 million to support nonprofits in the target regions so that they can more effectively mobilize and engage underrepresented populations in public decision-making. A new report, Bolder Together, examines lessons from this ongoing effort that other funders might apply in their work.

Read Bolder Together.