In Northern California’s East Bay, the Moraga-Orinda Fire District sometimes goes nine months without rain. The area has lots of open space and high concentrations of brush along with decaying eucalyptus and Monterey pine trees. Add in high winds in the fall, and “the potential is there for a tremendously damaging fire,” says David Winnacker, chief of the fire district.

Long before the pandemic hit, it was clear philanthropy needed an overhaul. But the health and economic crisis, combined with a national racial reckoning, forced grant makers’ hands. Foundations largely rose to the challenge by speeding up their grant making, increasing flexibility, and reducing funding restrictions. But now it appears those changes may be short lived. In the most recent of its Foundations Respond to Crisis reports, the Center for Effective Philanthropy found that “most foundations do not plan to undertake these new practices in the future to the degree they are doing so now.”

TTCF’s impact investments in local opportunities break 100 years of tradition and create positive change.