Message From the Chair & CEO – 2007

Dear Friends,

Thank you to our extended family as we mark our 60^th year of The San Francisco Foundation. This is an opportunity to reflect on all we are grateful for in nurturing our extended family of donors, community leaders, and civic organizations whose profound generosity and commitment have contributed to making the Bay Area a better place for all.

The San Francisco Foundation’s hallmark is its ability to bring about concrete results by nurturing new and proven ideas and strategies.

We continue to hold to and build upon the vision of our founders, who sought to pull the community together to foster unity and improve the quality of life.

Diversity is a core value in all of our work with our cultural, philanthropic, and economic communities. One of our top priorities, central to all that we do, is to shepherd an ever-growing pool of people and resources who are committed to helping their communities in many ways.

This past year, the Foundation reached another milestone by growing our assets to more than $1 billion, and achieved unprecedented growth in the return on our invested resources. This reflects both our stewardship of existing Foundation resources and the trust bestowed on us by new and existing philanthropists. We are proud to live up to that trust and are committed to continuing to do so.

We also renew our commitment to work closely with the many inspirational people and effective nonprofits in our region. It is our mission to connect these people, with their strong ideas and passions, to resources that will amplify their efforts. The San Francisco Foundation’s hallmark is its ability to bring about concrete results by nurturing new and proven ideas and strategies. With the guidance of our Board of Trustees, we partner with organizations who address real, everyday problems, as well as some of the seemingly intractable challenges faced in our communities. Eradicating homelessness, improving public education, ensuring accessible healthcare for all, and strengthening our environment are all part of our continuing efforts.

A central part of our mission is to be a catalyst for change. We continue in our quest to live up to the highest ideals and standards of the Foundation’s leadership, communities, and donors – both existing and future.

Tatwina Lee                            Sandra R. Hernández, M.D.
Chair, Board of Trustees         Chief Executive Officer