As federal funding for social programs continues to shrink, local communities are being called on to do more – with fewer resources. In Los Altos, Los Altos Hills and Mountain View, the Los Altos Mountain View Community Foundation (LAMVCF) is helping fill that gap by equipping grassroots leaders to create organizations with the support they need to thrive.
This approach was recently shared with the Los Altos City Council as LAMVCF sought support for an upcoming Local Impact Summit – an event that will showcase 19 community-led projects tackling urgent local issues, from youth mental health to climate resilience. These projects are part of our Local Impact Collective, a network of initiatives that LAMVCF supports through fiscal sponsorship.
Fiscal sponsorship allows mission-driven projects to operate under the legal and administrative umbrella of an established nonprofit like LAMVCF. We handle the tax-exempt status, financial infrastructure, and back-office responsibilities – so local leaders can stay focused on their work.
It’s an ideal path for new or grassroots initiatives. We can help community members with big ideas and limited capacity to manage compliance, insurance and accounting.
Sixteen of these projects were started by or directly serve Los Altos/Los Altos Hills residents. Some, like GreenTown Los Altos and Resilient Los Altos, are long-standing pillars of the community. Others, like Marco’s Mission and The Los Altos Institution, are youth-led, turning local energy and ideas into action. And some, like MVLA Scholars, use our support to maximize the dollars going directly to the people they serve.
What makes Los Altos unique is that it has a trusted, community-based fiscal sponsor. Most fiscal sponsors in the Bay Area serve hundreds of projects and charge significantly higher fees. LAMVCF offers hands-on partnership and deep local alignment at a far lower cost.
Starting July 1, we’ll begin charging a modest 5% administrative fee – well below the sector average. It’s a sustainable way to support these projects while ensuring that the vast majority of every donated dollar goes directly to mission-based work. For many of our partners, this balance of affordability and quality is a key reason they’re able to sustain and scale their impact.
As public funding becomes less reliable, it’s up to all of us – residents, donors and local leaders – to keep essential services moving forward. Fiscal sponsorship is one of the most efficient and flexible ways to do that. It reduces administrative burdens, accelerates action, and gives promising ideas a place to grow without needing to form a separate nonprofit.
It’s not just operational support – it’s a strategy for community resilience.
If you believe in supporting local solutions – and want your giving to go further – fiscal sponsorship through LAMVCF is one of the smartest investments you can make in our community’s future. Because here in Los Altos, we don’t just believe in local action – we’ve built the infrastructure to make it possible.
To learn more, visit lamvcf.org.
Krames is LAMVCF executive director.
