Our History

A vision and a two million dollar endowment started The Whitney Foundation in 1999, based on the philosophy ...share what has been given to you... A board of Trustees was established in July 2000.

From the beginning, the goal of these funds, and of the foundation, is to work with organizations that are trying to bring about social change and contribute to people becoming self-sufficient. Perhaps to put it another way, The Whitney Foundation is not about giving someone a fish for the day, but about teaching them to fish on their own. Out of that vision came the mission and niche of The Whitney Foundation. In its years of operation, this has come to be realized in funding a variety of small mostly community based organizations and projects that "fall through the cracks".

The most vulnerable members of society are supported.

The Whitney Foundation reaches out to various geographic locations - the county of Fresno, the State of Utah and other areas by exception. While the funding areas of health, education and housing may seem broad; The Board of The Whitney Foundation continually works to define its niche, ...of overcoming obstacles, bringing about social change and falling through the cracks... and reaching out to projects that match the niche.

The Board of The Whitney Foundation meets quarterly for on-going grant making decisions. The Board members, dedicated to working in partnership with grantees, seriously work towards establishing a personal relationship with each prospective grantee either by a site visit, personal phone conversation or personal meeting.

The Whitney Foundation has helped to fund the following projects:

A variety of housing projects including homeownership education classes; neighborhood improvement projects; construction and/or rehabilitation of low income housing units.
Education projects that teach other about self-sufficiency, i.e. whether it be getting off welfare, learning new skills for possible employment or living in safer and less violent neighborhoods.
A number of health projects that reach out to the uninsured in order to obtain needed medication; immigrant health needs; projects that promote culturally sensitive services to those marginalized by society because of socio-economic, language and cultural barriers.

The Whitney Foundation has its portfolio in socially responsible investments, which is just one more way the foundation lives out its mission. The Board also developed an investment and spending policy that is continually monitored.

At this point in our history, we realize to continue the great work that we are doing, we need to reach out and join with partners to benefit the community.