The James Irvine Foundation

06/10/2026

06/08/2026

How are leaders in transforming the region for the better? And what does it mean for the and for ?

Join Zócalo Public Square this Thursday at Arte Américas in Fresno, or watch the livestream on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3QjxJrf

06/04/2026

We’re excited to share that Hartnell College and Monterey Bay DART, with support from Irvine’s initiative, are launching a two-year workforce initiative designed to connect local residents to careers in drones, aerospace technology, and advanced aviation!

The Maturing Regional AgTech and Aerospace Job Readiness Pathways program, or MsUAS Pathways program, aims to serve 150 participants across Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties, with at least 50 participants expected to earn the federal credential required for commercial drone operations.

Josh Metz, executive director of Monterey Bay DART, said: “Advanced aviation is creating new opportunities, but long-term success depends on making sure communities are connected to those opportunities through practical workforce preparation, accessible training, and direct pathways into employment."

Learn more:

A regional workforce initiative is designed to connect local residents to careers in drones, aerospace technology and advanced aviation.

06/01/2026

"When we talk about building power, we’re really talking about building the capacity for everyday people to be able to inform what their elected leaders are thinking and talking about and doing, as it relates to the issues that they’re concerned with.” – Marc Philpart, California Black Freedom Fund

Through our initiative, we support organizations that ensure workers and their families have greater influence over the decisions that affect their lives by building power, creating solutions, and shaping policies for an economy that works for all Californians. Since 2022, the initiative has invested more than $100 million in more than 70 organizations across the state.

Learn more about Just Prosperity and why trusting and investing in community perspectives matters in this video featuring Public Policy Institute of California’s Sarah Bohn, Movement Innovation Collaborative’s Maria Brenes and Miya Yosh*tani, California Native Vote Project’s Chrissie Castro, End Child Poverty CA's Shimica Gaskins, Catalyst California’s John Kim, PICO California’s Joseph Tomás McKellar, San Diego Organizing Project’s Ashley Mendiola, and Black Freedom Fund’s Marc Philpart.

05/28/2026

Nonprofit workers often face a culture of self-sacrifice, working long hours for low pay to do what it takes to advance their organizations’ missions, a dynamic that frequently leads to burnout. According to the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP), 89% of nonprofit leaders are concerned about burnout, up from 29% last year.

Kara Young Ponder, vice president of the National Council of Nonprofits, says, “Nonprofits are continuing to serve communities with immense dedication despite extraordinary challenges, but that sustained pressure comes at a real human cost to nonprofit staff and leaders.”

Funders can play a role in supporting nonprofit worker well-being by providing flexible, multi-year grants, commonly known in the sector as “general operating support,” and investing in nonprofits’ ability to navigate ongoing challenges. This type of support allows organizations to use funds in ways that are best for them, and we have seen firsthand how it helps leaders feel more supported and strengthens management systems and practices.

We hope more funders consider long-term, flexible funding, because as nonprofit workers care for our communities, we must also help ensure they can care for themselves.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy:

Spiking need, unstable funding, and chaotic policies are causing workers to feel overwhelmed.

05/27/2026

As investment in grows, data centers, the physical backbone of AI, are being built at a rapid pace. Many of these warehouses are being built in underserved communities, disproportionately affecting low-income workers as they strain local power grids and drive up utility costs.

In this blog post, Liza Paudel of The Greenlining Institute discusses how AI's environmental and economic harms are reinforcing the impact of redlining: https://bit.ly/3PHdcwM She also underscores the need for communities most affected by AI infrastructure to have a real say in where data centers are built and how their impacts are managed.

As she puts it: “Communities – particularly those directly impacted by the development of AI infrastructure – deserve a genuine seat at the table before decisions are finalized, not after. They need clear and honest information about proposed developments and their projected impacts. They need organized capacity to participate meaningfully, and they need binding commitments, not just aspirational language, that guarantee local economic inclusion, environmental protection, and real accountability.”

Many of AI’s impacts are still unfolding, but one thing is clear: its trajectory is not predetermined. Meeting this moment requires equipping communities, and the organizations that advocate with them, to influence and respond to AI’s impacts.

AI data centers are being built at a historic pace across the country and impacted communities are facing the climate and economic burdens.

05/19/2026

is an economic powerhouse, but prosperity looks different depending on where you live, especially in places like the , where thousands of farmworkers face food insecurity and the housing market is in an affordability crisis.

But the region is changing. With steady population growth, reformed labor union legislation, the promise of California High-Speed Rail, and a burgeoning arts and culture scenes, the Central Valley is shifting power dynamics away from coastal cities and toward major cities like Fresno, Bakersfield, Merced, and Stockton.

How are leaders in Fresno transforming their region for the better? What does it mean for the Central Valley and for California?

Join Zócalo Public Square on June 11 in Fresno or online to hear from Fresnoland founder and editor-in-chief Danielle Bergstrom; affordable housing developer Betsy McGovern-Garcia; Fresno County Public Health Director Joe Prado; and “Shaan Punjab Di” radio host and City of Fresno, California planning commissioner Gurdeep Shergill:

A conversation and reception featuring regional leaders seeking solutions for a changing Central Valley.

05/18/2026

Interested in connecting with leaders from across sectors and geographies who are shaping our world’s future?

Register now for the Social Innovation Summit 2026 in Atlanta, taking place June 2–3: https://bit.ly/4eUStji

Don’t miss our CEO, Don Howard, as he joins the Economic Empowerment & Building Financial Resilience breakout session!

05/15/2026

Breakthroughs in AI are already delivering initial benefits, including helping diagnose illnesses, lowering barriers to entrepreneurship and improving workplace efficiency. However, the rapid push to build AI tools and systems also brings real costs and consequences. Renters paid higher rent when corporate landlords used algorithm to coordinate prices, and families are paying higher electricity bills as data centers drive up energy costs. Early research also suggests AI may already be reducing wages while displacing entry-level workers.

As AI reshapes nearly every aspect of our lives, the need to ensure it helps people move ahead economically, rather than deepening inequality, has never been greater. A new policy brief from the Economic Security Project, an Irvine grantee-partner, outlines steps policymakers can take to protect and empower workers, shape fair and competitive markets, and mitigates AI’s role in worsening the affordability crisis: https://bit.ly/4uR0Zo2

Similarly, Irvine’s L*l Tesfai shares insights on ensuring equity in the age in this new blog post, including strengthening and expanding safety net programs, supporting continuous learning and calling for stronger oversight of algorithmic decision-making: https://bit.ly/4w91prf

LinkedIn Bluesky Threads Facebook Blog May 6, 2026 Shaping AI’s impact on work and prosperity: Reflections on a pivotal moment for low-income workers L*l Tesfai, Director of Program Development Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how work is organized, managed, and accessed. Over the past th...

05/12/2026

Courage shows up in many ways, with neighbors helping neighbors, communities protecting one another and everyday leaders building a stronger country for all of us.

In the face of hardship, loss, and uncertainty, we are happy to honor the newest slate of The Courage Project awardees: thecourageproject.org

Today we are proud to honor the newest slate of The Courage Project awardees who are all stepping up to heal, rebuild, and support their communities during difficult times.

Their bravery reminds us that courage can also look like patient, sustained care. They’re meeting moments of crisis to repair what’s been broken – from helping veterans heal from trauma to working to restore contaminated land and strengthening rural mental health care. Together, these awardees model the kind of courageous leadership our country needs now — one rooted in compassion, resilience, and a commitment to making sure no one faces hardship alone.

Click here to learn about the whole slate 👉 thecourageproject.org