Our History
In 1988, the Rancho Bernardo Community Council determined that a local civic organization should be created so that donations to the Council's projects could be deemed tax deductible to the donors. The founding Board of Directors of the Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation (RBCF) were Bob McMillin, President, Bob Wells, Vice-President, Gina McBride, Secretary, Dick McNeal, Treasurer and Chris Leucke. Its only purpose was to make Rancho Bernardo an even better place to live and work.
As this group became more successful, it became apparent that to become a viable, long term asset to the RB community, an endowment fund should be established. Proceeds from that endowment fund then would provide funds for non-profit community activities in Rancho Bernardo for decades into the future.
In 1993, in the first organized effort to raise endowment funds, the RBCF established the "Pathway of Pride". Anyone donating $1,000 or more to the Foundation endowment would have an engraved granite plaque, commemorating their donation, set permanently in the concrete walkway around the lake in our beautiful Webb Park.
Other programs established that add to the RBCF endowment are an annual community cruise and an annual Thanksgiving Community Luncheon. With the cruises, the Foundation works with a local travel agent and major cruise line whereby the RBCF receives a donation from them both for each cabin sold. To date about $50,000 has been earned in that manner with great future expectations. The annual Thanksgiving Community luncheon has added about $100,000 to the Foundation with half of that amount going to the endowment and half being distributed to non-profit serving Rancho Bernardo
In 1996, the Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation decided to invest its money with the San Diego Foundation in order to assure donors that the money they give will be invested in a professional manner far into the future.
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