Philanthropy Reimagined in Orange County | Irvine News

Presented by The Plant Daddies — rare specimen trees, living art, and hand-carved limestone vessels and fountains for extraordinary spaces. Showrooms in Los Angeles and Irvine. Listeners of Irvine News Today receive 10% off with code LANEWS10. theplantdaddies.com/lanews The Samueli Foundation is revolutionizing philanthropy in Orange County by flipping the script—instead of deciding where money goes, they’re asking nonprofits what they need most, then funding it. This year’s Build OC grant is already making real impact, like a new roof for Meals on Wheels that will help them serve a million meals annually. By focusing on overlooked essentials—equipment, repairs, and operational needs—the foundation empowers local groups to thrive, not just survive. Recipients describe it as life-changing, especially for smaller agencies struggling to fill critical gaps. The model’s success is already inspiring others: the Sun Family Foundation is now investing $1.5 million in eight nonprofits using the same approach. And with the new OC Plus fund, the Samueli Foundation is even enabling nonprofits to collaborate on bigger, more complex projects. This trust-based, community-driven model is proving powerful—and could reshape giving nationwide. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/e2b0e3eadf80fc5a