The San Francisco-based James Irvine Foundation has announced grants totaling $3.8 million to nine community foundations across California as part of the first phase of what is expected to be a $10 million initiative over five years.

The foundation's new Community Foundations Initiative is designed to support the expansion of philanthropic resources in regions of California that traditionally have been underserved by organized philanthropy. The initiative builds on the foundation's work in helping to build the leadership capacity of midsize community foundations. Eight of the grants, ranging from $325,000 to $575,000 over three years, will be used to support implementation of the foundations' plans for growth; a ninth grant, to the Fresno Regional Foundation, is for a planning process. The nine foundations receiving grants are the Community Foundation of the Auburn Region ($425,000), the Fresno Regional Foundation ($35,000), the Kern County Community Foundation ($425,000), the Community Foundation of Mendocino County ($325,000), the Community Foundation of the Napa Valley ($575,000), the San Luis Obispo County Community Foundation ($575,000), the Shasta Regional Community Foundation ($400,000), the Solano Community Foundation ($400,000), and the Stanislaus Community Foundation ($425,000).

"Community foundations are tremendously important partners for the James Irvine Foundation," said foundation president and CEO James E. Canales. "They play a unique role by stimulating local charitable giving and educating donors about effective and meaningful philanthropy. They also help our foundation extend the reach of our grantmaking by thoughtfully regranting Irvine dollars in a way that responds to local needs in communities throughout California."