Our Mission

Awarding scholarships and furthering the professional practice of planning in California

Plan & Purpose

  • Purpose

    The purpose of the CPF, established in 1970 as a nonprofit, is to further the professional practice of planning in California through:

    • Scholarship support for students preparing for careers in the planning profession in California

    • Continuing professional development of practicing planners in California

    CPF promotes the objectives of equal opportunity and social equity in all its programs.

  • Constituents

    Listed in order of priority:

    1. Students in accredited professional planning programs in California

    2. Other planning students in California

    3. Members of APA California

    4. Other planning professionals in California

  • Future Goals and Actions 

    The California Planning Foundation (CPF) has put together a dynamic strategic plan. The results of this analysis are described below as Future Goals and Actions and is covered under four categories:

    • Educational

    • Professional

    • Fiscal

    • Organizational

    • Increase the level of scholarship support as much as possible.

      • Increase level of support annually toward the goal of $60,000 in 2021, with possible increase each following year

      • Increase endowed/sponsored scholarships

      • Establish a process by which endowments can be made to CPF

    • Increase the number of statewide scholarships as appropriate through periodic review.

    • Attract more highly qualified applicants for CPF scholarships – CPF should receive at least a few applications from every eligible academic program.

      • Tally number and distribution of applicants and scholarship recipients for past several years

      • Review scholarship application requirements

      • Make more concentrated efforts by Board members through department/faculty contacts at each eligible academic program

    • Strengthen the connection between scholarship program and professional planning.

      • Review scholarship selection criteria to emphasize potential for leadership in practice

      • Refine interview questions

      • Maintain criteria supporting diversity in the scholarship program

    • Increase the visibility of scholarship recipients.

      • Identify recipients at APA California Conference (e.g., ribbons on badges)

      • Provide press release to academic programs, school newspapers and local newspapers

      • Increase interaction between recipients and CPF Board

      • Share scholarship recipient highlights with APA California Board

    • Track previous scholarship recipients through their careers.

      • Develop a data base of past recipients starting in 2002.

      • Develop a tracking system, including APA California membership and job positions

    • Manage administrative responsibilities and costs associated with scholarship program.

    • Continue to focus scholarship support on undergraduate and graduate students in accredited and non-accredited programs in California. Consider extending eligibility to students in professional doctoral programs.

    • Clarify professional development mission

      • Clarify CPF and APA California roles

      • Balance fundraising requirements with a professional development mission

    • Establish professional development niche

      • Review the nature of competing offerings

      • Be flexible/adaptable to timely topics

      • Emphasize a different angle or approach, e.g.: ·

        • Lessons from case studies

        • Simulations

        • Nuts and bolts for different levels – entry and advanced

    • Sponsor two sets of workshops per year.

      • Each set of workshops should include at least one workshop in Northern California and one workshop in Southern California.

      • Schedule workshops in the May-June period and the October to mid-November period.

      • Target a minimum enrollment of 20 per workshop session and increase net income per workshop session.

    • Develop co-hosting and sponsorship relationships.

      • Work with APA California Chapter and Sections

      • Co-host with academic programs, including use of university facilities

      • Offer AICP certification maintenance credits for CPF workshops

    • Increase exposure to workshop materials/results.

      • Publish materials on website

      • Publish follow-up article in CalPlanner

    • Address operational issues.

      • Prepare workshop planning checklist

      • Establish a regular schedule with an appropriate lead time

      • Simplify and focus publicity

      • Involve several board members in logistical support

    • Balance costs and fees.

      • Keep registration fees reasonable, but commensurate with length and quality, and not underpriced compared with the competition

      • Provide discounts for selected audiences – e.g., multiple participants from a single agency or firm; recent graduates; past scholarship recipients; AICP exam aspirants

      • Continue to use donated facilities

      • Continue to use volunteer presenters in local area – no honorarium or travel reimbursement

      • Provide net revenues to support scholarship program

      • Set a norm for the ratio of income to expenses for professional development activities

    • Determine the appropriate level of investment income and other revenues to sustain a sound fiscal status.

    • Fund scholarships as well as operating costs from endowment return and annual income. Do not reduce the endowment.

    • Increase the CPF endowment by at least $10,000 per year. In 2002, the endowment was approximately $125,000. In 2021, the endowment was over $240,000.

    • Increase revenues from auction and workshops to increase endowment as well as to cover cash flow.

    • Establish a structured campaign for increasing donors, i.e., Friends of CPF

    • Establish a guideline regarding the proportion of the budget for scholarships vs. administrative costs over a fiscal year – e.g., total annual administrative costs should remain less than one-half of the scholarship program budget.

      • Select meeting locations carefully to manage travel costs

    • Maintain a relatively liquid reserve sufficient to cover two years of regular expenses.

    • Maintain Board strengths while seeking to reduce weaknesses

      • Seek ways to share Board assignments and balance tasks over the year – review calendar of activities

      • Add non-members in committees to manage events (such as CPF does now with the nominating committee)

      • Find ways to recognize significant contributors in a meaningful way, for example, “Friends of CPF”

      • Consider staff support

    • Strengthen APA California liaison

    • Strengthen relationships with academic programs

    • Establish communications strategy

      • Publish regular articles in CalPlanner

      • Establish a website as an outreach tool

      • Consider alternatives to the brochure – perhaps a datasheet on the web that also prints well

      • Explore free “ad” in CalPlanner

    • Identify key information to be shared

      • Mission – clarify role of CPF as a foundation

      • Activities ·

        • Schedule and application procedures for annual scholarships

        • Information and registration for workshops

        • History of workshop topics

      • Board members

      • Scholarship recipients

    • Establish CPF archive