The purpose of the Visalia Rotary Community Foundation is the enhancement of Visalia and the surrounding community. It was founded in 1992 by the Visalia Rotary Club and joined in contributions and administration by the Visalia County Center Rotary Club in 1997, and the Visalia Breakfast Rotary Club in 2001.

Through the generosity of Visalia Rotary Clubs, their families, and other philanthropic individuals and organizations an endowment fund has been created. It is the earnings from this fund that are periodically distributed for the betterment of our community and its people.

Anyone who contributes $2,500 to the Foundation or has that amount contributed in his or her name can be designated a Karl Weiss Fellow. Currently, over fifty Karl Weiss Fellows have been designated and there are over fifty sustaining contributors advancing to Karl Weiss Fellowships.

The investment policy of the endowment fund recognizes the importance of inflation adjustment and therefore emphasizes growth as well as current income to ensure a long-term benefit for the community.

The Foundation has an underlying belief that its investments in the community and its people should be in the form of assistance that encourages personal or organizational development. Specific areas that are identified include:

• The assistance of youth in their development

• Programs that encourage the disadvantaged to become contributing or self-sufficient citizens

• Programs that assist in the development of individual adults who have shown that they are capable of helping themselves

• Community science, health, and environmental programs

• Cultural, artistic, and historical programs that enrich our community

• Disaster relief

To further the goals enumerated, the Foundation does not support other endowments, governmental entities, individuals (except scholarships), or organizations that can be inherently self-supporting through their commercial activities. The Foundation will not become aligned with any political or religious organization except in the support of nonpartisan or nondenominational programs that exist for the betterment of the community.