Nonprofit request may be redundant

Outgoing Laguna Beach Woman’s Club President Lee Winocur Field requested city funding at the June 3 City Council meeting to form a nonprofit organization coordinating council to identify the needs of the local folks and determine what groups are doing to avoid duplication of efforts.

However, Winocur Field’s proposal may lead to a duplication of effort.

The Laguna Beach Community Foundation was organized in 2005 and has quietly been raising private funding to support Laguna Beach nonprofits since acquiring a 501 (c) 3 status in 2006.

“The idea was to create an alliance of nonprofits that would not be competing against one another, analogous to the Alliance for Arts,” said former Mayor Wayne Peterson, one of the founders of the foundation.

“We have between $25,000 and $30,000 in the bank. We are just waiting for a major bequest or gift to have enough investment income for a paid staff. Volunteers, of course would be welcomed.”

Peterson, Laguna Canyon Foundation founder Michael Pinto and then-Laguna Canyon Foundation Executive Director Mary Fegraus were among the community activists who hosted community meetings in 2005 of representatives of nonprofit groups to identify their objectives.

“What started this was some of us saw Laguna Beach residents donating to the Orange County Community Foundation, but we didn’t see a significant return to our community,” Peterson said. “Our foundation raises funds only for Laguna Beach nonprofits, unless directed otherwise by the donor.”

Winocur Field and Peterson both said websites would be developed.

For more information about the community foundation, call (949) 494-0612.

BARBARA DIAMOND can be reached at (949) 494-4321 or [email protected].