Priscilla Enriquez

Chief Executive Officer, The James B. McClatchy Foundation

Priscilla Enriquez is the Chief Executive Officer of The James B. McClatchy Foundation. She provides leadership in strategic philanthropic investments while supporting the bedrock tenets of democracy and advancing equity in education to lift community voice and improve access to learning. Priscilla ensures that all people, especially children, have pathways to living a fulfilling life in California’s Central Valley. As a dedicated servant, she works to enhance and uphold The James B. McClatchy Foundation’s promise to support English Language Learners and First Amendment rights—especially the freedoms of speech, expression, and the press.

With over 20 years of experience in grantmaking and philanthropy, Priscilla has facilitated community investments in human services, civic engagement, the arts, consumer protection, the digital divide, health care, and youth. Prior to joining The James B. McClatchy Foundation, Priscilla served in various leadership positions with Sacramento Region Community Foundation, where she was responsible for grantmaking, community engagement, and program initiatives.

Priscilla is a thoughtful leader in the philanthropic space and has served on many nonprofit boards, previously providing board leadership in the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera turnaround which reinvigorated its operations. She recently joined the Fairytale Town board as it expands its park to include a Story Center which will foster early literacy in young children. She also serves on the Advisory Council of the Unity Center at The California Museum, and the United Way’s Steering Committee for the Square One Project to increase the number of kids graduating from high school to be ready for college success and beyond. Priscilla holds a B.A. in Anthropology and Public Health and an M.A. in Public Health– both from UC Berkeley. She is a Senior Fellow in the American Leadership Forum and was a recipient of the Pew Charitable Trust Educational Stipend.

Contributions

Strategic Lifespan Peer Network: Strengthening Nonprofits Through Capacity-Building Support—Lessons Learned from the Cedarmere Foundation’s Spenddown Journey

Posted on February 28, 2024 by Melanie Matthews, Kate Ritter Repen, Anne Marie Toccket, Priscilla Enriquez, Kathy Edwards

The trustees of the Cedarmere Foundation decided to spend down their endowment in order to invest in the capacity building of organizations and initiatives that sustain and strengthen the nonprofit sector in Washington State. Since then, the foundation has focused on: Investing in the development, support, and sustainability of nonprofit leadership Sharing what is learned with philanthropic partners and nonprofit… Read More

Strategic Lifespan Peer Network: Supporting Social Movements: How a Spend Down Foundation Can Make a More Impactful Difference

Posted on February 9, 2024 by Vanessa Silberman, Sharon Yazowski, Anne Marie Toccket, Priscilla Enriquez

What caused the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation to move from gifting six to eight percent of their total assets annually, to a decision to spend down its $150M in assets by 2041? What impact do they hope to make during that time? Join us for a conversation with Sharon Yazowski, CEO, and Vanessa Silberman, Executive Vice President on the… Read More

Strategic Lifespan Peer Network: What Spending Down Well Can Accomplish—Lessons Learned from the Pierce Family Foundation

Posted on February 2, 2024 by Denis Pierce, Laura Jansen, Anne Marie Toccket, Priscilla Enriquez

The Pierce Family Foundation sunsetted at the end of 2023. Why did they decide to spend down? How did they ensure they provided the most impactful support to nonprofits? Join us for a conversation with Laura Jansen, former Director of Programs and Operations at the Pierce Family Foundation, and Denis Pierce, President and Founder of the Foundation, who will share… Read More

Strategic Lifespan Peer Network: Insights from the Kendeda Fund

Posted on August 7, 2023 by David Brotherton, Dena Kimball, Anne Marie Toccket, Priscilla Enriquez, Glen Galaich

Every family foundation that has decided to sunset has a unique spend down journey. But every family foundation learns throughout that journey. The Kendeda Fund has committed to spending out the remainder of its assets and ending grantmaking operations by the end of 2023. Since their founder, Diana Blank, began her philanthropic journey nearly 30 years ago, Kendeda has worked… Read More

Is Spending Down Right for Your Philanthropy? How to Make the Decision and What to Consider in the Process

Posted on April 18, 2023 by Anne Marie Toccket, Priscilla Enriquez, Glen Galaich

Interested in learning more about spending down? Join our Strategic Lifespan Peer Network. Many in this group have decided to operate with a limited lifespan. Others are thinking about the decision to spend down. Key Moments from the Webinar 00:00 Introduction 06:15 Introduction to the McClatchy Foundation 08:18 Introduction to the Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh 09:32 Introduction to the Stupski… Read More

Strategic Lifespan Peer Network: The Spend Down Journey—Timing is Everything

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Rhonnel Sotelo, Anne Marie Toccket, Priscilla Enriquez, Glen Galaich

The length of the spend down journey varies from foundation to foundation. The nature of decisions also varies depending on the length of time remaining in the foundation’s lifespan. What is top of mind at the different times of the spend down journey? What can a spend down foundation with more than 10 years remaining learn from a foundation with… Read More

Strategic Lifespan Peer Network: Spending Down—Trade-offs and Opportunities

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Anne Marie Toccket, Laurel Randi, Priscilla Enriquez, Glen Galaich

When a family makes the decision to spend down their philanthropic resources, that is just the beginning to many other decisions that affect the impact of the family’s giving. Trade-offs will need to be made related to staffing, investments and grantmaking. How can one maximize the opportunities that spending at a faster payout rate provides? How can one minimize missed… Read More

Strategic Lifespan Peer Network: Investing with an End in Sight

Posted on March 30, 2022 by Emilie Cortes, Karie Dewan, Priscilla Enriquez

Planning to spend down is financially complex. It can be tough for board and staff to predict the financial future of the work. How do you plan for the funding needed for staffing, operations, and multi-year investments? While planning, how can you best make decisions to maximize the financial and social impact of your dollars? Join Emilie Cortes, trustee of… Read More

Strategic Lifespan Peer Network Retreat

Posted on September 20, 2021 by Laurel Randi, Priscilla Enriquez, John Esterle, Glen Galaich, Marcus F. Walton

Learn with your peers from foundations who are considering or who have decided to spend down. This retreat will feature inspirational conversations, field-building and peer connections, case studies, and learning with a peer on the final stages of spending down. The sessions included will be: A Conversation about the Changing Field with Marcus Walton, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, interviewed by… Read More

2021 Trustee Education Institute

Posted on March 9, 2021 by Isabel Nogueira, Alyson Wise, Jumi Falusi, Milton Speid, Emily Kaiser, Adrian Ruiz, Lisa Jackson, Priscilla Enriquez, Dorothy Gardner, Regan Pritzker

NCFP’s Trustee Education Institute provides a comprehensive overview of the important legal, investment, ethical, grantmaking, and family dynamics issues facing family foundation board members and CEOs. Featuring the perspectives of innovative donors and a faculty made up of donors, board members, and highly respected philanthropy experts, this virtual seminar covers: Translating values and goals into action Connecting family legacy and… Read More