The Bella Vista Foundation (BVF), carrying forward the legacy of sisters Georgiana Gerlinger Stevens and Jean Gerlinger Kirkwood, focuses on enhancing communities through literacy, healthy living, youth development and empowerment, environmental restoration, and support for young children.
The Watershed Restoration program focuses on the restoration and revitalization of key watershed ecosystems, specifically within California and Oregon. The program supports projects that: incorporate environmental, economic, and social equity factors for long-term success; preserve and build natural capital without depleting the resource itself; offer creative solutions to revitalization and restoration that can serve as models; are part of a cluster of projects in a watershed, fostering stronger partnerships and greater impact over time; foster collaborative partnerships among groups with divergent interests; and include activities that are not normally funded by governmental agencies.
The foundation gives preference to initiatives that engage the community extensively, including financial backing, volunteer participation, and donations of goods or services.