Because of its remoteness and scarcity of water, Baja California Sur – with the notable exception of Los Cabos and La Paz – has historically remained under-developed. It is also the least populated state in the Republic of Mexico with just over 450,000 people extending over 73,475 km or 28,369 square miles – an area roughly the size of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont combined. Because of the state's low population density, Baja California Sur has evolved over the years to provide its residents with a relatively high quality of life with a relatively low crime rate, healthy environment, ample recreational opportunities and economic opportunities in the tourism, services, fisheries and mining sectors. Yet, today the state is at an important crossroad in its history with recent demographic changes beginning to permanently alter the traditional character of communities across the state.

While Baja California Sur has long been a draw for North American tourists, a growing demand by American second home buyers and expectant “baby boomer” retirees has sparked a renewed interest in the region, resulting in an accelerated level of urbanization and development in recent years. This growth has been accompanied by a marked increase in the domestic immigration of workers and their families from the interior of Mexico in search of employment.

There is no question that this inevitable growth will bring with it economic opportunity, an expanded tax base, improved infrastructure and health care services, which are in real demand. The expanded population growth, particularly among American and Canadian expatriates, also brings with it the promise of increased philanthropy and volunteerism which could over time translate to an expanded capacity of the state's nonprofit organizations to better respond the growing societal needs across the state.

In spite of the opportunities for growth, the state's fragile desert environment and water resources raise questions about the sustainability of planned future growth; the degradation of Baja California Sur's ecological, visual and recreational landscape could have potential adverse consequences on the future prospects of the state as a major tourist and second home buyer destination. Growth brings with it other unintended consequences as evidenced by the noticeable recent increase in the incidence of pulmonary cancer, homicides, drug related crimes and suicides and impending groundwater shortages across the state over the past five years.

In an effort to better assess the current and future needs of Baja California Sur and expand charitable giving across the state, the International Community Foundation (ICF) is proud to release Baja California Sur's Community-Based Opportunities and Needs. This volume follows the release of a similar publication in 2003 by ICF of opportunities and needs in the state of Baja California which contributed to expanding the level of the foundation's overall grantmaking in Baja California border region.

As with our prior publication, ICF hopes that with this volume policymakers, civic leaders, potential donors and volunteers are better informed about the opportunities for making a difference across the state of Baja California Sur in the areas of education, health, community and economic development, the environment, and arts and culture.

Baja Calfornia Sur's assets and human capital are great but so too are its growing needs. Over the next twenty years, disparities are expected to emerge between the economically and geographically isolated ejidos and fishing villages across the state and the fast-growing cities of Los Cabos, Todos Santos, La Paz, and Loreto. These disparities will bring new challenges for policymakers and civic leaders.

With limited public resources, it is evident that Baja California Sur needs a strong and vibrant civil society. Where known communitybased gaps exist – such as in the need for special education programs, drug prevention and rehabilitation facilities – nonprofits from elsewhere in Mexico or other social entrepreneurs need to be encouraged to invest the state. Similarly, local and foreign residents need to do their part. ICF believes that philanthropy can play a catalytic role in shaping a stable economic and environmentally sustainable future for Baja California Sur. Much of its fate will rest on not just how growth is managed across the state, but what type of civil society emerges as a consequence. Here, promoting a strong a vibrant civil society will be absolutely critical but this can not be accomplished without also expanding the level of charitable giving to nonprofit organizations across the state.

Through the publication of this guide, it is ICF's hope that we can help to better inform readers like you to discover how your passions or deep-seeded interests in making a difference can be catalyzed across the state of Baja California Sur, along with the collective efforts of other likeminded people, to improve the quality of life in the communities that you care about, leaving them better and more economically and environmentally sustainable than ever before.

Richard Kiy President and CEO International Community Foundation

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