Californians for Homeownership was founded in response to the Legislature’s call to fight local anti-housing policies and expand affordable housing for millions of Californians.
CARES is C.A.R’s philanthropic framework to amplify the work, coordinate fundraising and broaden support of C.A.R.’s four charitable causes – Housing Affordability Fund, Scholarship Foundation, Education Foundation, and Disaster Relief Fund.
The Champions of Home Impact Awards honor California REALTORS® who have made a significant impact on their communities through volunteer efforts.
HAF plays an active role in addressing the ongoing housing affordability challenges facing California.
Make A Donation to HAFC.A.R. stands ready to assist REALTORS® who have been impacted by wildfires through its Disaster Relief Fund and NAR's REALTORS® Relief Foundation.
California Disaster ResourcesScholarships for California students planning to pursue a career in real estate.
Find out more information on key diversity and inclusion programs and projects available.
Fair Housing Latino Professionals Network C.A.R. Women's InitiativeNew to the industry? YPN is a network to sharpen your skills, heighten your leadership, and connect with fellow REALTORS®.
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New Member FAQs Glossary Service ProvidersC.A.R. provides tremendous member value through its innovative tools, services and education. Learn more about C.A.R. membership and dues and NAR membership and dues.
C.A.R.'s annual consumer advertising campaign creates awareness of the REALTOR® brand and demonstrates the many benefits of the consumer-REALTOR® relationship.
Smart Zone provides tools and insights necessary to convey your unique value proposition, effectively market your services, keep your clients abreast of current real estate market trends and help you achieve success in a dynamic industry.
C.A.R. is a statewide trade association dedicated to the advancement of professionalism in real estate.
Annual ReportThe CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® is committed to bring you tools and information to help you succeed. Here are some of the innovative tools, services and education C.A.R. provided to help you achieve your professional goals.
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For more than 75 years, California REALTORS® have gone beyond buying and selling homes – we invested in the people and communities that make California thrive. At the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.), we support a family of charitable causes that expand access to affordable housing, keep families and neighborhoods whole during times of disaster, open doors to real estate careers through scholarships, and uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity through educational grants. Together, these efforts reflect our belief that thriving communities are the foundation of a strong and vibrant California.
Scholarship Foundation: Provides scholarships to California students pursuing real estate-related degrees by lessening the cost of education. Reduced educational expenses can help recipients enter the profession with greater focus and fewer immediate financial challenges.
Housing Affordability Fund: Expands pathways to homeownership by offering financial assistance that helps first-time buyers enter the market and handle initial housing costs. These efforts support Californians during a critical transition and align with broader goals of fostering stable, engaged, and economically active communities.
Disaster Relief Fund: Provides grants to members of the REALTOR® community impacted by disasters and contributes to a closely aligned partner foundation that is equipped to serve the public. These coordinated efforts help strengthen recovery across impacted regions, delivering much-needed assistance to Californians during times of crisis.
Education Foundation: The Education Foundation provides support for REALTOR® education and training, to enhance knowledge and reinforce the profession’s emphasis on integrity. With deeper expertise, REALTORS® are better positioned to help Californians uncover potential pathways to homeownership when the opportunities may not be obvious.
Now, we are building on that legacy with CARES – a new framework that connects C.A.R.’s charitable foundations and empowers members to live out their philanthropic values. More than an initiative, CARES is a movement that highlights how deeply REALTORS® care for the communities they serve.
With CARES, we are centralizing fundraising, expanding awareness, and inspiring broader support across the REALTOR® family and beyond. Through CARES, C.A.R.’s charitable organizations can concentrate on what matters most – delivering programs that create real impact.
Decades of Difference: Impact by the Numbers |
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$1,000,000+awarded to California students through the Scholarship Foundation |
$4,000,000provided via Pathway to Home closing cost assistance grants from HAF |
$2,000,000granted to the REALTOR® family through the Disaster Relief Fund |
$150,000+awarded in Education Foundation grants to REALTORS® and local associations |
CARES launched its inaugural Annual Campaign in January 2026 to create one unified fundraising effort supporting all causes under the CARES banner. The Campaign allows donors to direct their gifts to specific causes – such as HAF, Disaster Relief, Education Foundation, or Scholarship Foundation – or make an unrestricted contribution that CARES can deploy where it’s needed most. Even a donation to HAF through dues billing is a contribution to CARES, and we appreciate your support.
CARES is the philanthropic framework of the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. It connects and strengthens C.A.R.’s four charitable causes – the Housing Affordability Fund, Scholarship Foundation, Education Foundation, and Disaster Relief Fund. The mission of CARES is to strengthen communities across California by channeling the compassion and generosity of REALTORS® through meaningful philanthropic efforts.
CARES was established to make things easier by creating a single platform to support all causes. This unified approach will centralize fundraising, amplify reach, and streamline administrative activities and costs. Through this model, the volunteers leading each cause can focus their time on growing programs and expanding impact.
CARES encompasses four organizations:
Through CARES, the four foundations unite under one philanthropic umbrella, gaining greater visibility and impact. Each remains independent and mission-driven, while CARES provides the shared platform to amplify their work, coordinate fundraising, and broaden support.
Donors can choose to direct their donations to specific causes or make an unrestricted gift. Unrestricted gifts are preferred because they allow the funds to be used where they are needed most across the various organizations, ensuring all initiatives have access to resources. .
CARES causes support Californians, strengthen local communities, and create a more stable and vibrant housing future across the state. Maximizing the impact of these efforts will require support from both within the REALTOR® community and beyond, including: REALTORS®, local REALTOR® associations, REALTOR® affiliates and partners, corporations, local businesses, foundations, and others.
Yes, C.A.R. CARES, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Your contribution is tax deductible. No goods or services will be provided in exchange for your contribution. EIN 39-2146617.
If you would like to get more involved with CARES, please consider joining the CARES Ambassador program. This is an opt-in volunteer community dedicated to raising awareness and encouraging participation for this important initiative. Ambassadors meet as a group once per month and are fully supported by the CARES team. If you're interested, click here to complete form or email [email protected].
