About PEF




Mission: Pacifica's Environmental Family promotes the discovery of, and caring for, our wealth of natural resources. We do this by:
  • Providing non-profit fiscal sponsorship to local projects that support our mission.
  • Helping restore, protect, and beautify the environment.
  • Raising awareness of environmental issues.
  • Offering education on natural history.
  • Inspiring stewardship and community.

Our History

A group of environmentally-aware Pacificans founded Pacifica's Environmental Family (PEF) in the late 1980s, and it was formally incorporated as a 501(c)(3) volunteer-run non-profit organization in 1998.

Fiscal Sponsorship

PEF serves as the fiscal sponsor of local community projects that have an environmental focus, but lack the non-profit status. We extend our non-profit fiscal status to carefully screened projects, so they can raise funds for their important work through grants, fundraisers, and private donations. Our fiscally sponsored projects can focus on their work supporting Pacifica's environment without being burdened with the additional oversight of managing a non-profit. PEF is the custodian of each group’s funds and works with them to ensure that their dollars are used for the purposes intended by the donors/funders.

Do you have an environmental project that could use the support of a non-profit fiscal sponsor? We'd love to talk to you! Please contact us.


Educational Events

PEF sponsors educational events including film screenings and our environmental lecture series. Many of these events focus on climate change and sea level rise and the impact on coastal communities. Visit our online calendar or "like" us on Facebook to keep informed.


Kahuna Kupuna Surf Contest

PEF’s annual fundraising event is the Kahuna Kupuna Surf Contest, which takes place each summer. This is the only surf contest in the world that is specifically designed for surfers age 40 and over! Visit the Kahuna Kupuna page.



SelectionFile type iconFile nameDescriptionSizeRevisionTimeUser