The California Fire Foundation is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization aiding fallen firefighter families, firefighters and the communities they protect. Formed in 1987 by California Professional Firefighters (the largest statewide organization dedicated exclusively to serving the needs of career firefighters), the California Fire Foundation's mandate includes an array of survivor and victim assistance programs and public education initiatives:

California Firefighters Memorial: Designed, built and maintains a memorial to fallen firefighters at the State Capitol in Sacramento. Every year, the Foundation organizes a special ceremony to commemorate the bravery of firefighters in California who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Firefighters and Their Families: The Foundation supplies emergency support to departments and families of firefighters killed in the line of duty and provides educational assistance to the children of fallen firefighters through the California Firefighters Endowment and Daniel A. Terry Scholarship program. Additionally, the Foundation grants assistance to hopeful firefighters that show financial hardship when applying to take the Candidate Physical Ability Test, an international standardized test to measure a candidate’s ability as a potential firefighter.

Victim Assistance: The Foundation provides a resource center to assist victims and families devastated by fire and other major disasters, and supplies emergency assistance to fire victims.

Community Improvement: The Foundation offers information about fire safety and conducts public outreach and education about fire safety issues through its Firefighters On Your Side program. Additionally, the Foundation contributes to other non-profit organizations that aim to enhance and improve the communities of California.