Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, please visit our Funding Guidelines and How to Apply pages for more information. Please note the Foundation is not accepting capital requests at this time. If you are a first-time applicant, (i.e., have never received a grant from the Foundation), your annual operating budget must include at least $1.5 million for L.A. County operations to be eligible to apply.

The Foundation accepts and processes applications for grants throughout the year with the expectation of grant distributions on a quarterly basis. Depending on timing, requests are reviewed at one of five annual Board meetings. Unfortunately, the Foundation will not be able to support every request, and even if approved, funding may be at a reduced level and/or scheduled for payment in the next calendar year

The Foundation’s online application system will automatically notify you after taking our eligibility quiz whether or not your organization qualifies to submit a formal, online application. If your organization qualifies, the grant review process can take on average approximately 6-8 months. We kindly ask for your patience during this time, and that you refrain from contacting the Foundation for grant review updates.

The Foundation supports qualified tax-exempt charitable organizations for the benefit of Southern California with a current emphasis on organizations based in and serving Los Angeles County. From time to time, the Trustees may elect to support non-profit organizations of special interest which are within the Foundation’s broad charter. Grants to large medical institutions, K-12 schools, private, independent colleges and universities in California, Cal State Universities, or other higher education institutions, are initiated by the Trustees. Unsolicited proposals from these types of organizations are not accepted.

Grants may range from $10,000.00 to million-dollar commitments depending on project and budget of organization. The Foundation’s Board of Directors may opt to grant less than the amount requested, depending upon resources available. Generally, the Foundation asks applicants to justify their request amount based on the organizational and/or project’s total budget and other funding sources. The Foundation accepts multi-year requests for return grantees only (limited to two years of funding).

The Foundation accepts multi-year requests from return grantees only (limited to two years of funding). First-time grantees should request a one-year grant. 

The Foundation is not accepting capital requests at this time.

Program staff will determine the most effective methods of gathering information and, if necessary, a site visit will be initiated during the due diligence process on a formal grant request. Visits are typically conducted in-person or via video conferencing. If your organization is contacted to schedule a site visit, please view this document for guidance. Due to limited staff availability, we are unable to conduct site visits, phone calls, or video conferencing outside of a formal grant request.

Please review the Foundation’s Funding Guidelines and How to Apply pages, as well as the FAQs. If you feel your organization meets the necessary requirements, please follow the instructions provided.

Contact with the Board about a grant application is normally not encouraged. However, we recognize that there are professional and personal relationships which may make contact reasonable. It should be emphasized, however, that the application process remains the same for all qualified organizations, and all final decisions are the result of a careful staff analysis, followed by an assessment and vote of the entire Board.

For general inquires not answered on this website, please direct your emails to Amanda Bardwell, Program Assistant. Please use the subject line “General Inquiry.”