67 New Grants Totaling $3.1 Million Made to Los Angeles Nonprofit Organizations as 2026 LA2050 Grants Challenge Concludes

Ecological restoration at a former jail. Discarded tech products for workplace development. Disaster response teams with trained community members.These are among the 67 grants to 55 organizations, totaling $3.1 million, announced today by a collaborative of 12 philanthropic foundations.

The announcements came during the LA2050 Grantee Showcase, a joyful gathering honoring the Los Angeles County social impact sector and the people and communities they serve. The showcase is the culminating event of this year’s LA2050 Grants Challenge, an annual demonstration in participatory grantmaking and open call for ideas to build a more vibrant, thriving, and equitable Los Angeles.

The LA2050 Grants Challenge was created and is run by the Goldhirsh Foundation’s LA2050 initiative, which contributes $1 million to the challenge.

The theme of the 2026 edition was, “What Do You Say, LA?” LA2050 invited Angelenos to take a survey about what issues matter most; the results inform LA2050’s funding and programmatic priorities. More than 110,000 responses arrived, raising the all-time tally to more than 1.1 million votes during the 13 years of the Grants Challenge. (For the fifth consecutive year in the LA2050 Grants Challenge, “affordable housing and homelessness” was the top-voted issue.)

Next, more than 1,100 nonprofit organizations, social enterprises, and government agencies submitted applications to the LA2050 Grants Challenge. During the history of the Grants Challenge, nearly 6,000 ideas have been submitted; they all can be found in the LA2050 Ideas Hub public database. Last month, another 400+ organizations submitted applications for LA2050 Party at the Polls mini-grants.“The LA2050 Grants Challenge is a conversation and a collaboration, just like the best version of Los Angeles itself,” said Tara Roth, president of the Goldhirsh Foundation. “Our gratitude goes out to the tens of thousands of Angelenos, and each of the partners, who joined us this year and who care deeply about what LA can be.”

Funders Collaborative

The $3.1 million in funding and in-kind support is from a collaborative of 12 Los Angeles-area foundations led by the Goldhirsh Foundation (contributing $1,000,000). Additional support comes from multi-time LA2050 Grants Challenge funding partners: The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, Snap Foundation, John N. Calley Foundation, Elbaz Family Foundation, R&S Kayne Foundation, Fox Foundation, Brunswick Foundation; and first-time LA2050 Grants Challenge funding partners: Big Bro Foundation, Herb Alpert Foundation, and PVBLIC Foundation.

Celebration and Recognition

During today’s LA2050 Grantee Showcase, more than 150 social impact leaders, elected officials, and impactful Angelenos celebrated together amidst the urban greenery and post-industrial repurposing of SmogShoppe, in Culver City. Grant recipients were joined by U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (by pre-recorded video), and U.S. Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), who each gave brief keynote addresses. POWER 106’s Brown Bag Mornings host Letty Peniche served as the event’s emcee and shared reasons for her own deep commitment to community. Early this year, Peniche was featured in the LA2050 “What Do You Say, LA?” series of portraits by Goldhirsh Foundation artist-in-residence Man One. Other speakers included Goldhirsh’s Roth, Upworthy CEO Amanda Farrand, and LA28 Director of Impact and Legacy Corine Taylor. Maydela founder Shauna Nep moderated a panel about incorporating community voices, featuring leaders from past and present LA2050 Grants Challenge recipients Creating Justice LA, Refugee Children Center, Confluence Rising, and North East Trees.

The Grantee Showcase also included a live interactive painting activation by Man One, reunions of nonprofit executives who have received Halftime Institute mini-residencies and who attended various Goldhirsh Foundation skills training sessions, plus a speech by LA2050 Youth Ambassadors Jose Becerra and Chloe Juni. More than 1,100 young Angelenos have participated since 2022 in this civic engagement and leadership development program, and select LA2050 Youth Ambassadors played a hands-on role in grantmaking for several of the foundations – reviewing proposals, deliberating in committees, and helping to select grant recipients.

LA2050 Grants Challenge Supporting Quotes

"The Broad Foundation is proud to support LA2050’s Grants Challenge and three innovative efforts to strengthen volunteer engagement and civic participation across Los Angeles. Strong volunteer programs turn Angelenos’ willingness to show up for their neighbors into meaningful action while building community and helping nonprofits accomplish more.”

– Alexandra Salgado, Senior Program Officer, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation. The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation is a multi-time LA2050 Grants Challenge funding partner.

“We know meaningful change happens when communities are empowered to lead. We’re proud to once again partner with LA2050 to support organizations creating opportunities and strengthening Los Angeles, including those serving neighborhoods surrounding our Dodgers Dreamfields. By investing in organizations already doing meaningful work in these communities, we can help extend the impact of our fields beyond the diamond and empower communities to thrive.”

– Nichol McKenzie-Whiteman, Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation. The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation is a multi-time LA2050 Grants Challenge funding partner.

“PVBLIC Foundation is proud to join the LA2050 Grants Challenge for the first time. Trust and agency are essential to a stronger Los Angeles. That’s why we’re equipping local changemakers with AI-driven tools and learning to expand impact through storytelling.”

– Justin Markell, Director of Media, PVBLIC Foundation. PVBLIC Foundation is a first-time LA2050 Grants Challenge funding partner.

ABOUT THE 67 GRANTS

Below is information about the projects receiving grants, in specific issue areas, from each of the dozen funding partners in the 2026 LA2050 Grants Challenge.

Goldhirsh Foundation

Foster & systems-impacted youth

Peace4Kids, equipping youth in foster care in South LA to thrive through peer support, trauma-informed mentoring, and individualized guidance.

Access to tech & creative industry employment

Human I-T, transforming corporate e-waste into economic opportunity by connecting Angelenos without reliable digital access to devices, internet service, and tech support.

Immigrant and refugee support

San Fernando Valley Refugee Children Center, strengthening refugee and immigrant families through intergenerational programming, garden-based healing, and practical support.

Health care access

Downtown Women’s Center, supporting older women and survivors of violence experiencing homelessness with specialized services to remain healthy and housed as they age.

Income inequality

Workforce Equity Lab, preparing women historically excluded from the trades for union construction and infrastructure careers through pre-apprenticeship training and ongoing support.

Affordable housing and homelessness

Proyecto Pastoral at Dolores Mission, guiding unhoused people in Boyle Heights toward permanent housing through a community-centered shelter and individualized support.

Green space, park access, and trees

Alma Backyard Farms, developing a permanent urban farm in Carson that will grow affordable organic food, employ formerly incarcerated people, and serve as a hub for learning and community.

K-12 STEAM education

Everyday Arts, integrating the arts into accessible STEAM learning for students with disabilities while engaging families and equipping classroom teachers.

Social support networks

Cyber-Seniors, building digital skills and confidence among low-income and underserved older adults through free, multilingual technology training.

Community safety

City of LA Department of Recreation & Parks, mobilizing a citywide corps of trained community volunteers to support evacuation centers, emergency shelters, and other LA Parks sites during disasters.

Additional awards across issue areas

North East Trees, transforming part of the historic Lincoln Heights Jail into an urban forestry hub with a native plant nursery and workforce training for young adults.

LA Más, strengthening neighborhood economies in Northeast Los Angeles through community markets and small-business support that help working-class residents generate income and stay rooted.

LA County Library Foundation, supporting emerging writers and the freedom to read through a free writers’ summit, career-focused workshops, and access to frequently challenged books.

Architecture for Communities Los Angeles, opening pathways into architecture and design for underrepresented young Angelenos through mentorship, hands-on learning, and industry connections.

Project Passion, supporting Altadena and Pasadena families recovering from the Eaton Fire with housing assistance, youth mentorship, and community wellness programs.

Party at the Polls Mini-Grants [Announced recently. More details are here.]

LAist, engaging younger and first-time voters through a community zine-making event that blends election information with creative expression.

Concrete Queenz, bringing together skateboarding and civic participation through its Girl, Go Vote! community event and group skate to a voting center.

Creating Justice LA, pairing an open mic and community gathering with accessible voter education in a familiar, creative setting.

Consejo de Federaciones, bringing voter outreach to Southeast LA neighborhoods through its Vamos a Votar! mariachi car caravan and Election Day community fair.

Zócalo Public Square, giving Angelenos a behind-the-scenes look at election administration through an expert-led tour of the new LA Ballot Processing Center.

Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation

CASA of Los Angeles, recruiting and training Court Appointed Special Advocates to provide foster youth with consistent, one-on-one advocacy and support.

SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition, strengthening a community-led response to homelessness in Northeast Los Angeles by training volunteers and building leadership among housed and unhoused neighbors.

Our Big Kitchen LA, bringing Angelenos together through recurring volunteer experiences that build community while preparing nutritious meals for neighbors facing food insecurity.

Snap Foundation

Pico Youth and Family Center, preparing LA youth for careers in film, music, and digital media through hands-on training and real-world production experience.

Ednovate, connecting East Los Angeles high school students to creative industry careers through hands-on projects, mentorship, and work-based learning.

New Earth, supporting justice- and systems-impacted young people returning home from incarceration with mentorship, education, and trauma-informed reentry services.

Television Academy Foundation, preparing young people for television careers through industry-designed training and paid apprenticeships.

Sovern LA, supporting emerging BIPOC artists and curators in building sustainable creative careers through paid residencies, mentorship, and industry connections.

Women In Media, employing women and gender-expansive filmmakers on professionally produced independent features while building experience and industry connections for future work.

Able ARTS Work, bringing accessible, project-based STEAM arts education to youth with and without disabilities across underserved Los Angeles communities.

John N. Calley Foundation

Get Lit - Words Ignite, preparing young adults disconnected from school and work for creative careers through professional media training, mentorship, and industry connections.

Heal the Bay, creating paid pathways into environmental science through hands-on training in water quality monitoring and laboratory analysis.

Homeboy Industries, providing free, healing-centered early education and family support for young children while their parents participate in reentry programs.

Lost Angels Children's Project, expanding a paid workforce program into Lincoln Heights to prepare opportunity youth for careers in advanced manufacturing and the skilled trades.

People's Pottery Project, creating pathways into the creative economy for systems-impacted youth through paid ceramics training, artist mentorship, and career exploration.

Propel America, preparing young adults for healthcare careers through debt-free Medical Assistant training, apprenticeships, and industry credentials.

Sage Studio LA, creating a free pathway from South LA into the fashion industry through hands-on training in garment construction, pattern making, and design.

Elbaz Family Foundation

Pueblo Nuevo Education & Development Group, expanding trauma-informed mental health and wellness support for students in Central Los Angeles and young adults transitioning into adulthood.

The Whole Child Mental Health & Housing Services, preventing childhood homelessness through rapid financial and stabilization support for families at immediate risk of losing their housing.

Homeboy Electronics Recycling, turning used electronics into paid career training for justice-impacted Angelenos across technology, logistics, and e-commerce.

Safe Parking LA, expanding digital access at overnight parking sites so people experiencing vehicular homelessness can connect to housing, employment, and essential resources.

R&S Kayne Foundation

Mentor For Change, launching a youth-designed coffee shop in Boyle Heights where systems-impacted young people can gain paid work experience and mentorship.

Unearth and Empower Communities, connecting South Los Angeles youth to paid work experience, career training, and employers across growing industries.

Fox Foundation

9 Dots, expanding computer science education in Title I elementary schools by equipping teachers to bring coding and computational thinking into their classrooms.

Project Invent, teaching underserved Los Angeles youth AI, engineering, and design skills by challenging them to develop technology solutions to community problems.

Brunswick Foundation

Hollywood Food Coalition, redirecting surplus food to Angelenos facing food insecurity through a countywide distribution network and nightly meal service.

Urban Peace Institute, reducing pathways into incarceration through youth leadership, reentry support, and school-based harm-reduction strategies.

The Seed Bomb Project, restoring fire-affected landscapes with native wildflowers while engaging young people in hands-on environmental restoration and healing.

Children's Law Center of California, reconnecting foster youth approaching adulthood with trusted adults who can provide lasting relationships and support beyond the child welfare system.

Garden School Foundation, training LAUSD students as composting ambassadors who teach their communities to reduce food waste and take practical climate action.

Los Angeles Reporting Collective, strengthening LA’s local journalism community through free gatherings, workshops, and mentorship for independent journalists and civic media makers.

Adventures to Dreams Enrichment, bringing gardening, art, and STEM into hands-on school-day enrichment for Long Beach middle school students.

Big Bro Foundation

Pueblo Nuevo Education & Development Group, expanding trauma-informed mental health and wellness support for students in Central Los Angeles and young adults transitioning into adulthood.

Herb Alpert Foundation

Urban Peace Institute, reducing pathways into incarceration through youth leadership, reentry support, and school-based harm-reduction strategies.

The Makers Hub, introducing Compton teens to creative and trade skills through free, hands-on training in making, design, and product development.

DemoChicks, introducing girls of color to careers in architecture, construction, and engineering through hands-on STEM experiences, industry mentors, and scholarships.

Upward Bound House, supporting young families emerging from homelessness with extended housing assistance, education and career support, and practical coaching.

PVBLIC Foundation

Alma Backyard Farms, developing a permanent urban farm in Carson that will grow affordable organic food, employ formerly incarcerated people, and serve as a hub for learning and community.

Creating Justice LA, pairing an open mic and community gathering with accessible voter education in a familiar, creative setting.

Homeboy Electronics Recycling, turning used electronics into paid career training for justice-impacted Angelenos across technology, logistics, and e-commerce.

People's Pottery Project, creating pathways into the creative economy for systems-impacted youth through paid ceramics training, artist mentorship, and career exploration.

Safe Parking LA, expanding digital access at overnight parking sites so people experiencing vehicular homelessness can connect to housing, employment, and essential resources.

Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation

The Whole Child Mental Health & Housing Services, preventing childhood homelessness through rapid financial and stabilization support for families at immediate risk of losing their housing.

Project Passion, supporting Altadena and Pasadena families recovering from the Eaton Fire with housing assistance, youth mentorship, and community wellness programs.

Peace4Kids, equipping youth in foster care in South LA to thrive through peer support, trauma-informed mentoring, and individualized guidance.

North East Trees, transforming part of the historic Lincoln Heights Jail into an urban forestry hub with a native plant nursery and workforce training for young adults.

Pueblo Nuevo Education & Development Group, expanding trauma-informed mental health and wellness support for students in Central Los Angeles and young adults transitioning into adulthood.