Goldhirsh Foundation’s LA2050 Grants Challenge Brings Nine Foundations Together, Awards Nearly $3 Million in Grants to 60 Social Impact Organizations

More than 100 social impact leaders gathered together today at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles in order to honor and encourage 60 outstanding Los Angeles-area nonprofit organizations during the culminating event of the 2024 LA2050 Grants Challenge. The 60 nonprofits were awarded a total of $2,915,000 in grants.

The grants came from a coalition of funding partners: The Goldhirsh Foundation, which runs the LA2050 Grants Challenge; Annenberg Foundation, Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Snap Foundation, John N. Calley Foundation, Elbaz Family Foundation; and joining the Grants Challenge for the first time, both the R&S Kayne Foundation and the Fox Foundation.

Speakers at the event, known as the “LA2050 Grantee Showcase,” included Michael D. Smith, CEO of AmeriCorps; Tara Roth, president of the Goldhirsh Foundation; Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis; California State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas; and Lucia Knell, co-author of the New York Times best-selling book, Upworthy: Good People. Chief Service Officer for the State of California Josh Fryday provided a video message. Jessica Yellin, founder of the nonprofit News Not Noise, served as emcee.

A panel, “Building Community Through Volunteerism,” was moderated by AmeriCorps’ Smith and featured the insights of a quartet of nonprofit executives: Helen Leung, Executive Director, LA Más; Quan Huynh, Executive Director, Southern California, Defy Ventures; and Romel Pascual, Executive Director of CicLAvia.

“The LA2050 Grants Challenge exemplifies our commitment to creatively and collectively deploying financial, social, and human capital” said Tara Roth, president of the Goldhirsh Foundation. “Year after year, I am impressed by how participatory and collaborative the Grants Challenge is, and by the pathbreaking ideas and strategies Angelenos are undertaking to make positive change.”

Click here to read more, including information about each of the 60 nonprofit organizations.

Photo: Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis presents a commendation to Tara Roth, president of the Goldhirsh Foundation.