Funding Resources

• Level Playing Field Institute (CA)
  
  • The MK Level Playing Field Institute (LPFI) was founded in 2001 to "promote innovative approaches to fairness in higher education and workplaces by removing barriers to full participation". Grants are made to qualifying nonprofit organizations that focus on enhancing diversity awareness or promote educational opportunities for underserved or underrepresented students.
• The INNW Fund
  • The mission of The INNW Fund is to foster environmental awareness, through grants supporting education and land conservation. Unsolicited grant proposals are not accepted; instead the fund seeks out organizations with programs of regional significance, a history of success, and committed board and staff members.
• Arts Orange County
  • Arts Orange County was established in 1995 as a nonprofit countywide arts council. It is the state-local partner with the California Arts Council and is the official local arts agency of the County of Orange. Arts Orange County serves as a resource and advocate for the arts community, as a catalyst for leadership on arts issues, and as sponsor of programs and services which enhance public awareness of arts activities and promote the development of the arts and arts education in Orange County. The aim of thegrant program is to support the development and strengthening of the county's arts organizations, individual artists and arts education by offering strategic financial assistance.
• The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation
  • The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation was founded in 1991 by the actress "to provide funding to organizations providing critically needed support service, prevention services, and education for people with HIV/AIDS." The foundation distributes funds to AIDS organizations around the world. Contact and donation information are provided on the foundation's Web site.
• Irving Moskowitz Foundation
  • Established in Hawaiian Gardens, California, in 1968, the Irving Moskowitz Foundation exists to help people in need, regardless of race, creed, politics, or religion. The foundation supports a wide array of religious, educational, cultural, and emergency services organizations. Specific areas of interest include education, sports, religion, health, children, and individuals.
• Melanoma Research Foundation
  • Located in Lake Forest, California, the Melanoma Research Foundation funds melanoma research with the ultimate goal of finding a cure. The foundation's Research Grant Program funds a variety of grants, many of them multi-year. Details on specific grants, application information, a newsletter, a listing of comprehensive cancer care centers, links to further resources, and contact information can be found on the foundation's Web site.
• Health Professions Education Foundation
  • The mission of the Health Professions Education Foundation is to improve healthcare in underserved areas of California by providing grants to health professional students dedicated to serving the underserved. The foundation awards scholarship and loan repayment grants to health professional students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and demographically underrepresented groups, who are committed to practicing in underserved areas. The foundation's Web site describes the scholarship programs and other funding opportunities, and provides contact information.
• Cure Autism Now
  • Cure Autism Now was founded in 1995 in Los Angeles as "an organization of parents, physicians, and researchers, dedicated to promoting and funding research with direct clinical implications for treatment and a cure for autism." The organization funds scientific research and the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange program. The organization's Web site provides autism resources; the organization's downloadable newsletter; lists events sponsored by the organization; descriptions of current awards, programs, and grants; and contact information.
• Central Coast Commission for Senior Citizens
  • The Central Coast Commission for Senior Citizens was created in 1975 as a part of a national network of organizations that serve senior citizens with social, nutritional, and health services. The commission's Web site provides information about its programs, including the Senior Connection phone referral line, job placement advice, and online resource guides for San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties; links to additional programs for senior citizens; the commission's national network of organizations on aging; and contact information.
• Berkeley Community Fund
  • The Berkeley Community Fund was established in 1992 to address local social problems. It seeks to narrow the inequities within the community, create hope and opportunity for disadvantaged youth, enhance cultural and intellectual diversity while building consensus to address common problems, and stimulate public and private investments to raise the quality of community life. The fund connects people and organizations to enhance planning and resource sharing, provides technical assistance, makes cash grants to community groups and gives college scholarships to deserving Berkeley High School seniors, and brings "public and private resources to bear on efforts that support the mission of the fund and the needs of the community." The fund's Web site features grantmaking criteria, FAQs, descriptions of some of the fund's current projects, contact information, a listing of the board of directors and staff, and contact information.
• Academy of Friends
  • Founded in 1980, the Bay Area-based, Academy of Friends supports HIV/AIDS service organizations by throwing an annual Academy Awards Night Gala. Unrestricted program grants will be made to provide core services to people with HIV/AIDS. Included are direct care programs that provide food, housing, counseling and financial assistance, legal services or similar direct services. Visit the organization's Web site to find out more about the grant guidelines and locate a downloadable grant application.
• Roots of Peace
  • Roots of Peace was established in 1997 in San Rafael, California, and is dedicated "to eradicating landmines worldwide and rehabilitating the land to make it productive once more." To this end, the organization helps countries no longer at war to turn "mines into vines," planting local produce in areas where mines once dominated the land. The organization's Web site provides information on current landmine projects, links to related organizations, and a contact address.
• Ramakrishna Foundation
  • The Ramakrishna Foundation was established in 1996 to collect and distribute funds to "any religious organization that promotes religious harmony," foster religious cultural and educational activities, and aid organizations and individuals who support the foundation's objectives. The foundation aids organizations located in India. A list of religious organizations currently appealing for funds and details on the foundation's funding method, mission, and religious philosophy are available on the foundation's Web site.
• Society of Singers, Inc.
  • The Society of Singers, Inc., was formed in 1984 in Los Angeles "to aid professional singers who face financial, medical, family, or other crises." The organization maintains regional offices in Las Vegas and New York and offers Singers' Assistance and Scholarships to singers and aspiring vocalists in need. The society's Web site provides details, contact information, news and upcoming events, and links to further resources.
• Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation
  • Located in Irvine, California, the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation was formed in 1982 "to improve the care, quality of life, and survival rate of children with malignant diseases." To this end, the foundation sponsors special events and funds grants for research. The foundation's Web site offers stories of children, details on the areas of research funded, current foundation news and events, and contact information.
• Mariposa County Arts Council
  • Founded in Mariposa, California, in 1981, the Mariposa County Arts Council strives "to promote and support all forms of the cultural arts, for all ages, throughout Mariposa County." The council sponsors a variety of workshops, lectures, exhibitions, and competitions, including the Young Masters Art Competition. Details on the council's programs, an entry form, and upcoming events can be found on the council's Web site.
• American Lung Association of California
  • Headquartered in Oakland, California, with regional offices throughout the state, the American Lung Association of California works to prevent lung disease and promote lung health. The association's Web site provides comprehensive information on lung diseases and related issues, such as air quality and smoking; details on local programs and events; current research and advocacy; research grant and scholarship guidelines; FAQs; and applications.
• Aerospace Legacy Foundation
  • The Aerospace Legacy Foundation was founded in 1995 to work for "historical integrity and educational use of a portion of the NASA/Boeing site in Downey, California," which rose to fame as a center of the U.S./Russian space race in the 1960s. Today, the foundation seeks to preserve Downey's space-related history. Visitors to the foundation's Web site will find a detailed history of the Downey area and its importance in the space race, information on upcoming foundation events and meetings, and links to related resources.
• French American Charitable Trust
  • The French American Charitable Trust (FACT) was established in San Francisco in 1989 by a French-American family "to address fundamental inequalities and injustices in society." The trust's program areas include social and economic justice, environmental health, and infrastructure, however it does not accept unsolicited proposals. The FACT Web site provides details on recent grantees, grantmaking strategies, downloadable guidelines, and information on the trust's partner organization in France.
• City of Hope
  • Located outside Los Angeles in Duarte, California, City of Hope is a biomedical research, treatment, and educational institution founded in 1913. The center works to help people with cancer and other life-threatening diseases through a variety of services. The City of Hope Web site provides information on the center's programs, facilities, and volunteer and donor opportunities; contact information; and an online donation form.
• Animal Protection Institute
  • Founded in 1968 in Sacramento, California, the Animal Protection Institute advocates for the protection of animals from cruelty and exploitation. The institute's campaigns and programs address issues ranging from animals used in the entertainment industry to wildlife protection; each is described in detail on the institute's Web site.
• Rainforest Action Network
  • Founded in 1985 in San Francisco, the Rainforest Action Network works "to protect rainforests and the human rights of those living in and around those forests" through activism in the United States and in rainforest countries. The network's Web site provides detailed information on all of the network's campaigns; an Action Center, where visitors can contribute in a variety of ways, including sending e-mail messages to government officials; resources for activists; activities for kids; and background information on the plight of the rainforests.
• National Childhood Cancer Foundation
  • The National Childhood Cancer Foundation partners with institutions in North America and Europe to support the research and treatment of childhood cancer through the Children's Oncology Group (COG). The Foundation's Web site provides information and links to numerous resources on childhood cancer, details on the Foundation's research partner COG, and an online form to sign up for the Foundation's newsletter, "Childhood Cancerline." Further information as well as contact addresses for the Foundation are available online. (3/5/03)
• Rotary Club of Sacramento Foundation
  • In 1971, the Rotary Club of Sacramento formed its foundation to aid underprivileged youth in the Sacramento area. The foundation manages two types of funds: Community Service and Endowment Service funds. The former supports community-based programs, such as the Youth Incentive Program, while the later supports the long-term charitable goals of the foundation. The basic funding mission of the foundation, as well as contact information for further details, can be found on its Web site.
• Mount Zion Health Fund
  • The San Francisco-based, Mount Zion Health Fund maintains a mission of "advancing programs designed to improve the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of vulnerable populations and that reflect the Jewish values and traditions of Mount Zion Hospital." The public charity primarily funds qualifying organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area. Grants to individuals are not made.
• The Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association
  • The Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association is dedicated to the fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; often called Lou Gehrig's disease). The association's patient education programs provide support groups; a telephone information/referral service; equipment loans; augmentative communication devices; respite, information, and support for caregivers and family members; referrals to ALS clinics and physicians; and support for nationally directed research programs. The association's Research Grant Program offers funding for scientific and clinical management research.
• Project Tomorrow
  • Founded in 1996, Project Tomorrow is a nonprofit collaborative of businesses and educators dedicated to improving K-12 science education in Orange County, California, schools. The organization seeks to accomplish its mission through programs for students, professional development for educators, and community involvement.
• The Threshold Foundation
  • The Threshold Foundation of California serves the social change movement through collaborating with and funding innovative American and international nonprofit organizations and individuals working toward social justice, environmental sustainability, humane economic systems, and peaceful coexistence.
• The Rose Hills Foundation
  • The Rose Hills Foundation, located in Los Angeles, California, supports charitable organizations for the benefit of the people of southern California, with an emphasis on San Gabriel Valley and East Los Angeles. Areas of interest include arts and culture, civics and community services, education, community-based health programs, and youth activities.
• Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health
  • The Palo Alto, California-based Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health was founded in 1996 and works toward improving and protecting "the physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral health of children."
• The Clarence Foundation
  • The Clarence Foundation was created in 1999 with the mission to seek out grassroots organizations that have been successful in the relief of poverty worldwide. The foundation promotes the practice of "engaged international philanthropy" by offering opportunities for personal involvement in global change work. The foundation has five areas of interest: children, education, health, human rights, and women, and relies on a global network of volunteer advisors to identify groups to receive assistance. The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. The foundation's Web site offers information on currently funded projects, an online donation area, and information on getting involved in engaged philanthropy.
• The Kristi Yamaguchi Always Dream Foundation
  • The Oakland, California-based Kristi Yamaguchi's Always Dream Foundation was founded by professional figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi to support organizations that have a positive influence on children in California, Nevada, or Hawaii. The foundation's Web site offers information on the foundation's mission, lists of past beneficiaries, details on making a donation, and contact information.
• The Women's Foundation
  • Based in San Francisco, the Women's Foundation is a philanthropic fund for women in the western United States. Created in 1979 to address the inequity of funding directed towards women and girls throughout the United States, the foundation supports organizations that serve low-income women and girls throughout 50 counties in northern and central California and the Mexico side of the United States-Mexico border. The foundation funds programs for the prevention of violence against women and girls, girls' leadership, health, and economic justice.
• Wender-Weis Foundation for Children
  • Based in Palo Alto, California, the Wender Weis Foundation for Children was founded in 1994 to provide charitable relief and assistance to at-risk, disadvantaged children throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. The foundation uses the proceeds from fundraising efforts to sponsor various outreach programs that encourage confidence and self-esteem in children. The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant proposals.
• Visual Aid Artists for AIDS Relief
  • Visual Aid, located in San Francisco, California, is committed to "encouraging visual artists with life-threatening illness to continue their creative work by providing a variety of direct services." These services include a voucher program, which distributes certificates that can be redeemed at participating art and photo supply stores; the Art Bank, which distributes donated art supplies; exhibitions and workshops; studio assistants; and a resource center. The organization's Web site includes information on its programs, exhibitions, workshops, and lectures.
• Vanguard Public Foundation
  • Created in 1972, the Vanguard Public Foundation is located in San Francisco, California. The organization is a "partnership of community activists and donors [that] has distributed [funds] to organizations and projects that work to achieve a more equitable distribution of power and resources in our society." Grantees are located in northern California, in counties north of Monterey. The foundation is interested in programs that try to change the underlying causes of injustice and poverty, involve the self-determination of low-income and working class people, work toward a prejudice-free society, and incorporate affirmative action practices. Areas of interest include issues of civil rights, economic justice, workers' rights, women's rights, education, disability, health, housing, the environment, cultural activism, indigenous people's rights, and international solidarity.
• Tri-City Hospital Foundation
  • The Tri-City Hospital Foundation was founded in 1964 to promote community and financial support of the Tri-City Medical Center located in San Diego. The foundation provides support for programs including Tri-City Hospice and scholarships for Tri-City Hospital nurses. The foundation's Web site includes information on the foundation's activities, a list of trustees, details for donors, and contact information.
• The Tides Foundation
  • The Tides Foundation, located in San Francisco, California, was established in 1976 as part of the Tides family of organizations. The group "partners with donors to increase and organize resources for social change." Funding areas include civic participation, economic and racial justice, the environment, HIV/AIDS, native communities, women's empowerment and reproductive health, and youth organizing. Most of the foundation's grants are made on the recommendation of donors interested in funding specific issues; the organization does not accept unsolicited proposals. The foundation's Web site includes current grant information and initiatives, details on organizations that have received foundation support, lists of directors and key staff, and information on creating a donor-advised fund at the foundation.
• Three Guineas Fund
  • Founded in 1994, the Three Guineas Fund promotes social justice by expanding access to economic opportunity for women and girls. The foundation makes grants to and creates partnerships with organizations aligned with its mission.
• Survive AIDS!
  • Based in San Francisco, Survive AIDS! was formerly known as ACT UP Golden Gate, part of the national coalition ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) that was established in 1987. As Survive AIDS!, the group lobbies, communicates, educates, mentors, creates and maintains an infrastructure to support HIV/AIDS activism and research, working "to keep people with AIDS alive and improve and sustain their quality of life."
• Surfrider Foundation
  • The Surfrider Foundation is a nonprofit environmental organization "dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans, waves, and beaches for all people through conservation, activism, research, and education." Founded in 1984 in San Clemente, California, the foundation accomplishes its mission through a variety of programs, including the Thomas Pratte Memorial Scholarship Fund, which promotes academic research of the coastal environment.
• Rudolf Steiner Foundation
  • Established in 1984, the Rudolf Steiner Foundation is a progressive financial service organization that supports social and environmental change. The foundation's basic work is to connect philanthropists and investors with projects in need of grants or loans. The foundation supports research and activities that include children and education, environment and science, arts and culture, sustainable agriculture, economic and social renewal, medicine, and spiritual renewal. The foundation, located in San Francisco, California, carries out its charitable activity on a worldwide basis through its gift, grant, and loan fund programs.
• Sponsors of Musical Enrichment, Inc.
  • Sponsors of Musical Enrichment, Inc., was founded in California in 1978. It exists for the purpose of "supporting local youth organizations and the performing arts on a continuing basis." The organization also provides deserving students of the musical and performing arts with scholarships for career advancements and works with programs like the Drum Corps International, sponsoring national scholarships and underwriting competitions.
• The Sierra Club Foundation
  • The Sierra Club Foundation provides financial support to the Sierra Club and other environmental organizations. The foundation funds a range of environmental projects in the general categories of public education, litigation, and training. The section of the Sierra Club's Web site devoted to the foundation offers information on the organization and its programs, listings of trustees and staff, a list of supporters, annual reports, news, and contact information.
• Shinnyo-En Foundation
  • Also known as Buddhists for World Harmony, the San Francisco-based Shinnyo-En Foundation was founded in 1994 as the grantmaking arm of the Shinnyo-En USA order. The foundation's mission is to "bring forth deeper compassion among humankind, to promote greater harmony, and to nurture future generations toward building a more ethical society." The foundation makes grants primarily for programs that benefit the ethical development of young people.
• Seventh Generation Fund
  • Formed in 1977 in Arcata, California, the Seventh Generation Fund works to promote and maintain the uniqueness of native peoples and nations in the Western Hemisphere. The fund's areas of interest include arts and cultural expression, environmental health and justice, indigenous peoples of the Americas, protection of sacred places, and sustainable communities. These interests are supported through advocacy, small grants, financial management services, and nonprofit administration, leadership training, and technical services.
• Seva Foundation
  • The Seva Foundation, located in Berkeley, California, was founded in 1978 and works to build "partnerships to respond to locally defined problems with culturally sustainable solutions throughout the world." The foundation's programs address a range of issues, including: avoidable blindness in India and other countries; indigenous culture, sustainable agriculture, and microenterprise in Guatemala and Chiapas; and the epidemic of diabetes on Native American reservations. Information on the foundation's philosophy and program areas, donor and volunteer information, publications, and contact information are available on the foundation's Web site.
• Schwab Fund for Charitable Giving
  • The San Francisco-based Schwab Fund for Charitable Giving strives "to increase charitable giving in the United States by providing useful information, unbiased guidance, and advantageous ways to give." The organization's Web site describes seven principles to guide charitable giving, and provides information on the fund's Charitable Gift Account program for donors.
• Save-the-Redwoods League
  • Created in 1918, the Save-the-Redwoods League in San Francisco is committed to conserving the ancient forests of California.
• San Jose Center for Poetry and Literature
  • Established in 1978, the San Jose Center for Poetry and Literature is a nonacademic, nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the literary arts. Located in San Jose, California, the center sponsors readings, lectures, and literary contests.
• San Francisco AIDS Foundation
  • The San Francisco AIDS Foundation was founded in 1982 in San Francisco's Castro District as an emergency response to a quickly emerging health crisis. Today the foundation is established as a global leader in the fight against AIDS. The foundation seeks to educate the public about the disease and works with those who need treatment. Services provided by the foundation include locating housing for those in need, treatment support, financial counseling, providing a help hotline, and advocating for better medical insurance and treatment options.
• San Diego Foundation for Change
  • Created in 1994, the San Diego Foundation for Change works to "promote positive, permanent change" to end discrimination, lack of opportunity, poverty, and environmental degradation in the San Diego/Tijuana border region. To fulfill its mission, the foundation provides funding and technical assistance to small, community-based organizations working to achieve social, economic, and environmental justice in San Diego County. The foundation also offers two special awards programs: the San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Awards and the James Mitsuo Cua Award for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender San Diegans.
• Rural Community Assistance Corporation
  • Located in West Sacramento, California, the Rural Community Assistance Corporation was certified as a Community Development Financial Institution in 1996. Designed to be a major resource for the rural west (serving Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming), the corporation provides technical assistance and access to financing for programs in the areas of affordable housing, environmental infrastructure, and community facilities.
• Riverside Community Health Foundation
  • The Riverside Community Health Foundation, in partnership with the Community Health Corporation, works "to identify, develop, and support opportunities to expand access to healthcare; foster health education and prevention; and provide programs and services that improve the health of the people in the community" of Riverside, California.
• Rex Foundation
  • The Rex Foundation, a charitable foundation established by members and friends of the Grateful Dead, "aims to help secure a healthy environment, promote individuality in the arts, provide support to critical and necessary social services, assist others less fortunate than ourselves, protect the rights of indigenous people and ensure their cultural survival, build a stronger community, and to educate children and adults everywhere." Grant recipients are selected through the personal knowledge of the foundation's decision makers; unsolicited requests will not be considered.
• Ayn Rand Institute/The Center for the Advancement of Objectivism
  • The Ayn Rand Institute was founded in 1985 to advance Objectivism, author Ayn Rand's philosophy of "reason and rationality; individualism and individual liberties; and free-market capitalism." The institute seeks to promote this philosophy through opinion pieces and its own media projects, a Campaign Against Servitude opposing voluntarism, essay contests for high school and college students, resources for college and university campus clubs, and materials and training on Objectivism.
• The Ploughshares Fund
  • Founded in 1981, the San Francisco-based Ploughshares Fund was created to provide financial support to people and organizations working to eliminate the threat of nuclear war. Ploughshares has expanded its areas of support and currently offers grants for initiatives aimed at: ending the threat from nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons; stopping the spread of weapons of war; addressing the environmental legacy of the nuclear age; promoting public understanding and participation; and preventing global and regional conflict.
• Philanthropic Ventures Foundation
  • The Philanthropic Ventures Foundation, located in the San Francisco Bay Area, works with individuals, families, businesses, and foundations to create innovative giving programs to match the specific interests of donors. Adopting an investment model for charitable giving, the foundation seeks out quality people and programs doing outstanding human service work to maximize the impact of philanthropy.
• Paralysis Project of America
  • The Paralysis Project of America was formed in 1987 in Los Angeles, California, "to accelerate progress toward finding a cure for paralysis caused by spinal cord injury (SCI)." The project works toward its mission by funding select scientific and clinical studies researching spinal cord injuries and regeneration. The project's Web site provides information on its research funding program, a Call for Applications, updates on SCI research, links to other funding and scientific resources, and details on upcoming project events.
• New Schools Venture Fund
  • Based in San Francisco, California, the New Schools Venture Fund pools the resources of technology venture capitalists and entrepreneurs to improve "public K-12 education by supporting a growing community of education entrepreneurs." The New Schools Network includes education entrepreneurs, organizations in which the fund has invested, and the fund's supporters.
• Northern California Community Loan Fund
  • The Northern California Community Loan Fund, established in 1987 in San Francisco, California, is a nonprofit lender "dedicated to strengthening the economic base of low-income and minority communities." The fund lends to northern California community-based nonprofit organizations that have limited access to financing from traditional lenders. Loans support four types of projects: affordable housing, community facility, economic development, and operating lines of credit. Contact information is available on the fund's Web site, along with information about the types of programs and organizations to which the fund has made loans.
• National Repertory Theatre Foundation
  • Founded in 1961, the Los Angeles-based National Repertory Theatre Foundation is a theatre development agency that encourages new talent, creates new programs, and sponsors new organizations vital to the growth of American theater. The foundation sponsors the National Play Award (NPA), a competition for unproduced, unpublished full-length plays. The foundation also sponsors the Classical Theatre Lab, a group of professional actors dedicated to the exploration, preservation, and celebration of the classics, and the New Works Company, an association of producing artists who assist in script development. The foundation's Web site provides information about the foundation's programs and events, NPA guidelines, and contact information.
• National Film Preservation Foundation
  • The National Film Preservation Foundation was created by the Congressional National Film Preservation Act of 1996 to save America's film heritage. Based in San Francisco, the foundation supports "preservation activities nationwide that ensure the physical survival of film and improve access to film for study, education, and exhibition." The foundation provides grants for organizations or individuals involved in the process of restoring and disseminating early American film work. The foundation's Web site offers grant guidelines and application information; background material on the necessity and process of preserving films; examples of projects the foundation has funded in the past, such as the preservation of Groucho Marx's home movies; details on the foundation's operations and projects; and board and staff listings.
• MusiCares Foundation, Inc
  • The MusiCares Foundation, Inc., established in 1989 by the Recording Academy, "ensures that music people have a place to turn in times of financial, personal, or medical crisis. Its primary purpose is to focus the resources and attention of the music industry on human service issues which directly impact the health and welfare of the music community." The foundation's programs include emergency financial assistance, addiction recovery, outreach and leadership activities, and senior housing.
• Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, Inc
  • The Sherman Oaks, California-based Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, Inc., was inspired by the movie of the same name and was founded by the movie's creative team: composer Michael Kamen, actor Richard Dreyfuss, and director Stephen Herek. The foundation is committed to "promoting instrumental music nationwide by partnering with businesses, schools, and communities to provide new and refurbished musical instruments to qualified schools and individual students."
• Milagro Foundation
  • Guitarist Carlos Santana and his wife Deborah began the Milagro Foundation in 1998 in Marin County, California, to support nonprofit organizations dedicated to children and youth in the arts, education, and health. The foundation supports programs in the San Francisco Bay Area, across the United States, and in countries where Santana performs. The foundation focuses on disadvantaged children and youth at risk due to factors such as poor health, illiteracy, or insufficient educational and cultural opportunities.
• MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger
  • MAZON, named for the Hebrew word for "food," was founded in response to the problem of hunger in the United States and abroad, providing meals and food to elderly Jews, families living in temporary shelter, hungry children; people with AIDS, refugees of international crises, and nonprofits serving these populations. MAZON primarily funds organizations working for longer-term solutions to hunger, to improve the reach and effectiveness of government food assistance programs, and to provide counseling, assistance, and training for low-income people. International grants make up 7 percent of MAZON's grantmaking.
• The Joseph Matteucci Foundation
  • The Castro Valley, California-based Joseph Matteucci Foundation is dedicated to youth nonviolence.
• Magic Johnson Foundation
  • Originally established to raise funds for HIV/AIDS education and prevention programs, the Magic Johnson Foundation now awards grants to community-based organizations involved with education, health, and social programs for inner-city youth. The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant proposals. The foundation also supports a variety of special initiatives related to health, education, and cultural programs.
• Los Angeles Women's Foundation
  • The Los Angeles Women's Foundation is a community-based foundation with a 15-year history of promoting women's philanthropy and granting funds to community-based organizations to support services to women and girls in the greater Los Angeles area. The foundation's strategic grantmaking focuses on women's health initiatives, economic literacy and justice, prevention of violence, self-determination, and technical assistance.
• The Leaky Foundation
  • The San Francisco-based Leaky Foundation supports anthropological research, as envisioned by its namesake, anthropologist Louis Leaky. This mission includes a multidisciplinary approach to the study of human evolution. The foundation maintains general research grants and fellowships.
• Liberty Hill Foundation
  • Created in 1976, the Liberty Hill Foundation, located in Santa Monica, California, "promotes progressive social change by funding grassroots community organizations in Los Angeles that empower the disenfranchised and challenge the institutions and attitudes which create economic, social, and racial inequalities." The Grantseekers/Organizers section of the foundation's Web site features information on its funding programs, including the Seed Fund, the Fund for a New Los Angeles, the Environmental Justice Fund, the Social Entrepreneurial Fund, the Lesbian and Gay Community Fund, and the Special Opportunities Fund.
• Kern County Youth Mariachi Foundation
  • Located in Bakersfield, California, the Kern County Youth Mariachi Foundation is dedicated to "ensuring that local youth have the opportunity to learn and carry on the rich traditions and culture of Mariachi and its music." As a cultural, youth-focused organization, the foundation works to provide adult role models, expose students ages 7 to 17 to the traditions of the Hispanic culture, and provide educational and academic scholarship assistance.
• Elton John AIDS Foundation
  • The London- and Los Angeles-based Elton John AIDS Foundation was founded in 1992 by entertainer Elton John to fund programs that "provide services to people living with HIV/AIDS and educational programs targeted at AIDS prevention, and/or elimination of prejudice and discrimination against HIV affected individuals." Services supported by the foundation include food banks and meal programs, legal aid, hospice and housing, counseling and support groups, education outreach programs, at-home care, and pediatric treatment centers.
• Jewish Family and Children's Services of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin, and Sonoma Counties
  • Located in San Francisco, JFCS provides "professional and volunteer services for the purposes of developing, restoring, and maintaining the competency of families and individuals of all ages." JFCS administers services for adults and families, children and youth, people with special needs, refugees and émigrés, and older adults.
• Jewish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles
  • The Jewish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles is a clearinghouse for Jewish philanthropists in southern California, directing funds toward a variety of nonprofit organizations and services in Los Angeles, across the United States, in Israel, and elsewhere around the world. Through Legacy Grants, the foundation supports the areas of social service and health agencies, art and cultural institutions, educational institutions and synagogues, among others.
• Irvine Senior Foundation
  • The Irvine Senior Foundation strives to meet the needs of seniors and their families in the Irvine, California, area. The foundation maintains partnerships with local service providers, and focuses its interests in the areas of adult day healthcare, low-income housing, transportation, nutrition, education, employment, and health.
• International Community Foundation
  • Established in 1990, the International Community Foundation is committed to fostering lasting philanthropy to benefit international communities throughout the Americas and Asia, with emphasis on Mexico. The foundation supports sustainable communities, the environment, health, education, and culture. The foundation's grant awards have supported projects in Mexico, China, Ecuador, and Canada. The foundation's
• Independent Television Service
  • The San Francisco-based Independent Television Service was created by Congress to "create and promote independent media that will expand civic participation by bringing new voices and expressiveness into the public discourse," especially by addressing the needs of underserved minority and youth audiences. The service funds, distributes, and promotes new programs that show diversity, and a range of subjects, viewpoints, and forms.
• Hospice Foundation for the Central Coast
  • The Monterey, California-based Hospice Foundation for the Central Coast "helps hospice care providers close the gap between decreasing healthcare reimbursement from insurance payers, such as Medicare, and the cost to provide this specialized, highly personal form of care." The foundation raises and distributes funds to support hospice care in Monterey and San Benito Counties. The foundation's Web site provides guidelines, priorities, limitations, and deadlines for grants; information on current grant recipients; a form to request publications; and contact information.
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund, Inc.
  • The Hispanic Scholarship Fund, Inc., was established in 1975 in San Francisco, California, to "recognize and reward outstanding Hispanic students in higher education throughout the United States and Puerto Rico." Scholarships are given in three major categories to American citizens and permanent residents of Hispanic background: the College Retention/General Program is for students at four-year colleges; the High School Program supports graduating seniors who have been accepted at a college; and the Community College Transfer Program is for community college attendees or graduates who have the potential to succeed at a four-year college. The fund's Web site includes information and application procedures for each of these programs, as well as for other partnership and internship opportunities; information on general college aid; a list of other organizations offering scholarships to Latino students; a list of internship programs that seek Latinos; and information on the fund's operations and sponsors.
• Carver International Project
  • The California-based, Carver International Project exists with a purpose to be an "economic and intellectual asset stimulating philanthropy in communities throughout the world, contributing to lasting positive change." Areas of interest to the project include organizations that focus on civil society, education, media, public health, and human and women's rights. The project's Web site features information on the project's funding programs, application instructions, a board list, and contact information.
• Health Trust of Santa Clara Valley
  • The Health Trust of Santa Clara Valley was formed in 1996 with proceeds from the sale of the Good Samaritan Health System. The trust makes grants to nonprofit organizations that provide direct preventive health and wellness services, and operates community health programs that fill gaps in current health prevention services. Funding is offered through Good Samaritan Grants, which support grassroots health projects; Health Partnership Grants, for medically related services delivered by hospitals or by community-based organizations; and other award programs.
• Grammy Awards Grant Program
  • The Grammy Awards Grant Program was established in California by the Recording Academy to distribute grants to organizations and individuals to support efforts that advance: the archiving and preservation of the music and recorded sound heritage of the Americas; research and research implementation projects related to music such as teaching methodology in early childhood and the impact of music study on early childhood and human development; and the medical and occupational well-being of music professionals.
• Gay and Lesbian Medical Association
  • The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, located in San Francisco, California, was formed in 1981 to "promote quality healthcare for LGBT and HIV-positive people; to foster a professional climate in which our diverse members can achieve their full potential; and to support members challenged by discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation." Grant programs include the Lesbian Health Fund, which supports research and advocacy in creating better healthcare for lesbians and their families; the Medical Expertise Retention Plan, which addresses the issue of HIV-positive healthcare workers; and scholarships for medical students to attend the annual conference.
• Fund for Santa Barbara
  • Created in California in 1980, the Fund for Santa Barbara, supports progressive social change and is "dedicated to finding solutions to current and emerging social problems and issues that challenge our society as a whole." The fund encourages like-minded organizations in South Santa Barbara County to apply for grants and/or technical support. The fund's areas of interest include discrimination based on race, sex, age, religion, economic status, etc.; the rights of workers; self-determination in low-income communities; the environment; and operating in a democratic manner. The fund's Web site includes application guidelines, limitations, deadlines, and online application forms; information on contributing; a grant history; a newsletter; and contact information.
• Frameline, Inc.
  • Frameline, Inc., is dedicated to the exhibition, distribution, promotion, and funding of lesbian and gay film and video and presents the annual San Francisco International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. Frameline's grant program, the Horizons/Frameline Completion Fund, helps artists to complete their film and video projects. Funding guidelines, information about the festival, film/video distribution, membership, events, and resources are available on the organization's Web site.
• Foundation for National Progress
  • Located in San Francisco, the Foundation for National Progress was established in 1975 "to educate and empower people through media to work toward progressive change." Along with a training program for interns in investigative journalism, the foundation has been publishing the magazine Mother Jones since 1976. The Mother Jones Web site includes Web-exclusive articles, discussion groups, and breaking news. Information on the Foundation for National Progress and the Mother Jones Investigative Reporting Internship Program can be found in the About Us section of the site.
• Film Arts Foundation
  • The Film Arts Foundation was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1976 and is committed to supporting the development of independent films in the Bay Area with equipment and education, the screening of independent films, and support for the community that creates these films. Since 1984, the foundation has distributed grants for development, completion, and distribution of independent film/video works. Grant descriptions, lists of previous recipients, information on screenings and an annual film festival, and an extensive list of seminars are available on the foundation's Web site.
• Family Care Foundation, Inc.
  • The Family Care Foundation, Inc., located in Spring Valley, California, provides support and training for grassroots organizations in developing countries. The foundation concentrates its grantmaking in areas including emergency relief, vocational training, youth services, and drug prevention for communities, families, and children in 50 countries.
• Entrepreneurs' Foundation
  • The Entrepreneurs Foundation was created in 1998 to encourage entrepreneurs in the Silicon Valley/Bay Area to reinvest in their communities. The foundation works with young companies to help them develop and facilitate a community involvement plan. In return, each company gives equity stock to the foundation, which invests the capital gains from the appreciated stock in nonprofit leaders who engage in venture philanthropy practices.
• The Entertainment Industry Foundation
  • Formed in 1942 by Samuel Goldwyn as the Motion Pictures Charity Committee, the Entertainment Industry Foundation of Los Angeles, California, works to "help raise awareness and funds for important causes such as childhood hunger, cancer research, creative arts, education, cardiovascular research, and much more." The foundation annually provides support to more than 300 charitable organizations within the greater Los Angeles area and throughout the United States. The foundation's Industry Community Grants program funds charitable organizations in the greater Los Angeles area, and its National Initiative Grants programs provide funding to pre-selected grantees from across the country.
• Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
  • Established in 1988, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation works to "identify, fund, and conduct critical pediatric research that will lead to better treatments and prevention of HIV infection in infants and children, to reduce and prevent HIV transmission from mother to child, and to accelerate the discovery of new treatments for other serious and life-threatening pediatric diseases." The foundation supports a number of research grant programs, including the Elizabeth Glaser Scientist Awards, Basic Research Grants, Scholar Awards, Short-Term Awards, and Student Intern Awards, all of which are described on the foundation's Web site, including application guidelines and forms.
• Concern Foundation
  • The Beverly Hills, California-based Concern Foundation was created in 1968 and is "dedicated to funding promising cancer researchers in the fields of immunology, immunotherapy, and other closely related areas of basic cancer research."
• Comic Relief, Inc.
  • Founded by writer-producer Bob Zmuda in 1986, Comic Relief, Inc., is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping America's homeless population. Based in Los Angeles, the group presents an annual broadcast of comedians and celebrities, including its original trio of comedians: Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, and Robin Williams. Proceeds from the telecasts support homeless projects in cities across the United States and provide healthcare services to homeless men, women, and children.
• Common Counsel Foundation
  • The Common Counsel Foundation is an Oakland, California-based public charity that offers strategic philanthropic advisory services to a small group of family foundations and individual donors committed to funding economic, environmental, and social justice initiatives that seek to "give voice" to the needs of low-income people, women, youth, people of color, and others working for justice, equality, and a healthy, sustainable environment. Current member funds of the foundation include the Abelard Foundation West, the Acorn Foundation, and the Penney Family Fund. The foundation also administers the Grantee Exchange Fund and the Social and Economic Justice Fund and coordinates retreat programs for writers and social-change community organizers and activists.
• Center for Ecoliteracy
  • The Center for Ecoliteracy is dedicated to fostering the experience and understanding of the natural world in the San Francisco Bay Area. The center was founded in 1995 to support a network of northern California organizations engaged in habitat restoration and agriculturally-related programs. The grant program at the center encourages school districts and educational organizations in the region to engage in the fostering and understanding of the natural world. The center is a public foundation that sponsors donor-advised funds and shelters projects consistent with its mission. The center also publishes resources that provide research and education about the mission and the state of today's environment. The center's Web site offers downloadable publications, a board list, grant application information, a list of previous grant recipients, and contact information.
• Children Affected by AIDS Foundation
  • The Los Angeles-based Children Affected by AIDS Foundation is dedicated to supporting organizations that provide day-to-day needs for children infected with HIV or AIDS. The foundation focuses on funding direct care needs, educating the public, advocating on the children's behalf, and bringing joy and fun into the children's lives.
• Changemakers Fund
  • The Changemakers Fund is a national foundation that promotes community-based philanthropy through fundraising, grantmaking, donor education, and special programs. The fund awards capacity-building and collaborative grants to public foundations and fundraising organizations committed to the principles of community-based philanthropy and to other supportive organizations that serve to strengthen the sector and help transform the field of philanthropy by making it more responsive to groups working for social, economic, and environmental justice and equality for all. The fund's Web site provides grant guidelines, information on community-based philanthropy, donor education programs, staff/board list, and contact information.
• California HealthCare Foundation
  • The California HealthCare Foundation was established in May 1996 as a result of the conversion of Blue Cross of California from a nonprofit health plan to a for-profit corporation. The foundation's work focuses on "informing health policy decisions, advancing efficient business practices, improving the quality and efficiency of care delivery, and promoting informed health care and coverage decisions." Through its grant program, the foundation funds the development of programs and models aimed at improving the healthcare delivery and financing systems in California.
• California Council for the Humanities
  • The California Council for the Humanities is a non-governmental affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities that looks for ways to make the knowledge and insights of the humanities available to all Californians.
• Nicole Brown Charitable Foundation
  • The Nicole Brown Charitable Foundation, formerly the Nicole Brown Simpson Foundation and based in California, helps to fund organizations that protect families from domestic violence and offer long-term solutions for those affected by it.
• The Amy Biehl Foundation
  • Established to honor a young American Fulbright Scholar who was killed in South Africa in 1993, the Amy Biehl Foundation "works to prevent youth-perpetrated violence in South Africa and the United States through providing program opportunities in education, sports and recreation, arts, employable skills, and safety." The foundation's Web site provides information on a number of events and projects, including the foundation's after-school programs, first aid training, and the Amy Biehl Fun Run and Walk; a biography and news accounts of Amy Biehl's life and struggles; and the foundation's newsletter.
• International Transactional Analysis Association
  • This is one award of many offered by the ITAA. Should probably be rewritten as ITAA. The International Transactional Analysis Association was founded to help advance the theory, methods and principles of transactional analysis. The organization maintains a number of scholarship and grant programs, including the Eric Berne Fund for the Future, Scholarship Grant Fund, and the TAlent Program.
• Barlow Foundation
  • The Barlow Foundation's mission is "to improve the quality of life for the patient population with respiratory and other diseases in the Southern California region," specifically through the support of the Barlow Respiratory Hospital and Research Center, in the Los Angeles area. The foundation's Web site provides directions to the Barlow Hospital, general information about the organization itself, an e-mail address for further inquiries, and details on the foundation's fundraising events and activities.
• Association for the Cure of Cancer of the Prostate
  • Founded in 1993 by Michael Milken, the Association for the Cure of Cancer of the Prostate is a private source of funding for prostate cancer research.
• Asia Foundation
  • The Asia Foundation is a private, nonprofit, nongovernmental organization working to build leadership, improve policies, and strengthen institutions to foster greater openness and shared prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. The foundation currently has program priorities in four areas: governance, law, and civil society; economic reform and development; international relations; and women's political participation. The foundation's Web site offers detailed information on the foundation's programs in Asia, including environmental programs, the Asian-American Exchange, Books for Asia, and the Luce Scholars program, which offers scholars work experience in Asia; contact information for representatives in Asia and the United States; lists of trustees, officers, and senior staff; and links to Web resources in Asia.
• Asian and Pacific Islander Wellness Ctr.: Community HIV AIDS Services
  • The Asian and Pacific Islander Wellness Center in San Francisco, California, is committed to "educating, supporting, empowering, and advocating for Asian and Pacific Islander (A&PI) communities-particularly A&PIs living with, or at-risk for, HIV/AIDS." The center supplies many care services including treatment case management, peer advocacy, treatment advocacy, and counseling for HIV-positive Asian and Pacific Islanders. The center's Research and Technical Assistance Department offers training and technical assistance to community-based organizations throughout the United States in the form of grants, facilitation, and consultation on organizational development and program planning.
• Irene W. & Guy L. Anderson Children's Foundation
  • The Irene W. and Guy L. Anderson Children's Foundation was established in 1970 to serve the needs of the children of Coachella Valley, near Palm Springs, California. The foundation makes grants to a wide variety of nonprofit organizations serving children in the area.
• Agape Foundation
  • The Agape Foundation, established by pacifists and anti-war activists in Palo Alto, California, in 1969, funds nonviolent grassroots projects in the western United States. The foundation strives to support "projects which challenge the root causes of war and bring fresh energy and new perspectives to the ongoing movement for peace and justice." Along with a loan program, the foundation offers funding through the Emergency Grant Fund; the Emmy Lefson Memorial Fund for Peace, Social Justice and Human Rights; and other programs.
• 1939 Club, Inc.
  • Taking its name from the year in which Hitler invaded Poland, the Los Angeles-based 1939 Club is an organization of Holocaust survivors promoting Holocaust education, documentation, and justice. The club maintains strong ties to UCLA, where it sponsors lecture series through the Holocaust Studies Program, and to Chapman University in Orange County, California.
• Global Fund for Women
  • The San Francisco-based Global Fund for Women is an international network of women and men "committed to a world of equality and social justice," which makes grants to support women's groups outside of the United States. The fund provides support to address human rights issues including literacy, domestic violence, economic autonomy, the international trafficking of women, and more.