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LA2050 Blog

The Goldhirsh Foundation connected a coalition of nine Los Angeles-area foundations who made the grants. Speakers at the event, dubbed the LA2050 Grantee Showcase, included Michael D. Smith, CEO of AmeriCorps; LA County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis; and News Not Noise founder Jessica Yellin

More than 100 social impact leaders gathered together today at the Hammer Museum 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 nonprofits are as different and powerful as Los Angeles itself, offering services ranging from digital literary training to older adults (Bridge The Digital Divide), to mixed martial arts training for at-risk youth to promote physical health while also building resilience and confidence (A Fighting Chance), to three-time grantee The Tiyya Foundation and its Michelin Bib-Gourmand restaurant and catering company, Flavors From Afar, which enabling refugees and immigrants to thrive in their new communities through job placement and workforce readiness.

The nearly $3 million in grants came from a coalition of funding partners: Goldhirsh Foundation, who run 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 today, 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, 

. 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.”

 is an annual participatory grantmaking program, funding ideas to make Los Angeles the best place to connect, create, learn, live, and play. The theme of this year’s Grants Challenge was volunteerism. The campaign slogan – “Who Can? YOU Can!” – underscored the importance of individuals contributing their time, talents, and resources to collective action.

The 2024 LA2050 Grants Challenge invited the public to vote for the issue areas that matter most to them and determine our funding priorities. Almost 15,000 Angelenos cast more than 105,000 votes in 12 languages, representing 98 percent of Los Angeles County’s ZIP codes. For the third consecutive year, housing and homelessness was the top-voted issue. Health care access, and green space, park access, and trees were among

“The Annenberg Foundation is proud to support organizations devoted to addressing the critical needs of our time, including food equity and mental health,” said Annenberg Foundation Executive Director Cinny Kennard. “We value this ongoing partnership and the collective impact of our friends and philanthropic leaders at LA2050.”

The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation proudly supports the LA2050 Grants Challenge as we tackle food insecurity, which often precedes homelessness,” said Nichol Whiteman, CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation. “Our collective mission creates a lasting impact that builds a stronger, more vibrant city where everyone has a chance to thrive.”

“We are committed to empowering individuals and communities in LA. Our impact is greater when we collaborate with peer funders and community partners,” said Sarah Ali, managing director of the R&S Kayne Foundation. “Thank you, Goldhirsh Foundation, and congrats to the incredible organizations recognized through the LA2050 Grants Challenge.”

“As a foundation dedicated to breaking down barriers people face in reaching their full potential, we jumped at the chance to hear directly from Angelenos what matters to them most and support nonprofits addressing our city's pressing needs,” Dr. Kristen Paglia, executive director of the Fox Foundation, said prior to the event.

"Supporting these grants enables local nonprofits to uplift Opportunity Youth, reduce income inequality, and expand employment opportunities for a more equitable future for our young people," said Christie Cardenas, program officer for the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.

The 2024 LA2050 Grants Challenge also highlighted opportunities to make a tangible impact on those same issues, partnering with 24 nonprofit organizations across Los Angeles County to host diverse volunteer activations. Through the events, more than 3,500 people provided 9,450 hours of service.

Once voting closed, the Foundation opened applications to social impact organizations with ideas to address the top-voted issues. A record-breaking 872 proposals arrived from nonprofits, social enterprises, and government agencies.

founder and organizer of the LA2050 Grants Challenge, providing $1 million in grant funds to organizations making an impact on this year’s top-voted issue areas:

Pueblo Nuevo Education & Development Group

The California Conference for Equality and Justice, Inc.

Access to Tech/creative industry employment: 

 Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural & Bookstore

The below organizations were honored as runners up from the Goldhirsh Foundation:


, addressing the critical issues of our time through innovation, community, compassion, and communication:

funding proven programs that level the playing field and investing in solutions driven by the communities we serve:

sponsoring grants to organizations working with young people to decrease income inequality, find quality jobs, or advance within careers:

supporting projects that develop pathways to the creative economy for underrepresented youth.

supporting organizations with outstanding applications that consider youth.

supporting organizations working to address	housing and homelessness, income inequality,	and K-12 STEAM education.

investing in people and collaborating with communities to empower positive change:

supporting nonprofit sector innovation, sustainability, and success by investing in mission-based earned income ventures.

The Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program

(Second) LA2050 Youth Ambassadors CJ Calica and Marion Noble 

(Third) Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis

Nearly $3 Million in Grants Awarded to 60 Nonprofit Organizations In the LA2050 Grants Challenge, at Gathering of 100+ Los Angeles Social Impact Leaders 

We’re gearing up to announce this year’s LA2050 Grants Challenge winners on October 2nd; but, first, let’s take a peek at the public voting results from 2022 to 2024. 📊

As a reminder, we shook things up starting in 2022, asking Angelenos to vote on which issue areas should be funded — instead of voting for specific proposals from specific organizations.

We’re taking a look back at what has (or hasn’t) shifted in what issues matter most to Angelenos.

*Voters could select up to two issue areas.

Six Infographics That Tell The History of Your Grants Challenge Votes, 2022-2024

Together with our funding partners, we are granting nearly $3 million to 60 organizations making LA better for all.

Our 2024 Winners!

Summer has arrived and what better way to celebrate the warmth of the sun than with some good old fashioned midsummer wardrobe cleaning? Here are ten places to donate clothes and more in Los Angeles while making an impact in the process!

 | 3516 W Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505

Help support the fight against cancer while reducing your closet space all in one trip. (There are other locations throughout the area as well.) 

 | 221 E Walnut St #112, Pasadena, CA 91101

Transform the lives of families in the San Gabriel Valley by donating your excess clothes to the Door of Hope!

 | 3516 N Eagle Rock Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Being a changemaker is one of Bridge Thrift’s many features and by donating to their East LA location, you can be a part of that impactful chain to change.

 | 5850 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

What better way to aid the youth of tomorrow than by checking out this volunteer-based group for all your donation inquiries!

| 4905 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Pride month may be over, but the joy of putting yourself out there continues! Check out this retro thrift to donate your super spunky clothes– and leave an impact on their AIDS Healthcare Foundation while you’re at it!

 | 601 San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

If you’re in the Downtown L.A. area, The Midnight Mission is just for you. Visit this nonprofit organization to donate and help pave the way for those on their recovery journey.

| 442 San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Beyond serving and empowering women, donating to this organization can leave a lasting impact on the many women and children experiencing homelessness throughout Los Angeles. Also, a past winner of the LA2050 Grants Challenge.

Known for being a contributing part of redirecting the lives of previously incarcerated men and women, you can also donate clothes. Part of another past LA2050 Grants Challenge winner, Homeboy Industries.

Interested in being a part of those bridging the gap in services for people experiencing homelessness? Then check out and donate your clothes and hygiene essentials to Project Ropa!

| 3220 E Anaheim St Unit 3240, Long Beach, CA 90804

Donate in style at the Beacon House Thrift Shop and explore their wide collection of vintage knick knacks in the process.

LA2050 Blog

10 Impactful Places to Donate Clothes and More