We’ve got access to the information that every Angeleno needs to make an impact. Our blog features the latest LA2050 news, announcements, features, happenings, grantee updates, and more.

LA2050 Blog

While the marine layer was gray, spirits were sunny as audience members poured into Malibu’s 

 on October 16th. As people mingled and took in the oceanside view, LA2050 and the Goldhirsh Foundation prepared for their second 2024 LA Tech Week panel, “AI For Social Good.” The event featured Goldhirsh Foundation President Tara Roth in conversation with Jen García, AI executive in residence for the Goldhirsh Foundation and LA2050.

TOPICS COVERED DURING THE HOUR-LONG SESSION INCLUDED: a conversation about AI, its role in equity, ethics, and the Los Angeles impact sector, and how it can be utilized to aid grantees and investment partners with their objectives.

Following welcoming remarks by CVF’s TITLE TK Kathy Eldon, Roth began the discussion by asking Garcia, “How can AI help our grantees and investment partners in fulfilling their missions in keeping a broad lens about equity and social responsibility?” The answer, in part: By embracing Open AI, GPT programs, and large language models with open arms. “This is the gold rush,” Garcia said. Everyone is out to figure out how to apply AI to business and that’s a good thing. We are going to benefit from that, but we also need to ensure that all our communities are rising with this emerging technology.”

Throughout the year, Garcia has provided targeted consulting to LA2050 grantees and allies to help them adopt AI technologies for social good, focusing on capacity building and sustainable innovation. Garcia has also led Goldhirsh Foundation-sponsored workshops and training sessions on AI applications in philanthropy, tailored to diverse levels of tech proficiency, including back in February at the well-attended LA2050 

Artificial Intelligence for Social Good seminar

Comments from those in attendance regarding the digital divide that exists amongst organizations began to pour in. AI, especially as related to ethics and community impact, is a topic the Goldhirsh Foundation has been tracking since 2019. The foundation has hosted discussions with some big names in the field - people such as 

; Peter Diamandis of XPrize and Singularity, and Gil Elbaz, now with the Elbaz Family Foundation and co-founder of TenOneTen.

Some of the questions Roth asked included, “How can AI help Los Angeles’ impact sector?,” “What considerations should organizations keep in mind when adopting AI tools?,” and, “How can implemented AI solutions positively benefit nonprofit leaders, staffers, and their organization?”

Garcia reflects on these solutions in a prior Goldhirsh Foundation 

 she wrote regarding empowering nonprofits with AI. She reassures the crowd that we, as humans, are still learning how to navigate AI and that we are doing it together. The post consisted of four insights on revolutionizing program delivery and using technology as a medium to reimagine, better communicate, and adopt new means of addressing challenges.

During the forum she said, “Open AI has allowed for us to train their large language models on our data so that the GPT program can be informed on how to handle what we ask it to do. We’ll be able to focus on and better answer what’s next with these programs around.”

However, responsible AI usage is still a major factor in how industries and creatives alike embrace technology. Garcia vocalized those same sentiments, sharing that when used responsibly AI can streamline and increase organization impact beyond when done without. She heeds that through training events, increased accessibility, and simple practice, approaching AI can be effortless. For her, trying and adapting is key.

A plethora of other topics were also discussed, including concerns of data privacy and safety, real-world AI applications, and an AI Chatbot attached to the 

that Garcia and a group of UCLA grad students have been working on. Once completed, the project would promote, simplify, and connect people to the impact organization that best suits their interest with just a few words.

Technology’s means of connecting people was a major theme throughout the panel, with other projects such as technology around resource translation being brought up as a prime example. Following Roth’s question on how AI can “enhance someone’s way of being in the world,” Garcia highlighted a fellow AI expert and nonprofit founder in the audience, whose work focuses on wider information and resource accessibility in multilingual cities through broader language translation technology

Garcia continued, “Language is such a niche thing but with [the founder’s] technology, people can pass an employment exam and it can release them from being stuck in that ‘government slow.’” She explains the barriers set in place for people applying to jobs when language becomes an issue, adding that the difference between someone who understands the resources at hand and another who doesn't could be an income of “$15,000 more a year.”

Regarding subsequent fears that come with the move towards AI, Garcia said, “Of course there are concerns that we need to be aware of, but we need to make sure that we’re seeing that [AI] is going to be used for good because we’re the ones driving it.”

Goldhirsh Foundation Hosts “AI For Social Good” Conversation at LA Tech Week

The leader of one organization created a succession plan.

Another leader used the time to develop strategies for sustaining her energy both in the professional realm 

Two others got going as authors - starting the draft of an urban farming book and memoir, and crafting a 14-page book proposal, respectively.

These were just a few of the results from an impressive cohort of social impact sector executives who were pilot participants in the 

 (working title), the Goldhirsh Foundation’s invitation-only residency program.

The Institute is located in Guiones, Costa Rica, perched on a hill with an ocean view, amidst breathtaking natural surroundings. Howler monkeys are a regular presence, as are coatis (from the raccoon family), geckos, and tamanduas (small anteaters). During the rainy season in particular, nearby flora is lush.

“At the Halftime Institute, those who are on the frontlines of advancing human life and well-being can further their work through intentional reflection,” Goldhirsh Foundation president Tara Roth said. “Residencies offer the space to retreat in order to then return with renewed drive and refined plans.”

The Halftime Institute is in keeping with the Goldhirsh Foundation's commitment to providing financial, social, and human capital to the groups that it supports. It was first announced by Roth during the Foundation’s annual 

LA2050 Grantee Showcase, held last October at The Huntington, in San Marino, California.

 (The gathering celebrated the 55 organizations receiving approximately $3 million, from 12 collaborating foundations, via that year’s 

a panelist at the LA2050 Grantee Showcase

. The moderator asked Merino about her experience at the Halftime Institute – which corresponded with her organization celebrating its eighth anniversary.

“We were able to rest and reflect, but also to create Birthworkers of Color 2.0,” Merino said, noting that two of her managers and the board chair had joined her for the residency stay. “We felt like we came back with a stronger vision of our organization – a really big shift of what we wanted to offer and how we wanted to offer it; and a strong alignment with ourselves as leadership in our organization, but also to bring back to our staff, our collective, and our community.”

An aim of the residency is for impact leaders to think differently about their organizations and themselves as leaders. “The Halftime Institute is designed to offer time in a tranquil environment to explore creative solutions,” Roth said. “This is where bold ideas can take shape – whether they’re nascent, evolving, or reaching final form.”

Another early visitor to Guiones was Nick Troiano, executive director of Unite America. He shared 

this testimonial, posted to the Halftime Institute’s website

: “The pause was restorative for me. I was able to do meaningful work in a totally different way and context.”

 as Costa Rica residencies manager in 2025. Soler studied tourism at the Universidad Latina de Costa Rica, and has been in the hospitality industry for the past eight years, bringing to her work a deep understanding of guest experience and cultural connection.

This residency joins a distinguished group of opportunities for paid time away for non-profit leaders. In Los Angeles – where the Goldhirsh Foundation and LA2050 are based – that tradition includes the long-running Durfee Sabbatical program from the 

California Wellness Foundation’s Be Well, Lead Well

For more information about the Halftime Institute, including 

from the first 11 impact leaders to take part, 

Goldhirsh Foundation Creates Costa Rica Residencies for Social Impact Leaders

Take the first step – LA2050 Grants Challenge App Pt. 1 is due April 22nd.

Begin the 2026 Application Today!

We are excited to announce that 330 young Angelenos, ages 14 to 24, have joined the fourth cohort of the LA2050 Youth Ambassador program!

We are proud that, together, our Youth Ambassadors represent more than 145 different and diverse communities across the Los Angeles region, from Altadena to Agoura Hills, Bellflower to Santa Clarita, Echo Park to Sun Valley. But, most importantly, these middle and high school students, college students, and young professionals all share a passion for serving their communities and a drive to make an impact.

For 2025, we introduced a two-tiered model to the program for the first time. Our previous structure from the first three years now continues on through our General Cohort, and we have also appointed a new Leadership Council with opportunities for deeper engagement.

Our 300 General Cohort Youth Ambassadors are tasked with helping spread the word about voting in the 2025 LA2050 Grants Challenge to friends, family, classmates, co-workers, and neighbors. In return, they learn about philanthropy, gain valuable insights into our local impact sector, and receive hands-on training in community outreach. Participants will also earn certificates and have the chance to win prizes up to $500.

Additionally, we have selected 28 outstanding participants to serve as Youth Ambassador Leaders. Leaders participate in all of the General Cohort activities outlined above and also take on extra responsibilities – mentoring peers, evaluating grant applications and recommending winners, and completing a group project. Each receives a $500 volunteer gift, reflecting their increased commitment.

We look forward to seeing what this year’s LA2050 Youth Ambassador cohort accomplishes through the 

We’ll be posting more with and about them in the months ahead, including introducing our Youth Ambassador Leaders.

LA2050 Blog

Meet the 330 Awesome Angelenos Serving as LA2050 Youth Ambassadors!