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

“What’s your vision for the future of Los Angeles?”

LA2050 is a community-guided initiative driving and tracking progress toward a shared vision for the future of Los Angeles. We achieve this through research and reporting, digital and physical engagement, as well as local grantmaking.

 to inspire an outbreak of civic activism and to develop a roadmap for the future of the Los Angeles region. We engaged tens of thousands of Angelenos and sought the input of a group of academic and advocacy experts in forming our vision and outlining our five goals – to make Los Angeles the best place to connect, create, learn, live, and play. Since that time, we have leveraged our financial, human, and social capital to drive progress. More than 1,000,000 votes have been cast by the public in our annual LA2050 Grants Challenge.

We’ve also checked in with impactful Angelenos to ask, “What’s your vision for the future of Los Angeles?” Please see below to watch or read answers from among the leaders of nonprofit organizations and social enterprises that we support, and some of the 14-24-year-olds in the LA2050 Youth Ambassadors Program.

Kayo Anderson, Creating Justice LA (coming soon)

Elida Ledesma, Arts for Healing Justice Network

Stevie Merino, Birthworkers of Color Collective

Meymuna Hussein-Cattan, Flavors From Afar / Tiyya Foundation

Veronica Hahni, Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative

Dominique Perkins, People’s Pottery Project

Jorge Adams, Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator

Gaby Hernandez, Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition

Jemahl Amen, Office of Senator Smallwood Cuevas

 Annual e-books released on the City of LA’s birthday, with social impact leaders sharing their wishes for what they want for the city and its future:

2024 – Elected officials representing Los Angeles at the national, state, and local levels

2023 – Diplomats from the LA-based consular corps community, and leaders from the LA social impact community

2022 – Local leaders, doers, and social innovators

Visions For LA: Angelenos Share Their Hopes For the Future

Sunday, August 17th is National Nonprofit Day!

We salute all nonprofits making a difference in communities throughout the country, including the 254 we have been fortunate enough to fund through the #LA2050GrantsChallenge.

For the fourth consecutive year, our LA2050 Youth Ambassador Program has empowered Angelenos ages, 14 to 24, to make a difference in the Los Angeles region through grantmaking, community engagement, and other activities. We were delighted to have 330 young Angelenos join us to learn about LA’s social impact sector, and help spread the word about Grants Challenge Voting.

As part of this year's program, we invited Youth Ambassadors to write thank-you letters to local nonprofits of their choice, expressing appreciation for their impactful work. These organizations advocate for immigrant rights, build affordable housing, promote transit justice, and more.

One ambassador wrote “I know this kind of work requires passion, dedication, and often unrecognized effort. But please know that your impact is felt and appreciated – even by young people like me, who look to leaders like you as a blueprint for how to make meaningful change.”

We echo their sentiments and encourage others to join us in celebrating these incredible organizations! Embedded here are some of their notes.

Also, this National Nonprofit Day, dive into the LA2050 Ideas Hub – home to 5,100+ innovative ideas submitted to the LA2050 Grants Challenge by 3,100+ local organizations. 

Browse to discover impactful projects, find volunteer opportunities, and donate to causes you care about.

Letters to Nonprofits from Youth Ambassadors, in honor of National Nonprofit Day

Throughout the past year, the Goldhirsh Foundation and its LA2050 initiative have provided complimentary AI consulting, training, and workshops to the Los Angeles impact community. The work is led on the Foundation’s behalf by Jen García, Goldhirsh Foundation’s 

[Read about some of these efforts in this 

first installment of our “AI For Impact Monthly” blog

Today, in the first of a planned series of short Q&As about AI with leaders of some of the groups the Foundation has assisted, Garcia checks in with Los Angeles Fire Department Captain Matthew Sanchez – who we connected with via an organization the Goldhirsh Foundation supports, the 

. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Goldhirsh Foundation: What are some of your early impressions of AI?

Matthew Sanchez: Prior to receiving the training, I was only using AI to write emails. I didn't realize all the other things that it could do. Since having AI training, I've learned about 

, I've been able to learn different projects within 

, and I've learned to use prompt engineer. And yet I'm using it for probably 1% of what I could be.

Goldhirsh Foundation: I know that instead of searching through hundreds of individual PDFs, you’ve uploaded them into NotebookLM and queried through them all at once.

Matthew Sanchez: I was able to learn how to create the project, upload files, and create one-page instructions on how to search the document. I've been testing it and it's getting it right almost every time.

Goldhirsh Foundation: What are some unexpected moments that you'd like to share?

I have one really good friend I’ve grown up with. He was always my tech guy. Every time I have problems, he just shakes his head at how little I know. And now I'm sharing with him this AI technology. He already knows AI, but he’s like, ‘Where are you finding this information out? How did you hear about this?’ And then I'm telling him, ‘Well, I'm getting tutoring.’

LA2050 Blog

Goldhirsh Foundation Q&A: Talking AI With the LAFD