In collaboration with our funding partners, LA2050 is granting more than $2 million to the issues that LA cares about most.

Through June 23rd at 5:00 pm (PT), non-profit, for-profit, fiscally-sponsored, or governmental organizations serving Los Angeles County can apply for up to $75,000 in funding via this year’s LA2050 Grants Challenge. Close to 12,000 Angelenos cast 83,000 votes for what matters to them – now, we’re looking for the best ideas to make an impact on the top-voted issue areas as well as those sponsored by this year’s funding partners.

Curious if your organization’s work is a good fit? Take a deeper dive into each of the 13 issue areas eligible for funding this year and what we’re looking for, below.

Keep in mind: we are defining each of these issue areas expansively. These descriptions are intended to spark your imagination but do not capture all of the possible ideas that are eligible for submission. We invite you to be creative as you reflect on how your organization might impact one or more of the issue areas.

Access to Creative Industry Employment

The Snap Foundation is seeking ideas that will develop pathways to employment in the creative economy for underrepresented youth in Los Angeles, ages 6 to 24. The creative economy encompasses architecture, arts and crafts, design, fashion, film, video, photography, music, performing arts, publishing, research and development, game design, advertising, engineering, TV/radio, and other fields that draw on human ingenuity.

Affordable Housing and Homelessness

It is likely no surprise that affordable housing and homelessness received more votes than any other issue area. These submissions might focus on improving the quantity and quality of affordable housing, assisting vulnerable tenants, or providing support to unhoused individuals.

Community Safety

Community safety encompasses any work that protects people from violence in all its forms and makes them feel safer. Submissions can support physical safety, such as policies that protect pedestrians and cyclists, or emotional safety, such as a program that deters bullying. This issue area includes not just the prevention of harassment, discrimination, and violence but also the active promotion of belonging, inclusion, and peace.

Green Space, Park Access, and Trees

Submissions are also open to the green space, park access, and trees issue area. We welcome any ideas that increase the availability of, expand equitable access to, or encourage more frequent use of these outdoor areas for all residents of Los Angeles. We also welcome ideas that inspire creative interaction with these spaces.

Health Care Access

Access to comprehensive, high-quality health care is essential for individual thriving and overall community well-being. We are looking for submissions that connect Angelenos to mental and physical health services, especially those from uninsured and underinsured populations.

Immigrant and Refugee Support

The Los Angeles region should embrace and offer holistic support to immigrants and refugees. We are looking for submissions with ideas for how to best protect the rights of these populations or provide the housing, educational, health, legal, social, personal, and economic resources for them to thrive.

Income Inequality

Addressing income inequality comes in many forms, whether directly offering resources to those who need them or implementing projects, programs, and initiatives that address the root causes in our communities. This might include supporting first-generation college students, providing jobs to individuals who have been incarcerated, or giving direct cash payments to low-income families.

K-12 STEAM Education

High-quality K-12 STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) education is essential. Submissions to this issue area can take the form of school-based curriculum support, after-school program activities, extracurricular opportunities, or other initiatives that encourage school-age students to succeed in STEAM.

Opportunities for People Who Have Been Incarcerated

We are looking for submissions that aim to increase opportunities for people who have been incarcerated, through the provision of economic, social, or emotional assistance. This issue area would include any work related to both supporting people who are currently incarcerated and reducing recidivism and providing resources for those re-entering communities.

Play Equity to Enhance Mental Health

There is a strong connection between physical health and mental well-being. For its sponsored issue area, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation is looking to fund organizations that leverage the benefits of sports and recreation to improve mental health outcomes for youth ages 18 and under, particularly from marginalized communities.

Public Transit

Applications to the public transit issue area can address expanding access to, increasing the effectiveness of, or improving the quality of public transit options around Los Angeles. This issue area also encompasses ideas for enhancing multimodal access to public transit hubs through walking, biking, scooting, and more for all people, including those with disabilities.

Support for Foster and Systems-Impacted Youth

We are looking for submissions that focus on improving the well-being of youth ages 24 and under who have been impacted by the mental and behavioral health system, the child welfare system, the youth justice system, or other similar systems. We are open to all channels of support – academic, professional, social, legal, personal, and beyond.

Youth Economic Advancement

In partnership with the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, we are looking for submissions from organizations working with young people to decrease income inequality, find quality jobs, or advance within careers. There is a special preference for organizations working with Opportunity Youth, those ages 16 to 24 and not in work or school.

If you have an idea to address one or more of these issue areas… APPLY NOW! The application will ask you to indicate the primary issue area you are submitting to, as well as any secondary issue areas your submission may impact.

Do you have additional questions?

We invite you to attend one of our upcoming Information Sessions – May 22nd, June 2nd, June 13th, and June 21st – or join us at our open Office Hours, available Tuesdays at 11 am and Thursdays at 2 pm. Register here.

You can also reach out to us via email any time at connect@la2050.org.