LOS ANGELES (April 18, 2022) — Today, public voting begins for the 2022 LA2050 Grants Challenge, where for the first time the choice is not among organizations to fund, but which issues to invest in to make Los Angeles County the best place to connect, create, learn, live, and play. A total of $1 million will be awarded to 15 organizations addressing the issues receiving the most votes. LA2050 is an initiative of the Goldhirsh Foundation.

The public voting period continues through May 6 at 11:59 pm PT. Voting is open to anyone over the age of 14, accessible via phone, laptop, desktop, and other common devices and takes less than five minutes to complete. Participants can choose from issues including affordable housing and homelessness, access to health care, and climate and environment, among more than 30 options, and materials are available in English and Spanish. (https://challenge.la2050.org/vote/).

On May 10, the LA2050 team will announce the results and open grant applications through June 20 to organizations with ideas to address the winning issues. The team will award a total of $1 million to 15 organizations on September 12, with each winner receiving up to $75,000 and other support from LA2050 to pursue its mission.

In addition, this year’s Grants Challenge is hosting 11 events to make sure there is representation from all members of the community, including those who may not feel included in an online voting format. The Los Angeles community proved resilient and indispensable during the pandemic, and this new format puts the needs of the local communities at the forefront.

Since the first Grants Challenge in 2013, LA2050 has awarded more than $8 million to 110 organizations and inspired more than $6.5 million in indirect giving through third-party donors, making a significant impact in boosting social impact organizations that are making an impact in Los Angeles. More than 530,000 individuals have cast their votes from the start of the process, helping direct grant funding to innovative organizations including CASA of Los Angeles, CicLAvia, and Homeboy Industries.

“I am inspired every day by the work Angelenos continue to undertake as we bounce back from one of our most challenging times,” said Tara Roth, President of the Goldhirsh Foundation. “For this year’s LA2050 Grants Challenge, we thought it was important for the community to choose which issues to fund in order to ensure L.A. County remains the most innovative and inclusive place to live.”

Social Justice Partners LA (https://www.sjpla.org/) serves as this year’s LA2050 Grants Challenge evaluation partner; and Snap Foundation (https://lnkd.in/gzpKktH) and the Annenberg Foundation (https://annenberg.org/) will be awarding additional prizes to this year's submitters as funding partners.

About LA2050

LA2050 (www.la2050.org) is an initiative driving and tracking progress toward a shared vision for the future of Los Angeles. We are centered around five unique goals that in 2050 Los Angeles will be the best place to learn, create, play, connect, and live. Connect with @LA2050 on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and sign up to receive our newsletter, which includes social impact job listings and events.

About the Goldhirsh Foundation

At the Goldhirsh Foundation, (www.goldhirshfoundation.org), we connect the dots between the best emerging innovations and the financial, social, and human capital to make them thrive.

MEDIA RESOURCES: https://la2050.org/press