David Bohnett Foundation
The David Bohnett Foundation is a private foundation based in Beverly Hills, California. It supports organizations and institutions working in areas that include LGBTQ+ community initiatives, technology, arts and civic life, gun violence prevention, leadership, and animal-language research.
David Bohnett Foundation at a glance
In short: David Bohnett Foundation gave $4.8M across 167 grants in 2024 (avg $29K), mostly in California. 31% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $4,773,087
- +20.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 167
- +25.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $28,581
- -3.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $7,510,624
- +37.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (38 of 124, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (62% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to David Bohnett Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation makes grants by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligible organizations must have a 501(c)(3) IRS designation and fit within its stated giving areas. It does not provide grants to individuals, for videos or other film productions, or to organizations outside the United States.
- Contact
Mailing address: 9595 Wilshire Blvd 310, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Phone: (310) 276-0001
Website: https://bohnettfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who David Bohnett Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of Southern California ($1.0M across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $3.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
696 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 618 grants of 696 (89%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The grant guidelines identify national and Southern California organizations in the LGBT community area. In 2024, California received 62% of grant dollars, followed by New York at 10%, the District of Columbia at 9%, Delaware at 8%, and Michigan at 6%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 167 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is David Bohnett Foundation open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 38 of 124 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $51K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 48% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+1%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $3.9M (2023) to $4.8M (2024). In 2024 it made 167 grants totaling $4.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Philharmonic Los Angeles, CA | David c. Bohnett chief executive officer chair fund and david c. Bohnett chief executive officer's discover and innovation fund | $1,000,000 |
| University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | David c. Bohnett residential college in the usc village | $1,000,000 |
| University of Delaware Biden Hall Newark, DE | David Bohnett Conference Room in Biden Hall | $400,000 |
| Regents of the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI | David Bohnett Foundation Leadership and Public Service Fellowships | $252,907 |
| NYU Wagner New York, NY | David Bohnett Public Service Fellowship | $228,800 |
| LGBTQ Victory Institute Washington, DC | David Bohnett Leaders Fellowship | $167,748 |
| Regents of the University of California Los Angeles, CA | David bohnett fellowships: los angeles city mayor's fellowship program at the ucla luskin school of public affairs | $165,722 |
| Movement Advancement Project Inc Boulder, CO | General Operating Support and Cybercenter Survey Supplemental | $80,000 |
| UCLA School of Law UCLA Foundation Los Angeles, CA | Rand Schrader Social Justice Fund | $80,000 |
| Centerlink Ft Lauderdale, FL | General Operating Support | $50,000 |
Ready to take the next step with David Bohnett Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation files Form 990-PF, identified as a private foundation.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $7,510,624 | $7,974,208 | $8,166,250 | $4,773,087 | 167 | $5,375,766 | $2,174,878 | $274,153 |
| 2023 | $5,460,557 | $383,467 | $2,570,577 | $3,947,111 | 133 | $4,955,234 | $279,015 | $410,006 |
| 2022 | $9,641,492 | $239,256 | $2,727,318 | $4,614,835 | 136 | $5,141,022 | $169,506 | $650,985 |
| 2021 | $16,169,141 | $1,551,390 | $4,538,255 | $4,719,206 | 119 | $5,412,235 | $1,359,629 | $926,256 |
| 2020 | $20,223,902 | $487,355 | $3,527,682 | $4,609,550 | 141 | — | $338,754 | $1,093,327 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, David Bohnett Foundation reported a distributable amount of $274K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated program areas are LGBTQ+ community, CyberCenters, the Fund for Los Angeles, gun violence prevention, leadership initiatives, and animal language. Its grant guidelines specify support for national and Southern California organizations advancing equal rights and protections for LGBT people; computer labs at LGBT community centers; gun-violence reduction through research, advocacy, and community empowerment; development of municipal leaders; and scientific and academic animal-language research.
Examples of supported grantees include LGBTQ Victory Institute, which describes its work as leadership development, training, research, and convenings to advance equality and support LGBTQ+ elected and appointed officials. The Movement Advancement Project says it provides research and analysis to help advance equality. CenterLink says it strengthens, supports, and connects LGBTQ community centers. Other 2024 grantees include KCRW Foundation, which describes its work as delivering NPR and local news, music, and culture to communities, and Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence, whose stated mission is to empower educators and allies to seek safer communities.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 167 grants totaling $4,773,087. Individual grants ranged from $100 to $1,000,000, with a median grant of $2,500. Larger awards included $1,000,000 to the Los Angeles Philharmonic for two named funds, $1,000,000 to the University of Southern California for the David Bohnett Residential College in the USC Village, and $400,000 to the University of Delaware for the David Bohnett Conference Room in Biden Hall. Other awards included $252,907 to the Regents of the University of Michigan for leadership and public service fellowships, $228,800 to NYU Wagner for the David Bohnett Public Service Fellowship, and $167,748 to LGBTQ Victory Institute for the David Bohnett Leaders Fellowship.
The 2024 filing also lists $80,000 to the Movement Advancement Project, including general operating support and a CyberCenter survey supplement; $50,000 each to CenterLink, Global Impact, and KCRW Foundation for general operating support; and $80,000 to the UCLA School of Law UCLA Foundation for the Rand Schrader Social Justice Fund.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists David C. Bohnett as chairman, Michael Fleming as president, and Paul Moore as executive director. It lists Gwen Baba, Christopher Caldwell, Rich Llewellyn, and Rob Saltzman as board members, and Liz Atherton as director of finance.
David Bohnett Foundation is led by Michael Fleming, President since 2023 (on filings since 2020); 3 of 8 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael Fleming
President
Executive Director → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
39.5 hrs/week
$235K (2020) → $279K (2024)
Paul Moore
Executive Director
New on the 2024 filing
31.6 hrs/week
$168K (2024)
David C. Bohnett
Chairman
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Liz Atherton
Director of Finance
New on the 2024 filing
23.5 hrs/week
$116K (2024)
Christopher Caldwell
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gwen Baba
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rich Llewellyn
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rob Saltzman
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $279K, to Michael Fleming (President). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about David Bohnett Foundation
How much does David Bohnett Foundation give each year?
David Bohnett Foundation gave $4.8M across 167 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.9M across 133 grants.
What is David Bohnett Foundation's typical grant size?
David Bohnett Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $2,500, and its average grant was $28,581, across 167 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from David Bohnett Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does David Bohnett Foundation give grants?
David Bohnett Foundation gives mostly in California: 62% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (10%) and District of Columbia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (63 grants), Washington, DC (21 grants), New York, NY (16 grants) and Santa Monica, CA (8 grants).
Does David Bohnett Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 30% of David Bohnett Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (50 of 167) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "David Bohnett Cybercenter Refresh" (7 grants).
Who are David Bohnett Foundation's largest grantees?
David Bohnett Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include University of Southern California ($1,005,250 across 3 grants), Los Angeles Philharmonic ($1,000,000) and University of Delaware Biden Hall ($400,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is David Bohnett Foundation?
David Bohnett Foundation reported $7.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $274K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does David Bohnett Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated program areas are LGBTQ+ community, CyberCenters, the Fund for Los Angeles, gun violence prevention, leadership initiatives, and animal language. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from David Bohnett Foundation?
The foundation makes grants by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is David Bohnett Foundation's EIN?
David Bohnett Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4735846. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does David Bohnett Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). David Bohnett Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/david-bohnett-foundation-morg_f9359f41ec9045178b2b43554ef25664
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_954735846_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{David Bohnett Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/david-bohnett-foundation-morg_f9359f41ec9045178b2b43554ef25664},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from David Bohnett Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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