GHJ Foundation
GHJ Foundation is a private foundation based in Los Angeles, California. Its 2024 filing shows grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working in education, health, human services, environmental protection, and support for survivors of violence and trafficking.
GHJ Foundation at a glance
In short: GHJ Foundation gave $134K across 39 grants in 2024 (avg $3K), mostly in California. 51% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $133,850
- -19.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 39
- -27.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $3,432
- +11.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $84,069
- -31.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 51% first-time grantees (20 of 39, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (84% 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 GHJ Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 700 S Flower St 3300, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Phone: (310) 873-1600
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who GHJ Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Groundswell Charitable Foundation Inc ($30K). Together the top 10 received $80K.
Grant Size Distribution
220 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 219 grants of 220 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 84% of grant dollars went to organizations in California, 9% to New York, 3% to Tennessee, and 1% each to Florida and New Hampshire.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 39 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is GHJ Foundation open to new grantees?
51%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 20 of 39 grantees (51%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 46% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 32% from 2021 to 2024. 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 $80K (2020) to $167K (2023). In 2024 it made 39 grants totaling $134K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Groundswell Charitable Foundation Inc Redondo Beach, CA | General Operating Support | $30,000 |
| Builders of Jewish Education Los Angeles, CA | General Operating Support | $12,500 |
| Heal the Bay Santa Monica, CA | General Operating Support | $7,500 |
| Innocence Project New York, NY | General Operating Support | $5,000 |
| Joyful Heart Foundation Brooklyn, NY | General Operating Support | $5,000 |
| Saving Innocence Los Angeles, CA | General Operating Support | $5,000 |
| The Whole Child Whittier, CA | General Operating Support | $5,000 |
| St Jude Childrens Research Hospital Memphis, TN | General Operating Support | $3,500 |
| Abilityfirst Pasadena, CA | General Operating Support | $3,000 |
| Children's Bureau of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | General Operating Support | $3,000 |
Ready to take the next step with GHJ Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $84,069 | $100,050 | $133,975 | $133,850 | 39 | $133,850 | — | $2,608 |
| 2023 | $122,994 | $100,050 | $166,060 | $166,985 | 54 | $167,060 | — | $4,590 |
| 2022 | $185,554 | $110,060 | $115,547 | $119,262 | 49 | $121,497 | $1 | $8,094 |
| 2021 | $192,294 | $150,000 | $109,363 | $101,487 | 43 | $101,487 | — | $6,322 |
| 2020 | $147,729 | $124,234 | $81,505 | $80,397 | 35 | — | — | $5,085 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, GHJ Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. Groundswell Charitable Foundation says it helps philanthropists connect companies and nonprofits to support charitable causes. Heal the Bay works to make Southern California coastal waters and watersheds safe, healthy, and clean. Joyful Heart Foundation works to change society’s response to sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse and to support survivors’ healing. The Innocence Project works to free people who were wrongfully convicted and reform the criminal justice system.
Other supported organizations include Saving Innocence, which supports people impacted by human trafficking; St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which advances cures and prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases; AbilityFirst, which provides programs for people with disabilities; and We Are Brave Together, which provides education and support for families with disabilities.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 39 grants totaling $133,850. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $30,000, with a median of $2,500. The largest grants included $30,000 to Groundswell Charitable Foundation, $12,500 to Builders of Jewish Education, and $7,500 to Heal the Bay. Other notable grants were $5,000 each to the Innocence Project, Joyful Heart Foundation, Saving Innocence, and The Whole Child; $3,500 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; and $3,000 each to AbilityFirst, Children’s Bureau of Southern California, and Sycamores.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Donella Wilson as President and Chief Philanthropy Officer, Tom Barry as Treasurer, Lizbeth Nevarez as Secretary, Mari-Anne Kehler as Strategist, and Derrick Coleman as Catalyst.
GHJ Foundation is led by Donella Wilson, President & Chief Philanthropy Officer on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Donella Wilson
President & Chief Philanthropy Officer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Derrick Coleman
Catalyst
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lizbeth Nevarez
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mari-Anne Kehler
Strategist
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tom Barry
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Sarah Flischel (2023) — Board Member
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.
Frequently asked questions about GHJ Foundation
How much does GHJ Foundation give each year?
GHJ Foundation gave $134K across 39 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $167K across 54 grants.
What is GHJ Foundation's typical grant size?
GHJ Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $2,500, and its average grant was $3,432, across 39 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from GHJ Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does GHJ Foundation give grants?
GHJ Foundation gives mostly in California: 84% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (13 grants), Santa Monica, CA (2 grants), New York, NY (2 grants) and Pasadena, CA (2 grants).
Does GHJ Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of GHJ Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (39 of 39) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are GHJ Foundation's largest grantees?
GHJ Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Groundswell Charitable Foundation Inc ($30,000), Builders of Jewish Education ($12,500) and Heal the Bay ($7,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is GHJ Foundation?
GHJ Foundation reported $84K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $134K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does GHJ Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. Groundswell Charitable Foundation says it helps philanthropists connect companies and nonprofits to support charitable causes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from GHJ Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is GHJ Foundation's EIN?
GHJ Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-3856507. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does GHJ 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 October 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). GHJ Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ghj-foundation-morg_4f0c69f2011c4db9af316ee56cda16ec
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_843856507_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{GHJ Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ghj-foundation-morg_4f0c69f2011c4db9af316ee56cda16ec},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 GHJ 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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