Joseph Drown Foundation
The Joseph Drown Foundation is a private philanthropic organization based in Los Angeles, California, established in 1953 by Joseph Warford Drown (1906-1982), a successful hotelier best known for developing the Hotel Bel-Air in 1945. The foundation was created to provide an organized means for Mr. Drown to make charitable gifts during his lifetime and to continue his philanthropic legacy after his death. As a 501(c)(3) organization, the foundation has maintained a 70-year history of providing grants to community organizations that assist individuals in becoming successful, self-sustaining, and contributing citizens.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$94.8M
+0.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.3M
+2.9% YoY
Grant Count
91
+11.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$58K
-7.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to "assist individuals in becoming successful, self-sustaining, contributing citizens" by supporting programs that break down barriers preventing people from continuing to grow and learn.
The foundation's primary funding areas include:
Education (Primary Focus) — K-12 public and private school programs addressing existing problems in Los Angeles area schools, including charter schools, professional development for teachers, and college access programs. Education reform grants can be made directly to schools or to nonprofit organizations working in the field. The foundation also provides funds to colleges and universities for student financial assistance through scholarships and loan programs, with particular favor given to programs directed at talented middle-income students.
Community Health and Social Services — Programs that encourage individuals to reach their fullest potential, with particular emphasis on issues such as high dropout rates, lack of sufficient health care, and juvenile justice prevention.
Medical and Scientific Research — Supporting research initiatives in medical and scientific fields.
Arts and Humanities — Supported to a lesser degree than other focus areas.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$5,000 to $500,000
Review Cycle
to notification
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking is geographically focused primarily in Los Angeles County. The foundation funds projects across several U.S. cities and states, including Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle, though most grantmaking is limited to organizations serving Los Angeles County. The foundation operates primarily in California, Washington, New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Revenue (Fiscal Year Ending March 2024):
- Total assets: $94,028,800
- Total revenue: $7,044,156
- Total expenses: $7,649,661
- Total liabilities: $2,370,000
Revenue Breakdown (FY 2024):
- Investment income and dividends: $1,112,711
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $5,931,445
Financial Trends:
- Assets increased 2.6% from previous year
- The foundation ranks in the top 10% of foundations by asset size (#2,135 of 159,619 foundations)
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $94,820,956 | $94,028,800 | $88,513,386 |
| Revenue | $4,483,555 | $7,044,156 | $2,331,824 |
| Expenses | $6,518,289 | $7,649,661 | $4,965,162 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $6,054,425 | $5,855,164 | $3,825,709 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,184,026 | $6,841,872 | $1,739,997 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,637,604 | $4,244,930 | $4,242,423 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Joseph Drown Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Wendy Wachtell — Chairman & CEO, Director (37.5 hours/week, $357,000 annual compensation)
- Alyssa Santino — Executive Director of Programs (37.5 hours/week, $256,000 annual compensation)
- Ann Miller — CFO & Executive Director of Investment (37.5 hours/week, $285,000 annual compensation)
- Anamaria Alarcon — Program Grants & Operations (37.5 hours/week, $65,000 annual compensation)
- Nadine Bell — Director (1 hour/week, $18,000 annual compensation)
- Marlene Canter — Director (1.5 hours/week, $17,000 annual compensation)
- Eric Fleiss — Treasurer, Director (1 hour/week, $18,000 annual compensation)
- Jean Kaplan — Director (1 hour/week, $18,000 annual compensation)
- Deborah Krakow — Secretary, Director (1 hour/week, $18,000 annual compensation)
The foundation is likely staffed with dedicated paid staff based on reported board members and key employees.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NADINE BELL | DIRECTOR | 1 | $18,000 |
| MARLENE CANTER | DIRECTOR | 1.5 | $16,500 |
| ERIC FLEISS | TREASURER, DIRECTOR | 1 | $18,000 |
| JEAN KAPLAN | DIRECTOR | 1 | $18,000 |
| DEBORAH KRAKOW | SECRETARY, DIRECTOR | 1 | $18,000 |
| ANN MILLER | CFO & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF INVESTMENT | 37.5 | $285,058 |
| WENDY WACHTELL | CHAIRMAN & CEO, DIRECTOR | 37.5 | $356,646 |
| ALYSSA SANTINO | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS | 37.5 | $256,322 |
Contact Information
Mailing Address: Joseph Drown Foundation 2934 1/2 Beverly Glen Circle #714 Los Angeles, CA 90077
Email: contact@jdrown.org
Website: www.jdrown.org
Phone: 310-277-4488
The foundation requests that all correspondence be sent digitally whenever possible.
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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