Southern California Grantmakers
Southern California Grantmakers (SCG) is a regional membership association and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1973, SCG serves as a leadership hub and community for philanthropists and grantmakers working across Southern California and beyond. The organization unites more than 300 member organizations representing the full spectrum of philanthropy, including family foundations, private and independent foundations, community and public foundations, corporate foundations, corporate giving programs, individuals, and government agencies.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$35.3M
-22.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.5M
+79.5% YoY
Grant Count
133
+241.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$41K
-47.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: SCG mobilizes philanthropy to learn and take bold actions by fostering an inclusive community of members and partners. The organization provides innovative learning opportunities and fosters connections to create space for leaders with diverse perspectives, identities, and roles to collaborate and support each other's learning and growth.
Vision: Philanthropy advances transformative change by collaborating with communities and across sectors to create a more equitable and thriving society.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Education and partnerships through educational meetings, webinars, and communications designed to increase the effectiveness of philanthropic organizations
- Collaborations and partnerships between philanthropic organizations, between public and private organizations, and including the communities served
- Comprehensive, focused convenings to increase the effectiveness of philanthropic organizations and provide specific issue area trends and best practices
- Nonprofit management and grantmaking support
Grantmaking
SCG makes grants to support nonprofit organizations and advance effective grantmaking in the region. Recent grant activity includes:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
SCG supports and advances effective grantmaking across eight Southern California counties:
- Los Angeles
- Orange
- Kern
- Riverside
- San Bernardino
- San Luis Obispo
- Santa Barbara
- Ventura
The organization also funds work in the District of Columbia and serves a broader geographic scope through its member organizations' philanthropic activities.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $35,298,272
- Total Revenue: $26,980,228
- Total Expenses: $36,602,080
- Total Liabilities: $6.84M (2023 data)
Historical Data (2023):
- Revenue: $40.1M
- Expenses: $30M
- Total Assets: $45.4M
Staffing: 34 employees (2024)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $35,298,272 | $45,440,577 | $32,673,852 |
| Revenue | $26,980,228 | $40,116,963 | $29,900,996 |
| Expenses | $36,602,080 | $29,992,800 | $22,934,635 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $191,135 | $337,762 | $210,913 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
149 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHRISTINE ESSEL | PRESIDENT & CEO | 40 | $347,011 |
| MARSHA BONNER | CO-CHAIR (THRU 05/24) | 0.5 | — |
| SHANE GOLDSMITH | CO-CHAIR | 0.5 | — |
| ANGEL ROBERSON DANIELS | CO-CHAIR | 0.5 | — |
| ADRIENNE WITTENBERG | TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| JOANNA JACKSON | SECRETARY | 0.5 | — |
| CONNIE MALLOY | SECRETARY (THRU 12/24) | 0.5 | — |
| JAMES ALVA | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| CONNIE ARCHBOLD ROBINSON | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| ALEX JOHNSON | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| RAUL BUSTILLOS | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| CHRISSIE CASTRO | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| SHAHEEN KASSIM-LAKHA | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| SHAWN KRAVICH | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| SUMMER MOORE | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| JENNIFER PRICE-LETSCHER | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| GABRIELA ROBLES | BOARD MEMBER (THRU 07/24) | 0.5 | — |
| JEANNE SAKAMOTO | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| JONATHAN SCHREIBER | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| JOE WOMAC | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| KAREN FREEMAN | CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | 40 | $200,000 |
| EDUARDO GONZALEZ | VP, KNOWLEDGE & COMMUNICATIONS | 40 | $123,735 |
| TULY MARTINEZ | SENIOR VP, PROGRAMS & PARTNERSHIPS | 40 | $171,700 |
| AMBER MARTINEZ | VP, MEMBERSHIP & SUSTAINABILTY | 40 | $175,000 |
| KAMERON GREEN | VP, PROF LEARNING & FAMILY PHILANTHROPY | 40 | $133,560 |
| ANN ESTEBAN | VP, FINANCE | 40 | $140,018 |
Contact Information
Address: 1000 North Alameda Street, Suite 230, Los Angeles, CA 90012-1804
Phone: 213-680-8866
Email: info@socalgrantmakers.org
Website: www.socalgrantmakers.org
EIN: 95-2831058
Tax-Exempt Status: 501(c)(3), tax-exempt since March 1983
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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