Southern California Grantmakers
Southern California Grantmakers (SCG) is a Los Angeles-based public charity and regional association for philanthropists and grantmakers. Formed in 1973, it brings funders together through conferences, training, networking, and convenings, and supports effective grantmaking across eight Southern California counties.
Southern California Grantmakers at a glance
In short: Southern California Grantmakers gave $5.5M across 133 grants in 2024 (avg $41K), mostly in California. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $5,493,625
- +79.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 133
- +241.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $41,305
- -47.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $35,298,272
- -22.3% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- California (98% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Southern California Grantmakers
- Contact
Mailing address: 1000 Alameda Street 230, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: (213) 680-8866
Website: https://socalgrantmakers.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Southern California Grantmakers funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was A New Way of Life Reentry Project (Anwol) ($165K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
232 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 136 grants of 232 (59%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
SCG says it supports and advances effective grantmaking in Los Angeles, Orange, Kern, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties. In 2024, 98% of reported grant dollars went to recipients in California and 2% to recipients in the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 133 itemized grants.
Cities
How Southern California Grantmakers gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (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 $888K (2022) to $5.5M (2024). In 2024 it made 133 grants totaling $5.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A New Way of Life Reentry Project (Anwol) Los Angeles, CA | General Operating Support | $165,000 |
| Timelist Group Inc Lancaster, CA | General Operating Support | $140,000 |
| Black Women for Wellness Los Angeles, CA | General Operating Support | $125,000 |
| Community Partnersv Los Angeles, CA | General Operating Support | $124,500 |
| Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement (Cope) San Bernardino, CA | General Operating Support | $122,500 |
| Antelope Valley Domestic Violence Council Lancaster, CA | General Operating Support | $120,000 |
| Seed House Project Glendale, CA | General Operating Support | $115,400 |
| Community Now Moreno Valley, CA | General Operating Support | $110,000 |
| Delta Research and Educational Foundation Washington, DC | General Operating Support | $110,000 |
| Elite Skills Development Inc Long Beach, CA | General Operating Support | $110,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Southern California Grantmakers?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $35,298,272 | $26,980,228 | $36,602,080 | $5,493,625 | 133 | $191,135 |
| 2023 | $45,440,577 | $40,116,963 | $29,992,800 | $3,060,000 | 39 | $337,762 |
| 2022 | $32,673,852 | $29,900,996 | $22,934,635 | $888,000 | 24 | $210,913 |
| 2021 | $26,044,815 | $33,994,479 | $20,433,889 | $2,023,000 | 23 | $142,939 |
| 2020 | $13,438,984 | $6,737,444 | $6,716,036 | $1,486,000 | 13 | $134,626 |
| 2017 | $8,403,404 | $5,987,853 | $3,471,713 | — | — | $92,713 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
SCG describes its mission as mobilizing philanthropy to learn and take bold actions by fostering an inclusive community of members and partners. Its stated program activities include educational meetings, webinars and communications; partnerships among philanthropic and public and private organizations, including communities served; and conferences focused on philanthropic effectiveness, issue-area trends and best practices.
The 2024 grantees include organizations whose own missions address a range of community needs. A New Way of Life Reentry Project says it advances multidimensional solutions to the effects of incarceration. Black Women for Wellness describes its work as enhancing the health and well-being of African American and Black women and girls. Seed House Project says it uses dignified housing to support transition-age youth experiencing housing instability.
Grantmaking
In 2024, SCG reported 133 grants totaling $5,493,625. Grants ranged from $6,000 to $165,000, with a median of $30,000. The listed largest grants were generally designated for general operating support.
Among the largest awards were $165,000 to A New Way of Life Reentry Project, $140,000 to Timelist Group Inc., $125,000 to Black Women for Wellness, and $124,500 to Community Partners. Other notable grants included $122,500 to Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement (COPE), $120,000 to Antelope Valley Domestic Violence Council, and $115,400 to Seed House Project. The filing states that SCG requires grantees to submit a final report on use of funds.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Christine Essel as president and CEO. Listed co-chairs were Marsha Bonner (through May 2024), Shane Goldsmith, and Angel Roberson Daniels. Adrienne Wittenberg was treasurer; Joanna Jackson was secretary, and Connie Malloy served as secretary through December 2024. Listed board members included James Alva, Connie Archbold Robinson, and Alex Johnson.
Southern California Grantmakers is led by Christine Essel, President & CEO on every filing since 2017; 7 of 26 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Christine Essel
President & CEO
On filings since 2017
40 hrs/week
$248K (2017) → $347K (2024)
Karen Freeman
Chief Operating Officer
Vice President Operations & Govt Relat → Chief Operating Officer, 2020
On filings since 2017
40 hrs/week
$131K (2017) → $200K (2024)
Tuly Martinez
Senior Vice President, Programs & Partnerships
Vice President, Programs & Conferences → Senior Vice President, Programs & Partnerships, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$112K (2020) → $172K (2024)
Kameron Green
Vice President, Prof Learning & Family Philanthropy
Vice President, Prof Learning & Family Philantrophy → Vice President, Prof Learning & Family Philanthropy, 2022
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$112K (2021) → $134K (2024)
Ann Esteban
Vice President & Finance
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$127K (2022) → $140K (2024)
Amber Martinez
Vice President, Membership & Sustainabilty
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$127K (2023) → $175K (2024)
Eduardo Gonzalez
Vice President, Knowledge & Communications
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$124K (2024)
Gabriela Robles
Board Member
On filings since 2017
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James Alva
Board Member
Board Member → Chair, 2020
Chair → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2017
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shane Goldsmith
Co-Chair
Board Member → Co-Chair, 2022
On filings since 2017
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Adrienne Wittenberg
Treasurer
Assistant Treasurer → Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alex Johnson
Board Member
Board Member → Member, 2022
Member → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Connie Malloy
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joanna Jackson
Secretary
Member → Board Member, 2023
Board Member → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marsha Bonner
Co-Chair
Board Member → Co-Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Angel Roberson Daniels
Co-Chair
Board Member → Co-Chair, 2024
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chrissie Castro
Board Member
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeanne Sakamoto
Board Member
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Price-Letscher
Board Member
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Raul Bustillos
Board Member
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shawn Kravich
Board Member
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shaheen Kassim-Lakha
Board Member
Member → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Summer Moore
Board Member
Member → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Connie Archbold Robinson
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joe Womac
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jonathan Schreiber
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (27)
- Former: Phuong Pham (2020–2023) — Director, Knowledge & Communications
- Former: Amanda Byrd (2017–2022) — Vice President, Member & Sust.
- Former: Kim Belshe (2017–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Michael Fleming (2017–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Cara Esposito (2017–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Joe Lumarda (2017–2021) — Secretary
- Former: Nike Irvin (2017–2021) — Vice Chair
- Former: Tara Roth (2017–2021) — Board Member
- Former: David Carroll (2021) — Vice President, Public Policy & Govt Relations
- Former: Marshall Stowell (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Belen Vargas (2017–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Deidre Lind (2017–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Gerald Solomon (2017–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Melissa Harman (2017–2020) — Treasurer
- Former: Steve Nissen (2017–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Wendy Garen (2017–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Dave Sheldon (2020) — Vice President, Collaborations & Communities
- Former: John Kobara (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Antonio Manning (2017) — Board Member
- Former: Beatriz Solis (2017) — Board Chair
- Former: David Porges (2017) — Board Member
- Former: David Sheldon (2017) — Director of Programs & Public Policy
- Former: Jeffrey Glassman (2017) — Board Member
- Former: Jonathan Lorenzo Yorba (2017) — Board Member
- Former: Lee Draper (2017) — Board Member
- Former: Mary Ellen Kullman (2017) — Board Member
- Former: Victoria Rogers (2017) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2017–2024. "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 $347K, to Christine Essel (President & CEO). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Southern California Grantmakers
How much does Southern California Grantmakers give each year?
Southern California Grantmakers gave $5.5M across 133 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $3.1M across 39 grants.
What is Southern California Grantmakers's typical grant size?
Southern California Grantmakers's median grant in 2024 was $30,000, and its average grant was $41,305, across 133 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does Southern California Grantmakers give grants?
Southern California Grantmakers gives mostly in California: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (50 grants), Riverside, CA (9 grants), San Bernardino, CA (7 grants) and Inglewood, CA (5 grants).
Does Southern California Grantmakers give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Southern California Grantmakers's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (133 of 133) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Who are Southern California Grantmakers's largest grantees?
Southern California Grantmakers's largest 2024 grantees include A New Way of Life Reentry Project (Anwol) ($165,000), Timelist Group Inc ($140,000) and Black Women for Wellness ($125,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 8% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Southern California Grantmakers?
Southern California Grantmakers reported $35.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $27.0M.
What does Southern California Grantmakers fund?
SCG describes its mission as mobilizing philanthropy to learn and take bold actions by fostering an inclusive community of members and partners. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Southern California Grantmakers?
Southern California Grantmakers has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check socalgrantmakers.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Southern California Grantmakers's EIN?
Southern California Grantmakers's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-2831058. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2017–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2017 (received by the IRS February 11, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 21, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 23, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 20, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Southern California Grantmakers's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
California Community Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
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Weingart Foundation
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Silicon Valley Community Foundation
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Silicon Valley Community Foundation funds work in areas such as housing, economic security, education, health, the environment, arts and culture, and civic engagement, with Community Action Grants supporting local, community-led organizations in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Its 2024 grants had a median of $51,716, though amounts varied widely; applications depend on the program, and SVCF states that it does not accept unsolicited proposals for advised funds.
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The Annenberg Foundation
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The Annenberg Foundation funds arts and culture, education, and environmental work, along with varied community initiatives, with grants across multiple states; in 2024, 58% of grant dollars went to California. Its 2024 grants had a median of $25,000, though awards ranged widely, and it does not accept unsolicited requests, giving only to preselected charitable organizations.
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The California Wellness Foundation
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The California Wellness Foundation funds California-focused work to improve health and wellness, including community-led efforts, direct services, advocacy, and civic engagement. Its 2024 grants ranged from $150 to $1 million, with a median of $7,500. It is not accepting unsolicited requests in 2026.
Assets
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Total Given
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The Ralph M Parsons Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation funds direct-service work in civic and cultural life, education, health, and human services, including general operating support, programs, and capital needs, for organizations serving Los Angeles County. In 2024, its grants ranged from $100 to $500,000, with a median of $30,000. It accepts unsolicited requests year-round through an online Letter of Inquiry.
Assets
$452.4M
Grants
403
Total Given
$18.2M
More similar funders
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Southern California Grantmakers funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/southern-california-grantmakers-morg_4b58cbfbfb7f462fbc5397deb12e0fe4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_952831058_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Southern California Grantmakers funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/southern-california-grantmakers-morg_4b58cbfbfb7f462fbc5397deb12e0fe4},
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 Southern California Grantmakers'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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