The Herb Alpert Foundation
The Herb Alpert Foundation is a private foundation based in Santa Monica, California. It supports organizations whose missions promote compassion and creativity in society, with website-stated focus areas that include the arts and compassion and well-being.
The Herb Alpert Foundation at a glance
In short: The Herb Alpert Foundation gave $7.5M across 86 grants in 2024 (avg $87K), mostly in California. 19% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $7,487,350
- -23.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 86
- -6.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $87,062
- -18.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $45,673,809
- -14.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (16 of 84, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (83% 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 The Herb Alpert Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
Grants are by invitation only. The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests or letters of inquiry, and says funding decisions are based on research by foundation staff. It funds 501(c)(3) organizations and cannot fund individuals.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1414 6Th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Phone: (818) 528-3545
Website: https://herbalpertfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Herb Alpert Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was UCLA Foundation UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music ($1.3M). Together the top 10 received $5.2M.
Organizations only. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($160,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
434 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 319 grants of 434 (74%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it currently funds only domestically, with a specific focus on Los Angeles County. Its website also notes that it has narrowed its focus to the Los Angeles area, with few exceptions. In 2024, 83% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 11% to New York, and 1% each to Illinois, Louisiana, and Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 86 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Herb Alpert Foundation open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 16 of 84 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $98K; repeat grants $87K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $30K repeat.
- 77% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 31% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 293% of 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 $5.7M (2021) to $9.8M (2023). In 2024 it made 86 grants totaling $7.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UCLA Foundation UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music Los Angeles, CA | Charitable | $1,300,000 |
| California Institute of Arts Valencia, CA | Charitable | $1,152,400 |
| The Harlem School of the Arts New York, NY | Charitable | $800,000 |
| California State Summer School Foundation Sacramento, CA | Charitable | $424,300 |
| Good People Fund Millburn, CA | Charitable | $400,000 |
| Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Los Angeles, CA | Charitable | $250,000 |
| Pacific Jazz Orchestra Beverly Hills, CA | Charitable | $250,000 |
| PS Arts Venice, CA | Charitable | $240,000 |
| Chrysalis Santa Monica, CA | Charitable | $200,000 |
| The Harmony Project Los Angeles, CA | Charitable | $150,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Herb Alpert 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 | $45,673,809 | $2,280,917 | $9,969,074 | $7,487,350 | 86 | $7,487,350 | $2,048,676 | $2,553,772 |
| 2023 | $53,372,891 | $52,766,904 | $11,220,710 | $9,819,700 | 92 | $9,819,700 | $52,649,434 | $1,542,581 |
| 2022 | $33,310,174 | $7,308,518 | $8,507,905 | $7,080,600 | 85 | $7,080,600 | $7,798,927 | $2,095,225 |
| 2021 | $34,510,409 | $29,881,590 | $7,064,778 | $5,733,800 | 82 | $5,733,800 | $3,108,842 | $2,272,402 |
| 2020 | $11,741,459 | $3,637,417 | $8,236,655 | $6,874,000 | 89 | — | $3,411,146 | $1,782,666 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Herb Alpert Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.6M 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 website describes its vision as a world where young people have opportunities to reach their potential and lead productive, fulfilling lives. It identifies three areas within the arts: arts education, focus on jazz, and support to professionals. It also supports compassion and well-being, and describes legacy gifts as support for programs and institutions intended to sustain community impact.
The foundation says its arts education grants support programs from elementary-school arts education through scholarships for high-school students, including programs that provide classes and workshops in music, theater, dance, visual arts, and media arts. Its compassion and well-being focus includes organizations working on empathy, cooperation, emergency relief, policy change, stronger communities, and individual agency.
Examples of grantees’ work, as described by the organizations themselves, include Pacific Jazz Orchestra’s local and global performances and summer education program; P.S. ARTS’ arts education in under-resourced schools and communities; and Turnaround Arts: California’s use of the arts to engage and transform schools in marginalized communities. Other 2024 recipients include Homeboy Industries, which says it supports formerly incarcerated and formerly gang-involved people, and The Painted Turtle, which describes providing camp experiences and support for children with life-threatening diseases and their families.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 86 grants totaling $7,487,350. Grant amounts ranged from $2,500 to $1,300,000, with a median of $25,000. Among the largest grants were $1,300,000 to the UCLA Foundation for the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music; $1,152,400 to the California Institute of the Arts; $800,000 to The Harlem School of the Arts; and $424,300 to the California State Summer School Foundation. Other listed grants included $250,000 each to the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz and Pacific Jazz Orchestra, and $240,000 to P.S. ARTS.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Herb Alpert as chairman; Lani Hall Alpert as vice chair; Rona Sebastian as president; Paul Frimmer and Eden Alpert as directors; Ian Wiener as secretary and CFO; Arnold Santos as assistant secretary; and Aria Alpert Adjani as vice president.
The Herb Alpert Foundation is led by Rona Sebastian, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 8 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Rona Sebastian
President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$530K (2020) → $625K (2024)
Herb Alpert
Chairman
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Paul Frimmer
Director
CFO → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Eden Alpert
Director
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Arnold Santos
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Ian Wiener
Secretary & CFO
Secretary → Secretary & CFO, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Lani Hall Alpert
Vice Chair
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Aria Alpert Adjani
Vice President
On filings since 2022
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 $625K, to Rona Sebastian (President).
Frequently asked questions about The Herb Alpert Foundation
How much does The Herb Alpert Foundation give each year?
The Herb Alpert Foundation gave $7.5M across 86 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $9.8M across 92 grants.
What is The Herb Alpert Foundation's typical grant size?
The Herb Alpert Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $87,062, across 86 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Herb Alpert Foundation that year got $98K on average.
Where does The Herb Alpert Foundation give grants?
The Herb Alpert Foundation gives mostly in California: 83% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (34 grants), Santa Monica, CA (7 grants), New York, NY (4 grants) and Culver City, CA (4 grants).
Does The Herb Alpert Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 86 grants with a stated purpose on The Herb Alpert Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (86 grants).
Who are The Herb Alpert Foundation's largest grantees?
The Herb Alpert Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include UCLA Foundation UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music ($1,300,000), California Institute of Arts ($1,152,400) and The Harlem School of the Arts ($800,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($160,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Herb Alpert Foundation?
The Herb Alpert Foundation reported $45.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $7.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Herb Alpert Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website describes its vision as a world where young people have opportunities to reach their potential and lead productive, fulfilling lives. It identifies three areas within the arts: arts education, focus on jazz, and support to professionals. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Herb Alpert Foundation?
Grants are by invitation only. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Herb Alpert Foundation's EIN?
The Herb Alpert Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4191227. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Herb Alpert 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). The Herb Alpert Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-herb-alpert-foundation-morg_427ea0ffe3e544ed812ae117d24fbc10
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_954191227_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Herb Alpert Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-herb-alpert-foundation-morg_427ea0ffe3e544ed812ae117d24fbc10},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 The Herb Alpert 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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