Durfee Foundation Lark Awards Grant

The Durfee Foundation, established in 1960, provides significant funding to support innovative nonprofit organizations in Los Angeles County. The Lark Awards program, initiated in 2021, offers $30,000 to 15 nonprofits for collective staff care, addressing burnout, and fostering sustainable practices. This initiative champions community-centered organizations, particularly those led by historically marginalized groups, emphasizing collaboration and the importance of well-being in nonprofit work. Durfee aims to spark cultural change within the sector, promoting investment in the people driving social progress.

The Durfee Foundation is named in honor of Dorothy Durfee Avery who, with her husband, R. Since that time, the foundation has awarded more than $35 million in grants, primarily in the Los Angeles region.
New programs were launched such as Earthwatch (now Ignite LA) in 1989; Sabbatical in 1997; and Artists Resource for Completion (ARC) in 1999. The Durfee Foundation entered the new century with a commitment to supporting extraordinary people with a sharpened focus on Los Angeles County. The Stanton Fellowship (2005) launched to give exceptional leaders time to think deeply about big questions. Durfee’s Sabbatical program gained national attention and replication, and a joint report with four other foundations demonstrated the value of sabbaticals for nonprofit leaders. Durfee celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2010, and the board expanded to include trustees outside of the family.
The Durfee Foundation invests in people and possibilities in Los Angeles County, where the foundation’s history lies and where funding needs are great.
By encouraging collaboration, and working across sectors and neighborhoods, the Durfee Foundation strengthens the civic fabric of LA.
The Lark Awards, first approved in 2021, support the collective care and renewal of staff at small community-centered organizations with deep roots in their Los Angeles communities.
Nonprofit staff often sacrifice their own well-being for their communities and are caught in a cycle of burnout and recovery. Many come from historically marginalized communities with limited access to time off and rest. This program offers the time and resources to pause, think deeply about collective care, and reimagine a more sustainable and just future.
The Lark Awards provide up to 15 nonprofit organizations with $30,000 each for the collective care of their staff. Each organization determines the best way to use and allocate the funds, such as staff-wide activities, individual uses, or both.The program also includes a wellness coach for guidance and facilitation, and access to convenings for wellbeing check-ins and continued support.In addition to restoring the energy and health of nonprofit teams, Durfee hopes to spark change in both nonprofit and philanthropic culture, to encourage more investment in the people who are making change.
The goals of the Lark Awards program are:
To offer small budget, community-centered nonprofits the resources to support the collective care and well-being of their staffTo recognize accomplished small nonprofit organizations, most often led by and working with historically marginalized communities, that are key community leadersTo promote a culture of collective care and address burnout in the nonprofit sector

Eligibility

Organizations eligible to apply must:Be a nonprofit organization, or operate under fiscal sponsorship (government agencies and educational institutions are not eligible)Be located in and work in Los Angeles CountyHave at least 3 full-time paid staffHave been in operation for at least 5 yearsHave a budget under approximately $2 millionBe an outstanding organization with a demonstrated track record of community leadershipHave a strong commitment to improving the organization’s culture of collective careNot be a current participant in Durfee’s Sabbatical, Stanton or Springboard programs
Durfee is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We seek organizations whose mission, values, and staff are rooted in and reflect the communities they serve. We encourage applications from organizations that work with historically marginalized communities, including but not limited to BIPOC, LGBTQ, and low-income communities, among others

Ineligibility

Government agencies and educational institutions are not eligible.