Diane and Dorothy Brooks Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $6,524,700 (2023)
• Total Assets: $49.5 million (approximately)
• Grant Range: $5,000 - $1,500,000
• Number of Grants: 30 awards (2023)
• Geographic Focus: Primarily California, Massachusetts, and New York, with grants across the United States
• Founded: 2005
• EIN: 20-2653929

Contact Details

Address: 11100 Santa Monica Blvd Ste 400, Los Angeles, CA 90025-0520

Telephone: 310-734-1234

Note: The foundation does not have a public website and does not accept unsolicited applications.

Overview

The Diane and Dorothy Brooks Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2005 by acclaimed film and television writer, director, and producer James L. Brooks, creator of The Simpsons and Academy Award winner for Terms of Endearment. Named after Brooks's mother and older sister, the foundation has grown to approximately $49.5 million in assets and distributes over $6.5 million annually in charitable grants. The foundation focuses on education, health care, environmental conservation, poverty relief, and assistance for entertainment industry professionals. Operating as a preselected grantmaker, the foundation identifies and supports organizations through trustee discretion rather than a public application process, concentrating its giving in major urban centers including Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, as well as supporting national organizations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through trustee-directed grantmaking rather than formal grant programs. Grants are made on an invitation-only basis, with decisions made by the foundation's leadership.

Grant Range: $5,000 - $1,500,000

Application Method: Invitation only; preselected organizations

Priority Areas

Education

• Higher education and university programs
• Educational institutions and scholarship programs

Health Care

• In-patient medical care and hospital systems
• Mental health services
• Disease research and treatment programs
• Community health clinics

Entertainment Industry Support

• Assistance for entertainment industry professionals
• Industry-related charitable organizations

Additional Focus Areas

• Environmental conservation
• Poverty relief and human services
• Children and family services
• Food security programs

Recent Grantees (2021-2023)

Examples of organizations that have received support include:

• Cedars-Sinai Medical Center ($600,000 in 2023)
• Saban Community Clinic ($552,000 in 2023)
• Entertainment Community Fund ($500,000 in 2023)
• UCLA Foundation (major recipient)
• Para Los Niños (Los Angeles)
• Mayo Clinic
• Johns Hopkins University
• Meals on Wheels
• Wildlife Conservation Network
• Clean Air Task Force
• Central Valley Food Bank

What They Don't Fund

The foundation has explicitly stated it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Governance and Leadership

Board and Officers

James L. Brooks - President

• Acclaimed film and television writer, director, and producer
• Creator of The Simpsons and producer of shows including The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Taxi
• Academy Award winner for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay for Terms of Endearment
• Engages in philanthropy as a primary activity outside his professional work

William Broder - Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

Vice Presidents:

• Amy Brooks
• Chloe Brooks
• Cooper Brooks
• Joseph Brooks (James L. Brooks's children)

Compensation: None of the listed personnel receive compensation for their roles with the foundation.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

IMPORTANT: This foundation does not have a public application process.

The Diane and Dorothy Brooks Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, making contributions exclusively to preselected charitable organizations. The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications or letters of inquiry.

Organizations cannot proactively apply for funding from this foundation. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees based on their own research, personal connections, and philanthropic interests.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made through trustee discretion on a rolling basis to preselected organizations.

Success Rates

Not applicable for unsolicited applications, as the foundation does not accept them.

Grant Activity:

• 2023: 30 grants totaling $6,524,700
• 2022: 39 grants
• 2021: 44 grants totaling $7,272,636

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation operates through preselection rather than application-based grantmaking.

Understanding This Funder

What This Means for Grant Writers

While this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, understanding their giving patterns can be valuable if:

1. Your organization is already known to the foundation - If you have an existing relationship with the Brooks family or foundation trustees, maintaining that relationship is essential.

2. You work in their priority areas - Organizations working in Los Angeles-area education, health care (particularly UCLA-affiliated programs, Cedars-Sinai, and community clinics), or entertainment industry support may naturally come to the foundation's attention.

3. You serve similar beneficiaries - The foundation has shown particular interest in organizations serving children and families in Los Angeles, major medical research institutions, and causes related to the entertainment community.

4. Strategic positioning - While direct applications aren't accepted, organizations can:

   • Ensure their work is visible in sectors where the foundation is active
   • Build relationships with organizations that have received Brooks Foundation support
   • Participate in philanthropic networks frequented by foundation trustees

Giving Patterns and Preferences

Based on the foundation's 2021-2023 giving:

Large Institutional Grants: The foundation makes substantial grants to major institutions, particularly UCLA Foundation, which receives significant recurring support. Medical institutions including Cedars-Sinai and Mayo Clinic also receive major funding.

Entertainment Industry Focus: The substantial grant to Entertainment Community Fund ($500,000 in 2023) reflects James L. Brooks's connection to the entertainment industry and commitment to supporting industry professionals.

Los Angeles Community: Strong local giving in Los Angeles, supporting organizations like Para Los Niños, Saban Community Clinic, and other community-based organizations.

Health Care Priority: Multiple health-related grants suggest this is a core priority, encompassing hospital systems, medical research, mental health, and community health services.

Diverse Portfolio: Despite the preselection model, the foundation supports a wide range of causes from environmental conservation to food security, suggesting the trustees' interests are broad.

Strategic Considerations

Personal Connection to Leadership: Given that James L. Brooks is the president and his family members serve as vice presidents, causes that resonate with their personal values and experiences are most likely to receive support.

Quality Over Process: The foundation appears to prioritize impact and institutional quality rather than following a formal RFP process, as evidenced by major gifts to leading research and medical institutions.

Multi-Year Relationships: Organizations like UCLA Foundation appear to receive recurring support, suggesting that once a relationship is established, ongoing funding is possible.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This is not a foundation you can apply to directly - The Brooks Foundation exclusively funds preselected organizations and explicitly does not accept unsolicited proposals
• Focus on visibility and excellence - If you work in their priority areas (Los Angeles education/health, entertainment industry support, major medical research), ensure your organization's work is visible and exemplary
• Relationship-based grantmaking - Grants appear to flow from personal knowledge and connections of the Brooks family and trustees
• Significant funding capacity - With grants ranging from $5,000 to $1.5 million and annual giving over $6.5 million, this foundation has substantial resources
• Diverse but focused - While supporting many causes, clear priorities emerge: education (especially UCLA), major healthcare institutions, Los Angeles community organizations, and entertainment industry support
• Long-term institutional relationships - The pattern of recurring major gifts to institutions like UCLA suggests the foundation values ongoing partnerships over one-time grants
• Not a fit for most organizations - Unless your organization already has a connection to the Brooks family or operates in their core geographic and programmatic areas with significant visibility, this foundation will not be accessible

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Diane and Dorothy Brooks Foundation (EIN: 202653929). Available at: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/202653929
• Grantmakers.io - Diane and Dorothy Brooks Foundation Profile. Available at: https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/202653929-diane-and-dorothy-brooks-foundation/
• Cause IQ - Diane and Dorothy Brooks Foundation Profile. Available at: https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/diane-and-dorothy-brooks-foundation,202653929/
• InfluenceWatch - Diane and Dorothy Brooks Foundation. Available at: https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/diane-and-dorothy-brooks-foundation/
• Instrumentl - Diane And Dorothy Brooks Foundation 990 Report. Available at: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/diane-and-dorothy-brooks-foundation
• Para Los Niños - Donors page. Available at: https://paralosninos.org/donors/
• Wikipedia - James L. Brooks. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_L._Brooks

All sources accessed March 3, 2026.