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JMM Charitable Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$11.2M
Grant Range
$100K - $1.5M

JMM Charitable Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $11.2 million (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation only/preselected organizations)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $100,000 - $1,500,000 (based on recent grants)
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Los Angeles/Southern California, with focus on medical research, education, and Asian American/Pacific Islander community support
  • Total Assets: $313.4 million (2023)

Contact Details

Address: 5200 W Century Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045
Phone: (310) 693-8200
Website: No public website
Email: Not publicly available

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications.

Overview

The JMM Charitable Foundation Inc was established in 2007 as a private independent foundation headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Led by President Walter W. Wang and Director Shirley W. Wang, the foundation has grown substantially, with total assets reaching $313.4 million in 2023. The foundation focuses on medical research and healthcare (particularly urology research and emergency medicine), education, and support for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community through organizations promoting cultural equity and representation. The foundation has demonstrated consistent grantmaking, distributing $11.2 million across 13 grants in 2023, representing a strategic approach to philanthropy that emphasizes substantial support to carefully selected organizations rather than broad distribution of smaller grants.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The JMM Charitable Foundation operates as a private foundation that makes grants to preselected charitable organizations. The foundation does not have formal grant programs with defined application windows or cycles. Instead, grants are awarded through trustee discretion.

Recent Grant Activity (2023):

  • Major grants range from approximately $100,000 to $1,500,000
  • Average grant size: approximately $862,000
  • Total grants distributed: $11.2 million across 13 recipients

Priority Areas

Based on recent grantmaking patterns, the foundation prioritizes:

Healthcare and Medical Research

  • Medical centers and hospitals (particularly Cedars-Sinai Medical Center)
  • Urology research led by Dr. Brian Shuch
  • Emergency medicine department support
  • Healthcare infrastructure and equipment

Education

  • Educational institutions and programs
  • Scholarships and academic support initiatives

Asian American/Pacific Islander Community Support

  • Organizations promoting AAPI representation and cultural equity
  • Community development initiatives
  • Organizations working on socioeconomic equity for multicultural communities

Legal Aid and Civil Rights

  • Organizations involved in legal aid services
  • Civil rights advocacy and support

Community Development

  • General support for community-based organizations
  • Organizations serving vulnerable populations

What They Don't Fund

While specific exclusions are not publicly documented, the foundation:

  • Does not accept unsolicited applications
  • Does not make grants to individuals
  • Appears to focus exclusively on established 501(c)(3) organizations with significant operational capacity

Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel:

  • Walter W. Wang, President - Serves as the foundation's chief executive officer and primary decision-maker
  • Shirley W. Wang, Director - Serves on the foundation's board of directors
  • Walter Wang Jr., Officer - Compensated officer ($91,657 in 2024)

The foundation operates with minimal staff (1 employee as of 2023), indicating a lean operational structure with trustees taking an active role in grantmaking decisions. The Wang family's leadership suggests a personal, values-driven approach to philanthropy with particular attention to healthcare innovation, education, and cultural equity for Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The JMM Charitable Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation makes contributions exclusively to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funding.

Grants are awarded through trustee discretion, with the foundation's leadership identifying and selecting grant recipients based on the foundation's priorities and the trustees' knowledge of organizations working in their focus areas.

Decision Timeline

No public information is available regarding decision timelines, as the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis. Organizations that have established relationships with the foundation or its trustees may receive grants at any time during the foundation's fiscal year (which ends in December).

Success Rates

Success rates for unsolicited applications are effectively 0%, as the foundation does not accept applications from organizations with which it does not already have a relationship.

For organizations within the foundation's network:

  • 13 grants awarded in 2023
  • 23 grants awarded in 2022
  • The decrease in number of grants but increase in total giving suggests a strategic shift toward larger, more impactful grants to fewer organizations

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as the foundation does not accept public applications.

Application Success Factors

Given that the JMM Charitable Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, analysis of recent grantmaking patterns reveals characteristics of organizations that receive support:

Organizational Characteristics of Recipients:

  1. Established institutions with significant capacity - Recent grant recipients include major medical centers and well-established nonprofits like Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Gold House Foundation, suggesting the foundation prefers organizations with proven track records and operational infrastructure.

  2. Alignment with trustee interests - The foundation's support for urology research led by Dr. Brian Shuch and substantial grants to Cedars-Sinai's emergency medicine department indicates grants often align with specific research areas and institutions the trustees have identified as priorities.

  3. Focus on Asian American/Pacific Islander community - The $1.1 million grant to Gold House Foundation, an organization dedicated to promoting socioeconomic equity for AAPI communities through entertainment, media, and venture capital, demonstrates strong alignment with cultural representation and community advancement.

  4. Large-scale impact potential - With average grants exceeding $800,000, the foundation targets initiatives that can achieve significant impact, such as major medical center departments, rather than funding smaller community projects.

  5. Los Angeles/Southern California connection - The majority of identifiable grants support organizations based in or serving the Los Angeles area, though the foundation's geographic restrictions are not explicitly stated.

For Organizations Seeking to Connect:

While the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, organizations that align closely with the foundation's demonstrated priorities—particularly in medical research, healthcare infrastructure, AAPI community advancement, and education—might benefit from building awareness through:

  • Connections with current grant recipients who might provide introductions
  • Board members or trustees who have relationships with the Wang family or foundation leadership
  • Participation in Los Angeles philanthropic networks where foundation trustees are active

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - The JMM Charitable Foundation operates strictly on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited grant requests.

  • Focus on substantial, strategic investments - With an average grant size of approximately $862,000, the foundation makes significant investments in fewer organizations rather than distributing many smaller grants.

  • Healthcare and AAPI community are core priorities - Recent grantmaking strongly emphasizes medical research (particularly urology), hospital support, and organizations advancing Asian American/Pacific Islander representation and equity.

  • Established organizations preferred - Grant recipients are typically well-established institutions with significant operational capacity and proven impact, such as major medical centers and nationally recognized nonprofits.

  • Trustee-driven grantmaking - With minimal staff and family leadership, grant decisions appear to be made directly by trustees based on their personal knowledge, relationships, and philanthropic priorities.

  • Geographic concentration in Southern California - While not explicitly restricted, recent grants show strong preference for Los Angeles-area organizations or initiatives serving Southern California communities.

  • Relationship-based philanthropy - Organizations seeking support would need to cultivate relationships with foundation trustees or current grant recipients rather than submitting formal applications.

References

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