La Vida Feliz Foundation

Quick Stats

• Total Assets: $376 million
• Annual Giving: $24-25 million
• Grant Range: $10,000 - $20,800,000 (varies significantly by project)
• Geographic Focus: Bicoastal - Los Angeles and New York City, with some grants in Boston and Massachusetts
• Application Process: No public application process - invitation only

Contact Details

Address: 501 Silverside Road, Wilmington, DE 19809

Note: The foundation does not have a website, public email, or telephone listing. There is no public contact method for grant seekers.

Overview

La Vida Feliz Foundation was established in 2007 by Aaron Sosnick, a Wall Street financier who runs A.R.T. Advisors, a statistical arbitrage fund. The foundation has grown substantially since inception, now holding assets of approximately $376 million and distributing $24-25 million annually in grants. Sosnick serves as the sole trustee and operates the foundation with a deliberately low public profile. The foundation's name translates to "The Happy Life" in Spanish. Its grantmaking is concentrated in two major metropolitan areas - Los Angeles and New York City - with occasional grants in Boston and Massachusetts. The foundation focuses on arts and culture, education, human services, urban community projects, and transportation equity, particularly initiatives that serve underserved communities of color.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs. All grantmaking is conducted at the discretion of the trustee, Aaron Sosnick. Grants range widely in size from $10,000 to over $20 million depending on the organization and project.

Application Method: The foundation identifies and seeks out organizations to support. It does not accept unsolicited proposals or applications.

Priority Areas

Arts & Culture

• Performing arts organizations, particularly dance and music
• Community arts centers and cultural preservation
• Public art and creative placemaking
• Arts education programs

Education

• Math and science education initiatives
• Charter schools and educational partnerships
• Teacher development programs
• College access and preparation programs

Transportation & Mobility

• Public transportation access for underserved communities
• Alternative transportation advocacy (bicycle infrastructure, pedestrian safety)
• Transportation equity for communities of color

Community Development

• Urban parks and civic spaces
• Lower East Side community development (NYC)
• Environmental projects
• Community organizing and advocacy

Human Services

• Criminal justice reform and wrongful conviction work
• Youth development programs
• Services for low-income communities
• Anti-poverty initiatives

What They Don't Fund

No specific exclusions are documented. However, the foundation appears to focus exclusively on organizations in Los Angeles, New York City, and occasionally Boston/Massachusetts. Organizations outside these geographic areas are unlikely to receive funding.

Governance and Leadership

Aaron Sosnick - Sole Trustee (uncompensated)

Aaron Sosnick is an MIT graduate who founded A.R.T. Advisors, a statistical arbitrage fund operating from the offices of Caxton Associates. He maintains strong ties to both coasts and has deep connections in the education, arts, and urban development sectors in Los Angeles and New York. Sosnick operates the foundation with a notably low public profile - there are no published interviews, speeches, or public statements about his philanthropic philosophy.

The foundation operates with minimal staff infrastructure and appears to make grantmaking decisions through Sosnick's direct personal involvement and network relationships.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

La Vida Feliz Foundation operates entirely through trustee discretion. According to multiple nonprofit databases and philanthropic sources, the foundation "makes grants proactively and does not accept unsolicited proposals for funding." All grants are made to organizations that Aaron Sosnick and the foundation identify and approach directly.

The foundation has no website, published guidelines, application forms, or public contact information for grant seekers.

Getting on Their Radar

Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund: Much of the foundation's grantmaking is conducted through the Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund, which obscures the details of individual grants. This structure provides additional privacy to the foundation's operations.

Known Networks: The foundation has demonstrated sustained relationships with specific organizations over time, suggesting that once an organization enters Sosnick's network, it may receive multiple grants. Organizations that have received support tend to be working in urban community development, arts access, education equity, and transportation justice in Los Angeles and New York.

Sector Visibility: Past grantees suggest the foundation identifies organizations through the trustee's involvement in the Los Angeles and New York civic sectors, particularly those working on progressive urban issues affecting underserved communities.

Decision Timeline

No public information available. Decisions are made at the sole discretion of the trustee without published timelines.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept applications, traditional success factors do not apply. However, analysis of past grantmaking reveals clear patterns:

Geographic Focus: The overwhelming majority of grants go to organizations in Los Angeles and New York City, with the Northeast region receiving approximately 67% of total grantmaking. Organizations outside these areas rarely receive support.

Issue Alignment: The foundation has demonstrated consistent interest in:

• Arts organizations serving diverse communities (not elite or establishment institutions)
• Transportation equity and alternative transportation access
• Education programs focused on underserved students, particularly in STEM fields
• Community-based development in historic urban neighborhoods
• Criminal justice reform, particularly wrongful conviction cases

Organizational Characteristics of Past Grantees:

• Community-rooted organizations with deep local connections
• Progressive advocacy organizations working on urban equity issues
• Small to mid-sized arts and cultural organizations (not major institutions)
• Organizations led by or serving communities of color
• Grassroots organizing and advocacy groups

Past Recipients Include:

• Arts: City Lore, Creative Time, Black Rock Arts Foundation, Esse Aficionado (modern dance), Howl Arts, Municipal Art Society of New York, Third Street Music School Settlement, Coney Island USA, FIGMENT Project
• Education: Math for America (LA chapter), Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, CollegeSpring, Urban Assembly, University of Southern California
• Transportation: Multicultural Communities for Mobility, Transportation Alternatives, Los Angeles Bicycle Coalition, Longbeachize
• Community Development: Hester Street Collaborative, Friends of Griffith Park, Community Partners
• Human Services: Robin Hood Foundation, Centurion Ministries (wrongful convictions), Catholic Charities, Lower East Side Girls Club

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No unsolicited applications accepted: This foundation cannot be approached through traditional grant writing. Organizations must be identified and invited by the trustee.
• Network-based philanthropy: The foundation operates through Aaron Sosnick's personal networks and connections in Los Angeles and New York civic sectors.
• Bicoastal focus: Nearly all funding goes to LA and NYC organizations, with a slight preference for the Northeast (67% of grants).
• Equity-centered: Strong preference for organizations serving underserved communities of color, particularly in transportation access, arts, and education.
• Range flexibility: Grant amounts vary dramatically from $10,000 to over $20 million, suggesting the foundation sizes grants to organizational needs and project scope.
• Low profile operation: The foundation intentionally maintains minimal public presence - no website, no published guidelines, no publicity.
• Long-term relationships: Evidence suggests sustained relationships with organizations over time rather than one-off grants.

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - La Vida Feliz Foundation (Form 990 filings, 2009-2024). Accessed January 21, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/261622021
• Inside Philanthropy - "The Happy Life: How a Low Profile Wall Streeter Does His Philanthropy" (2015). Accessed January 21, 2026. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2015-11-16-the-happy-life-how-a-low-profile-wall-streeter-does-his-phil-html
• Inside Philanthropy - La Vida Feliz Foundation Profile. Accessed January 21, 2026. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant/grants-l/la-vida-feliz-foundation
• Philanthropy Daily - "Unostentatious bicoastal philanthropy in the arts, education, and community projects." Accessed January 21, 2026. https://philanthropydaily.com/29250-2/
• Instrumentl - La Vida Feliz Foundation 990 Report. Accessed January 21, 2026. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/la-vida-feliz-foundation
• Cause IQ - La Vida Feliz Foundation Profile. Accessed January 21, 2026. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/la-vida-feliz-foundation,261622021/
• Candid Foundation Directory - The La Vida Feliz Foundation. Accessed January 21, 2026. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=LAVI026
• Hester Street - La Vida Feliz Foundation. Accessed January 21, 2026. https://hesterstreet.org/team/la-vida-feliz-foundation/