Goldhirsh Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $2.6 million (2023)
• Success Rate: ~5-7% (LA2050 Grants Challenge)
• Decision Time: 5-6 months (LA2050 program)
• Grant Range: Up to $75,000 (LA2050); varies for other programs
• Geographic Focus: Primarily Los Angeles; also brain tumor research nationally
• Total Assets: ~$60 million endowment

Contact Details

Website: https://goldhirshfoundation.org
Email: team@goldhirshfoundation.org
Phone: Not publicly listed
Address:

• 528 Palisades Dr, PO Box #559, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
• 1 Liberty Sq Fl 13, Boston, MA 02109-4889

Social Media:

• Facebook: GoldhirshFoundation
• Twitter/X: @goldhirshfdn

Overview

Founded in 2000 by Bernard A. Goldhirsh shortly after his brain cancer diagnosis, the Goldhirsh Foundation has evolved from its original focus on brain tumor research into a comprehensive social innovation funder. Following Bernard's death in 2003, his children Ben Goldhirsh (Chairman) and Claire Hoffman, along with President Tara Roth, have shaped a grant-making program reflecting Bernard's entrepreneurial values. With a $60 million endowment that became 100% mission-aligned in 2023, the foundation awards approximately $2.6 million annually. Its signature initiative, LA2050 (launched 2013), has distributed over $20 million to hundreds of Los Angeles organizations. In March 2024, the foundation appointed an all-female investment committee—believed to be the first at an organization of its size—featuring executives from ReMY Investors, Coolhaus, Boom Capital, and The California Endowment.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

LA2050 Grants Challenge (Primary Program)

• Awards up to $75,000 per organization
• Annual cycle with $1 million+ distributed across multiple funders
• 2025: 55 organizations received $3 million from 12 funding partners
• 2024: 60 organizations received $2.9 million; first-place prizes of $75,000, second-place prizes of $50,000
• Open application process with mandatory Information Session attendance
• Application deadline typically early June; awards announced September/October

Brain Tumor Research Grants

• Historically awarded $16.4 million to 59 scientists since 2001
• Over $1.2 million to Massachusetts General Hospital researchers
• Member of Brain Tumor Funders' Collaborative
• Current application process unclear; historically through collaborative RFPs

Direct/Discretionary Grants

• By invitation only; does not accept unsolicited proposals outside LA2050
• Past recipients include innovative social programs identified by trustees
• Examples: Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration, Fund for Guaranteed Income (Compton Pledge), AltaSea, CicLAvia, XPRIZE

Priority Areas

LA2050 Issue Areas (13 categories):

• Educational and Economic Opportunity
• Environmental Sustainability
• Community and Civic Activation
• Intrepid Innovation

Funding Approaches:

• Civic Capital: Promoting mobilization and disruption within existing infrastructures
• Seed Capital: Seeding social innovation in Los Angeles
• Expansion Capital: Bringing proven solutions from other regions to Los Angeles

Funding Types: Grants, investments, loans, and combination grants/investments

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, evidence suggests:

• Organizations outside Los Angeles County (for LA2050 program)
• Established programs lacking innovation or transformative potential
• Organizations not aligned with mission to "advance human life and well-being, and catalyze human potential"

Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel:

Tara Roth, President
Oversees all foundation operations including investment sourcing and vetting. On her philosophy: "I want to reach those people who are not being paid to think about their impacts as citizens, neighbors, business owners, or a voting populace." She emphasizes collaboration: "No problem can be solved without collaboration," and believes "work should be fun and engaging," bringing "joy where darkness and hopelessness can sometimes linger." After a pulmonary embolism in her 20s, she "was forced to think about the value of the present and one's vitality and energy; it was that self-reckoning that compelled me to want to do more good in this world…and not wait to do it."

Ben Goldhirsh, Chairman
Bernard's son; entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist with leadership roles at GOOD, Upworthy, and Collaborative Fund. Supports social entrepreneurs "pushing the world forward across key areas of societal health."

Claire Hoffman, Director
Bernard's daughter; serves on Board of Directors shaping grant-making strategy.

Investment Committee (appointed March 2024):

• Shana Barghouti (Co-chief investor, ReMY Investors)
• Natasha Case (Cofounder/former CEO, Coolhaus Ice Cream)
• Celestine Schnugg (Founding managing partner, Boom Capital)
• Ruth Wernig (Former CIO, The California Endowment)

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

LA2050 Grants Challenge (Public Application Process):

Required First Step: Attend a mandatory Information Session to receive application link
Eligibility: Registered non-profit, for-profit, fiscally-sponsored, or governmental organizations serving Los Angeles County
Platform: Submittable (online portal with save-and-return functionality)

Three-Phase Process:

1. Public Voting (March-April): Community members vote on priority issues (~140,000 votes cast in 2025)
2. Application Period (Late April-Early June): Organizations submit proposals addressing top-voted issues
   • 2025 deadline: June 6
   • Record 1,182 applications in 2025
3. Evaluation & Awards (Summer-Fall): Proposals reviewed by external evaluators; awards announced September/October

Other Programs: No public application process. Foundation makes contributions only to pre-selected charitable organizations.

Decision Timeline

LA2050 Grants Challenge:

• Applications close: Early June
• Review period: June-September (external evaluation by Social Justice Partners LA)
• Winners announced: September/October at Grantee Showcase event
• Total timeline: 5-6 months from application deadline to announcement

Notification: All applicants may request feedback after decisions; foundation sends feedback request forms to listed contacts.

Success Rates

LA2050 Grants Challenge Historical Data:

• 2025: 55 awards / 1,182 applications = 4.7% success rate
• 2024: 60 awards / 872 applications = 6.9% success rate
• 2023: 615 applications submitted
• 2022: 480 applications
• Overall: Nearly 4,000 proposals submitted since 2013

Note: Each application reviewed by at least two evaluators using official scorecard.

Reapplication Policy

LA2050: Welcomes repeat applications, including from previous winners. No waiting period or restrictions. Organizations encouraged to reapply in future cycles with no special requirements.

Application Success Factors

From LA2050's Official Guidance:

Critical Mistakes to Avoid:

1. Assuming evaluator knowledge: "You need to write so that someone who has never encountered your organization could read it and then explain it to someone else." Avoid jargon specific to your field.
2. Starting in the middle: Don't start at "K"—present the full "A to Z" with complete context.
3. Lack of cohesive narrative: "The most successful applications read as one narrative, with smooth transitions from one question to another, with one main theme and responses that build on one another."
4. Vague partnerships: Only list collaborators with confirmed partnerships where you'll share grant funds; be specific about collaboration.
5. Missing urgency: "Do not assume that evaluators have an intuitive sense of the importance or urgency of your work"—make the case for why NOW.
6. Generic timeline: "Be specific about your activities when you write the timeline, providing details for your program and how it will unfold."

What Makes Applications Stand Out:

• Innovation: Pitch "a new idea that makes people say: 'Wow!'"
• Full responses: Use the complete space provided for answers
• Storytelling over listing: "Tell stories instead of listing functions"; share tangible examples
• Clear problem-solution connection: Explain the problem in-depth with solution directly addressing it
• Organizational uniqueness: Highlight why YOUR organization is best suited for this work
• Long-term vision: Look beyond the one-year grant period to demonstrate transformative impact
• Strategic issue selection: Choose one primary issue area and up to four secondary areas that genuinely align

Evaluation Criteria (from official scorecard):

• Innovation
• Regional relevance to Los Angeles
• Potential for transformative impact
• Clear problem-solution connection
• Organizational capability and track record

Resources Available: Annotated Application Guide, Official Scorecard, Tuesday office hours at 1:00 PM

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Mandatory attendance required: Cannot apply to LA2050 without attending an Information Session—plan accordingly as application links only sent to attendees
• Write for outsiders: Every sentence must be understandable to evaluators with zero background knowledge of your organization or issue area
• Innovation is paramount: Foundation seeks "the brightest emerging talent" and ideas that catalyze transformative change, not incremental improvements
• Competition is fierce: With 4.7% success rate in 2025, applications must be exceptional across all evaluation criteria
• Think like an entrepreneur: Bernard Goldhirsh was a publishing entrepreneur; foundation values entrepreneurial approaches to social problems
• Los Angeles focus dominates: While foundation makes some national grants (brain tumor research), LA2050 represents primary pathway for most applicants
• Reapplication welcomed: Don't be discouraged by rejection; previous applicants and even winners encouraged to apply again with revised proposals
• Collaboration matters: President Tara Roth emphasizes "no problem can be solved without collaboration"—strong partnerships strengthen applications

References

• Goldhirsh Foundation official website: https://goldhirshfoundation.org (accessed January 2026)
• LA2050 Grants Challenge: https://la2050.org/grants-challenge/about (accessed January 2026)
• "How to Write a Winning LA2050 Grants Challenge Application," LA2050 blog: https://la2050.org/blog/write-a-winning-la2050-grants-challenge-application (accessed January 2026)
• "LA2050 Grants Challenge FAQ," LA2050: https://la2050.org/blog/la2050-grants-challenge-application-faq (accessed January 2026)
• "The one hundred honoree: The Goldhirsh Foundation," Massachusetts General Hospital Giving: https://giving.massgeneral.org/stories/the-goldhirsh-foundation (accessed January 2026)
• "With a New, All-Female Investment Committee, This L.A.-Based Funder Is Sending a Message," Inside Philanthropy, April 2024: https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2024-4-16-with-a-new-all-female-investment-committee-this-la-based-funder-is-sending-a-message (accessed January 2026)
• "What's Your Why with Tara Roth, President, Goldhirsh Foundation," Anthem Awards, September 2024: https://www.anthemawards.com/2024/09/18/whats-your-why-with-goldhirsh-foundation/ (accessed January 2026)
• Goldhirsh Foundation, Cause IQ profile: https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/goldhirsh-foundation,272824140/ (accessed January 2026)
• "55 Los Angeles Nonprofits Receive Nearly $3 Million Through Community-Driven LA2050 Grants Challenge," Goldhirsh Foundation blog, October 2025: https://goldhirshfoundation.org/blog/55-los-angeles-nonprofits-receive-nearly-usd3-million-through-community-driven-la2050-grants (accessed January 2026)
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, Goldhirsh Foundation Form 990: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/272824140 (accessed January 2026)