Simms/Mann Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $4.3 million (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: $10,000 - $18 million+
• Geographic Focus: Primarily Los Angeles metropolitan area with some national reach

Contact Details

• Website: simmsmanninstitute.org
• Phone: 310-275-1395
• Email: Contact through website
• Address: 9320 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 300, Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Overview

The Simms/Mann Family Foundation was established in 2001 by Victoria Mann Simms, PhD (clinical psychologist) and Ronald A. Simms (real estate developer). With approximately $71.3 million in total assets, the foundation distributes $4-5 million annually through a concentrated, deep-partnership approach rather than broad grant-making. Their mission is to "accelerate research and fund innovative programs that address the whole person — mind, body, spirit" across three core pillars: Education, Health & Wellness, and Arts & Culture. The foundation has maintained a 30+ year relationship with UCLA Health, contributing over $33 million cumulatively. Executive Director Rachel Barchie emphasizes: "We're not about making a ton of grants to a huge amount of organizations, but really diving deep."

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Simms/Mann-UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology: $18 million gift (2020) for psychosocial cancer care
• Off the Chart: Rewarding Nursing Greatness: $10,000 awards to exceptional nurses (30-40 annually)
• CuddleBright Experience: Early childhood development initiative
• Simms/Mann Think Tank: Annual convening for early childhood practitioners
• Endowed Chairs: At CHLA, Reichman University, and Cedars-Sinai
• Venice Family Clinic: Nation's first integrative health program at a free clinic
• BabyLiveAdvice: Nationwide maternal-infant telehealth platform

Priority Areas

• Early childhood development (ages 0-3)
• Integrative and holistic oncology care
• Nursing workforce development and recognition
• Maternal-infant health
• Mind-body-spirit approaches to medicine
• Economic self-sufficiency for families
• Arts as a vehicle for health and wellness

What They Don't Fund

• Organizations outside their three core pillars
• Projects without deep partnership potential
• General operating support through open applications
• Organizations outside their established network without strategic alignment

Governance and Leadership

• Victoria Mann Simms, PhD - President and Director; clinical psychologist driving early childhood and integrative health agendas
• Ronald A. Simms - Vice President and Treasurer; real estate developer co-founder
• Josh Simms - Secretary and Director
• Rachel Barchie - Executive Director; primary spokesperson for grantmaking philosophy
• Advisory Board: Medical professionals and researchers from UCLA, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and other leading institutions

Victoria Mann Simms states: "It has long been my desire to elevate the importance of 0-3 years and how those years can impact the health and wellbeing of our children, families, and communities for years to come."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. Grants are made through long-term, deep partnerships that the foundation identifies and develops proactively. There is no grant portal, RFP cycle, or published application form.

Getting on Their Radar

• UCLA Connection: The 30+ year relationship with UCLA Health demonstrates how clinical and professional connections to the founders can develop into major partnerships
• Simms/Mann Think Tank: Annual convening for early childhood practitioners provides networking opportunity
• Hospital System Partners: Organizations working within Cedars-Sinai, City of Hope, UCLA Health, or Keck Medicine of USC have natural alignment with the Off the Chart nursing campaign
• Advisory Board Network: Connections through advisory board members at UCLA and CHLA can provide organic introductions
• Website Contact: General inquiries can be made through simmsmanninstitute.org

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed; partnerships develop over extended periods rather than defined grant cycles

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed; foundation makes concentrated grants to select partner organizations

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable; foundation operates through strategic partnerships rather than application cycles

Application Success Factors

• Holistic "mind, body, spirit" framing essential: All successful partnerships demonstrate whole-person approaches rather than siloed outcomes
• Deep partnership over broad impact: Foundation explicitly prefers transformative, long-term collaborations with select partners
• Nursing and early childhood are current priorities: Off the Chart campaign and 0-3 years development are most active focus areas
• Los Angeles base with national potential: Most partners are LA-based, though national programs like BabyLiveAdvice show broader reach possible
• Paradigm-shifting potential required: Rachel Barchie describes seeking to "shift the paradigm" - innovative approaches preferred over established models
• Network alignment critical: Organizations with leadership connected to clinical psychology, integrative medicine, or LA civic networks have natural advantages
• Arts must connect to wellness: Arts funding explicitly frames creative work as vehicle for human development and wellbeing

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No open application process exists - relationship-building through professional networks is the only entry point
• Every initiative must authentically connect to "whole person" philosophy of mind, body, and spirit
• Nursing workforce and early childhood (0-3) represent strongest current alignment opportunities
• UCLA relationship ($33 million over 30 years) demonstrates foundation's capacity for transformative, long-term commitments
• Geographic focus centers on Los Angeles with selective national initiatives
• Annual Think Tank and advisory board networks offer best pathways for introduction
• Grant sizes range strategically from $10,000 individual awards to multi-million institutional commitments

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Simms Mann Family Foundation (EIN: 31-1812498). Accessed February 2026
• Simms/Mann Institute & Foundation Official Website. https://simmsmanninstitute.org. Accessed February 2026
• Inside Philanthropy - "Why This Family Foundation Placed a Big Bet on Nurses" (2023). Accessed February 2026
• GlobeNewswire - "Simms/Mann Family Foundation Recognizes Extraordinary Nurses" (May 1, 2024). Accessed February 2026
• UCnet - "Ten UCLA nurses recognized by the Simms/Mann Family Foundation". Accessed February 2026
• LinkedIn - Simms/Mann Institute & Foundation Company Profile. Accessed February 2026
• Santa Barbara Independent - "Simms/Mann Institute Think Tank and Fellowship" (February 7, 2014). Accessed February 2026