← Back to US Funders Directory

Resnick Foundation

Annual Giving
$59.9M
Grant Range
$5K - $750.0M

Resnick Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $59.9 million (2024)
  • Success Rate: N/A (No public application process)
  • Decision Time: N/A (Invitation-only grantmaking)
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $750,000,000
  • Typical Grant: $10,000 (median)
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily California (especially Los Angeles), with broader reach across the United States (67% to Northeast region)
  • Total Grants (2024): 144 awards

Contact Details

Note: The Resnick Foundation does not maintain a public website or accept unsolicited contact.

  • Address: 11444 W Olympic Blvd Fl 10, Los Angeles, CA 90064
  • EIN: 95-4658095
  • Founded: 1997

Overview

The Resnick Foundation was established in 1997 by Stewart A. Resnick and Lynda Resnick, the billionaire couple behind The Wonderful Company (owner of brands including Wonderful Pistachios, POM Wonderful, FIJI Water, and Teleflora). Through their foundation and corporate giving, the Resnicks have invested more than $2.6 billion in philanthropy globally, including $1.3 billion directed toward environmental sustainability to combat climate change. The foundation operates with a proactive, invitation-only approach to grantmaking, typically awarding a small number of very large grants to institutions with which the Resnicks are affiliated. The foundation's 990 tax filings explicitly state it will not accept contact, emails of introduction, letters of inquiry, or telephone calls. Recent giving has focused heavily on higher education (particularly sustainability research), arts and culture institutions in Los Angeles, public health, and Jewish causes.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Resnick Foundation does not operate formal grant programs with published guidelines. Instead, it makes strategic gifts, typically to institutions where the Resnicks have existing relationships or board affiliations.

Giving Pattern: In any given year, the foundation tends to award a small number of large grants (often multi-million dollar commitments) alongside smaller grants to local organizations.

Priority Areas

Higher Education: Dominates the foundation's giving in recent years. Major gifts have supported:

  • Environmental sustainability and climate research at major universities
  • Student success centers for first-generation college students
  • Agricultural innovation research
  • General institutional support for select colleges and universities

Arts and Culture: Significant support for major Los Angeles cultural institutions, including:

  • Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) - $70 million
  • Hammer Museum - $30 million to build a new cultural center
  • Los Angeles Opera
  • LA Zoo
  • P.S. Arts

Public Health and Medical Research: Including the establishment of research centers and support for neuropsychiatric hospitals

Jewish Causes: Substantial support for Jewish educational and religious institutions, including:

  • Wilshire Boulevard Temple
  • American Technion Society
  • Bard College

K-12 Education and Youth: Support for educational programs and youth enrichment

Climate Change and Conservation: A major focus area with over $1.3 billion invested globally

Place-Based Giving: The Resnicks emphasize "listening to, investing in, and collaborating with communities where employees live and work," from California's Central Valley to the islands of Fiji

What They Don't Fund

The foundation's 990 filings and public statements do not specify explicit exclusions. However, the foundation's giving pattern suggests they do not support:

  • Small grassroots organizations without existing connections
  • Organizations outside their established geographic focus areas
  • Unsolicited proposals from any organization

Governance and Leadership

Stewart A. Resnick (Co-Founder): Chairman and co-owner of The Wonderful Company, one of the world's largest privately held companies. His business interests span agriculture, beverages, and floral products.

Lynda Resnick (Co-Founder): Vice Chairwoman of The Wonderful Company and well-known businesswoman and author. She serves on numerous boards and has been recognized for her marketing innovations and philanthropic work. She serves on the Board of Trustees of the Aspen Institute.

The foundation operates with a lean structure, making grant decisions at the trustee level rather than through professional staff or advisory boards.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Resnick Foundation's 990 tax filings explicitly state: "The foundation does not maintain a web presence and will not accept contact, e-mails of introduction, LOIs or telephone calls."

According to Inside Philanthropy, "This funder prefers a proactive approach to grantmaking," and notes that "it is unclear how to get through to this giving fortress beyond deep networking that occurs through back channels, if that."

How Grants Are Awarded: The foundation awards grants based on:

  • Trustee discretion and the personal interests of Stewart and Lynda Resnick
  • Existing institutional relationships and board affiliations
  • Strategic alignment with the Resnicks' business and philanthropic priorities
  • Organizations in communities where The Wonderful Company operates

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications or operate on a published timeline.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept initial applications or reapplications.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional "success factors" do not apply. However, analyzing their giving patterns reveals what attracts their support:

Scale and Impact Potential: The Resnicks favor large, transformational gifts rather than modest grants. Their $750 million pledge to Caltech in 2019 was the largest ever for environmental sustainability research. They seek opportunities where significant capital can create measurable, systemic change.

Institutional Prestige and Capacity: Major recipients include UC Davis, Caltech, UCLA, University of Chicago, Bard College, and other nationally recognized institutions with proven capacity to execute large-scale initiatives.

Alignment with Core Passions: Three themes dominate their giving:

  1. Environmental sustainability and climate research - over $1.3 billion invested globally
  2. Higher education - particularly supporting first-generation students and agricultural innovation
  3. Los Angeles cultural institutions - reflecting their deep ties to the region

Existing Relationships: In their own words, the Resnicks practice "place-based giving, which focuses on listening to, investing in, and collaborating with communities where employees live and work." Grants frequently go to organizations where the Resnicks serve on boards or have longstanding connections.

Jewish Affiliation: Significant giving to Jewish causes suggests this is an important factor, with major gifts to Wilshire Boulevard Temple, American Technion Society, and related institutions.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Access: This foundation is not accessible through traditional grant-seeking channels. Do not attempt to submit unsolicited proposals, LOIs, or introductory emails.

  • Relationship-Driven: All evidence suggests grants flow exclusively to organizations with which the Resnicks have pre-existing relationships, often through board service or personal connections.

  • Think Very Large: When the foundation does give, it tends to favor transformational gifts ($10 million+) rather than modest grants, though median grants are $10,000.

  • Geographic Concentration: While grants reach across the U.S., there's heavy concentration in California (Los Angeles in particular) and the Northeast, with 67% of grants going to the Northeast region.

  • Education Dominates: Higher education grants represent the largest share of giving, with particular emphasis on environmental sustainability research and student success initiatives.

  • Cultural Institutions: For arts and culture organizations, the foundation prioritizes large, established Los Angeles institutions with capacity to scale their work.

  • Strategic Alignment Required: The foundation's giving reflects the Resnicks' business interests (agriculture, sustainability, water) and personal passions (arts, Jewish causes, education). Organizations outside these areas are unlikely to receive consideration.

  • Alternative Path: Organizations seeking Resnick support might explore The Wonderful Company's corporate giving programs, which awarded approximately $2.6 million across 191 organizations in 2024 through a separate process.

References

← Back to US Funders Directory