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The Saban Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$3.5M
Grant Range
$5K - $10.0M

The Saban Family Foundation

Quick Stats

  • EIN: 95-4769273
  • Annual Giving: $3,524,682 (2023)
  • Total Distributed Since 2000: $420 million to ~1,000 causes
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $10,000,000+
  • Average Grant Size: ~$75,000
  • Geographic Focus: Los Angeles metro area (health), U.S. and Israel (Jewish causes), broader for arts
  • Application Method: Rolling - Letters of Inquiry accepted anytime

Contact Details

The Saban Family Foundation
2121 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 800
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Phone: (310) 557-5100
EIN: 95-4769273

Contact for Letters of Inquiry:
Jesse Bronner, Senior Manager/Director, North America
Letters must be submitted on organization letterhead

Overview

Established in 1999 by Haim and Cheryl Saban, The Saban Family Foundation has become one of the most significant philanthropic entities supporting Jewish causes, healthcare, and education in the United States and Israel. Since its launch in 2000, the foundation has distributed $420 million to approximately 1,000 causes and institutions. The foundation maintains a relatively low public profile despite its substantial impact, operating as a private family foundation with deep commitments to its core areas of interest. The foundation is known for its multi-year grant commitments and hands-on, collaborative approach with grantees. Haim Saban, founder of Saban Capital Group and creator of the Power Rangers franchise, and his wife Cheryl Saban, PhD, bring both significant financial resources and personal engagement to their philanthropy, with a stated strategy of giving "50-50" between American and Israeli causes.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates on a rolling basis without formal grant programs, accepting letters of inquiry at any time. Notable grants include:

  • Children's Hospital Los Angeles: $40 million for The Saban Research Institute (2003), with total support exceeding $35 million over the years
  • Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation: $10 million (2021) for the Saban Media Center
  • Motion Picture Television Fund: Over $10 million for the Center for Health and Wellness
  • Television Academy: $5 million+ for Media Center
  • Friends of Israel Defense Forces: Seven-figure grants, including $7.5 million between 2007-2012 and $1.32 million in 2013
  • Birthright Israel Foundation: $1 million
  • Typical grant range: $5,000 to $500,000, with only select grants exceeding $1 million

Priority Areas

Jewish Causes (Primary Focus):

  • Israeli organizations and defense support (Friends of Israel Defense Forces)
  • Jewish education and community (Birthright Israel Foundation, UCLA Hillel, Jewish National Fund)
  • Jewish congregations and community organizations (Congregation Beth Israel of Los Angeles, Jewish Funders Network)
  • Israeli cultural and historical projects

Healthcare:

  • Children's health (Children's Hospital Los Angeles - flagship recipient)
  • Community health access (Los Angeles Free Clinic)
  • Disease-specific research (Melanoma Research Alliance Foundation, National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
  • Major medical centers (Cedars-Sinai Medical Center of Los Angeles)

Social Services and Human Services:

  • Substance abuse prevention (Angels at Risk)
  • Foster care and youth services (Together We Rise)
  • Homelessness (Los Angeles Shelter Partnership)
  • Mental health services for underserved populations

Education:

  • Educational institutions and programs in U.S. and Israel
  • University programs (USC Center for Applied Molecular Medicine)
  • Girls' education and empowerment (Girls Who Code)
  • Policy institutes (Saban Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings Institution - $13 million)

Arts and Culture (Lesser Extent):

  • Television and media arts
  • Cultural institutions

Women's Empowerment:

  • Organizations supporting women and girls (note: Cheryl Saban also runs a separate foundation, the Cheryl Saban Self Worth Foundation for Women & Girls)

Geographic Focus

  • Health funding: Concentrated in Los Angeles metropolitan area
  • Jewish causes: U.S. and Israel
  • Arts and culture: Extends beyond Southern California

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not publish explicit exclusions. Based on their grant history, they appear to focus exclusively on their stated priority areas and do not fund outside these domains. The foundation maintains long-term commitments to existing grantees, making it difficult for new organizations outside their established giving ecosystem to secure funding.

Governance and Leadership

Founders:

  • Haim Saban: Founder and Chairman, Saban Capital Group; creator of Power Rangers franchise; major entertainment industry figure
  • Cheryl Saban, PhD: Co-founder; advocate for women's empowerment; runs separate Cheryl Saban Self Worth Foundation

Key Staff:

  • Jesse Bronner: Senior Manager/Director, North America (primary contact for letters of inquiry)

The foundation operates as a private family foundation with limited public disclosure of trustees and board members. Detailed governance information is available through Form 990-PF filings.

Leadership Philosophy

Cheryl Saban on their approach to giving: "I literally go to bed with gratitude on my lips and I wake up with gratitude in my heart. Haim and I consider it an honor and a duty to help others... it's just love. Helping to make a person's life better, whether you do it with money or kindness or just helping with your time."

Haim Saban on their strategy: "The basic strategy is 50-50... for every dollar we give in America, we give a dollar in Israel."

Cheryl on Haim's giving roots: "When Haim's family had nothing, they shared everything they had — they shared their nothing... that's the way it goes, you share."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Saban Family Foundation accepts letters of inquiry on a rolling basis at any time. There are no fixed deadlines.

Submission Requirements:

  • Letters must be submitted on organization letterhead
  • Address to: Jesse Bronner, Senior Manager
  • Mail to: 2121 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 800, Los Angeles, CA 90067
  • Phone inquiries: (310) 557-5100

The foundation does not have a public website or online application portal. All initial contact should be through written letters of inquiry.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. The foundation operates on a rolling review process rather than fixed grant cycles.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. However, several factors impact likelihood of funding:

  • The foundation made only 8 grants in 2023 and 11 grants in 2022 from total annual giving of approximately $3.5 million
  • The foundation gives many multi-year grants, creating committed giving relationships that make it difficult for new grantseekers to break through
  • Once funding is secured, the foundation maintains long-term, collaborative relationships with grantees

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is publicly available. Given the foundation's preference for multi-year grants and long-term relationships, successful applicants likely continue receiving support over multiple years.

Application Success Factors

Alignment with Core Priorities

Organizations should have clear alignment with one of the foundation's primary areas:

  • Strong preference for Jewish causes in Israel and the U.S.
  • Healthcare organizations serving the Los Angeles area or addressing specific diseases
  • Organizations serving underserved populations in Los Angeles (mental health, human services)
  • Arts and culture organizations, particularly related to television and media

Geographic Fit

  • For healthcare: Los Angeles metropolitan area focus is essential
  • For Jewish causes: U.S. or Israeli organizations
  • For arts: Broader geographic scope, but preference for California-based

Scale and Impact

The foundation has made some of the largest gifts ever given to certain institutions:

  • Their $40 million to Children's Hospital Los Angeles was believed to be the largest single gift of its kind to a children's hospital in North America at the time
  • Multi-million dollar commitments to major institutions suggest preference for organizations that can utilize significant funding effectively

Long-Term Potential

As stated in research: "The foundation gives many multi-year grants... once you secure funding, the Saban Family Foundation takes a hands-on approach and likes to collaborate with grantees."

Organizations should:

  • Demonstrate capacity for long-term partnership
  • Be prepared for collaborative, hands-on funder engagement
  • Show potential for multi-year funding relationship

The 50-50 Strategy

The foundation's stated commitment to giving equally between American and Israeli causes should inform proposal framing. Organizations should understand how their work fits into this balanced portfolio.

Connection to Founders' Values

The Sabans have publicly called on others in Hollywood to increase philanthropy, with Haim stating donations are made public "in order to prod others in Hollywood to do the same." Organizations that align with entertainment industry values or can demonstrate how funding serves as an example to inspire others may find receptive audience.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Breaking In Is Difficult But Not Impossible: With only 8-11 grants per year and a preference for multi-year commitments, competition is intense. However, the foundation does accept letters of inquiry on a rolling basis, indicating openness to new relationships.

  2. Alignment Is Critical: Clear alignment with Jewish causes (especially Israel-related), Los Angeles-area healthcare, or underserved populations is essential. Don't apply if your mission doesn't fit these areas.

  3. Think Long-Term Partnership: Frame proposals as the beginning of a multi-year relationship, not one-time funding. Demonstrate organizational capacity for ongoing collaboration.

  4. Be Prepared for Hands-On Engagement: The foundation "likes to collaborate with grantees" - expect active funder involvement if funded.

  5. Scale Matters: While grants range from $5,000 to multi-millions, average is $75,000. The foundation has shown willingness to make transformational gifts ($10M+) to the right organizations.

  6. Geographic Strategy: For health organizations, Los Angeles location is strongly preferred. For Jewish causes, clear U.S. or Israel connection is essential.

  7. Professional Presentation on Letterhead: Since this is a formal letter of inquiry process without online applications, professional presentation on organization letterhead is critical.

References

All sources accessed February 2026

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