The Ahmanson Foundation

The Ahmanson Foundation is a US private foundation based in Beverly Hills, CA.

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Ahmanson Foundation serves Los Angeles County through support for arts and humanities, education, health and medicine, and human services. It reviews requests from 501(c)(3) public charities based in and serving the county, which it says are not private foundations under the cited IRC sections. Applicants must be tax-exempt, in operation for a minimum of 3-5 years and reflect established and stable leadership. Common capital support includes construction and renovation, equipment and furnishings, programme vehicles, technology and programme supplies. The Foundation prefers one-time or short-term requests and gives preference to organisations that do not submit requests regularly or annually. It may consider programme or operational support for organisations with a history of established and outstanding programmes. Its stated approach is to support non-profit organisations demonstrating sound fiscal management, efficient operation and program integrity, enhancing the quality of life and cultural legacy of the Los Angeles community.

Themes

• Arts and Humanities
• Education
• Health and Medicine
• Human Services

Geographic Focus

Los Angeles County.

What They Don't Fund

• Individuals
• Religious organizations for sectarian or propagation of faith purposes
• Institutions limiting their services to persons of a single religious sect or denomination
• Organizations propagandizing, influencing legislation and/or elections, or promoting voter registration
• Organizations that spend a significant amount of expenses on lobbying for political candidates or campaigns, or organizations engaged in political activities or specific advocacy
• Endowed chairs, fellowships, internships, exchanges, or individual scholarships
• Annual campaigns or ongoing operational support
• Production of film, video, or other media
• Deficit financing, loans, or operational debt reduction
• Re-granting purposes
• Traveling exhibitions, the underwriting of performances, seminars, workshops, surveys, or general research
• Support of regional or national charities
• Disease specific or other types of medical research
• Pilot projects
• General solicitations
• Fundraising or awards events
• Private foundations as defined in sections 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code

Applicants submit a Letter of Inquiry. If it is approved for further consideration, a Program Officer or Program Associate contacts the organisation and asks it to submit a full grant proposal.

• Grant size: In its TY2022 filing, half of its 417 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

• The Foundation prefers one-time or short-term requests and gives preference to organisations that do not submit requests regularly or annually.
• It considers requests that are feasible, cost-effective and central to the organisation’s mission.
• It evaluates requests through the organisation’s programmes, accomplishments, leadership and finances.
• It expects organisations to be well-managed, fiscally sound, have a developed history and maintain a record of program integrity.
• For capital campaigns, it looks for clear evidence that the campaign goal will be achieved, that it is 60–80% funded and that it can be completed within one year of the grant request.
• Letters of Inquiry are screened for alignment between the request, the organisation’s mission and the Foundation’s funding priorities.
• Visits to the Foundation’s offices are discouraged unless arranged by invitation.