Garfield Family Foundation

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OVERVIEW: The Garfield Family Foundation supports Jewish causes, arts and culture, mental health, youth, education and animals in Southern California.

IP TAKE: The Garfield Family Foundation is a small, family-run funder that mainly supports organizations in San Diego and Los Angeles. It does not accept proposals or welcome contact, so a connection to the family or one of its grantees might be the only way in here.

PROFILE: Established in 1960, the Garfield Family Foundation (GFF) is a family foundation based in San Diego, California. Family members Melissa Garfield Bartell, Elizabeth Garfield and Michael Bartell are the foundation’s officers. GFF mainly gives in Southern California, where it supports Jewish causes, arts and culture, mental health, education and animal welfare.

Grants for Jewish Causes

The Garfield Foundation steadily supports South California Jewish religious and cultural organizations, although it does not articulate a strategy for its grantmaking in this area. Grantees include Hillel of San Diego, Congregation Beth Israel, Temple Israel of Hollywood and the Jewish Community Center of La Jolla.

Grants for Arts and Culture

This funder supports a arts and cultural organizations but does not name goals or priorities for its giving in these areas. Grants have gone to the New Children’s Museum in San Diego, the San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art and the La Jolla Playhouse.

Grants for Mental Health, Housing and Youth Development

Each year, this funder supports a handful of organizations involved in mental health and appears to prioritize organizations that work with children and teens in foster care. Grantees include Just in Time for Foster Youth, We Foster Los Angeles and A Community of Friends, a Los Angeles-based organization that provides housing and services to people with mental illnesses.

Grants for Education

Education is a smaller area of giving for this funder, but it has provided ongoing support to the Leland Stanford Junior University and Minds Matter, a national organization that “connects driven and determined students from low-income families with the people, preparation and possibilities to succeed in college, create their future, and change the world.”

Grants for Animals and Wildlife

Animals and wildlife are another smaller area of giving for this funder. Garfield does not name priorities here, but it has made grants to the San Diego Humane Society, the San Diego Wildlife Alliance and the Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Santa Fe.

Important Grant Details:

The Garfield Family Foundation’s grants range from $250 to $40,000.

  • This is a low-profile foundation that does not articulate a giving strategy. However, tax filings reveal interest in Jewish causes, arts and culture, mental health, foster youth, education and animal welfare.

  • This funder’s grants mainly stay in Southern California, and many of its grantees enjoy ongoing support.

  • The Garfield Family Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals and gives to preselected organizations only.

  • For information about its past giving, see the foundation’s past tax filings.

This funder does not provide contact information, but its phone number is listed as 858-273-4431.

PEOPLE:

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CONTACT:

Garfield Family Foundation

4238 Balboa Ave,

San Diego, CA 92117-5510

858-273-4431