Fritz B. Burns Foundation

OVERVIEW: The Fritz B. Burns Foundation supports education, health, medical research, human services and religion in Los Angeles, California.

IP TAKE: The Burns Foundation is an accessible, but low profile Los Angeles-area funder that supports a wide variety of local causes and accepts unsolicited requests for funding. It is purposefully broad in order to adapt to the changing needs of the community it serves. This is a funder is big on giving for Catholic causes.

Unfortunately, this is not a transparent funder, restricting information about it’s grant strategies, as well as information about it’s grantees. But, it’s accessible for new grantseekers, who should call the foundation to see if their work aligns and learn more about where to send applications.

PROFILE: Established in 1955, the Fritz B. Burns Foundation is an independent foundation based in Woodland Hills, California, an upscale neighborhood in Los Angeles. Burns was a real estate development pioneer known for building homes, malls, hotels and industrial parks. He lived from 1899 to 1979 and was well-known as a developer in Los Angeles, local civic leader and philanthropist for Roman Catholic organizations. Today the foundation is run by Rex Rawlinson as president, Cheryl Robinson and Maureen Rawlinson as co-vice presidents and Lorraine Perry as secretary/treasurer. The foundation funds local efforts for education, health, medical research, human services and religion.

Grants for Los Angeles

The Fritz B. Burns Foundation does not have a website to guide grantseekers. However, past tax records indicate that this funder primarily funds educational institutions, hospitals and organizations that research diseases.

It also continues to give to Catholic churches and organizations to carry on the founder’s commitment to his religion. Past grants have supported university-level athletics, Christian schools, museum exhibits and legal aid. Other funding has gone toward cancer research, remodeling science classrooms and establishing schools’ technology plans.

Important Grant Details:

Grants range between about $50,000 and $3 million. The foundation has awarded nearly $5 million in annual grants in recent years. Learn more about this funder’s local giving by examining its recent tax records. Grantmaking focuses on Los Angeles and elsewhere in Southern California. Past local grantees include Little Sisters of the Poor, the University of Southern California and the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association.

This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits. Grantseekers should submit general application materials to the foundation via letter in advance of the September 30 deadline. The foundation approves new grants in November and makes payments the following February. Direct general questions to the foundation at 818-313-8818.

PEOPLE:

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