Wasserman Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Wasserman Foundation funds work related to art, education, and health in the Los Angeles area.
IP TAKE: The Wasserman Foundation funds many types of organizations in Los Angeles. There is also a global program competing for Wasserman funds. Hollywood insider Casey Wasserman runs the show, but doesn't show his cards. This is not an accessible or responsive foundation. The best bet for new grantseekers is to get in touch with foundation staff and make an introduction.
PROFILE: Founded in 1952, the Wasserman Foundation was created by Lew and Edie Wasserman Lew was a talent agent, studio executive, and MCA manager. While running MCA, he dominated Hollywood and represented stars like Bette Davis and Ronald Reagan. Before Lew's grandson, Casey, took the helm of the foundation, he worked as an entertainment executive, sports agent executive, and owner of the Los Angeles Avengers arena football team. The program focus areas are pretty broad, and organizations working to improve art, education, and health in the Los Angeles area are all considered for grants. The foundation donates to organizations in the focus areas of Education, Health, Arts & Culture, Service and Global Initiatives.
Grants for Early Childhood Education, K-12 Education, and Higher Education
The foundation’s Education giving focuses on schools in the Los Angeles area and seeks to “improve the conditions under which students learn by partnering with organizations that are transforming Los Angeles public schools.” This program area receives the lion’s share of grants and foundation funding. UCLA is a site of steady support over the years. Other grantees include Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, Los Angeles Unified School District, National Council on Teacher Quality, Teach for America, and Los Angeles Parents Union. This funder has also endowed scholarships at institutions of higher education including Brandeis University, Caltech, Georgetown University, and UCLA.
Grants for Public Health and Diseases
The Wasserman Foundation’s Health program does not have any specific diseases of interest here, but it supports “organizations that provide high-quality healthcare.” The foundation highlights its giving to institutions such as the Jules Stein Eye Institute, MPTF, Alliance for a Healthier Generation, and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Other past grantees include the Alzheimer’s Association, Autism Speaks, and the Arthritis Foundation.
Grants for Arts and Culture
Wasserman’s Arts & Culture program supports “arts and culture institutions.” The majority of arts funding goes to museums and performing arts institutions, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Grammy Museum Foundation Inc. Other grantees the foundation has supported include Skirball Cultural Center, Asia Society, and Rancho Los Alamitos Foundation.
Grants for Community Development
Wasserman’s community development programming focuses on Support Service groups, specifically for support service leaders including military, police, and fire. Previous grantees in this space include Los Angeles Fire Department foundation, Los Angeles Police Foundation, The Mission Continues, and YEO Network. Other community development grantees include Million Trees LA, Ciclavia Inc, Living Cities The National Community Development Initiative, and A Better L.A.
Grants for Global Development and Human Rights
The foundation supports global development through its Global Initiatives program, which seeks to “[p]artner with organizations that help meet global challenges.” Its key global development interests remain vague; however, it predominantly awards large international groups such as the Clinton Foundation, ONE, and charity:water. The foundation also supports a few human rights organizations, such as Human Rights Watch.
Important Grant Details:
Wasserman’s grants generally range from $10,000 to $100,000; however, they can range from about $1,000 to over $1 million. The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications or requests for funding. The foundation does not provide a direct avenue for getting in touch, but its phone number is (310) 407-0200.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
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