Lynn & Les Bider Family Foundation

OVERVIEW: The Lynn & Les Bider Foundation’s grantmaking supports Jewish and arts organizations, among other interests.

IP TAKE: The foundation keeps a low public profile, which limits information available on its grantmaking priorities and activities. It’s not transparent or accessible, so getting on the foundation’s radar with require deep networking and some luck. It does not accept unsolicited applications and makes contact challenging. Reach out by snail mail only if your work closely aligns as this funder prefers a proactive grantmaking approach. While the Biders make grants for the arts and Jewish causes, they primarily do so in the SoCal and Los Angeles areas, so if your work exists beyond this region, this will not be a strong fit.

PROFILE:  Founded in 1996, the Lynn and Les Bider Foundation was established by music veteran executive Les Bider and his wife Lynn. Les Bider graduated with a B.S. in accounting from USC and received a masters degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Bider was licensed as a CPA in California in 1975 and founded the accounting practice, Bider & Montgomery. In 1981, Bider joined Warner Bros. Music as CFO. He helped spearhead Warner/Chappell Music through the merger of Warner Bros. Music with the Chappell and Intersong Music Group. Bider also worked with Elevation Partners, a Menlo Park-based private equity firm and has worked as CFO of PinnacleCare. 

The Lynn & Les Bider Foundation’s grantmaking includes support for Jewish and arts organizations. 

Grants for Los Angeles and Jewish Causes

The Biders are active in their local Jewish committee. Lynn is a former Sylvia Weisz Women’s Campaign Chair at the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles.  She is also the past president of Stephen S. Wise Temple and has been on the board of trustees for some 20 years. Les has been involved with Jewish Federation of Los Angeles and Hebrew Union College.

The couple, via their foundation, have supported Temple Beth AM, Hebrew Union College, Stephen S. Wise Temple, and Jewish Vocational Services.

The Biders have supported the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (Bider is a life trustee), Skirball Cultural Center, and Hide and Seek Foundation, which deals with a group of inherited metabolic disorders called lysosomal diseases. They have supported Beauty Bus Foundation, which "delivers dignity, hope and respite to chronically or terminally ill patients and their caregivers through beauty services and pampering products."

Important Grant Details:

In a past tax year, grants ranged from $10,000 to $50,000 and the foundation made grants of around $225,000. Past grantees include Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (Bider is a life trustee), Skirball Cultural Center, and Hide and Seek Foundation, which deals with a group of inherited metabolic disorders called lysosomal diseases.

Important Grant Details:

Given the foundation's lack of transparency, it is unclear whether it accepts LOIs or unsolicited applications; however, given this lack, it likely will not.

PEOPLE:

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CONTACT:

Lynn & Les Bider Family Foundation
23622 Calabasas Rd., Ste. 107
Calabasas, CA 91302