Ben B. and Joyce E. Eisenberg Foundation

OVERVIEW: This funder supports Jewish organizations in Los Angeles. The foundation also makes grants in Los Angeles to education, health (with a cancer focus), human services (with a focus on the elderly), and the arts.

IP TAKE: The foundation is not accessible or transparent. Nor does it have much of a web presence, and it does not accept unsolicited proposals.

Networking is key for getting on the radar of this funder. Although it has been relatively quiet of late, it is still an active grantmaker, so reach out to learn more about it’s recent giving habits.

Those interested in funding here will have the most luck attracting funding if their work closely aligns with Eisenberg’s giving for Jewish causes.

PROFILE: Ben B. and Joyce E. Eisenberg Foundation was created in early 1986, when the late real estate entrepreneur Ben Eisenberg transferred all his properties to the Ben and Joyce Eisenberg Foundation, a charitable trust with the provision that all profits be donated to several pre-selected charities, primarily in the fields of medical research and the care of children and the elderly. When Ben passed away from cancer, Joyce Eisenberg became the president of the foundation.

Through the years, a large component of the Joyce E. Eisenberg Foundation's grantmaking has prioritized Los Angeles. This is a foundation that flies well under the radar, with a minimal web presence, and no clear avenues of contact. In a recent year, the foundation made grants of around $2.9 million. In July 2022, the foundation sold a 139,567-square-foot industrial park in Los Angeles for $37 million and announced that all proceeds will go to help children and the elderly.

Grants for Jewish Causes and Los Angeles

The Eisenberg Foundation is a strong funder of Jewish causes in Los Angeles and Israel. L.A. grantees include Anti-Defamation League, Builders of Jewish Education, Sinai Temple, Valley Beth Shalom, and SoCal Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. The foundation also makes grants in human services, and has been a significant funder of Jewish nursing homes for the elderly. In a past year, Joyce made a $15 million grant to Los Angeles Jewish Home. Other grantees include Aviva Family & Children's Services, and L.A. Food Bank. 

Grants for Higher Education and Arts and Culture

The foundation also supports education and youth in Los Angeles. Grantees include American Jewish University, Hebrew Union College, Shalhevet School, USC, and UCLA. In the arts, the foundation supports Geffen Playhouse and Music Center-LA County (which contains Disney Concert Hall), among others. The family have also been important patrons of The New Mart in downtown Los Angeles, an historic building.

Grants for Public Health

The foundation's health grantmaking has a strongly personal element and is often conducted nationally, despite this otherwise regional giver’s focus on Los Angeles. Cancer is a key focus. Grantees include American Cancer Society, American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science (where Joyce has endowed a cancer chair), Cedars Sinai Heart Institute, and Cedars Sinai Medical Center. St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica is home to the Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer Breast Cancer Center, as well.

Important Grant Details:

Grants run from a few thousand up to several million, although the average grant size is $1,000. The foundation does not have much of a web presence. It does not accept unsolicited proposals or requests for funding.

PEOPLE:

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CONTACT:

The Ben B. and Joyce E. Eisenberg Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch, but below is an address:

Ben B. and Joyce E. Eisenberg Foundation

12400 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 1250

Los Angeles, CA 90025