How the Kissick Family Foundation Gives in Los Angeles
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Education a primary focus area for the foundation. Photo: Idealphotographer/shutterstock
Although many Los Angeles nonprofits may not be familiar with John Kissick, it’s worth getting to know what he and his family are doing in the world of philanthropy. Kissick’s charitable vehicle, the Kissick Family Foundation, has been awarding over $3 million in annual grants lately, and almost all of them are going to groups in the Los Angeles area.
Here’s a look at the Kissick Family Foundation and what Los Angeles nonprofits need to know about this local funder.
Who is John Kissick?
John Kissick is perhaps best known for co-founding Ares Management, a global alternative investment management firm that invests in private equity, real estate and credit. He was a partner at the firm until 2017 and has since retired.
Before that, he co-founded Apollo Management, worked for Drexel Burnham Lambert and pursued his education in economics and finance from Yale University and Stanford University. He created the Kissick Family Foundation in 1993, primarily to support education and health organizations.
Areas of interest
Education is consistently the foundation’s biggest interest, including support for Kissick’s alma maters. In the Los Angeles area, the foundation has supported LA’s Promise to help disadvantaged young people graduate from high school and Friends of Foshay Robotics to support a learning center in South Los Angeles.
Aside from education funding, Kissick often supports large and well-established hospitals and health organizations, such as Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Saint John’s Health Center. The foundation also funds various Jewish causes, including the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. Kissick’s giving for the arts is often very local and backs established arts organizations like such as the Geffen Playhouse and the Santa Monica Museum of Art.
Geographic focus areas
The Kissick Family Foundation is based in Pacific Palisades, a seaside community about 20 miles west of downtown Los Angeles. As discussed above, much of Kissick’s giving goes to Los Angeles-based organizations, such as Working Nation, Riordan Programs and Junior Achievement of Southern California.
Other California communities that commonly receive Kissick’s support include Pasadena, Santa Monica, Gardena, Santa Ana and San Francisco. The Kissick Family Foundation sometimes also supports work in places like Colorado, New Orleans, Boston and New York City.
Securing funding
Unlike many high-profile givers in Southern California, John Kissick maintains a low philanthropic profile. The Kissick Family Foundation does not have a website and does not publicly share information about its grantmaking guidelines or procedures. However, it may be worth a making phone call to the foundation to inquire about its process, especially for Los Angeles organizations. Kissick’s local grants tend to range from $10,000 to $25,000.
Learn more about this funder in IP’s full profile of the Kissick Family Foundation: Grants for Los Angeles.
