SoCal Grantmakers

What SoCal Grantmakers does

SoCal Grantmakers (SCG) is a nonprofit membership association, founded in the early-to-mid 1970s and headquartered at 1000 North Alameda Street in Los Angeles, that supports effective grantmaking across eight Southern California counties (Los Angeles, Orange, Kern, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura). The organization serves more than 300 member entities — including private foundations, family foundations, corporate foundations and giving programs (e.g., Annenberg, Amazon, Amgen Foundation, Bank of America Foundation), community foundations, government grantmakers, individual grantmakers, and philanthropic consultants — with the largest single category being family foundations (67 members). SCG is governed by an 18-member Board led by Co-Chairs Angel Daniels and Joanna S. Jackson, with Christine Essel as President & CEO, and supported by a staff of approximately 30 across nine functional teams.

SCG's product portfolio centers on an annual membership program delivering peer learning, networking, professional development, and policy advocacy, supported by a Drupal-based website that combines a Member Portal (database of 300+ member organizations), Job Board, Event Calendar, Resource Hub, Blog, and media library. Layered on the membership are three signature annual conferences (Annual Conference, Public Policy Conference, Family Philanthropy Conference), the evolve Professional Learning Series, the nationally-recognized Family Foundation Information Exchange (FFIX), and the SCG Policy & Advocacy Program with Sacramento Day and Foundations on the Hill convenings. SCG also serves as fiscal sponsor for 10+ member-led initiatives — including Black Equity Collective, Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative ($7M+ granted to 350+ nonprofits), LA County Veteran Peer Access Network, Hope and Heal Fund, LA Food Funders, and the LA Wildfire Recovery Funders Collaborative (launched January 2025) — and participates in the statewide Philanthropy California alliance with Northern California Grantmakers and Catalyst of San Diego & Imperial Counties (600+ foundations combined).

The business model combines recurring tiered membership dues (range $400 to $24,800 based on prior-year grants and HQ location), operating and project grants from major institutional funders (Irvine, Blue Shield CA, Weingart, Hilton, Parsons, Cedars-Sinai, California Wellness), conference sponsorship revenue, fiscal sponsorship administrative fees, and select event registration fees. SCG's technology stack is a conventional Drupal CMS with member portal functionality; no public API, SDK, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed. The competitive position rests on 50+ years of institutional history, a 300+ member network with concentrated density in Los Angeles County, fiscal-sponsorship-driven structural lock-in with key collaborators, and an integrated statewide alliance — none of which are easily replicated by new entrants.

Name

SoCal Grantmakers

Legal name

SoCal Grantmakers

Website

https://socalgrantmakers.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SoCal Grantmakers is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit membership association serving 300+ philanthropic entities across eight Southern California counties, offering peer learning, conferences, fiscal sponsorship, and policy advocacy for foundations, corporate funders, and family philanthropists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropy Association Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

Keywords

• Philanthropy association services
• Grantmaker membership programs
• Fiscal sponsorship services
• Philanthropy professional learning
• Nonprofit policy advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

Mexico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual tiered membership dues for organizational funders (range $400 to $24,800 based on prior year grants and HQ location). Includes all staff, board, and consultants of the member organization. Membership may be paid as a grant and is tax-deductible. Consultant membership is individual and non-transferable at $1,300 (or $1,050 with NNCG discount). Renews annually.
2. Conference Sponsorships: Sponsorship revenue from foundation and corporate sponsors (e.g., CalOptima Health, Candid, College Futures, Moss Adams x Bakertilly, Bank of America Foundation, WHH Foundation, Community Partners). Packages include complimentary tickets, recognition, and other benefits. Separate sponsorship guides for Annual, Public Policy, Family Philanthropy, evolve, and policy events.
3. Operating and Project Grants: Unrestricted operating grants and restricted project grants from member foundations (e.g., The James Irvine Foundation, Blue Shield of California Foundation, Weingart Foundation, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, Cedars-Sinai, UniHealth Foundation, California Wellness Foundation). Used for infrastructure, programming, and initiatives.
4. Event Registration Fees: Program and event registration fees (often free or reduced for members). Examples: non-member fees of $150 for some events, e.g., "Health and Housing Beyond the Headlines" for non-member funders. Some events are no-cost to attend (e.g., "From Surviving to Thriving" gender-based violence event).
5. Fiscal Sponsorship Fees: Administrative fees from serving as fiscal sponsor for member-led initiatives. Includes the Angeleno Project, Black Equity Collective, Center for Strategic Partnerships, Hope and Heal Fund, Inland Empire Funders Alliance, LA Food Funders, LA County VPAN, Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative, and Village Fund. Fees are not publicly disclosed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

SoCal Grantmakers is a nonprofit membership association that convenes and supports 300+ grantmaking entities (private, family, community, corporate, and public foundations plus philanthropic advisors) across eight Southern California counties. It sells annual tiered membership with access to peer learning, professional development, fiscal sponsorship services, three signature annual conferences (Annual, Public Policy, Family Philanthropy), policy/advocacy convening, and a member portal with resources and a job board.

Product overview

SoCal Grantmakers (SCG) operates as a single unified membership-based service organization rather than a modular SaaS platform: its core offering is the SCG Membership program, which is supported by a Drupal-based website that combines a Member Portal, a Job Board, an Event Calendar, a Resource Hub, and a Blog / Media Library. Layered on top of this core membership are several flagship and recurring programs: the SCG Annual Conference, the SCG Public Policy Conference, the SCG Family Philanthropy Conference (anchored by the Family Foundation Information Exchange), and the evolve: Professional Learning Series. SCG also runs targeted field initiatives through Fiscal Sponsorships, including the LA Wildfire Recovery Funders Collaborative and its LA Wildfire Recovery Funders Hub (launched in response to the January 2025 LA wildfires), the LA County Veteran Peer Access Network (VPAN), the Los Angeles Veterans Collaborative, and statewide work through Philanthropy California. A Policy & Advocacy Program (with Policy Framework, Policy Actions, and Policy Events) and peer Networks / Groups & Committees round out the portfolio. Together these products form a connected ecosystem for Southern California philanthropy: members join, learn, network, and convene through SCG's conferences and evolve programming; collaborate on shared initiatives via Networks and Field-wide Collaboratives; and access field knowledge through the Resource Hub, Job Board, and editorial channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• evolve: SCG's suite of programming championing transformational leadership, encompassing professional learning programs and cohorts (Fundamentals of Effective Grantmaking, Emerging Leaders Peer-to-Peer Network, Senior Peer-to-Peer Network, Foundations of Racial Equity, evolve Executive).
• SCG Family Foundation Information Exchange (FFIX)
• Los Angeles County Veteran Peer Access Network (VPAN)
• Los Angeles Veterans Collaborative

Products and services

• SCG Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• 50+ years of institutional service as a leading California philanthropy-supporting organization
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

40 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, major and mid-tier.

• Philanthropy CaliforniaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhilanthropy California is a statewide alliance of California's three major philanthropy-supporting organizations: SoCal Grantmakers, Northern California Grantmakers, and Catalyst of San Diego & Imperial Counties. Combined membership represents 600+ foundations, corporate funders, philanthropic individuals and families, giving circles, and government agencies that invest billions annually. SCG members gain immediate access to all Philanthropy California news, programs, and events at no additional cost.
• Northern California Grantmakers (NCG)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide alliance partner in Philanthropy California. SCG members gain access to NCG events and programs (e.g., Foundations of Racial Equity series co-sponsored by SCG's evolve, NCG, and GEO). NCG membership is also cross-honored at SCG events.
• Catalyst of San Diego & Imperial CountiesflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide alliance partner in Philanthropy California. Catalyst members can register for SCG events and programming at member rates. Joint programming and policy coordination.
• National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCG partners with NCFP to give SCG family philanthropy members direct, complimentary access to NCFP's monthly Fundamentals of Family Philanthropy webinar series and NCFP's database of resources and tools for philanthropic families. NCFP co-hosts Family Philanthropy Webinars (e.g., 'Creating a Legacy: Cultivating Shared Leadership') and Family Philanthropy Conference.
• United Philanthropy ForummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundations on the Hill (FOTH) is put on by United Philanthropy Forum. SCG and the Philanthropy California delegation join FOTH every other year to meet with Congress and discuss issues of critical importance to philanthropy.
• Black Equity CollectivemajorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerCommunity-public-private partnership with Black equity as its central, unifying force. SCG serves as fiscal sponsor. Focus is on strengthening long-term capacity and infrastructure of Black-led and Black-empowering social justice organizations in Southern California (LA County and the Inland Empire). Born out of the Black Equity Initiative (2017).
• Los Angeles County Veteran Peer Access Network (VPAN)majorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerSCG serves as fiscal intermediary for VPAN. Provides high-quality, coordinated network of care for LA County servicemembers, veterans, and their families with access to housing, wrap-around services, and Veteran Service Organizations. Aimee Pila-Bravo is Director of the LA Veterans Collaborative at SCG; Dr. Kristin Sandoval serves as VPAN Compliance Manager.
• Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative (NSI)majorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerSCG fiscal sponsorship. LA-based fund that invests in nonprofit resiliency during moments of organizational transformation (sustained collaboration or executive transition). NSI has received support from 24 foundations and granted over $7 million to 350+ nonprofits.
• Center for Strategic Partnerships (LA County)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst-of-its-kind venture in Los Angeles County, with homes in both the LA County Chief Executive Office and SoCal Grantmakers. Helps the County and philanthropy partner more effectively to transform systems, promote equity, and improve the lives of children and families. Funded by 11 County departments and 20+ foundations. Jacqueline Chun serves as Associate Director on the LA County side.
• Inland Empire Funders Alliance (IEFA)majorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerSCG fiscal sponsorship. Collaborative network of grantmakers in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties with significant grantmaking activities. Partners with 11,000 nonprofit organizations serving 4.5 million Inland Empire residents.
• The Angeleno Project (formerly Committee for Greater LA)majorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerSCG fiscal sponsorship. Vision is to create new systems and opportunities where Angelenos can fulfill their fullest potential. Brought a diverse group of Angelenos together around a shared vision in 2020 in response to the pandemic, producing eight reports on LA disparities.
• Hope and Heal FundmajorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerSCG fiscal sponsorship. California-based organization advancing innovative solutions to reduce harm and trauma due to violence and suicide, with a key focus on firearms. Started in 2016 by philanthropic and public health leaders.
• LA Food FundersmajorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerSCG fiscal sponsorship. Membership-based network of grantmakers pooling and aligning funding to advance food justice in LA County. Convened quarterly.
• Village FundmajorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerSCG fiscal sponsorship. Partners with organizations supporting Black birthing mothers and their families; unlikely to receive County contracts directly. LA Partnership for Early Childhood Investment, as a Center for Strategic Partnerships liaison, organizes philanthropic investment for community-driven change.
• LA Wildfire Recovery Funders CollaborativeflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-sector coalition of local recovery philanthropic fund managers, government agencies, academia, and nonprofit partners responding to the January 2025 LA wildfires. Aligns wildfire recovery efforts through LA County. Co-led by Dr. Lily Bui (SCG) and Jacqueline Chun (LA County Center for Strategic Partnerships). Inspired by 'Maui Strong' and 'Butte Strong' models. Mobilizes funders around the National Disaster Recovery Framework.
• LA Veterans CollaborativemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStructured network of public, private, and government agencies working together to reduce suffering and improve the lives of veterans, service members, and military families in LA County. SCG is home to the LA Veterans Collaborative and the SCG Veteran Funders Group, with quarterly veteran-focused programs.
• California Black Freedom FundmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCG is tracking the California Black Freedom Fund as a policy action. A statewide funder collaborative supporting Black-led organizing.
• Goldhirsh FoundationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSCG partners with Social Justice Partners Los Angeles (SJPLA) and the Goldhirsh Foundation on the LA2050 Grants Challenge, where SJPLA serves as the evaluation lead. Last year, 75 volunteer evaluators helped redistribute nearly $3M in funding to 55 LA County organizations across education, transit, healthcare, and immigrant support.
• Social Justice Partners Los Angeles (SJPLA)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerSJPLA serves as the evaluation lead for the LA2050 Grants Challenge, partnering with SCG to recruit volunteer evaluators and coordinate grantmaking.
• Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. FundmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosts the 'Funding Strong Coalitions' learning series webinar with Mandala Strategies, Michelson 20MM Foundation, and Philanthropy California. Explores how philanthropy can strengthen coalitions.
• Michelson 20MM FoundationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosts the 'Funding Strong Coalitions' learning series with Haas Jr. Fund, Mandala Strategies, and Philanthropy California.
• Asset Funders Network (AFN)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosts the 'From Surviving to Thriving: What Gender-Based Violence Survivors Say Funders Need to Know About Economic Security' event with FreeFrom. Release of AFN's 'Advancing the Economic Security of Gender-Based Violence Survivors' brief.
• FreeFrommajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosts the 'From Surviving to Thriving' event with AFN. Sonya Passi (Founder and CEO) is a featured speaker.
• Philanthropy New YorkmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosts the 'From AI Curiosity to Practice: Applying AI in Philanthropy Workflows and Grantmaking' interactive workshop for SCG and Philanthropy New York members.
• Funders Together to End Homelessness - Los AngelesmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosts the 'Health and Housing Beyond the Headlines' webinar with SCG's Health Funders Group, focusing on federal policy impacts on immigrant communities. Diana Jimenez of Weingart Foundation is a featured speaker.
• Moss Adams x Baker Tilly Foundationmid-tierChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConference Sponsor of SCG signature conferences. Provides grants/funding to support SCG programming.
• Bank of America FoundationmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConference Sponsor of SCG events. Raúl Bustillos (SVP, Community Relations, Bank of America) serves on SCG's Board.
• WHH FoundationmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConference Sponsor of SCG events. Alyson Sattler (WHH Foundation) serves on the 2026 Annual Conference Advisory Committee.
• Community PartnersmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConference Sponsor of SCG events.
• CalOptima HealthmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConference Sponsor of SCG signature conferences. Logo displayed on the Conferences page.
• CandidmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConference Sponsor of SCG signature conferences. Logo displayed on the Conferences page.
• College FuturesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConference Sponsor of SCG signature conferences. Logo displayed on the Conferences page.
• Specialty Family FoundationmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFamily Philanthropy Sponsor. Joe Womac (President, Specialty Family Foundation) serves on SCG's Board.
• Stuart FoundationmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFamily Philanthropy Sponsor whose contributions make SCG's year-round family philanthropy work possible.
• Crail-Johnson FoundationmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFamily Philanthropy Sponsor whose contributions make SCG's year-round family philanthropy work possible.
• Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) - Los Angeles Chaptermid-tierStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal affinity group chapter partnership. SCG supports the LA chapter of AAPIP, providing networking and programming access to AAPI funders and philanthropic professionals.
• Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP) - Los Angeles Chaptermid-tierStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal affinity group chapter partnership. SCG supports the LA chapter of EPIP, providing networking and professional development for emerging philanthropic leaders.
• Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR)mid-tierStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgramming partnership. SCG members can participate in GCIR's programs at member rates, and SCG co-develops programming on immigration and refugee issues.
• Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO)mid-tierStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgramming partnership. SCG co-sponsors the Foundations of Racial Equity series with NCG and GEO. SCG members can access GEO's programs at member rates.
• PEAK Grantmakingmid-tierStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal affinity group chapter partnership. SCG supports the SoCal chapter of PEAK Grantmaking.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Northern California Grantmakers (NCG): Direct peer and alliance partner via Philanthropy California. NCG is a regional philanthropy-supporting organization serving Bay Area funders with similar membership, programs, and policy advocacy structure, making it the closest functional comparable.
• Catalyst of San Diego & Imperial Counties: Direct peer and third member of the Philanthropy California alliance. Catalyst is a regional grantmaker association serving San Diego and Imperial County funders with overlapping membership, peer learning, and policy programs.
• National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP): National organization focused on family philanthropy. Co-hosts Family Philanthropy Webinars and the Family Philanthropy Conference with SCG, and competes/collaborates on FFIX-equivalent programming for family foundation members.

Broad incumbents

• Council on Foundations: National membership association for foundations and corporate giving programs. While much larger and nationally scoped, CoF competes with SCG for members, sponsorships, and policy influence at the federal level (Foundations on the Hill).
• United Philanthropy Forum: National network of philanthropic-serving organizations. Operates Foundations on the Hill, the signature federal advocacy event SCG participates in, and is an infrastructure peer for regional grantmaker associations.
• Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO): National nonprofit that supports foundations to be more effective. Co-sponsors the Foundations of Racial Equity series with SCG and NCG; comparable in peer-learning content but national in scope.
• Exponent Philanthropy: National membership association for foundations with few or no staff. Provides similar peer-learning, education, and policy programming for small-staffed foundations across the country, partially overlapping with SCG's smaller-funder member tier.

Regional players

• Philanthropy Northwest: Regional grantmaker association serving the Pacific Northwest. Operates with a similar member-based model and convening/policy role across WA, OR, ID, MT, and AK, making it the closest geographic-adjacent regional comparable.

Emerging players

• Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR): National funder collaborative focused on immigration and refugee issues. Programming partner with SCG on immigration-related funder convenings, with overlapping membership and shared events but a narrower issue focus.
• PEAK Grantmaking: National membership organization for grants management professionals. SCG supports the SoCal chapter; comparable as a peer learning community targeting foundation operations staff, with overlapping members but a functional rather than geographic focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@socalgrantmakers593
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southern-california-grantmakers
• Instagraminstagram.com/socalgrantmaker
• Xx.com/Socalgrantmaker

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about SoCal Grantmakers