Younes & Soraya Nazarian Family Foundation

What Younes & Soraya Nazarian Family Foundation does

The Younes & Soraya Nazarian Family Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2000 in Los Angeles, California by Iranian-born philanthropists Younes (z"l) and Soraya Sarah Nazarian. The Foundation's mission centers on promoting education as a catalyst for societal change, funding academic, public policy, community-based social, and artistic programs. In 2003, it expanded its geographic footprint by establishing the Ima Foundation as its regional office in Tel Aviv, Israel, with a focus on narrowing Israel's social and economic gaps through education. In 2014, the Foundation broadened its mission beyond education to include advancing mental health and well-being, empowering women and girls, and combating antisemitism.

The Foundation does not operate commercial products; instead, its 'product' is a portfolio of named philanthropic programs distributed through an invitation-only grantmaking process. The portfolio includes more than 30 institutional partners across the US and Israel: named centers and buildings (The Soraya at CSUN, UCLA Israel Studies Center, USC Nazarian Pavilion, JAMD Building), endowed libraries and digital archives (University of Haifa, Sapir College, Bezalel Academy, Hebrew University, National Library of Israel), scholarship and award programs (Cedars-Sinai Clinical Scholar Award, UCLA Health Medical Humanitarian Prize, Holocaust Education Travel Grants), cultural initiatives (LA Phil YOLA, Iranian Young Leadership Initiative, Skirball Fellowship), and healthcare partnerships (MSR/Mayo Clinic simulation collaboration, Rambam Mental Health Clinic).

The Foundation is governed by a Board of Trustees and a Next Gen Advisory Board comprising the four Nazarian children and 11 grandchildren, with Dr. Sharon Nazarian serving as President, David Nazarian as CFO, Peter Heilbron as CIO, and a small administrative staff in Los Angeles alongside an Israeli leadership team led by CEO Esther Barak-Landes and COO Dana Glikman-Dotan. Revenue and grantmaking figures are not publicly disclosed; the entity functions as a non-operating grantmaker distributing capital to pre-vetted, IRS Code Section 501(c)3 organizations and Israeli non-profits under a curated, invitation-only model.

Name

Younes & Soraya Nazarian Family Foundation

Legal name

Younes & Soraya Nazarian Family Foundation

Website

https://yandsnazarianfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Younes & Soraya Nazarian Family Foundation is a Los Angeles-based private family foundation that funds education, arts, healthcare, and Jewish and Iranian heritage programs through an invitation-only grantmaking model, with a regional Tel Aviv office (Ima Foundation) and more than 30 institutional partners across the US and Israel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Family Foundation / Philanthropic Grantmaking

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ), Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Family Offices & Philanthropic Advisors (Grantmaking) (BPAGAKAD)

Keywords

• Family foundation grantmaking
• Educational program funding
• Arts and culture philanthropy
• Jewish heritage grants
• Policy research support

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Operations

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Younes & Soraya Nazarian Family Foundation is a private family foundation that supports educational causes through grants, endowed programs, named facilities, scholarships, and cultural initiatives. It funds academic, public policy, community-based social, and artistic programs, with a focus on Jewish and Iranian heritage, operating across Los Angeles and Tel Aviv via its regional arm, the Ima Foundation.

Product overview

The Younes & Soraya Nazarian Family Foundation is a Los Angeles-based private family foundation established in 2000, with a regional office in Israel called the Ima Foundation. The Foundation's primary mission is promoting education as a catalyst for societal change. Rather than offering a unified technology product, the Foundation operates a portfolio of philanthropic programs including: named centers and facilities (The Soraya performing arts center, UCLA Israel Studies Center, Nazarian Pavilion at USC), endowed libraries and digital archives at universities in Israel and the US, scholarship and award programs (Clinical Scholar Award, Medical Humanitarian Prize, Holocaust Education Grants), cultural initiatives (YOLA youth orchestra, Iranian Young Leadership Initiative), and healthcare partnerships (MSR/Mayo Clinic medical simulation collaboration, Rambam Mental Health Clinic). The Foundation funds across academic, public policy, community-based, and arts programming in Los Angeles and Israel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Invitation-Only Grantmaking Program A grantmaking program that accepts letters of inquiry and grant proposals only by invitation, providing funding exclusively to tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations across Education, Research on Policy Making, Arts and Culture, Jewish Causes, and Iranian Causes, primarily in Southern California and Israel.
• Ima Foundation Israel Grantmaking The Israel-focused grantmaking arm of the Foundation, established in 2003 in Tel Aviv, using education as the primary vehicle to narrow Israel's social and economic gaps, including an Emergency Fund for urgent needs.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• California State University, Northridge (CSUN)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya) is an award-winning performing arts center that has become a significant regional cultural institution. This gift is one of the largest in the history of the California State University system and the system's largest single gift to support the arts.
• University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Younes & Soraya Nazarian Center for Israel Studies promotes the study of the history, culture and society of Israel as a modern Jewish and democratic state. Also includes the Younes & Soraya Nazarian Lobby at the Hammer Museum.
• University of Southern California (USC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Nazarian Pavilion outdoor courtyard serves as a welcoming location for students and the community. The Nazarian Distinguished Annual Lecture on Israel focuses on Israeli cultural history.
• RAND CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Israel Program at the RAND Center for Middle East Public Policy addresses fundamental policy issues in Israel spanning multiple domains such as minimizing socio-economic gaps, education reform, and other areas critical to Israel's future.
• Hammer MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Younes & Soraya Nazarian Lobby at UCLA. The Foundation's endowment support advances the Museum's expansion and renovation and allows the Museum to remain free and open to the public.
• Los Angeles PhilharmoniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) brings classical music education to children from low-income communities, providing free instruments, musical training, and academic support.
• Jewish Federation of Greater Los AngelescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Younes & Soraya Nazarian Iranian Young Leadership Initiative (IYLI) honors and celebrates Iranian heritage through inclusive experiences for young adults in the Jewish community.
• Cayton Children's MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Foundation gift supports the museum's relocation and construction to an expanded footprint of 21,000 square-feet with more classroom space, extended hours, and modernized exhibits focused on social justice and diversity.
• Skirball Cultural CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNazarian Research Fellowship in Iranian-Jewish Art & Culture and Nazarian Applied Arts Program.
• Cedars-Sinai Medical CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYounes and Soraya Nazarian Clinical Scholar Award supporting medical research and education.
• Crossroads SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNazarian Holocaust Education Professional Development Travel Grant.
• UCLA HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYounes Nazarian Medical Humanitarian Prize.
• Hebrew Union College (HUC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYounes and Soraya Nazarian Antisemitism Education Endowment Fund.
• Milken Community SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeit Midrash and Classrooms support.
• Sapir CollegeflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Younes & Soraya Nazarian Academic Library Of the Ima Foundation. In 2009, the Foundation gift enabled construction of a new library wing, doubling the library's size with study areas, multimedia department, and computer workstations.
• Bezalel Academy of Arts and DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Younes and Soraya Nazarian Library and Digital Archive serves as the focal gathering place for creation, exchange, and access of information for scholars, students, and the public.
• University of HaifaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Younes & Soraya Nazarian Library is the central academic library serving all faculties and programs. It is one of the largest academic libraries in Israel with exceptional collections. The 'Legacy' sculpture by Soraya Sarah Nazarian is situated at the entrance.
• The Hebrew University of JerusalemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Younes & Soraya Nazarian Pre-Academic Library of the Ima Foundation supports the Hebrew University's pre-academic program for high school graduates from abroad.
• National Library of IsraelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Younes & Soraya Nazarian Experiential Center serves as an events space and features temporary arts and culture exhibitions.
• Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance (JAMD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Younes & Soraya Nazarian Building and The Navon Performance Hall, High School and Conservatory. Over 1600 young people ages 4 to graduate students attend daily.
• MSR, Israel Center for Medical SimulationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA collaboration between Mayo Clinic and MSR to advance simulation-based medical education. MSR is a world leader in patient safety training and medical simulation education.
• Rambam Health Care CampusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYounes & Soraya Nazarian Mental Health and Wellness Clinic in Haifa, Israel.
• Tel Aviv Museum of ArtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Younes & Soraya Nazarian Family Experiential Center.
• Women's International Zionist Organization (WIZO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Younes and Soraya Nazarian Day Care and Early Childhood Education Center.
• TechnodaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Younes and Soraya Nazarian Auditorium.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles: The Nazarian Foundation is a grantee/donor partner of Jewish Federation through the IYLI program; Jewish Federation is a peer community-funded vehicle with overlapping Iranian-Jewish and Greater LA community focus

Direct peers

• Avi Chai Foundation: Private foundation focused on Jewish education in the United States and Israel with major grants to Israeli universities - directly comparable in Jewish/Israel-education grantmaking mission
• Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund: San Francisco Bay Area Jewish family foundation with major education, Jewish community, and Bay Area institutional giving - closely parallels Nazarian in scale, mission, and named-institution strategy
• Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation: Los Angeles-based Jewish family foundation funding Jewish education and Israeli institutions - comparable geography and thematic focus on Jewish/Israel causes
• Russell Berrie Foundation: Jewish family foundation with significant U.S.-Israel giving focused on education, community, and interfaith dialogue - directly comparable mission profile and Israel/New Jersey operational footprint
• Skirball Foundation: LA-based Jewish family foundation that operates the Skirball Cultural Center, the same institution the Nazarian Foundation funds through its Iranian-Jewish Art & Culture fellowship - directly overlapping in Jewish-heritage cultural philanthropy and geography
• Crown Family Philanthropies: Chicago-based Jewish family foundation with flagship university partnerships (including in Israel) and arts/culture funding - comparable size and multi-generational Jewish grantmaking model
• David Geffen Foundation: Los Angeles-based private family foundation focused on education, arts, and Jewish heritage with major named gifts at UCLA and other elite institutions - closely comparable geography, scale, and thematic focus to the Nazarian Foundation

Broad incumbents

• The Annenberg Foundation: LA-rooted major philanthropy supporting education, arts, and culture globally at substantially larger scale - parallels Nazarian's emphasis on education and performing-arts institutional capacity
• Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation: Major LA-based philanthropy with extensive arts, education, and Jewish heritage giving at scale significantly larger than the Nazarian Foundation - comparable thematic portfolio and LA institutional focus

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/younes-soraya-nazarian-family-foundation1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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