Department of Angels

What Department of Angels does

Department of Angels is an independent nonprofit foundation founded in January 2025 in the immediate aftermath of the January 2025 Los Angeles fires (Eaton and Palisades Fires). The organization serves fire-displaced survivors and community-based organizations across Altadena, Pacific Palisades, Pasadena, Malibu, and Sierra Madre in Greater Los Angeles County, acting as a trusted bridge between survivors, government, philanthropy, and expert networks. Its core programs include the Community Voices: LA Fire Recovery Report (a quarterly statistically significant survey of 8,200+ survivors conducted with Embold Research), the Survivor Network Accelerator (a 12-month capacity-building program offering grants up to $150,000), a Community Grants program (grants up to $20,000 for survivor-led events), block captain neighborhood networks (300+ volunteer captains covering 65-75% of affected areas), the Finance & Insurance Solutions Working Group, and community soil testing events. The organization provides all services at no cost to beneficiaries and is funded entirely through philanthropic grants and donations, with seed funding from California Community Foundation, Snap Inc., and Snapchat co-founders Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy.

Name

Department of Angels

Legal name

Department of Angels Foundation

Website

https://deptofangels.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Department of Angels is an independent nonprofit founded in January 2025 that supports 2025 LA fire survivors across Altadena, Pacific Palisades, and Greater Los Angeles through community organizing, policy advocacy, direct grants, and a quarterly survivor survey reaching 8,200+ respondents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disaster Recovery Services

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Housing Services (62422)

akta.pro primary industry

Disaster Recovery, Reconstruction & Resilience Programs (BPAGAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disaster Behavioral Health & Psychosocial Support (HLAJAGAM), Disaster Relief & Humanitarian Aid Volunteering (EDAIAGAF)

Keywords

• Disaster recovery services
• Community organizing programs
• Fire survivor support
• Policy advocacy research
• Nonprofit recovery grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grants & Donations: The Department of Angels is funded entirely through philanthropic grants and donations. Initial seed funding was provided by the California Community Foundation, Snap Inc., and Snapchat co-founders Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy. The organization also receives grants from state budget allocations directed by its advocacy work.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Department of Angels is a nonprofit foundation that supports recovery for survivors of the January 2025 Los Angeles fires through community organizing, direct grants to community-based organizations, quarterly survivor needs surveys, policy advocacy, and expert working groups. It directly funds and coordinates a network of community-based organizations and 300+ volunteer block captains across Altadena, Pacific Palisades, and surrounding fire-impacted neighborhoods, while operating programs such as the Survivor Network Accelerator (up to $150,000 in grants), Community Grants Program (up to $20,000), and the Community Voices: LA Fire Recovery Report survey initiative.

Product overview

Department of Angels is a nonprofit community recovery organization (not a technology product company). Their 'offerings' consist of community organizing programs, research initiatives, grant programs, and advocacy efforts designed to help fire-impacted communities lead their own recovery. The core programs include the Community Voices research survey, Survivor Network Accelerator grant program, Community Grants for neighborhood gatherings, Block Captain coordination networks, Finance & Insurance Solutions Working Group, and Soil Testing Events. These programs work together to provide direct support (grants, resources), data-driven advocacy (quarterly surveys), and community connection (neighbor networks, block captains) to survivors of the 2025 LA fires.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Voices: LA Fire Recovery Report
• Survivor Network Accelerator

Quantifiable outcome

• Unlocked $8M in state funding for housing and environmental health recovery initiatives in Altadena and Eaton Fire burn area
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, core and primary.

• Extreme Weather SurvivorssupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Co-hosted 'With Us', an immersive art and storytelling installation designed to center survivors' lived experience and remind the city what recovery truly asks. The installation featured work of 26 visual artists (16 fire survivors), a soundscape of 25+ survivor testimonials, and Department of Angels survey data. Over 500 visitors attended over four days.
• Supervisor Lindsey HorvathsupportingOthers · 1 December 2025Supported the Pacific Palisades community soil testing event at Will Rogers State Historic Park, contributing to the event's ability to collect 500+ soil samples.
• California State ParkssupportingOthers · 1 December 2025Partnered with Department of Angels and USC CLEAN for the Pacific Palisades community soil testing event at Will Rogers State Historic Park. The park's reopening was made possible in part through USC CLEAN's soil testing efforts.
• CAP.LA (Community Action Project Los Angeles)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Part of the environmental health consortium (with USC CLEAN and LA Fire HEALTH Study) awarded $2M in state funding for remediating homes with highest lead levels. Participated in community soil testing events providing resources and expertise.
• USC CLEANcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025USC's CLEAN (wildfire soil testing) program. Partnership for community soil testing days: 150+ samples collected in Altadena; 500+ samples collected in Pacific Palisades. USC CLEAN has now processed over 4,000 soil samples. State funding of $2M allocated to a consortium including USC CLEAN, CAP LA, and LA Fire HEALTH Study for remediating homes with highest lead levels.
• LA County Department of Public HealthsupportingOthers · 1 September 2025Supported community soil testing days with on-site blood lead testing (80+ individuals tested in Altadena, 40+ in Pacific Palisades) and environmental health expertise. Expanded the free LA County Soil Lead Testing Program for residents living within and downwind of burn areas.
• California Department of Toxic Substances ControlsupportingOthers · 1 September 2025Participated in community soil testing events providing environmental health resources and regulatory guidance on contamination cleanup standards.
• California State Senator Sasha Renée PérezcoreOthers · 1 September 2025Led the legislative effort resulting in $8M in state budget commitments for fire recovery in Altadena and the Eaton Fire burn area, including $2M for affordable senior housing remediation and $2M for highest lead contamination cleanup.
• Supervisor Kathryn BargersupportingOthers · 1 September 2025Supported community soil testing events in Altadena and the broader LA County recovery efforts.
• Team PalisadescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Neighbor-led support network with 100+ trained volunteer block captains across the Palisades. Department of Angels provides resources including a digital platform with data and tools to amplify their community outreach. Over 75% of the Palisades is now served by volunteer block captains.
• AltagethercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Leads a growing network of 130+ Neighborhood Captains across Altadena, serving more than 65% of Altadena. Department of Angels has backed their community organizing efforts, provided mental health support resources for members, and provided general organizational support to sustain and scale their reach.
• Altadena RisingprimaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Extends biweekly 'Collab and Care' convenings of 30-40 local leaders to align on community strategies and elevate shared priorities for long-term rebuilding. Department of Angels supports these convenings as a mechanism for community coordination.
• Eaton Fire Survivors NetworkprimaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Connects over 5,000 survivor families through a shared digital platform. Department of Angels has provided strategic advocacy and communications guidance for their grassroots campaign for insurance accountability, which has drawn national media and state lawmaker attention.
• Project PassionprimaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Built a civic and direct aid hub distributing food and essential supplies to over 4,000 residents weekly, while connecting families to recovery resources and pathways for civic engagement. Department of Angels provides funding and operational support.
• Victory Bible ChurchprimaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025One of the largest Black churches in Altadena with a strong tradition of civic engagement. Department of Angels has supported their fire recovery outreach and community organizing capacity.
• Clergy Community CoalitionprimaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Interfaith network uniting over 100 faith institutions and partners across Altadena and Greater Pasadena. Department of Angels has championed their coordination of fire recovery outreach grounded in faith, trust, and community care.
• Eaton Fire Residents UnitedprimaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Resident-led, data-driven organization advocating for safe, just, and equitable post-fire recovery. Department of Angels connected them to the California State Senate to discuss fire remediation concerns, resulting in a bill sponsor's agreement to amend their bill.
• Resilient PalisadesprimaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Brought nearly 1,000 residents into a locally-focused climate resilience strategy. Department of Angels has bolstered their efforts by co-hosting large-scale community workshops and providing strategic support.
• PostFire LAprimaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Online recovery hub reaching tens of thousands of survivors with timely updates and expert guidance. Department of Angels has connected them to government officials, academics, and disaster recovery experts to support their mission.
• 1PaliprimaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Celebrates community culture and rebuilds social cohesion through celebratory events. The first major event drew over 1,500 community members. Department of Angels supports these efforts to sustain community identity through recovery.
• Palisades Recovery CoalitionprimaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Harnesses policy and research expertise from within the Palisades community to engage fellow survivors on recovery-related issues. Liaises with local and state government officials on behalf of Palisadians.
• Community Women Vital VoicesprimaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Serves Black families, seniors, and women across Pasadena and Altadena through advocacy, education, and community care. Provides in-person services specifically designed for seniors who lack digital access to navigate recovery assistance programs.
• Embold ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Research partner conducting the quarterly Community Voices: LA Fire Recovery Report surveys. Embold Research conducted surveys of 2,200+ survivors (Q1), ~2,000 survivors (Q2), 2,335 survivors (Q3), 2,443 survivors (Q4), and 2,000+ survivors (Q1 2026), producing the only statistically significant longitudinal recovery needs assessment.
• LA Fire HEALTH StudysupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025LA Fire Human Exposure and Long-Term Health Study — a 10-year study evaluating pollutants present in fire-affected areas and assessing respiratory, neurological, cardiovascular, reproductive, and immune system impacts. Department of Angels hosted Q&A sessions for block captains on the study's preliminary findings.
• California Community FoundationsupportingOthers · 1 March 2025Hosted the first in-person convening of block captains, community leaders, and fire recovery experts at the California Community Foundation to share learnings and refine priorities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Imagine LA: LA anti-poverty nonprofit that pairs volunteer mentors with families experiencing homelessness and crisis. Comparable in its LA focus, volunteer-led case management model, and commitment to systems-change rather than direct service — a strong functional peer for DoA's community-empowerment approach.
• Habitat for Humanity Greater Los Angeles: LA-focused affordable housing and disaster rebuilding nonprofit. Directly comparable in its focus on rebuilding housing in fire-impacted LA neighborhoods, including Altadena and the Palisades, and serving low-income and BIPOC homeowners — a population overlap with DoA's primary beneficiary segment.
• Mutual Aid LA Network (MALAN): LA-based mutual aid network that emerged during COVID and has shifted toward fire recovery and food/resource distribution. Closest direct peer in operating model — community-led, volunteer-driven, trust-based distribution to LA residents facing crisis, with significant overlap in Altadena/Pasadena service areas.

Broad incumbents

• Airbnb.org: Airbnb's nonprofit arm providing free temporary housing to disaster survivors, including a major LA fires program. Comparable in serving the same fire-survivor population with free-of-charge housing and direct financial assistance, and overlapping with DoA's housing remediation and policy work.
• Direct Relief: Santa Barbara-based humanitarian medical aid organization with a similarly large wildfire and disaster response footprint in California. Comparable in mission (disaster recovery), funding model (philanthropy), and California operational base, but with a global medical-aid focus rather than community organizing.
• 211 LA County: LA County's primary information and referral hotline for health and human services. Comparable in serving as a centralized 'translation layer' between LA residents in crisis and fragmented government/community services — the same gap DoA's Angels Central and block captain networks are designed to close.
• California Community Foundation: Major LA philanthropic foundation that is both a seed funder and operational partner of Department of Angels. Comparable in that it funds and convenes disaster recovery, civic, and community-based grantees in LA, and shares leadership overlap (Miguel Santana serves as both CCF CEO and DoA co-founder).
• California Fire Foundation: Statewide nonprofit affiliated with CAL FIRE that provides direct emergency relief, community grants, and recovery support to victims of California wildfires. Directly comparable in fire-recovery mission and grantmaking to survivors, with a much larger and more established statewide footprint.

Emerging players

• GlobalGiving: Global crowdfunding and disaster-recovery nonprofit that connects donors to vetted local recovery projects, including specific LA fire response funds. Comparable as a funding/grantmaking intermediary for community-led recovery, and a likely candidate as a future channel partner for DoA community grants.
• LA Forward: LA-based progressive civic and policy advocacy coalition. Comparable in the policy-advocacy and cross-sector convening function (especially around data-driven advocacy and government engagement) that DoA performs at the LA fire recovery level, with a broader citywide rather than disaster-specific scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/deptofangels
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/department-of-angels

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Department of Angels