The California Endowment

25 survey respondents

Location: 1000 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, 90012 CA

EIN: 95-4523232

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56%

44%

What was the overall relationship with the funder?

How many hours did the grant application process take?

16 hours

Median

47%

53%

How would you rate this funder's accessibility?

69%

31%

How successfully do you think the funder is accomplishing its current philanthropic goals?

Important Information

2017 Deadlines:

Types of Grants Awarded:

Geographic Focus:

Interests/Priorities

Key Personnel

Financial Summary

For Fiscal Year

Total Assets:

Total Grants:

Change in Assets FY :

Amount of Grants to Minnesota Nonprofits:

Sample Grants to Minnesota Nonprofits in

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Smallest Grant:

Average Grant:

Top descriptors for this funder

9Culturally sensitive8Positive leader in the field6Difficult to work with5Bureaucratic4Insightful4Risk taker4Worth the time to pitch3Inadvertently exerts negative influence in the field3"Gets" nonprofits and issues3Friendly3Openminded3Responsive

Advice from a Friend

The California Endowment

Feb 03, 2022

Reviewer 5695 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2021

The website is filled with marketing information, but there it has NO sustenance. I tried to contact the Foundation four times, to no avail. For point of contact numbers given on the website, the people (if they exist) behind these numbers do NOT return calls. How does one get the Foundation to answer general questions answered in this COVID-19 world?

Cons

Difficult to work with

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Mar 15, 2021 1

Reviewer 8925 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2020

It's hard to trust the program staff because they are so easily overridden by people above them (legal council, CFO, executive staff?). It creates so much back and forth and nit-picky redoing of work.

Cons

Difficult to work with, Bureaucratic, Risk averse

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Jun 05, 2018

Reviewer 4715 - Did not apply

It is easy to get a meeting however, they are very specific about what they are funding. Their properties on their website did not match what they are currently funding

Cons

Bureaucratic

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Mar 30, 2018

Grant Applicant - applied in 2016

Request a meeting with a program officer. Come prepared with a brief letter summarizing your request. If you don't get a meeting right away, it is still worthwhile to at least submit a letter of introduction or request. I've found that their staff are very approachable, and the foundation makes many resources available to the nonprofit community.

Pros

Positive leader in the field, Gives more than money, Risk taker, Culturally sensitive, Insightful, Friendly, Builds relationships, Likes site visits, Openminded, Responsive

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Feb 09, 2018

Reviewer 654 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2017

Establish a relationship with a program officer and work together to find a fit. I've found that their program officers work closely to ensure successful applications if you get to the point of being asked to submit a proposal.

Pros

Positive leader in the field, Risk taker, Culturally sensitive, Friendly, Openminded, Responsive

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Feb 09, 2018

Grant Applicant - applied in 2014

We were funded for four years and had one or two outstanding relationships with Endowment Program Officers. That being said, overall the Endowment was the most difficult foundation we have ever worked with: micro-managing, too directive, little room for true innovation or creativity. They have a very closed concept of what community engagement and community change looks like. As much as they emphasize roots-up, community-based strategies, they are not particularly collaborative, unlike other foundations who we experience as true partners.

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Oct 31, 2017

Grant Applicant - applied in 2017

Need to have a relationship with the Foundation. Be prepared to do A LOT of tweaking and wordsmithing of the proposal and specifically tie it to health outcomes in CA

Pros

Positive leader in the field, Culturally sensitive, Builds relationships, "Gets" nonprofits and issues

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Oct 23, 2017 1

Grant Applicant - applied in 2016

Funding amounts are dwindling in comparison to work expected. It isn't that I don't want to do the work - I just don't want to be obligated to keep a mostly out of touch program officer up to date on it if they aren't "paying" for my time to do so and relinquishing control to them as well. The meeting requirements are extremely time consuming and the juggernaut of "collaboration" eclipses respectful use of people's (very limited) time. A LOT of favoritism among grantees, which is unfortunate, because often the people who are most successful at charming the program officer are not the people who are doing the best work. Hint: if you are spending most of your time actually fighting for your cause, you have less time to stay in constant communication with your program officer.

Cons

Inadvertently exerts negative influence in the field, Doesn't "get" nonprofits and issues, Difficult to work with

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Oct 11, 2017

Grant Applicant - applied in 2016

Without a relationship with program officers or staff unlikely to get funded. Also strong focus on getting new Minority led organizations more engaged.

Pros

Positive leader in the field, Culturally sensitive, Insightful

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Sep 14, 2017

Reviewer 293 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2015

CalEndow targets only specific geographic areas that are underserved in an effort to building wellness. Our arts program, because it was an outdoor event in one of their designated areas, was considered eligible. We received a few years of small grants to support the program until they adjusted their giving priorities away from our kind of activity.

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The California Endowment