Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation hits a grand slam for Angelenos, awarding $1.5 million in grants in the first half of 2023
LOS ANGELES (July 24, 2023) – Today, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) announced that over $1.5 million in grants has been awarded to 32 grantees in its core focus areas during the first half of 2023. The grant milestone is the latest in LADF’s ‘10 Years Reimagined’ celebration, which shines a spotlight on the organization’s renewed approach to service in 2013 by the Los Angeles Dodgers Ownership Group, under the leadership of Owner and Chairman Mark Walter. Guided by its commitment to tackling the most pressing problems facing Los Angeles by improving education, health care, homelessness and social justice for all, LADF has now invested more than $53 million in its programs and grants to local organizations impacting more than 9.8 million youth and 250 nonprofits.
"While there are many problems facing LA residents, there are so many great organizations focused on solving these problems – but these nonprofits need vital funding to continue their mission,” explained Nichol Whiteman, CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation. “We are thrilled to reach a milestone of $53 million invested in the community this year with this $1.5 million in grants to our valuable partners and we know these funds will play an important role in furthering their vision for a better Los Angeles.”
Thus far, 2023 grants have been awarded to organizations focused on education (26 percent), health care (32 percent), social justice (13 percent) and homelessness (29 percent). Grant awards impact major school districts, including Bellflower, Compton, Los Angeles, Glendale, Lynwood and more. Combined, funded programs positively impact more than 383,000 youth.
A sample of recently awarded grants includes:
Alliance For Children’s Rights - $8,123 to support efforts in protecting the rights of children in poverty.
Brotherhood Crusade - $130,230 to provide up to 400,000 meals to youth and families in South Los Angeles. Funds were raised in partnership with the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts’ 5050 Foundation to address food security in the community through the “50 Feeds LA” campaign.
C5 Youth Foundation of Southern California, Inc. - $20,000 to support continued implementation of the C5LA’s College Access, Persistence and Success Program to prepare low-income first-generation high school youth in LA County for the competitive college application process.
Community Coalition - $8,000 to support work in elevating the voices of their community and tackling the root causes of poverty, crime, and violence in South Los Angeles.
Dodgers Dreamteam Affiliate Partner Grants - $676,882 to 14 organizations to support Dodgers Dreamteam programming: Boys & Girls Club of West San Gabriel Valley, City of Hawthorne Recreation and Community Services Department, City of Huntington Park Department of Parks and Recreation, City of Inglewood Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department, City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation & Marine, City of Lynwood, Recreation & Community Services Department, County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation East County Community Services Agency, County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation South County Community Services Agency, Hollywood Indies Little League (HILL), Miracle League Los Angeles, YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, MLB Youth Academy and City of Compton Department Parks and Recreation.
Kershaw’s Challenge - $25,000 to partner in support of the work of the Dream Center to provide backpacks, school supplies, and basic essentials to 3,700 youth at the 2023 Back to School Bash.
Good Plus Foundation - $20,000 to support efforts in providing caregiver essentials for families across Los Angeles.
Hollywood Food Coalition - $20,000 to support efforts to rescue and sort 2.4 million pounds of food and distribute 1.95 million meals across Los Angeles.
Homes 4 Families - $20,000 to support efforts in building affordable homes and supporting wraparound services for veteran families in a 56-home community in Palmdale.
Inner-City Arts - $20,000 to support students in the Learning and Achieving Through the Arts program across the Los Angeles Unified School District, Glendale Unified School District, and Charter Public Schools in Greater Los Angeles.
Library Foundation of Los Angeles - $50,000 in support of its Los Angeles Public Library's 2023 Summer with the Library initiative reaching 15,000 youth in Los Angeles.
Liberty Hill Foundation - $100,000 to support the California Funders for Boys and Men of Color Our Kids, Our Future Fund, and their support of 13 social justice organizations in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles LGBT Center - $25,230 to support building a world where LGBT people thrive as healthy, equal, and complete members of society.
Player Alliance – $42,500 to support addressing baseball’s systemic barriers to equity & inclusion by creating pathways to opportunities on and off the field for an undeniable pipeline of black talent.
Shoes That Fit - $93,000 to reach 5,000 pairs of shoes for youth in Title 1 schools.
Students Run LA - $25,000 to support 3,200 youth by supporting the youth-mentoring, character-building program and, specifically, the transportation fund.
THINK Together - $20,0000 to support College and Career Readiness and Social Emotional Learning Training for local leadership and front-line staff, reaching 5,100 students at 51 middle and K-8 schools in school districts across Los Angeles County.
Trust For Public Land - $25,000 to support the LA 28x28 Green Schoolyards initiative. This movement will transform 28 LA schoolyards by the 2028 Olympics in Boyle Heights, South LA, and El Monte.
In addition to funding, LADF activates with grantees, offers in-kind support, co-hosts grantee events, digitally showcases its work, and conducts “Giving Moments” in Dodger Stadium to further highlight grantees to millions of fans throughout the season.
LADF accepts grant applications two times a year. The next submission deadline is August 1, 2023. Visit dodgers.com/grants to learn more about grant opportunities in 2023.