The USC Center on Philanthropy & Public Policy (CPPP) has been working for more than two decades to help strengthen philanthropy and its impact on communities. The Center was created in 2000 on the cusp of phenomenal growth in philanthropic giving, new dynamics and a bolder mindset in the sector for private action for the public good. We have recently taken an opportunity to look back at L.A. philanthropy, and with insights and perspectives from conversations with over 75 sector leaders, The Center has created a portrait of the generational change.
This in-depth report – A Generation of Los Angeles Philanthropy: 25 for 25 – identifies 25 ideas, initiatives and innovations that capture the trends and achieve a more robust impact over the period. This report also represents a range of philanthropic strategies and practices that have become the hallmark of this generation of philanthropic leaders — often working together – to more strategically build capacity, to encourage collaboration between donors and foundations, to establish partnerships with government and business, and to foster innovations in finance and giving. We also note a set of broader more ambitious approaches to doing philanthropy beyond the strategies and practices, from defining and developing new fields of interest, multi-sector efforts at place-making and efforts to center community.
Together, these 25 vignettes define an era that has been marked by considerable growth in philanthropy, an expanded toolkit for social impact, and a maturing of L.A.’s philanthropic sector and its leadership. This evolution and growth created a philanthropic community open to new ideas, willing to take risks and work together to innovate for a stronger and more resilient local philanthropic and nonprofit sector. L.A. has been forward leaning during this period and has worked to build connections across the nation, establishing a greater reach.
This narrative of the progression of philanthropy in Los Angeles provides a foundation for the next generation of donors and philanthropic institutions alike to learn from and build upon to create an even more impactful sector in the years to come.