Public voting opened Wednesday in the LA2050 Grants Challenge, an annual project that invites Angelenos to choose the issues that matter most to them, then directs funding to organizations working on those priorities.
Voters will be asked five questions about the issues they believe are most important for the region. Those selections will lead later this year to dozens of grants for nonprofit organizations, social enterprises and government agencies working in Los Angeles County to address them.
The Goldhirsh Foundation began the initiative in 2013. Last year, the foundation and 11 philanthropic funding partners provided nearly $3 million in grants to 55 Los Angeles nonprofit organizations, organizers said. This year’s initial list of participating foundations will be announced soon.
In each of the past four years, housing and homelessness has been the issue most frequently selected by voters, according to the foundation. Other recurring high-ranking issue areas include health care access, community safety, and green space, park access, and trees.
“Los Angeles, whatever our challenges, is a magnificent and magical metropolis,” Goldhirsh Foundation President Tara Roth said in a statement. “Thank you to everyone who takes the time each year to share their voice through our survey, and, welcome to everyone joining the movement for the first time.”
Voting is open through April 22 at la2050.org/vote/, and is available in 12 languages.
Winning organizations will be announced in late September during the annual LA2050 Grantee Showcase, during which dozens of grantees will each receive up to $75,000 in funding, along with ongoing social capital support and skills training.
As part of the campaign, Man One, the Goldhirsh Foundation’s first artist-in-residence, is creating digital portraits of impactful Angelenos from fields such as science, business, literature, art, athletics, music, food and the nonprofit sector. Each portrait will be accompanied by a few words from the subject explaining why that particular issue matters most. The portraits will debut this week on the campaign’s Instagram and TikTok accounts.