In collaboration with our funding partners, LA2050 is granting more than $2 million to the issues that LA cares about most.

Now through June 28th at 5:00 pm (PT), non-profit, for-profit, fiscally-sponsored, or governmental organizations serving Los Angeles County can apply for up to $75,000 in funding via this year’s LA2050 Grants Challenge. Close to 15,000 Angelenos cast 105,000 votes for what matters to them – now, we’re looking for the best ideas to make an impact on those top-voted issue areas, as well as those sponsored by this year’s funding partners.

Curious if your organization’s work is a good fit? Below, take a deeper dive into the issue areas eligible for funding this year and learn more about what we’re looking for.

Keep in mind: we are defining each of these issue areas expansively. These descriptions are intended to spark your imagination but do not capture all of the ideas that would be eligible for submission. We invite you to be creative as you reflect on how your organization might impact one or more of the issue areas.

Access to Tech and Creative Industry Employment – Selected by voters, and sponsored by the Snap Foundation!

Los Angeles is home to thriving tech and creative sectors but securing employment in those areas can be more difficult for some groups. We are looking for projects that support access to tech and creative industry employment for groups that are traditionally underrepresented – including women, Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC), and LGBTQ+ Angelenos. This can be accomplished through internships, educational opportunities, training, networking, job placement, and more.

+ Sponsored! Under this same umbrella, the Snap Foundation is seeking ideas that will specifically develop pathways to employment in the creative economy for underrepresented youth in Los Angeles, ages 6 to 24. The creative economy encompasses architecture, arts and crafts, design, fashion, film, video, photography, music, performing arts, publishing, research and development, game design, advertising, engineering, TV/radio, and other fields that draw on human ingenuity.

Affordable Housing and Homelessness

It is likely no surprise that affordable housing and homelessness received more votes than any other issue area – now for the third year in the row. These submissions might focus on improving the quantity and quality of affordable housing, assisting vulnerable tenants, or providing support to unhoused individuals.

Community Safety

Community safety encompasses any work that protects people from violence in all its forms and makes them feel safer. Submissions can support physical safety, such as policies that protect pedestrians and cyclists, or emotional safety, such as a program that deters bullying. This issue area includes not just the prevention of harassment, discrimination, and violence but also the active promotion of belonging, inclusion, and peace.

Food Insecurity and Access to Basic Essentials –Sponsored by the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and the Annenberg Foundation!

The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation has a deepened focus in homelessness prevention by using our voice and resources to build awareness and support efforts to combat food and housing insecurity. The foundation aims to address the root causes by focusing support in distributing basic essentials to those experiencing homelessness and food insecurity in Los Angeles, directly serving young people and their families. For this issue area, LADF seeks to fund organizations that are distributing fresh, healthy food – in addition to providing basic essentials – to households at risk of homelessness. There is a special preference for organizations working to scale and reach as much of Los Angeles as possible.

Additionally, within this same issue area, the Annenberg Foundation aims to fund projects that increase the availability, affordability, and nutritional value of food in underserved communities to address food insecurity. Priority will be given to organizations that provide food access for vulnerable populations, strengthen local food systems, support sustainable agriculture, and educate communities about nutrition and food preparation.

Green Space, Park Access, and Trees

Submissions are also open for the third time to the green space, park access, and trees issue area. We welcome any ideas that increase the availability of, expand equitable access to, or encourage more frequent use of these outdoor areas for all residents of Los Angeles. We also welcome ideas that inspire creative interaction with these spaces.

Health Care Access

Access to comprehensive, high-quality health care is essential for individual thriving and overall community well-being. We are looking for submissions that connect Angelenos to mental and physical health services, especially those from uninsured and underinsured populations.

Income Inequality

Addressing income inequality comes in many forms, whether directly offering resources to those who need them or implementing projects, programs, and initiatives that address the root causes in our communities. This might include supporting first-generation college students, providing jobs to individuals who have been incarcerated, or giving direct cash payments to low-income families.

K-12 STEAM Education

High-quality K-12 STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) education is essential. Submissions to this issue area can take the form of school-based curriculum support, after-school program activities, extracurricular opportunities, or other initiatives that encourage school-age students to succeed in STEAM.

Mental Health – Sponsored by the Annenberg Foundation!

Annenberg Foundation seeks to support organizations dedicated to providing equitable access to care and mental health services for vulnerable populations. Applications to this issue area should represent community-based solutions that are inclusive and culturally sensitive. Annenberg aims to dismantle barriers to care and ensure that every Angeleno has the support necessary to achieve mental well-being.

Public Transit

Applications to the public transit issue area can address expanding access to, increasing the effectiveness of, or improving the quality of public transit options around Los Angeles. This issue area also encompasses ideas for enhancing multimodal access to public transit hubs through walking, biking, scooting, and more for all people, including those with disabilities. This is the third year that this issue area is in the top 10; however, in the previous two cycles, it was the issue area with the fewest applications.

Social Support Networks

For the first time, the social support networks issue area was voted as one of the top 10. Loneliness is on the rise across the United States and has even been described as an epidemic. We are looking for ideas to decrease isolation, promote interdependence, and encourage communal care. Think intergenerational relationships, mutual aid hubs, neighbors coming together, or supporting individuals reentering after incarceration.

Support for Foster and Systems-Impacted Youth

We are also looking for submissions that focus on improving the well-being of youth ages 24 and under who have been impacted by the mental and behavioral health system, the child welfare system, the youth justice system, or other similar systems. We are open to all channels of support – academic, professional, social, legal, personal, and beyond.

Youth Economic Advancement – Sponsored by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and R & S Kayne Foundation!

In partnership with the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, we are looking for submissions from organizations working with young people to decrease income inequality, find quality living-wage jobs, or advance within careers. There is a special preference for organizations working with Opportunity Youth, those ages 16 to 24 and not in work or school.

And, in collaboration with the R&S Kayne Foundation, we are looking for submissions from organizations that foster economic inclusion through creating career pathways for NEET Youth (Not in Education, Employment or Training) ages 18 to 26. There is added value if the proposal is for a program, project, or initiative that incorporates youth power, co-designing with and embracing the input of young people.

If you have an idea to address one or more of these issue areas… APPLY NOW!

The application will ask you to indicate the primary issue area you are submitting to, as well as any secondary issue areas your submission may impact.

Do you have additional questions?

We invite you to attend one of our upcoming Information Sessions –

• Tuesday, May 21st at 12:00 pm (PT),
• Wednesday, June 12th at 11:00 am (PT),
• Thursday, May 30th at 11:00 am (PT),
• Monday, June 17th at 1:00 pm (PT)

– or join us at our open Office Hours, available Tuesdays at 1:00 pm PT and Fridays at 10:30 am PT. Register here.

You can also reach out to us via email any time at connect@la2050.org.