In a Nutshell: The Eisner Foundation is all about building strength by connecting generations – both within the foundation itself, and also through its grantmaking in the Southern California community.
Founded by Michael Eisner, of Walt Disney Company fame, the organization’s grantmaking is now overseen by Eisner and his wife Jane, who is the foundation’s president, as well as the couple’s children and their partners, and grandchildren as well. Very much a family affair, “the Eisner Foundation is intergenerational not only in the programs we support, but in the way we run our operations.” Administration for the foundation is led by CEO Trent Stamp, and a three-person program staff.
The year 2015 marked a shift in focus for the foundation, from supporting projects that focused on benefiting children to grantmaking that serves both child and senior populations more effectively by connecting them. This shift made the Eisner Foundation “the country’s only foundation exclusively committed to connect multiple generations for good.” Implementing these efforts in a place like Los Angeles can model solutions to be applied across the country, as the foundation views L.A. as a microcosm of challenges and solutions that can be increasingly present in the rest of America.
Major Program Categories: The Eisner Foundation’s primary goal is to “unite multiple generations, for the betterment of our communities.” According to the website, its grantmaking supports programs primarily in Southern California, but the foundation also will consider funding projects generating solutions that could be applied in L.A.
The foundation highlights its work with CASA and Grandparents As Parents, which supports relative caregivers in L.A. County, as success stories. Its list of recent grant recipients includes Partners for Children South L.A., Alliance for Children’s Rights, and Students Run L.A. to name a few, showing that the foundation’s intergenerational emphasis can impact vulnerable child populations, including families touched by the child welfare system and their kin.
In addition to the Eisner Foundation’s traditional grants program, it maintains a series of initiatives that focus on the “health, well-being and education” of Southern California’s children and their families. Click here for the full list of special initiatives.
Finally, there is the Eisner Prize, which is awarded annually to an individual or nonprofit organization working anywhere in the country to drive community change by uniting multiple generations. It is a no-strings attached cash award, aiming to inspire innovation on a broader scale.
In general, for grants as well as special initiatives, the foundation is looking to support organizations and projects with demonstrated efficiency and success, an exceptional leadership team, and long-term, sustainable solutions. Grants may range from general operating support to targeted project support.
How to Apply: The foundation accepts letters of inquiry (LOI) through an online portal on their website, and reviews submissions on a rolling basis. You can access a short eligibility quiz here, after which eligible parties can begin the online LOI process. Applicants can expect to hear back within 30 days about their submission.
Click here to learn more about applying for the Eisner Prize.
Title: The Eisner Foundation
Location: 9401 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 735, Beverly Hills, Calif. 90212
Contact Information: Form on website
Phone: (310)228-6808
Coverage Area: Southern California, focus on Los Angeles County
Subject Area: Intergenerational Programs
Assets: $114,332,134 (2014)
Last Year Total Giving: $6,042,170.21 (2014)
Recent News and Grantmaking:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/EisnerPrize15/prweb13191081.htm
https://www.philanthropy.com/article/Michael-Eisner-s-Fund-Puts/231801