In the spirit of giving during our centennial year, we were thrilled to launch a new approach to our grantmaking. With an investment of $2.85 million, we extended our reach to many of the highest-needs communities across the Los Angeles region by directly supporting local grassroots organizations.
Our organization expanded beyond the traditional way of funding well-established partners, and in 2022 we awarded a diverse group of 87 local grassroots organizations serving tens of thousands of people most impacted by the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have 100 years of lessons to draw from, and some of the most powerful came out of what we saw in the last three,” said Elise Buik, President & CEO of United Way of Greater Los Angeles. “Communities with well-tended roots in justice and equity and strong connections demonstrate resilience. We can see it in response to the pandemic as well as in how we right the wrongs of racial inequity, whether it’s in making it through an immediate crisis or setting the next generation up for prosperity.”
The awardees include formal nonprofit organizations (501c3, 501c4) as well as volunteer-led mutual aid community groups — many of them were first-time grantees, each one receiving up to $50,000.
Some of these grantees are working to re-imagine a community-powered social safety net by providing support for essentials like food, rent, utilities, transportation, childcare, mentoring/tutoring, clothing, hygiene, mental/healthcare, and public benefits.
Arnali Ray, executive director of the Hollywood Food Coalition —one of the grantees addressing food insecurity in Los Angeles, said her organization, “is a small organization that has grown over the last several years because United Way has been able to help us really build capacity consistently across our programs,” she said. “Over the last few years, we’ve been able to grow our dinner program, exchange, and wellness programs, helping us be consistent and responsive to the community.”
Additional grantees also include organizing campaigns, community land trusts, housing, and worker cooperatives, community information networks, public space improvements, and lending circles.
“I’m grateful for United Way, for recognizing us and seeing how they can truly be beneficial to our communities,” said Miss Rodgers, founder of Miss Rodgers’ Neighborhood, a grassroots community organization based in Compton and a new grantee.
“We have been able to expand all our services from the community fridges to our rental assistance program, and we’ve been able to help more families than ever because of the help of United Way,” Rodgers added.
–Esmeralda Fabian
Below is our list of supported grantees:
100 Black Men of Los Angeles, Inc.
All Peoples Community Center
Alliance for Community Transit – Los Angeles
Beverly-Vermont Community Land Trust
SOLE FOLKS
BRIDGE Housing Corporation
Butterfly’s Haven
Let’s Be Whole
CARECEN
Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment
Central City Neighborhood Partners
CLEAN Carwash Worker Center
Communities In Schools of Los Angeles
Community Asset Development Re-defining Education
Community Loving
Community Power Collective
Concerned Citizens Community Involvement
Creating Justice LA
Crop Swap LA
Desert Life Ministry
Destination Crenshaw
Downtown Women’s Center
Eayikes
El Centro de Ayuda
Ephesus SDA Church
Fathers and Mothers Who Care, Inc.
Fideicomiso Comunitario Tierra Libre
Foundation For Economic & Social Justice
Garment Worker Center
Gente Organizada
Grass Roots Neighbors
Healthcare & Elder Law Programs Corp.
Hollywood Food Coalition
Inclusive Action for the City
InnerCity Struggle
It’s Bigger Than Us
J-TOWN Action and Solidarity
Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance (KIWA)
L.A. Co-op Lab
LA CAN
LA Commons
La Defensa
Latinos In Action
Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition
Los Angeles City College Foundation
Los Angeles Regional Reentry Partnership
Los Angeles Valley College
Meals On Wheels West
Miss Rodgers’ Neighborhood
Mutual Aid LA
No Us Without You LA
NOAHS FOUNDATION INC
NoHo Home Alliance
Parent Organization Network
Pico Union Project
Pilipino Workers Center of Southern California
Polo’s Pantry
Project Joy
Proyecto Pastoral
Pukúu Cultural Community Services
Robinson School for Public Awareness and Community Engagement
Sanctuary of Hope
Santa Monica Bay Area Human Relations Council
Santa Monica College Foundation
SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition
Silverlake Presbyterian Church
Sisters of Watts
Social Justice Learning Institute
South Bay Center For Counseling
Southeast Asian Community Alliance
Sowing Seeds For Life
St. John’s Community Health
The Al Wooten Jr. Youth and Adult Cultural Educational Center
The Catalyst Foundation
The Center in Hollywood
The Children’s Center of the Antelope Valley
The EmpowerTHEM Collective
University of California, Los Angeles
The South LA Cafe Community Foundation
The Valley of Change
Thinkwatts Foundation
TRUST South LA
United American Indian Involvement, Inc.
Urban Partners Los Angeles
Watts Labor Community Action Committee
WVHY (West Valley Homes Yes)
Youth With A Purpose