The Los Angeles Giving Circle is a local grassroots non-profit that supports organizations that help underserved women and girls achieve self-sufficient sustainable lives, so that the vicious cycle of inequity can be broken once and for all.

Our grants go to those organizations that have life-changing positive impacts on women and girls served. Examples include:

• a young girl receives mentorship that helps her to go to college
• a woman subjected to domestic violence receives support to become financially independent
• an after-school program sparks a young girl's interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)
• a woman is trained in non-traditional work that springboards her to and past a living wage
• a woman and her family are moved from a homeless shelter to a sustainable, independent and safe living space

From 2011 to 2025 the LAGC has given nearly $1.7 million in grants. We expect to annually give 4-6 grants of up to $25,000 each.

While the above are only a few examples, it is important to note that our grants go to those organizations that support self-described underserved women and girls; a majority of women or girls participating in a program does not qualify as meeting the grant qualifications of the LAGC.

Alignment with the LAGC mission and values is the most important threshold that an organization must meet to be considered. Secondarily, the LAGC is a giving circle with funds accumulated primarily through membership donations. It does not compete with the size of foundation and/or corporate giving. With this in mind the LAGC strongly considers those organizations where we can make the most impact with the size of the award.

Other criteria considered are:

• Funds that go toward unique and compelling projects or programs (especially in areas of education and training that springboards underserved women and girls to financial independence and sustainability).
• Funds that go toward providing the basic necessities of safe housing, fundamental training, education and mentoring, and emotional support that allows women and girls a step out and up from difficult and harsh circumstances.
• Operational funds (if asked for) that directly impact an organization's ability to implement and sustain the programs and projects that directly benefit its clients.

The LAGC begins its research in September of each year to determine those organizations that will receive a Request for Proposal (RFP). Organizations interested in applying for a grant must complete an on-line letter of interest at this link. Completed LOIs are used as a preliminary tool to determine those mission-match organizations that appear most competitive. These organizations will be emailed an an RFP in January. LOI's can be completed at any time during the year but must be submitted by mid-October for the next year's grant cycle.

Generally we receive LOIs from 20 to 30 organizations. From those, approximately 12 are selected to receive a full Request for Proposal (RFP). Of those organizations that submit RFPs, five or six are eventually awarded grant funds.

The LOI is a brief form that simply asks you to summarize your mission; provide a brief description of the program, project or portion of operating costs that a LAGC grant would support; an estimate of current year revenues, as well as contact information.

RFPs are sent in mid-January and due in early February. The RFP is by invitation only.

The on-line RFP form asks you to respond to questions about your proposal and then attach the following:

1. Two/three page proposal narrative for the program for which you are requesting funding, with specific attention to the following issues:

a. Background. A brief description of your organization's history, your most recent successes and the current and future challenges you foresee.

b. Core Problem Addressed: What is the specific problem you are addressing in the program and with this request?

c. Program description: What does or will the program do? How does or will it operate?

d. Expected Impact: How does the proposed program help to solve the problem? What impact will it have on the target audience and/or community(ies) your organization serves? How will you know?

e. Uniqueness: What is special about your approach to the problem? What makes you more likely to be more successful than other organizations serving a similar need?

f. Narrative budget for use of LAGC funds: Note the total funds you are requesting and briefly indicate what specifically the funds will be used for. If the funding will be used to support a specific augmentation to the current program (e.g., a half- time counselor, special equipment), please so indicate.

For those organizations whose proposals are selected, a group of 4 to 5 LAGC members, called "Grant Squads", will make a site visit to the organization's home office. The site visit serves to put a face on the potential grantee organization - its leadership and management; the clients served; pose and receive answers to follow-up questions from the organization's proposal; and have tours and/or demonstrations of the projects and programs described in the proposal.

Grant Squads present their findings to the full membership and recommend whether organizations proceed to the final stage. Directors of the finalist organizations will be asked to attend a LAGC meeting (in person or on Zoom) to make a final pitch for their organization to the full LAGC membership.

Subsequent to the meeting, members vote to determine which organizations will receive a grant.

By July 1. New grantees receive funds.

Thank You!

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