The Ahmanson Foundation

107 Pages·2006·0.64 MB·English

The Ahmanson Foundation
nnual eport
A R
2005
beverly hills, california
The Ahmanson Foundation
9215Wilshire Boulevard
Beverly Hills, California 90210
[phone]
Table of Contents
Mission Statement.................................................................................5
Message from the President...................................................................7
Message from the Managing Director...................................................8
Profile of Approved Grants 2005.........................................................11
Five Year Comparative Profile.............................................................11
List of Grants 2005..............................................................................13
Grants in Focus
Museum Associates / Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Two Acquisitions..............................................................14
Verbum Dei High School:
Work Study Program................................................................26
JWCH Institute, Inc.:
Radiology Services for Homeless Clients at
the Weingart Center.....................................................38
Dramatic Results:
Math In A Basket Program.......................................................48
Arroyo Vista Family Health Foundation:
Community Health Center in Lincoln Heights......................56
Chandler School:
Summer Enrichment Program for Public School Youth
(A collaborative effort of Chandler, Mayfield Senior,
Polytechnic and Westridge Schools).....................................66
Hillsides:
Transitional Living Program for Emancipating Foster Youth....76
General Guidelines and Perspective of Interests.................................102
Eligibility and Limitations..................................................................103
Suggested Procedures.........................................................................104
Financial Summary............................................................................106
Trustees, Officers and Staff................................................................108
Mission
Statement
he Ahmanson Foundation, incorporated as a private foundation
in the State of California in 1952, was established by financier
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Howard F. Ahmanson, and his wife Dorothy. Its corpus was augmented
in later years by his two nephews Robert H. Ahmanson and William H.
Ahmanson. The Foundation’s broad purpose, as stated in the articles of
incorporation, is to administer funds for charitable, scientific, educational,
literary, and religious purposes, all for the public welfare.
Currently the Foundation concentrates its funding on cultural projects
supporting the arts, education at the collegiate and precollegiate levels,
medicine and delivery of health care services, specialized library collec-
tions, programs related to homelessness and low-income populations,
preservation of the environment, and a wide range of human service
projects. The vast majority of the Foundation’s philanthropy is directed
toward organizations and institutions based in and serving the greater
Los Angeles community.
Simultaneously, the Foundation is particularly committed to the
support of non-profit organizations and institutions which continually
demonstrate sound fiscal management, responsibility to efficient
operation, and program integrity.
Through such focused interests and shared vision with the non-profit
sector the Foundation endeavors to increase the quality of life in
Southern California and to enhance its cultural legacy.
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6 The Ahmanson Foundation
Message from the
President
hese two most recent years have yielded more economic promise
than those that began the 21st century resulting in our ability to
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increase funding to non-profit institutions and agencies in need of
support. When faced with the economic downturn that followed the
growth experienced in the last decade of the previous century, we
modified our funding behavior in order to position ourselves to continue
to serve the community. This modified practice was followed for several
years by maintaining the general number of grants made in the 1990s
and by not restricting our giving to institutions and agencies with
whom we had an established relationship, but remaining open to new
and broad ranging needs. However, we reduced the magnitude of grants
for capital requests. Maintaining that course, with due fairness and
consistency, we have been able in more recent years to increase both
capital capacity and programmatic contributions to human services.
We continue to prioritize our responsibility to the non-profit
community and to the good of society by finding means for sustaining
the quality of services and the integrity of programs that meet so many
human needs. Since the founding of The Ahmanson Foundation over
17,000 grants have been made which equal two-thirds of the size of its
current endowment in dollars. We are mindful and grateful for the
good work that is being accomplished by the non-profit community
and remain dedicated to helping them sustain their effort.
Robert H. Ahmanson
President
July, 2006
Annual Report 2005 7
Message from the
Managing director
n a world faced with turmoil, chaos and uncertainty, it is often difficult
to rise to a point where one can overcome one’s frustrations and
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concerns and look to the genuine needs of people who are victims of
this climate. It becomes apparent, however, that the institutions and their
leadership, as represented in the grants that have been highlighted in this
Annual Report, have all applied a vision that offers true hope for the
people they serve. Providing a path to growth and greater meaning in an
individual’s life yields hope. Without it, life becomes entrenched in
anger, confusion and little accomplishment. With it life becomes filled
with expectations, dreams and achievable goals.
At Verbum Dei High School in the heart of a severely impoverished
community, young male students participate in a curriculum which
includes academic studies and applied work opportunities in order to
prepare them with skills and tools to work in a business or professional
environment while completing all the standard requirements for a high
school diploma. Academic rigor and job-readiness skills obviously yield
greater hope for a promising future.
The services provided at the JWCH Clinic in the Weingart Center
offer the homeless population of Skid Row prompt access to a digital
radiology system which can track their medical diagnosis and make
referrals to specialized care. For years there have been minimal availability
and continuity to health services within this environment.
Math In A Basket is a program brought to the public schools at the
5th grade level introducing children to conceptual elements of geometry
while applying them to the artful creation of basketry. Success in
mathematics is a building process and when one gets behind, it is difficult
to continue to move forward. This unique program brings the discipline
and joy of creativity to a field of study that often is a major challenge
for young people.
8 The Ahmanson Foundation
Four of Pasadena’s independent schools pool their resources each
summer and offer courses and recreation to students from the public
school system. Each school site is organized to meet specific academic
goals within appropriate age groups. The opportunity of experiencing
life and study on the campus of these independent schools along with
support and help from independent and public faculty, help to inspire
life-long learners.
Arroyo Vista Family Health Center has had a history of perpetual
growth. Today its many clinics bring primary, preventive and specialty
care to over 120,000 unduplicated patients who are uninsured or
underinsured, and who otherwise would not have access to quality
health care.
Serious mention should be given to the emancipation of foster youth
and the brilliant manner in which Hillsides has developed a program to
address this important issue. Much of this fragile population becomes
homeless or unable to survive without the special support this program
brings to self-sufficiency and independence.
Lastly, one cannot overlook the perpetual hope that is focused in the
Arts. As a core area of the Humanities, the visual arts provide interpretive
expression to the finest achievement humanity is able to reach. In both
genres of sculpture and painting, quality gifts were made this year to
the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
As you read these highlights and peruse the many grants listed in this
report, I trust that you will discover how many of them provide HOPE
for the people living and working in the greater Los Angeles area.
Lee Walcott
Managing Director
July, 2006
Annual Report 2005 9
10 The Ahmanson Foundation
Profile of Approved Grants
2005
In Dollars • $46,038,405 In Numbers • 511
Culture $8,820,700 19% Culture 81 16%
Education 16,699,800 36% Education 209 41%
Health 10,137,305 22% Health 57 11%
Human Services 10,380,600 23% Human Services 164 32%
New Grantees
68 • 13%
Five Year Comparative Profile
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Dollars $32,563,705 $18,913,706 $25,383,343 $37,591,350 $46,038,405
Culture 25% 20% 22% 30% 19%
Education (incl. Arts Ed.) 28% 40% 44% 30% 36%
Health 30% 9.5% 10% 20% 22%
Human Services (incl. Religion) 16% 30.5% 24% 20% 23%
Number of Grants 489 458 446 449 511
Culture 17% 18% 19% 18% 16%
Education (incl. Arts Ed.) 40% 39% 39% 37% 41%
Health 10% 9% 10% 12% 11%
Human Services(incl. Religion) 33% 34% 32% 33% 32%
New Grantees 18% 16% 15% 13% 13%
Annual Report 2005 11