The CAA Foundation concentrates its philanthropic support in Los Angeles with an emphasis on youth success, community organizing, and economic opportunity for low-income families. Its largest awards fund school-based supports and dropout-prevention, grassroots social-justice advocacy, and youth civic leadership programs. The foundation tends to make a small number of sizeable grants and shows repeat support to organizations delivering direct services and local advocacy.
A defining feature of Caa Foundation C/o Stephanie Desantis is its repeated support for school-based student services in Los Angeles, especially Communities in Schools of Los Angeles. The foundation also makes large general operating grants to local advocacy and civic groups, including Liberty Hill Foundation and One Voice, showing a pattern of backing organizations that work on youth success, community organizing, and public participation. Its recent giving includes multi-year support for direct-service nonprofits such as Lift Inc and Creative Visions Foundation, alongside grants tied to education, economic mobility, and social justice. The pattern is not limited to one organization or one year: several recipients appear across multiple grant cycles, and many awards are unrestricted operating support. That combination points to a funder that favors sustained institutional support over project-specific funding, with a strong emphasis on Los Angeles-based organizations and a smaller set of national groups aligned with similar themes.
In education support, the foundation gave $231,511 in 2024 and $162,400 in 2025 to Communities in Schools of Los Angeles for general operating support, indicating sustained backing for school-based student services. Youth leadership is another visible theme: One Voice received $89,360 in 2023, $62,798 in 2024, and $62,966 in 2025, all as general operating support. For family economic mobility, Lift Inc received $63,465 in 2024 and $61,535 in 2025. The foundation also supports civic and advocacy work beyond Los Angeles, including $25,000 to Nonprofit Vote Inc in 2024 and $30,000 to The Climate Reality Project in 2023, both unrestricted. Across these cause areas, the grants are structured as operating support rather than restricted project awards.
Typical grants are modest to mid-sized, with a p25 of $550, a median of $5,000, and a p75 of $15,000. The recent record shows a small number of much larger awards at the top, alongside many grants in the low-thousands and mid-teens. The same organizations appear in multiple years, including Communities in Schools of Los Angeles, One Voice, Lift Inc, Creative Visions Foundation, Step Up Women's Network, and Natural Resources Defense Council Inc, which indicates recurring support rather than one-time gifts. Caa Foundation C/o Stephanie Desantis is a regular funder and the grants shown are mainly general operating support. The data does not show an application process.
$708K
$886K
$925K
$768K
Most grants fall between $550 and $15K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$550
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$15K
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Concentrated, regionally focused giving: a small number of relatively large grants, with repeat funding to key Los Angeles-based service and advocacy organizations rather than many small, diversified gifts.
Notable grantees: Communities in Schools of Los Angeles, Liberty Hill Foundation, One Voice, LIFT Inc
Giving is national, but California receives the largest share of grants, with 47% going to recipients in the HQ state. Los Angeles is the main recipient city in the recent grants list, including Liberty Hill Foundation, Communities in Schools of Los Angeles, Lift Inc, Step Up Women's Network, Point Foundation, and the Entertainment Industry Foundation. Other California recipients include Santa Monica, Malibu, Oakland, and Pleasanton. Outside California, grants reached organizations in Nashville, Annapolis, Washington, Cambridge, Philadelphia, and New York City, all within the United States.
The foundation supports school-based dropout prevention and student services, grassroots social justice and community organizing, youth civic engagement and leadership, and family economic mobility. Recent grants also include civic participation and environmental advocacy groups, all funded as general operating support.
The grant distribution is relatively small-to-mid-sized: p25 is $550, median grant size is $5,000, and p75 is $15,000. Recent awards also include larger operating grants above $100,000.
Yes. Multiple recipients appear across more than one year, including Communities in Schools of Los Angeles, One Voice, Lift Inc, Creative Visions Foundation, Step Up Women's Network, and Natural Resources Defense Council Inc. That pattern suggests ongoing support rather than isolated one-off gifts.
California receives the largest share of grants at 47% of recipients in the HQ state, and Los Angeles is the most frequent recipient city. The giving is still national, with recent grants also reaching Tennessee, Maryland, Washington DC, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New York.
The recent grants are predominantly general operating support. That includes major awards to groups such as Liberty Hill Foundation, Communities in Schools of Los Angeles, and One Voice, which indicates the foundation generally backs organizations’ ongoing work rather than narrowly defined projects.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty Hill Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $324,054 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Communities in Schools of los angeles | LOS ANGELES, CA | $162,400 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| One Voice | SANTA MONICA, CA | $62,966 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| LIFT INC | LOS ANGELES, CA | $61,535 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Step Up Women's Network | Los Angeles, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Creative Visions Foundation | Malibu, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Natural Resources Defense Council Inc | New York, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Center for Black Educator Development | Philadelphia, PA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Habitat for Humanity of Greater | Nashville, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Center for Scholars & Storytellers | Los Angeles, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Anti-Recidivism Coalition | Los Angeles, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Music Sustainability Alliance | Los Angeles, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Pencil Foundation | Nashville, TN | $1,982 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Common Goal USA | Brooklyn, NY | $1,500 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| United Negro College Fund Inc | Washington DC, DC | $1,274 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| W O SMITH NASHVILLE COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL | NASHVILLE, TN | $1,050 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Hispanic Federation Inc | NEW YORK, NY | $723 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Rainbow Book Bus Foundation | Santa Monica, CA | $506 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Downtown Women's Center | Los Angeles, CA | $402 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Communities in Schools of los angeles | LOS ANGELES, CA | $231,511 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| LIFT INC | LOS ANGELES, CA | $63,465 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| One Voice | SANTA MONICA, CA | $62,798 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Communities in Schools of Tennessee | Nashville, TN | $33,859 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Creative Visions Foundation | Malibu, CA | $27,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| NONPROFIT VOTE INC | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY FOUNDATION | Los Angeles, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN INDIAN COLLEGE FUND | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $24,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| PS 15 THE ROBERTO CLEMENTE SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $18,716 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Point Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $16,640 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Natural Resources Defense Council Inc | New York, NY | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| College Track | OAKLAND, CA | $12,648 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| VOTERIDERS | SANTA MONICA, CA | $10,325 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Environmental Media Association | Toluca Lake, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Brotherhood Crusade | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| DEMOCRACY WORKS INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Hispanic Federation Inc | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| OASIS CENTER INC | NASHVILLE, TN | $5,100 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| NEO PHILANTHROPY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| PATHOS LABS | DENVER, CO | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT EDUCATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN COMMITTEE FOR SHAARE ZEDEK | NEW YORK, NY | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF MAGEN DAVID ADOM | NEW YORK, NY | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| PALESTINE CHILDRENS RELIEF FUND | KENT, OH | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ISRAAID US INC | PALO ALTO, CA | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN NEAR EAST REFUGEE AID INC | WASHINGTON DC, DC | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Step Up Women's Network | LOS ANGELES, CA | $709 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Hispanic Federation Inc | NEW YORK, NY | $635 | 2024 | 1)DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL SUPPLIES 2)BOOK VALUE: $635 3)METHOD USED TO DETERMINE BOOK VALUE: PURCHASE PRICE 4) METHOD USED TO DETERMINE FAIR MARKET VALUE: RETAIL VALUE 5)DATE OF GIFT: VARIOUS 6)PURPOSE: EDUCATION SUPPORT |
| United Negro College Fund Inc | Washington DC, DC | $546 | 2024 | 1)DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL SUPPLIES 2)BOOK VALUE: $546 3)METHOD USED TO DETERMINE BOOK VALUE: PURCHASE PRICE 4) METHOD USED TO DETERMINE FAIR MARKET VALUE: RETAIL VALUE 5)DATE OF GIFT: 01/12/2023 6)PURPOSE: EDUCATION SUPPORT |
| W O SMITH NASHVILLE COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL | NASHVILLE, TN | $500 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| WHITSITT ELEMENTARY | NASHVILLE, TN | $350 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
LIFT INC
$61,535GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
Habitat for Humanity of Greater
$10,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
Center for Scholars & Storytellers
$10,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
Music Sustainability Alliance
$5,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
Common Goal USA
$1,500GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
W O SMITH NASHVILLE COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL
$1,050GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
Rainbow Book Bus Foundation
$506GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
Communities in Schools of los angeles
$231,511GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
LIFT INC
$63,465GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
AMERICAN INDIAN COLLEGE FUND
$24,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
PS 15 THE ROBERTO CLEMENTE SCHOOL
$18,716GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
Environmental Media Association
$10,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
PATHOS LABS
$5,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
AMERICAN COMMITTEE FOR SHAARE ZEDEK
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
ISRAAID US INC
$2,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
1)DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL SUPPLIES 2)BOOK VALUE: $635 3)METHOD USED TO DETERMINE BOOK VALUE: PURCHASE PRICE 4) METHOD USED TO DETERMINE FAIR MARKET VALUE: RETAIL VALUE 5)DATE OF GIFT: VARIOUS 6)PURPOSE: EDUCATION SUPPORT
1)DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL SUPPLIES 2)BOOK VALUE: $546 3)METHOD USED TO DETERMINE BOOK VALUE: PURCHASE PRICE 4) METHOD USED TO DETERMINE FAIR MARKET VALUE: RETAIL VALUE 5)DATE OF GIFT: 01/12/2023 6)PURPOSE: EDUCATION SUPPORT
W O SMITH NASHVILLE COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL
$500GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
WHITSITT ELEMENTARY
$350GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT