East West Bank Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on major visual arts and cultural institutions—particularly large museums in Los Angeles and institutions focused on Asian art—while also making significant investments in economic empowerment for low-income women through microfinance. Grants are few but very large, often repeated to the same beneficiaries, indicating a preference for marquee capital and program support that raises institutional profile and sustainability.
Concentrated, high-dollar giving: a small number of large grants (many multi-grant relationships) focused on flagship cultural institutions and select social enterprise partners rather than many small community grants.
East West Bank Foundation’s largest recent grant was a $5,970,894 program support award to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 2025, a signal of how heavily the foundation backs major cultural institutions. Across its recent giving, it also made repeated large grants to Museum Associates, The Broad, and the Asian Art Museum, showing sustained support for marquee museums and Asian art institutions. Alongside arts funding, the foundation has also funded economic inclusion work through Grameen America and community-oriented education and cultural groups in California. The pattern is not broad-based small-grant philanthropy; it is concentrated support for a limited set of organizations, often with multiple awards over several years. Recent grants also include support for Gold House Foundation Inc, The Colburn School, Equality California, The Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles, and The Greenlining Institute, indicating an interest in institutions tied to Asian American cultural visibility, arts education, civic life, and economic opportunity. The grants in the record are all program support, which points to operating or initiative-level funding rather than unrestricted major gifts.
Visual arts dominate the foundation’s recent giving. It awarded $5,970,894 to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for program support in 2025, and it also gave $2,000,000 in 2024 and $988,568 in 2025 to Museum Associates, both in Los Angeles. Asian art institutions are another recurring focus: the Asian Art Museum received $500,000 in 2025, while Asian Art Museum Foundation of San Francisco received $500,000 in 2024 and $500,000 in 2023. The foundation also supported Asian American cultural infrastructure through $250,000 to Gold House Foundation Inc in 2025 and $200,000 in 2024. On the economic mobility side, it funded Grameen America Inc with $1,376,039 in 2025 and $500,000 in both 2024 and 2023, reflecting multi-year support for microfinance and low-income women’s economic empowerment. Education and performing arts appear as well through grants to The Colburn School.
Typical grant sizes cluster around $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $33,538 at the 75th percentile, even though the recent record also includes much larger institutional awards. The foundation behaves like a repeat program funder: several grantees appear across multiple years, including Museum Associates, The Broad, Asian Art Museum Foundation of San Francisco, Grameen America Inc, The Academy Foundation, Gold House Foundation Inc, The Greenlining Institute, The Colburn School, and San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity. It is a regular funder rather than a DAF, does not fund individuals, and makes no program-related investments. The grants shown are all labeled program support.
$11.3M
$54.5M
$13.1M
$12.1M
Most grants fall between $5K and $34K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$34K
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Notable grantees: Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), The Broad, Museum Associates, Grameen America, Asian Art Museum
Grantmaking is overwhelmingly U.S.-based, with 124 recent grants going to recipients in the United States. California is the main giving state, accounting for 68% of grants. Los Angeles anchors the portfolio, with recipients such as Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Museum Associates, The Broad, The Colburn School, and The Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles. Other California recipient cities include San Francisco, Beverly Hills, Oakland, Pasadena, Covina, Monrovia, Studio City, and Los Angeles-area communities.
Recent grants show a strong emphasis on major visual arts and cultural institutions, especially museums in Los Angeles and Asian art organizations. The foundation also supports economic empowerment work for low-income women, plus selected education, civic, and community organizations in California.
Recurring support is common. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Museum Associates, The Broad, Asian Art Museum Foundation of San Francisco, Grameen America Inc, The Academy Foundation, Gold House Foundation Inc, The Greenlining Institute, The Colburn School, and San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity.
The distribution centers around relatively modest awards for a foundation of this scale: the 25th percentile is $5,000, the median is $10,000, and the 75th percentile is $33,538. At the same time, the recent record includes much larger program support grants to major institutions.
California is the top giving state, with 68% of grants going to recipients there. Los Angeles is the main city in the record, with additional California grants in San Francisco, Beverly Hills, Oakland, Pasadena, Covina, Monrovia, and Studio City.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its recent grants are all listed as program support, which is consistent with institutional and initiative-level funding.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART (LACMA) | LOS ANGELES, CA | $5,970,894 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GRAMEEN AMERICA INC | TEXAS, TX | $1,376,039 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MUSEUM ASSOCIATES | LOS ANGELES, CA | $988,568 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE BROAD | LOS ANGELES, CA | $856,339 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ASIAN ART MUSEUM | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $500,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE ACADEMY FOUNDATION | BEVERLY HILLS, CA | $500,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GOLD HOUSE FOUNDATION INC | COVINA, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE COLBURN SCHOOL | LOS ANGELES, CA | $150,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE MAYOR'S FUND FOR LOS ANGELES | LOS ANGELES, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| RISE ECONOMY | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE GREENLINING INSTITUTE | OAKLAND, CA | $70,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| QUINCY INSTITUTE FOR RESPONSIBLE STATECRAFT | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SAN GABRIEL VALLEY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | MONROVIA, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CORPORATION OF THE FINE ARTS MUSEUMS | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $46,500 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| FILM INDEPENDENT | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WNET | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE | CUPERTINO, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BUDDHIST TZU CHI FOUNDATION | SAN DIMAS, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PERELMAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (PAC NYC) | NEW YORK, NY | $23,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM | LOS ANGELES, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ASIAN AMERICANS ADVANCING JUSTICE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PILIPINO WORKERS CENTER OF SOUTHERN | LOS ANGELES, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MISSION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| 80-20 EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION INC | SAINT PETERSBURG, FL | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| LOW INCOME INVESTMENT FUND (LIIF) | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CENTER FOR ASIAN AMERICAN UNITED FOR SELF EMPOWERMENT | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION (APALF) | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| LOS ANGELES BUSINESS COUNCIL INSTITUTE (LABCi) | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| OCA NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| EL MONTE POLICE OFFICERS FOUNDATION | EL MONTE, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| HERBIE HANCOCK INSTITUTE OF JAZZ | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| FROM THE HEART PRODUCTIONS | OXNARD, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ASIAN & PACIFIC ISLANDER AMERICAN VOTE INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $5,600 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE UCLA FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| FIRST TEE LOS ANGELES | WEST COVINA, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| HEALTH EDUCATION COUNCIL | SACRAMENTO, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| KAIMORE | CITY OF INDUSTRY, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| TELACU EDUCATION FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WESTERN JUSTICE CENTER | PASADENA, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE OF LOS ANGELES | LOS ANGELES, CA | $3,500 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ONE FAMILY | BOSTON, MA | $2,500 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MUSEUM ASSOCIATES | LOS ANGELES, CA | $2,000,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE BROAD | LOS ANGELES, CA | $831,387 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GRAMEEN AMERICA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $500,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ASIAN ART MUSEUM FOUNDATION OF SAN FRANCISCO | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $500,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE ACADEMY FOUNDATION | BEVERLY HILLS, CA | $500,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GOLD HOUSE FOUNDATION INC | COVINA, CA | $200,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MUSEIQUE | PASADENA, CA | $125,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| HARVARD WESTLAKE SCHOOL | STUDIO CITY, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART (LACMA)
$5,970,894PROGRAM SUPPORT
GRAMEEN AMERICA INC
$1,376,039PROGRAM SUPPORT
THE BROAD
$856,339PROGRAM SUPPORT
ASIAN ART MUSEUM
$500,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
PROGRAM SUPPORT
THE COLBURN SCHOOL
$150,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
RISE ECONOMY
$100,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
SAN GABRIEL VALLEY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$50,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
WNET
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
PERELMAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (PAC NYC)
$23,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
80-20 EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION INC
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
CENTER FOR ASIAN AMERICAN UNITED FOR SELF EMPOWERMENT
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION (APALF)
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
OCA NEW YORK
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
EL MONTE POLICE OFFICERS FOUNDATION
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
HERBIE HANCOCK INSTITUTE OF JAZZ
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
FIRST TEE LOS ANGELES
$5,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
HEALTH EDUCATION COUNCIL
$5,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
KAIMORE
$5,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
TELACU EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$5,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
THE BROAD
$831,387PROGRAM SUPPORT
ASIAN ART MUSEUM FOUNDATION OF SAN FRANCISCO
$500,000PROGRAM SUPPORT