About S Mark Taper Foundation
The S Mark Taper Foundation concentrates its giving on large, local capital investments that improve physical infrastructure for child-focused services in Los Angeles. Recent grants emphasize building and enhancing facilities that support children's health and social services, particularly in underserved communities such as Watts. The foundation appears to prioritize transformational brick-and-mortar projects over general operating support or wide programmatic portfolios.
Focus Areas
Capital construction for child-serving community centers in South Los Angeles (e.g., Watts campus)Child-focused healing environments at major hospitals (hospital healing gardens / therapeutic spaces)Facility and campus development for children's mental health and social services organizations
Who They Fund
low-income and underserved neighborhoods in Los Angeles County (Watts, Boyle Heights, East LA, Compton, South LA, Pomona, Pasadena, Long Beach)children and early learnersstudents and K–12 school communitiespeople experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity (supportive housing residents)
About S Mark Taper Foundation
A $1,050,000 capital grant to Children’s Institute Inc. for construction of a Watts campus captures the S Mark Taper Foundation’s pattern: large, place-based investments in physical assets that serve children and families in Los Angeles. Across the recent grants list, the foundation backs campuses, renovations, equipment, and service-environment upgrades rather than a narrow programmatic niche. Those investments reach child-focused social services, health care settings, housing-linked supports, and community institutions. The foundation’s giving repeatedly supports brick-and-mortar projects that change how organizations operate on the ground. It has funded a children’s healing garden at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, a campus renovation and expansion for Blind Children’s Center Inc., and a renovation of Kidspace’s early childhood learning center. It also funds related community infrastructure for organizations serving low-income and underserved neighborhoods, including permanent supportive housing, clinic space, and food distribution facilities. Although the portfolio includes some program and general operating support, the clearest thread is capital support for organizations serving children and families in Los Angeles County. That emphasis appears alongside grants to cultural and social-service institutions, showing a foundation that mixes facility investment with targeted support for direct service organizations.
What S Mark Taper Foundation Funds
In child and family services, the foundation gave $1,050,000 to Children’s Institute Inc. for construction of a Watts campus, and $300,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Los Angeles Fbo Wattswillowbrook Boys & Girls C for safety renovations at the Watts/Willowbrook clubhouse. Those awards point to a strong interest in facilities that shape how children receive services in specific neighborhoods. Health-related grantmaking also shows up in capital projects. The foundation gave $900,000 to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for a children’s healing garden, $250,000 to Venice Family Clinic for clinic renovation, and $250,000 to St John’s Community Health to equip a renovated building in Compton. It also supports food access and housing-related infrastructure. Grants include $400,000 to Los Angeles Regional Food Bank for headquarters and warehouse support, and $300,000 to The People Concern for permanent supportive housing. Cultural and education-oriented grants appear as well, including support for school programs at Skirball Cultural Center.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$7.7M
Total Assets
$203.6M
Total Revenue
$16.5M
Total Expenses
$10.3M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $50K and $100K, with a median of $75K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$75K
75th Percentile
$100K
Geographic Reach
Local7 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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