The David Geffen Foundation focuses its giving on major institutions in arts & culture, higher education, and select medical research, with a secondary emphasis on Jewish and Israel-related causes and initiatives in the entertainment sector. Its grants are concentrated and transformational — large gifts to a small number of flagship organizations (often in New York and Los Angeles), with repeated multi‑million-dollar support for museums, universities, cultural centers, and a handful of health and Jewish community organizations. The pattern indicates a preference for institutional capital and program support that raises the profile of flagship cultural and academic institutions rather than broad small-grant portfolios.
The David Geffen Foundation’s recent giving is defined by a few very large general-support grants to major institutions, especially the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, which received $50,000,000 in both 2024 and 2025. That same pattern appears across arts, higher education, and select health and Jewish organizations: Museum of Modern Art received $30,000,000 in 2024, Lincoln Center for Performing Arts received $30,000,000 in 2023, and Yale University received $15,000,000 in each of 2023, 2024, and 2025. The portfolio is concentrated rather than broad, with repeated support for the same flagship organizations across multiple years. The foundation also backs institutions tied to the entertainment sector and cultural infrastructure. Academy Foundation received $5,000,000 in 2023, 2024, and 2025, while the Motion Picture & Television Fund received $1,000,000 in 2025. In higher education, UCLA Foundation and Columbia University each appear multiple times, including grants above $8 million and $10 million. Health and Jewish-related giving is present but narrower in the recent record, with grants to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Elton John Aids Foundation, Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, and National Library of Israel USA. The overall pattern points to institutional support for established organizations rather than a dispersed small-grant portfolio.
In visual arts, the foundation backed two of the largest museum grants in the dataset: $50,000,000 to La County Museum of Art in 2024 and the same amount again in 2025. Museum of Modern Art also received $30,000,000 in 2024 and $10,000,000 in 2023, showing sustained support for major museum institutions. Higher education is another central area. Yale University received $15,000,000 in 2023, 2024, and 2025, while Columbia University received $8,333,333 in each of those same years. UCLA Foundation also received repeated support, including $18,606,400 in 2023, $15,771,566 in 2024, and $10,049,100 in 2025. The foundation also funds cultural and entertainment infrastructure. Lincoln Center for Performing Arts received $30,000,000 in 2023, and Academy Foundation received $5,000,000 in 2023, 2024, and 2025. On the health side, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center received $10,000,000 in 2025.
$112.5M
$332.7M
$25.8M
$113.3M
Most grants fall between $5K and $25K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$25K
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Concentrated, high-dollar giving to a limited set of flagship organizations with multiple repeat grants; funding skewed toward transformational capital and institutional support rather than many small, distributed grants. Geographic concentration in New York and Los Angeles.
Notable grantees: Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Yale University, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, National Library of Israel USA
Typical grants are in the mid-five-figure to low-six-figure range in the broader portfolio, with p25 at $5,000, median at $10,000, and p75 at $25,000. The recent-grants list also shows a separate tier of very large institutional awards, including repeated multi-year support to the same organizations. That repetition is visible across Yale University, Columbia University, UCLA Foundation, Academy Foundation, and National Library of Israel USA. The foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. The grants shown here are general support.
Giving is overwhelmingly domestic: all grants in the country distribution go to US recipients. California is the top state by grant count, with 51% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Los Angeles appears often through La County Museum of Art, UCLA Foundation, and the Motion Picture & Television Fund, while New York shows up through Museum of Modern Art, Lincoln Center for Performing Arts, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Other recurring locations include New Haven, Santa Monica, Woodland Hills, Inglewood, and Radnor.
The foundation gives mainly to major institutions in arts and culture, higher education, and select medical research, with additional support for Jewish and Israel-related organizations and entertainment-sector institutions. In the recent grants list, that includes museums, universities, performing arts organizations, and cancer or neurological research and service groups.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including La County Museum of Art, Yale University, Columbia University, UCLA Foundation, Academy Foundation, and National Library of Israel USA. The repeated grants suggest ongoing institutional support rather than one-time awards.
The grant-size distribution shows a p25 of $5,000, a median of $10,000, and a p75 of $25,000. The recent-grants list also includes much larger institutional awards, including multiple grants above $10 million.
Its giving is national, with all grants in the country distribution going to US recipients. California receives the largest share of grants by state, and 51% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state.
The recent grants are listed as general support, and the foundation is classified as a regular funder. The pattern favors flexible, multi-purpose support for established institutions rather than program-specific awards.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LA COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $15,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UCLA FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,049,100 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $8,333,333 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MILKEN CENTER FOR ADVANCING THE AMERICAN DREAM | SANTA MONICA, CA | $6,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ACADEMY FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $5,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| 92ND STREET Y | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ASSOCIATION FOR FRONTOTEMPORAL DEGENERATION | RADNOR, PA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MOTION PICTURE & TELEVISION FUND | WOODLAND HILLS, CA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL LIBRARY OF ISRAEL USA | NEW YORK, NY | $700,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UCLA FOUNDATION (GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE) | LOS ANGELES, CA | $300,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SKIRBALL CULTURAL CENTER | LOS ANGELES, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HARLEM SCHOOL OF THE ARTS | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER | LOS ANGELES, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSEEDUC FND | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GLAAD | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ONE CAMPAIG | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HAMMER MUSEUM | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HETRICK-MARTIN INSTITUTE | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ENCORPS STEM TEACHERS PROGRAM | REDONDO BEACH, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JAZZ FOUNDATION OF AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BUCKS ROCK CAMP | NEW MILFORD, CT | $24,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JENKINS PENN HAITIAN RELIEF ORGANIZATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SAFE HORIZON | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS AMERICAN SECTION | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE ISRAEL SPORTS CENTER FOR THE DISABLED | NORTHFIELD, IL | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SAGE | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH HEALING AND HOSPICE CENTER OF LOS ANGELES | LOS ANGELES, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MUSIC CENTER | LOS ANGELES, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SANSUM CLINIC | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DOWNTOWN WOMEN'S CENTER | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| EQUALITY CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE | SACRAMENTO, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM | CLEVELAND, OH | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ANGELS AT RISK | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ALI FORNEY CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOMELESS NOT TOOTHLESS | BRENTWOOD, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ANGELS AT RISK | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WEST HOLLYWOOD COMMUNITY HOUSING CORPORATION | WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GUILD HALL OF EAST HAMPTON | EAST HAMPTON, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FOOD FORWARD | NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CREATIVE TIME | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL SEPTEMBER 11 MEMORIAL AND MUSEUM AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BABY 2 BABY | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| RAPE FOUNDATION | SANTA MONICA, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
LA COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART
$50,000,000GENERAL SUPPORT
YALE UNIVERSITY
$15,000,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UCLA FOUNDATION
$10,049,100GENERAL SUPPORT
MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER
$10,000,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
$8,333,333GENERAL SUPPORT
MILKEN CENTER FOR ADVANCING THE AMERICAN DREAM
$6,000,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ACADEMY FOUNDATION
$5,000,000GENERAL SUPPORT
92ND STREET Y
$3,000,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ASSOCIATION FOR FRONTOTEMPORAL DEGENERATION
$1,000,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION
$1,000,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MOTION PICTURE & TELEVISION FUND
$1,000,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF ISRAEL USA
$700,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UCLA FOUNDATION (GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE)
$300,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SKIRBALL CULTURAL CENTER
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HARLEM SCHOOL OF THE ARTS
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSEEDUC FND
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GLAAD
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ONE CAMPAIG
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HAMMER MUSEUM
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HETRICK-MARTIN INSTITUTE
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ENCORPS STEM TEACHERS PROGRAM
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
JAZZ FOUNDATION OF AMERICA
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BUCKS ROCK CAMP
$24,000GENERAL SUPPORT
JENKINS PENN HAITIAN RELIEF ORGANIZATION
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SAFE HORIZON
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS AMERICAN SECTION
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE ISRAEL SPORTS CENTER FOR THE DISABLED
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SAGE
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY FOUNDATION
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
JEWISH HEALING AND HOSPICE CENTER OF LOS ANGELES
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MUSIC CENTER
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SANSUM CLINIC
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
DOWNTOWN WOMEN'S CENTER
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
EQUALITY CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ANGELS AT RISK
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ALI FORNEY CENTER
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HOMELESS NOT TOOTHLESS
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ANGELS AT RISK
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WEST HOLLYWOOD COMMUNITY HOUSING CORPORATION
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GUILD HALL OF EAST HAMPTON
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FOOD FORWARD
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CREATIVE TIME
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NATIONAL SEPTEMBER 11 MEMORIAL AND MUSEUM AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BABY 2 BABY
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
RAPE FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT