Center for Cultural Innovation
Los Angeles, CA · EIN 91-2156812. Reported 135 grants totalling $7,390,463 to 99 organizations across tax years 2021-2024, on Form 990 Schedule I.
Does this grantmaker accept applications?
Its tax return does not say, and we will not guess. Private foundations file Form 990-PF, which asks outright whether they fund only organizations they select themselves -- 78% say yes, and that one answer is what lets the rest of this site tell you which foundations are worth approaching. Grantmaking charities like this one file a regular Form 990 instead, and the IRS never puts the question to them. Anyone claiming to know the answer from the filing is inventing it.
Three things in the filing do bear on it:
- What kind of organization it is. For Center for Cultural Innovation, the IRS classifies it under arts & culture rather than as a grantmaker (NTEE A20) -- it is an operating charity that also makes grants.
- How spread out its giving is. 99 distinct organizations, with 7% of the dollars going to the largest single recipient. That is genuinely spread out -- the mark of a funder making many independent decisions rather than underwriting one institution.
- How much its list changes. 33% of one year's grantees are funded again the next, across 3 year-to-year transitions. That is below the 57% median for grantmaking charities, and well below the 67% private foundations manage. A list that turns over this much is one a newcomer can realistically join.
How big are its grants?
The median reported grant is $30,000. Half of what it reported fell between $25,000 and $75,000; the smallest was $6,000 and the largest $500,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong organization.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by the EIN the filer reported, not by name, so an organization that was typed differently in two years appears once rather than twice.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beloved Economies LLC | Beaverton, OR | $500,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative Inc | Oakland, CA | $450,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Big We | Memphis, TN | $405,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Ekvnv Yefolecvlke | Weogufka, AL | $405,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Center for Economic Democracy | Jamaica Plain, MA | $325,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Sustainable Markets Foundation | New York, NY | $325,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Voice of Calvary Ministries | Jackson, MS | $300,300 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Nexus Community Partners | Saint Paul, MN | $275,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Urban Institute | Washington, DC | $250,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Everyday People for Change Inc | Oakland, CA | $240,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Sustainable Economies Law Center | Oakland, CA | $175,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Roanhorse Consulting LLC | Albuquerque, NM | $150,500 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Canticle Farm | Oakland, CA | $150,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Seven Fires | New Haven, MO | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| The Collective the Cltv Inc | Memphis, TN | $130,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Boston Ujima Project Inc | Boston, MA | $125,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Industrial Commons | Morganton, NC | $106,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Common Future | San Francisco, CA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Comradery Worker Cooperative Co | Philadelphia, PA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Groupmuse Pbc | Oakland, CA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Solidaire Network Inc | Oakland, CA | $100,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| United States Federation of Worker Cooperative | Oakland, CA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Metagov Inc | Boston, MA | $90,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Boston Impact Initiative Fund | Jamaica Plain, MA | $80,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Gracepoint Neighborhood Inc | Dallas, TX | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Moc Spark Fund I Lp | Branford, CT | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Native Roots Network Inc | Bella Vista, CA | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Seed Commons | New York, NY | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Umba Daima Inc | Atlanta, GA | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Wisconsin Preservation Fund Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Intersection for the Arts | San Francisco, CA | $65,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Neighborbuilt LLC | Kansas City, MO | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Hip Hop for the People | Emeryville, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Hiphopforchange Inc | Oakland, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Lord Cultural Resources | New York, NY | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Storefront Records LLC | Oakland, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Workers Lab | Oakland, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Askari Sowonde | Vallejo, CA | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Immersive Learning Center | Vallejo, CA | $38,478 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| A Noise Within | Pasadena, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Angel City Arts | Claremont, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Animo Production | Downey, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Artists at Play | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Collaborative Artists Bloc | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Company of Angels Inc | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Deaf West Theatre Company Inc | Studio City, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Downey Symphonic Society Inc | Downey, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Fractured Atlas Inc | New York, NY | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Gay Mens Chorus of Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Grand Performances | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Greater Washington Community Foundation | Washington, DC | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Heidi Duckler Dance | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Iama Theatre Company | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Invertigo Dance Theatre | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Jewish Womens Theatre | Santa Monica, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Kalapriya Foundation Center for Indian Performing Art Inc | Chicago, IL | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Kutturan Chamoru Foundation | Long Beach, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Long Beach Opera | Long Beach, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Long Beach Symphony Association | Long Beach, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Los Angeles Performance Practice | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Los Angeles Poverty Department | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Muse-Ique | Pasadena, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| New Economy Coalition Inc | Boston, MA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Red Handed Films LLC | Petaluma, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Skylight Theatre Company | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Taikoproject | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| The Independent Shakespeare Co Inc | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Viver Brasil Dance Company | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Wild Up | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| World Stage Performance Gallery | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ladells Shoes | Vallejo, CA | $29,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Boys & Girls Empowerment Group Inc | Vallejo, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Cultura Y Arte Nativa De Las Americas | San Francisco, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Haz Cooperative | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation | Oakland, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| On the Fringe Visual and Performing Arts Incorporated | Vallejo, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Kulintang Arts Inc | San Francisco, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Lc and Lillie Cox Haven of Hope | San Ramon, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Mira Theatre Guild | Vallejo, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Solano AIDS Coalition | Vallejo, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| The Cejjes Institute Inc | Pomona, NY | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| 51OAKLAND | Oakland, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Gray Area Foundation for the Arts | San Francisco, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Miles Mcneal & Powell LLC | Vallejo, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Studio X Recording | Oakland, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Arc-Solano | Vallejo, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Artist Magnet Justice Alliance | Oakland, CA | $9,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Swetha Prabakaran Productions | San Francisco, CA | $9,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Not-Me | Lexington, MA | $8,585 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Cat Brooks Consulting | Oakland, CA | $8,250 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Dancers Group | San Francisco, CA | $8,250 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| School of Arts and Culture at Mhp | San Jose, CA | $8,250 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Theatrefirst | Berkeley, CA | $8,250 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Aecreative Consulting Partners LLC | Oakland, CA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Solstice Theatre Ie | Riverside, CA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Your Neighborhood Museum | Los Angeles, CA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Movementkc | Kansas City, MO | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Casita De Las Artes LLC | San Jose, CA | $6,100 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Art Builds Community | San Jose, CA | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
18 of 99 (18%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold. Remember the $5,000 floor: an organization funded every year at $3,000 shows up here as never funded at all.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose column of its filings, largest first. This is the closest thing to a statement of what it funds, in its own words.
- The Urban Institute
AMBITIOUS PROGRAM, SOL CENTER - Metagov Inc
AMBITIOUS PROGRAM/R2i LAB PROGRAMS - Red Handed Films LLC
PALANTE ARTIST GRANT PROGRAM - Artist Magnet Justice Alliance
INVESTING IN ARTISTS PROGRAM - Not-Me Inc
SCI ARTIST INNOVATOR FUND - Casita De Las Artes LLC
SAN JOSE CREATIVE ECONOMY FUND PROGRAM
What kind of organizations it funds
By each recipient's own IRS classification, for the 62 of 99 recipients we could match to a registered organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses -- Schedule I reports the recipient's EIN, so this is a lookup rather than a name match.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants reported | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 20 | $1,015,250 | $50,000 |
| 2022 | 33 | $1,711,028 | $50,000 |
| 2023 | 52 | $2,321,585 | $30,000 |
| 2024 | 30 | $2,342,600 | $50,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- Form 990 arrives about a year after the year it covers, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a grantmaker winding down.
Where its money goes
41% of its giving went to organizations in California. Community foundations and federated funds are usually the most geographically bounded funders there are -- being outside the footprint is normally disqualifying in a way that a weak programme fit is not.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These grantmakers and private foundations gave to organizations this one also funded. Shared grantees are the strongest signal available that two funders have overlapping priorities -- and a funder already backing your peers is a far warmer prospect than one that merely lists your cause.
How to approach this grantmaker
- Look for a published programme first. Unlike most private foundations, organizations of this kind often do run open, deadlined grant cycles with written guidelines. Its own website is the authority on that; this page is the authority on who it has actually paid.
- Check you are its size. The median reported grant is $30,000 -- and because grants under $5,000 need not be reported, it very likely writes smaller cheques than this page can see.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving concentrates in California.
- Read the recipient list for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer and a cheap one to get.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Center for Cultural Innovation's own Form 990 Schedule I filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Nothing here is scraped, inferred or estimated.
On its most recent return it told the IRS it made grants to 18 section 501(c)(3) organizations and 12 other organizations. That is the filer's own count for one year; the totals above cover every year we hold.
Address of record on the latest return: 244 S San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90012.
EIN 91-2156812 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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