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About Us

Our mission: expand opportunity for the people of California.

Our Focus

Our singular goal is a California where all low-income workers have the power to advance economically. We focus specifically on California.

Our History

The James Irvine Foundation is a private, independent foundation that provided $180.3 million in grants in 2023 to organizations in California. Since our founding in 1937, Irvine has made more than $2.6 billion in grants throughout the state.

The Irvine Foundation has about 80 employees in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Our endowment, from which we make grants, totaled $3.1 billion by the end of 2023.

We are committed to:

Accountability

We hold ourselves responsible for achieving results for the people of California.

Curiosity

We are eager to learn and explore new things to make better decisions.

Empathy

We intently listen to others to better understand who we serve and how.

Equity

We work for justice and fairness for all Californians.

Nimbleness

We are flexible and ready to adapt to new ideas and ways of working.

Partnership

We collaborate with leaders across sectors for greater collective impact.

Transparency

We create trust by sharing information in a candid and timely manner.