Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation
Los Angeles, CA · EIN 95-3793858. Reported 229 grants totalling $8,200,669 to 103 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 Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation, the IRS classifies it as a private independent foundation (NTEE T22Z).
- How spread out its giving is. 103 distinct organizations, with 23% 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. 68% of one year's grantees are funded again the next, across 3 year-to-year transitions. That is about the 57% median for grantmaking charities -- noticeably lower than the 67% private foundations manage. Organizations like this one rotate more of their list each year, which is where an opening for a newcomer tends to be.
How big are its grants?
The median reported grant is $15,000. Half of what it reported fell between $10,000 and $25,000; the smallest was $5,150 and the largest $1,883,592. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc | New York, NY | $1,883,592 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| ACLU Foundation of Southern Calif | Los Angeles, CA | $679,453 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| California Changelawyers | San Francisco, CA | $471,300 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Equal Justice Works | Washington, DC | $335,580 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area | San Francisco, CA | $312,005 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | $224,000 | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| Bet Tzedek | Los Angeles, CA | $205,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| American Law Institute | Philadelphia, PA | $200,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Charitable Ventures of Orangecounty Inc | Santa Ana, CA | $160,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Education Law Center Inc | Newark, NJ | $140,226 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Pasadena Educational Foundation | Pasadena, CA | $125,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law | Washington, DC | $120,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Public Counsel | Los Angeles, CA | $112,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Western Justice Center Foundation | Pasadena, CA | $110,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Travelers & Immigrants Aid's Heartland Alliance Fo | Chicago, IL | $107,384 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Los Angeles Regional Food Bank | Vernon, CA | $104,500 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Inner City Law Center | Los Angeles, CA | $102,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| A Milton Miller Memorial Fund Inc | Los Angeles, CA | $80,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Cair Foundation Inc | Washington, DC | $80,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia | Washington, DC | $80,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Appellate Project Inc | Washington, DC | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Constitutional Rights Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Museum of Contemporary Art | Los Angeles, CA | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| National Partnership for Women and Families Inc | Washington, DC | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Western Center on Law and Poverty | Los Angeles, CA | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Youth Improving Non-Profits for Children | New York, NY | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County | Glendale, CA | $74,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Friends of the Los Angeles County Law Library | Los Angeles, CA | $70,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Justice in Aging | Washington, DC | $70,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Southern Center for Human Rights | Atlanta, GA | $70,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Mental Health Advocacy Services Inc | Glendale, CA | $69,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education | Chicago, IL | $65,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Alliance for Childrens Rights | Los Angeles, CA | $60,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Silicon Valley Campaign for Legal Services | Mountain View, CA | $60,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California | Los Angeles, CA | $55,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Honorable Tina Brozman Foundation Inc | New York, NY | $55,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| United Jewish Appeal Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Ny Inc | New York, NY | $55,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Equality California Institute | Los Angeles, CA | $48,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| American Jewish Committee | New York, NY | $45,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Downtown Womens Center | Los Angeles, CA | $45,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| National Immigration Law Center | Los Angeles, CA | $45,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Public Advocates Inc | San Francisco, CA | $45,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Rand Corporation | Santa Monica, CA | $45,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| San Francisco Food Bank | San Francisco, CA | $40,150 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| City of Hope | Duarte, CA | $40,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Community Partners | Los Angeles, CA | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Council on American-Islamic Relations California | Anaheim, CA | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Justice and Diversity Center of the Bar Association of San Francis | San Francisco, CA | $40,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| California Womens Law Center | El Segundo, CA | $35,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Los Angeles Philharmonic Association | Los Angeles, CA | $35,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Human Rights Watch Inc | New York, NY | $33,500 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| National Womens Law Center | Washington, DC | $32,500 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence | San Francisco, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Law Foundation of Silicon Valley | San Jose, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Los Angeles Master Chorale Assn | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Mississippi Center for Justice | Jackson, MS | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Yleana Leadership Foundation Inc | New York, NY | $26,125 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Coro Southern California Inc | Los Angeles, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Henry E Huntington Library & Art Gallery | San Marino, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution | New York, NY | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Teach Democracy | Los Angeles, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles Inc | Los Angeles, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Jewish Bar Association of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Justice & Diversity Center of the Bar Association | San Francisco, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Regents Univ of California | Los Angeles, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Southern California Housing Rights Center | Los Angeles, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Stuart Ketchum Downtown YMCA | Los Angeles, CA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| United Friends of the Children | Los Angeles, CA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Wlala Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $19,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Los Angeles Food Bank | Los Angeles, CA | $18,600 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Los Angeles Lgbt Center | Los Angeles, CA | $18,025 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Legal Aid at Work | San Francisco, CA | $17,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Mexican American Bar Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $16,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| KIPP Socal Public Schools | Los Angeles, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Latinojustice Prldef | New York, NY | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice | Los Angeles, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| National Center for Youth Law | Oakland, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press | Washington, DC | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Young Mens Christian Association of Metropolitan Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| California Youth Defender Center Inc | Los Angeles, CA | $14,579 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| M F Place Inc | Hollywood, CA | $12,875 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| University of California Irvine Foundation | Irvine, CA | $11,225 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Advocates for Children of Ny Inc | New York, NY | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Museum Associates | Los Angeles, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| National Health Law Program Inc | Los Angeles, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| National Judicial College | Reno, NV | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Nijc Nfp | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Only Make Believe Inc | New York, NY | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Skechers Foundation | Manhattan Beach, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| St Baldricks Foundation Inc | Monrovia, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| St Baldricks Foundation Inc | Monrovia, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Street Law Inc | Silver Spring, MD | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| The Music Center | Los Angeles, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Giant Community Fund | San Francisco, CA | $9,200 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Human Rights First | New York, NY | $9,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Kind Inc | Washington, DC | $9,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| John M Langston Bar Association of Los Angeles Inc | Los Angeles, CA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability | Fresno, CA | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Museum of American Finance | New York, NY | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Ms Jd | Covina, CA | $5,700 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Latina Lawyers Bar Association | Los Angeles, CA | $5,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Capital Area Food Bank | Washington, DC | $5,150 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
57 of 103 (55%) 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 kind of organizations it funds
By each recipient's own IRS classification, for the 76 of 103 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 | 58 | $1,654,160 | $15,000 |
| 2022 | 61 | $1,583,150 | $15,000 |
| 2023 | 56 | $1,718,283 | $15,000 |
| 2024 | 54 | $3,245,076 | $16,500 |
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
54% 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 $15,000 -- 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 Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation'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 54 section 501(c)(3) organizations and 0 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: 350 South Grand Avenue 50TH Floor, Los Angeles, CA, 90071.
EIN 95-3793858 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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