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Goldhirsh Foundation
The Goldhirsh Foundation was established in 2000 by the late Bernard Goldhirsh, who built his wealth founding Inc. and Sail magazines. His son, Ben Goldhirsh,...
Goldhirsh Foundation
The Goldhirsh Foundation was established in 2000 by the late Bernard Goldhirsh, who built his wealth founding Inc. and Sail magazines. His son, Ben Goldhirsh, chairs the foundation, and his daughter, Claire Hoffman, serves as a director. The endowment operates from Los Angeles with a mandate to connect emerging innovations with financial, social, and human capital. The foundation deploys capital across venture, growth, and buyout stages, blending direct investments and fund commitments. It focuses on social impact ventures in sectors including enterprise software, digital health, and climate technology. A central vehicle is LA2050, a community-driven initiative the foundation launched to shape the future of Los Angeles. The foundation's posture heavily favors Los Angeles-based organizations, and it operates a co-working hub, Second Home Hollywood, for impact-focused startups. With $58 million in estimated assets, the foundation is led by President Tara Roth. Its Investment Committee includes Shana Barghouti of ReMY Investors, Natasha Case of Coolhaus, and Celestine Schnugg of Boom Capital. The team also maintains a Boston office. Natasha Case is a member of YPO's Beverly Hills chapter, reflecting the foundation's ties to local entrepreneurial networks. The foundation's structural differentiator is its deeply local, hands-on model. Through LA2050, it acts as a grantmaker, convener, and direct investor within a single metropolitan ecosystem. Rather than a traditional diversified endowment, it operates as a catalytic engine for place-based social innovation, blurring the line between operating non-profit and mission-aligned investor.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
2000
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Los Angeles
Corporate office
Los Angeles, CA, United States
Additional offices
Pacific Palisades, CA · Boston, MA
Principals
Tara Roth
President
Ben Goldhirsh
Chairman
Claire Hoffman
Director
Shana Barghouti
Investment Committee Member
Natasha Case
Investment Committee Member
Celestine Schnugg
Investment Committee Member
Ruth Wernig
Investment Committee Member
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at the Goldhirsh Foundation?
President Tara Roth oversees the foundation's strategy, with an Investment Committee that includes Shana Barghouti (Co-CIO at ReMY Investors), Natasha Case (co-founder of Coolhaus), Celestine Schnugg (Managing Partner at Boom Capital), and Ruth Wernig (former CIO of The California Endowment). The committee provides oversight but operational decisions sit with the President's office.
How does the Goldhirsh Foundation source its direct investments?
Sourcing is heavily concentrated within the Los Angeles ecosystem through the LA2050 initiative. LA2050 operates as a public grant challenge, market research tool, and community engagement platform, surfacing high-impact organizations. The foundation also leverages its Second Home Hollywood co-working space as a physical hub for connecting with social entrepreneurs.
What is LA2050 and how does it function?
LA2050 is a community-guided initiative and reported to be the foundation's primary deployment engine. It sets goals for Los Angeles across metrics like health, education, and housing, then directs grants and investments to organizations advancing those goals. It blends philanthropic grantmaking with impact-first investment, operating more like a focused catalyst than a passive funding vehicle.
Does the Goldhirsh Foundation commit to external funds or only make direct investments?
The foundation operates a hybrid strategy, making both direct investments and fund commitments. Its strategy spans early-stage start-ups, growth equity, and buyouts, but specific external fund commitments or co-investment partners beyond the LA2050 network have not been publicly detailed.
Where does the Goldhirsh Foundation's wealth come from?
The endowment was established from the proceeds of magazine publishing. Bernard Goldhirsh founded Inc. magazine in 1979 and Sail magazine, and the subsequent sale of these media assets provided the capital for the foundation. The family's wealth remains rooted in this legacy with the founder's son and daughter now stewarding governance.
How is the foundation related to Second Home Hollywood?
Second Home Hollywood serves as the foundation's physical hub and co-working space, housing social impact startups. The foundation uses it to curate a community of practice for mission-aligned entrepreneurs, strengthening deal flow and collaboration within the Los Angeles impact ecosystem.
What is the Goldhirsh Foundation's known posture on co-investments?
Public disclosures do not outline a formal co-investment program. The foundation operates primarily through its LA2050 platform and internal Investment Committee. Co-investment relationships, if any, are likely informal and network-driven through the principals' connections rather than structured syndicates.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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