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Los Angeles City College Foundation
The Los Angeles City College Foundation was founded in 1968 alongside the college itself, making it one of California's longest-running community-college...
Los Angeles City College Foundation
The Los Angeles City College Foundation was founded in 1968 alongside the college itself, making it one of California's longest-running community-college philanthropic vehicles. Chairman Robert Schwartz and Executive Director Lisa Nashua now steward net assets that exceed $50 million, according to the foundation's published figures, with annual scholarship and direct-service disbursements surpassing $1 million. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) that channels gifts from individuals, corporations, and private foundations — including the Herb Alpert Foundation and the Morris S. Smith Foundation — directly into student support. LACCF's deployment model centers on immediate-need grants rather than endowment-style investment returns. For the 2024–25 academic year, the foundation reported $532,378 in scholarships across 833 awards and $719,885 in direct services reaching 1,272 students. The programmatic focus spans emergency loans, book vouchers, food assistance, housing support, utilities, transportation, and healthcare access — a wraparound design that treats financial precarity as the primary barrier to persistence. Though not a traditional asset allocator, the foundation holds a mix of philanthropic reserves and physical assets including the LACC Swap Meet at 855 North Vermont Avenue, a campus sculpture garden, and the Marlene Louchheim Sculpture Collection. The foundation's board draws from Los Angeles's civic and philanthropic networks. Trustee Sterling Franklin represents the Morris S. Smith Foundation, while Immediate Past Chairman Marvin Hoffman provides institutional continuity. Multiple board members, including Maria L. Garcia, hold directorships with the California Chamber of Commerce. In fall 2024, the foundation hosted journalists Jorge and Paola Ramos for a public conversation on campus — part of a broader effort to connect donors with the college's intellectual life while building its donor pipeline. What distinguishes LACCF structurally is its direct-service posture. The foundation does not function as a perpetual endowment that grants only investment income; it deploys gifts in the year they are received to meet students' basic needs, a model more typical of a community foundation than a higher-ed endowment. The physical assets — the swap meet, the sculpture garden, the commercial property held through RAP Kennyville, LLC — provide ancillary revenue and cultural mooring, but the operating philosophy prioritizes time-sensitive relief over long-horizon compounding.
General information
Firm type
Foundation
Year founded
1968
AUM
$50M
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Los Angeles
Corporate office
Los Angeles, CA, United States
Principals
Lisa Nashua
Executive Director
Robert Schwartz
Chairman of the Board
Marvin Hoffman
Immediate Past Chairman
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at the Los Angeles City College Foundation?
The foundation does not publicly disclose a dedicated investment committee or chief investment officer. Executive Director Lisa Nashua oversees operations, with the board of directors providing fiduciary governance. Net assets exceeded $50 million as of the foundation's last public update, but the allocation strategy — whether outsourced to an OCIO or managed internally — is not disclosed.
How does LACCF differ from a traditional college endowment?
LACCF operates more like a community foundation than a perpetual endowment. It deploys a significant portion of gifts in the same academic year they are received, funding direct student aid rather than prioritizing long-term capital appreciation. Its published breakdown for 2024–25 shows over $1.2 million in combined scholarships and direct services — emergency loans, food, housing support — targeting immediate student need.
Does the foundation make impact investments or co-invest alongside other institutions?
There is no public evidence that LACCF participates in impact-investing funds, co-investments, or private-market allocations. Its financial activity appears limited to receiving and granting philanthropic dollars, with revenue-generating assets such as the LACC Swap Meet and commercial real estate held through RAP Kennyville, LLC functioning as ancillary income sources rather than diversified investment portfolios.
What are the foundation's largest sources of philanthropic capital?
Named philanthropic partners include the Herb Alpert Foundation and the Morris S. Smith Foundation, whose trustee Sterling Franklin sits on LACCF's board. The foundation also receives support from individuals, corporations, and other private foundations, though it does not publish a donor list or gift-size breakdown.
What physical or alternative assets does the foundation hold?
Beyond its liquid philanthropic reserves, LACCF holds several campus-linked assets: the LACC Swap Meet at 855 North Vermont Avenue, a campus sculpture garden, the Marlene Louchheim Sculpture Collection, and a Thomas Price sculpture pending installation. It also owns a commercial property through RAP Kennyville, LLC, in Los Angeles, according to Altss research.
Is there a minimum donation size to engage with the foundation?
LACCF does not publicly state a minimum gift threshold. Its Pathways to Prosperity campaign and year-end appeal solicit broad-based support, and the foundation's public messaging emphasizes community participation over major-gift exclusivity. Prospective donors are directed to contact the foundation directly via its website.
How does the foundation measure outcomes beyond dollars distributed?
The foundation publicly reports headcount-based metrics — 1,272 students receiving direct services and 833 scholarships awarded in 2024–25 — but does not publish graduation rates, persistence data, or longitudinal impact studies. Its mission framing emphasizes breaking the cycle of poverty by addressing basic needs, but external program evaluations are not publicly linked.
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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