James Irvine Foundation

The James Irvine Foundation is a philanthropic nonprofit organization established to benefit the people of California. The Foundation’s grantmaking focuses on a California where all low-income workers have the power to advance economically.[1]

The foundation was created in 1937 by James Harvey Irvine Sr. (1867–1947), as a charitable organization to hold controlling stock in the Irvine Company, because his intended successor, James Harvey Irvine Jr. (1894–1935) died of tuberculosis in 1935.[2] Since 1937 the Foundation has provided more than $1.98 billion in grants to nonprofit organizations throughout California.[3] With about $3.8 billion in assets, the Foundation made grants of $129 million in 2021.[4]

The foundation is based in San Francisco, with an office in Los Angeles. The current President & CEO of the James Irvine Foundation is Don Howard.