The Angelica Foundation is a left-of-center foundation located in Santa Fe, New Mexico that funds left-of-center projects around immigration, environmentalism, and other topics. The foundation was extremely critical of the policies of former President Donald Trump, stating that Trump launched a “war against immigrants.” ^[1]

The foundation is headed by left-of-center husband and wife Suzanne Gollin and James Gollin, who are also active with the left-of-center funding collective the Democracy Alliance. The organization has partnered with the Threshold Foundation’s Immigration Justice project and the Americas Funding Circle, participated in the Human Rights Funders Network, and supported immigrant activist caravans that traveled to the United States. The foundation is a major funder of the left-of-center Tides Foundation and, in addition to being funded by the Gollins, has also received funding from the left-of-center United Food and Commercial Workers Active Ballot Club (UFCW ABC) and the Open Society Institute. ^{[2] [3] [4] [5]}

Background

The Angelica Foundation is a private family foundation that makes grants to left-of-center causes and organizations. The foundation was formed in 1992 and its website states that it has promoted left-of-center causes since its founding focused on efforts in New Mexico as well as organizations across Mexico and the United States. The foundation has stated that its main funding focuses concern voting, gender issues, relaxing of drug enforcement at the U.S.-Mexico border, and changing U.S. immigration laws. ^[6]

The foundation was critical of the immigration policies of former President Donald Trump and has criticized operations of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE), claiming that ICE and the U.S. Border Patrol have deported “many thousands of lawful asylum seekers.” ^[7]

Activities

In addition to its grant funding activity, the Angelica Foundation has several projects it has operated. From 2019 to 2020, the foundation sponsored the Threshold Foundation’s Immigration Justice and the Americas Funding Circle, which featured Angelica Foundation heads Suzanne Gollin and James Gollin serving as co-facilitators of a series of conferences that directed funding to certain left-of-center causes. ^[8]

The foundation also funded the “Caravan for Peace,” an immigration activist effort to generate media attention to drug and immigration laws. ^[9]

Leadership

The Angelica Foundation is led by Suzanne Gollin and her husband James Gollin. Suzanne Gollin is the daughter of Las Vegas businessman and alleged mobster Morris Barney “Moe” Dalitz and James Gollin is a former investment banker. The couple has funded many Democratic political campaigns and contributed to personally to other left-of-center organizations. ^[10] James Gollin has also served on the boards of left-leaning groups including the Rainforest Action Network, the Richardson Center for Global Engagement, and the Democracy Alliance. ^[11]

Funding

In addition to receiving funding from Suzanne and James Gollin, the Angelica Foundation is funded by left-of-center groups including the Tides Foundation and George Soros’ Open Society Institute. ^{[12] [13]} Additionally, the foundation receives substantial funding from the Sigrid Rausing Trust, the Livingry Foundation, Marsha Rosenbaum, the Drug Policy Alliance, the United Food and Commercial Workers Active Ballot Club (UFCW ABC), and the Verdes Foundation. ^[14]

Organizations Funded

Organizations funded by the Angelica Foundation include Fair Immigration Reform Movement, Community Change, Centro Derechos del Migrante, Otros Mundos, Global Exchange, Accion Migrante, the Threshold Foundation, the Tides Foundation, and the Washington Office on Latin America. ^{[15] [16]}