Annenberg Foundation

The Annenberg Foundation is a private foundation headquartered in Pennsylvania and Los Angeles, California, which focuses grants in the greater Los Angeles area as well as nationally. The foundation was founded by billionaire publisher and Nixon administration U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain Walter Annenberg, who was among the most prominent philanthropists in America upon his death. ¹ With over $1.6 billion in assets, the Annenberg Foundation is among the 50 largest private foundation in the United States. ²

At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3), Private Foundation

Website: annenberg.org

Location: Conshohocken, PA

Tax ID: 23-6257083

Most Recent Filing: 2024

Budget (2024): Assets: $1,523,963,150 Revenue: $123,118,621 Expenses: $309,925,589

Contents

Like many large grantmaking foundations, the Annenberg Foundation is known to fund many left-of-center political groups and causes. ³

History

Walter H. Annenberg enjoyed a very successful career in publishing as chairman and president of Triangle Publications, which published many magazines including TV Guide and Seventeen Magazine, a company Annenberg took over from his father in 1942. From 1969 to 1974, Annenberg served as United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom, also known as the Court of St. James, appointed by President Richard Nixon. Prior to founding the Annenberg Foundation, Annenberg made several major gifts including an endowment to found the Annenberg School of Communications at the University of Pennsylvania. ¹

In 1988 Annenberg sold Triangle Publications for $3 billion to Rupert Murdoch and directed $1.2 billion to establish the Annenberg Foundation along with his wife, Leonore Annenberg. ⁴

Liberal Programs

Despite the Annenbergs’ significant ties to the Republican Party, with Walter serving as an Ambassador under President Richard Nixon and Leonore being appointed Chief of Protocol at the State Department by President Ronald Reagan,⁴ the Annenberg Foundation has a history of affiliations with liberal causes. ⁵ The Annenberg Foundation regularly donates for left of center organizations and causes.

California Black Freedom Fund

The Annenberg Foundation was one of the original donors to fund the creation of the California Black Freedom Fund (CBFF) at the end of 2020. The CBFF is a left-of-center grantmaking organization that funds California-based groups that seek to eliminate what it perceives as systemic racism. It used funding from the original donors to provide grants that went towards advocacy for targeted redistricting, so-called racial equity, and the firing of who it determines are racist police officers. ⁶

Grantmaking

According to the foundation’s 2017 tax form it has donated to groups including:⁷

Associations with Barack Obama

In the 1990s, Walter Annenberg announced the Annenberg Challenge, a $500 million gift to public schools in America, billed as the largest gift ever to public education. $50 million of the grant went to Chicago where the local chapter of the Annenberg challenge was chaired by future President Barack Obama and co-founded by radical professor and former Weather Underground extremist Bill Ayers. The affiliation between Obama and Ayers came into public light when Obama ran for president in 2008. ⁸ Further research into the Annenberg Challenge indicated that it had very little lasting impact on the education system. ⁹

Other Programs

In additions to giving grants to many of the most notable left-leaning organizations, the Annenberg foundation has several initiatives and programs including support for photography and the arts, a music festival, and a community beach house and tree house. Most of these initiatives are centered in the Los Angeles area despite the origins of the foundation being in Walter Annenberg’s hometown of Philadelphia. ¹⁰

The foundation also founded the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, which publishes a large election survey as well as policy research and papers. The Public Policy Center is best known as the publisher of FactCheck.org, a well-known and sometimes-criticized fact-checking website. ¹¹

Financial Statistics

Total Assets

Total Revenue

Total Expenses

Year	Total Assets	Total Revenue	Total Expenses	Filing
2024	$1,523,963,150	$123,118,621	$309,925,589	View
2023	$1,462,008,226	$131,626,861	$253,584,091	View
2022	$1,524,441,511	$148,973,633	$99,458,740	View
2021	$1,804,363,680	$109,022,988	$105,602,108	View
2020	$1,652,479,014	$55,064,953	$108,247,901	View

Prior year filings: 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

Expenses Detail

Employee Compensation

Highest Earning Employees

Employee	Title	Total Compensation
Cynthia Kennard	EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/SECRETARY	$756,910
Paul J Manganiello	DIRECTOR OF INVEST/TREASURER	$346,832
Lauren Bon	VICE PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR	$86,151
Charles Annenberg Weingarten	VICE PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR	$85,847
Gregory Annenberg Weingarten	VICE PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR	$85,847

Grant Activity

All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

Total Grant Value: $2,843,569
Number of Grants: 11
Number of Funders: 5

Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:

Amount	Year	Funder	Subject
$2,000,000	2025	The Annenberg Foundation	In response to the Los Angeles Wildfires, Visa Foundation announced a $2 million donation to FireAid LA to support fire aid efforts in its home state of California. The event was organized by the Annenberg Foundation.
$48,846	2021	California Community Foundation	Education
$47,652	2020	California Community Foundation	Education
$41,311	2022	LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPARTMENT FOUNDATION	SUPPORT LAFD OPERATIONS

All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:

Total Grant Value: $1,609,885,738
Number of Grants: 9,187
Number of Recipients: 3,642

Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:

Amount	Year	Funder	Subject
$150,000,000	2023	The Wallis Annenberg Legacy Foundation	CHARITABLE MISSION AND PROGRAMS
$11,603,575	2024	The Wallis Annenberg Legacy Foundation	CHARITABLE MISSION AND PROGRAMS
$5,000,000	2023	University of Southern California	RENOVATION OF THE ORIGINAL ANNENBERG BUILDING
$5,000,000	2021	National Press Club Journalism Institute	To support the Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation in establishing the Fallen Journalists Memorial in Washington, D.C.
$4,500,000	2020	The Wallis Annenberg Legacy Foundation	Charitable mission and programs
$4,000,000	2024	National Wildlife Federation	WILDLIFE CROSSING INITIATIVE
$3,175,000	2025	Multiple Recipients	Since the wildfires began January 7, the Annenberg Foundation led by Chair Wallis Annenberg and its Directors Lauren Bon, Charles Annenberg Weingarten and Gregory Weingarten, with the Foundation’s community grantmaking team has committed and begun to pay $3.175 million to more than 50 nonprofit community partners.
$2,734,455	2022	Philadelphia Orchestra Association	ANNENBERG FUND FOR ARTISTIC ENDEAVORS
$2,682,166	2023	Philadelphia Orchestra Association	THE ANNENBERG FUND
$2,680,404	2024	Philadelphia Orchestra Association	ARTISTIC ENDEAVORS FUND, TOURING FUND, ED FUND AND TECH FUND
$2,671,486	2020	Philadelphia Orchestra Pooled Income Fund 003 35350070511994	Artistic Endeavors, Touring, Education, and Technology
$2,500,000	2025	Los Angeles, County of	FireAid awarded a wildfire relief grant of $2.5 million to the LA County Household Relief Grant program supporting residents displaced by the Eaton and Palisades fires. Eligible households can receive up to $18,000 based on size and composition, with priority given to those most vulnerable based on insurance status, economic vulnerability, loss of life, and health conditions. FireAid was organized by the Annenberg Foundation, who also manages and acts as advisor to FireAid distributions.
$2,500,000	2025	Los Angeles, County of	FireAid awarded a wildfire relief grant of $2.5 million to the LA Region Worker Relief Fund, providing grants up to $2,000 for workers who lost employment or income because of the disaster. The program includes those who worked in fire-impacted areas but live elsewhere. FireAid was organized by the Annenberg Foundation, who also manages and acts as advisor to FireAid distributions.
$2,500,000	2020	Camp Hess Kramer Incc/O Wilshire Boulevard Temple	Club 80s Project
$2,200,000	2024	Animal Wellness Foundation	DESIGN AND OPERATION OF THE DOG BLESS YOU DOGGY DAY CARE
$2,000,000	2025	Los Angeles, County of	FireAid awarded a wildfire relief grant of $2 million to the LA Region Small Business Relief Fund. Organizations that experienced structural loss, damage, equipment/inventory loss, or revenue decreases can apply for grants ranging from $2,000 to $25,000. FireAid was organized by the Annenberg Foundation, who also manages and acts as advisor to FireAid distributions.
$2,000,000	2025	The Annenberg Foundation	In response to the Los Angeles Wildfires, Visa Foundation announced a $2 million donation to FireAid LA to support fire aid efforts in its home state of California. The event was organized by the Annenberg Foundation.
$2,000,000	2023	National Wildlife Federation	WILDLIFE CROSSING INITIATIVE
$2,000,000	2022	California Science Center Foundation	AMAZONIA EXHIBITION
$2,000,000	2021	African Parks Foundation of America	To provide benefits for local communities in and around the 19 parks run by the African Parks Foundation
$1,975,000	2023	The Wallis Annenberg Legacy Foundation	CHARITABLE MISSION AND PROGRAMS
$1,975,000	2023	The Wallis Annenberg Legacy Foundation	CHARITABLE MISSION AND PROGRAMS
$1,975,000	2023	The Wallis Annenberg Legacy Foundation	CHARITABLE MISSION AND PROGRAMS
$1,975,000	2023	The Wallis Annenberg Legacy Foundation	CHARITABLE MISSION AND PROGRAMS
$1,875,000	2020	Camp Hess Kramer Incc/O Wilshire Boulevard Temple	Club 80s Project

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Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

Mentioned in this Article

References

1. “Walter H. Annenberg”. Annenberg Foundation. Accessed August 12, 2019. https://www.annenberg.org/people/walter-h-annenberg/

2. “The Largest Foundations”. Pensions and Investments. November 12, 2018. Accessed August 12, 2019. https://www.pionline.com/article/20181112/ONLINE/181109876/the-largest-foundations

3. “Interactive Grants Map” Annenberg Foundation. Accessed August 12, 2019. https://www.annenberg.org/what-we-do/grantmaking/interactive-grants-map/

4. Glueck, Grace. “Walter Annenberg, 94, Dies; Philanthropist and Publisher”. New York Times. October 2, 2002. Accessed August 26, 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/02/arts/walter-annenberg-94-dies-philanthropist-and-publisher.html?login=smartlock&auth=login-smartlock

5. “Nomination of Leonore Annenberg To Have the Rank of Ambassador While Serving as Chief of Protocol for the White House”. Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Foundation. Accessed August 28, 2019. https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/research/speeches/21181a

6. California Black Freedom Fund, February 4, 2021. https://cablackfreedomfund.org/#partners.

7. “2017 Form 990”. The Annenberg Foundation. ProPublica Non-Profit Explorer. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/236257083/201823199349102217/IRS990PF

8. Huberty, Robert. “Obama, Annenberg, and Ayers.” Capital Research Center. August 26, 2008. Accessed August 12, 2019. https://capitalresearch.org/article/obama-annenberg-and-ayers/

9. Vadum, Matthew. “From CRC Archives: Our Profile of the Massive Waste of Money Known as the Annenberg Challenge”. Capital Research Center. October 13, 2008. Accessed August 12, 2019. https://capitalresearch.org/article/from-crc-archives-our-profile-of-the-massive-waste-of-money-known-as-the-annenberg-challenge/

10. “Initiatives” Annenberg Foundation. Accessed August 12, 2019. https://annenberg.org/what-we-do/initiatives/

11. “Education” Annenberg Foundation. Accessed August 12, 2019. https://annenberg.org/initiatives/education/annenberg-public-policy-center/