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Josephine S. Gumbiner Foundation

Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

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The Josephine S. Gumbiner Foundation is a left-of-center grantmaking foundation based in Long Beach, California. The foundation was established in 1989, and the foundation’s grants were originally targeted towards organizations that are improving the lives of women and children. The foundation has since shifted its giving towards left-of-center so-called “social justice” causes and towards racial and other identity politics-related campaigns. 1

The foundation is a member of the left-of-center Philanthropy’s Promise coalition, committing itself to making at least 25% of its annual grants to left-of-center social policy causes since 2017. These include groups grants made to groups which engage in advocacy campaigns, community organizing initiatives, and civic engagement programs. 2

While many of Gumbiner Foundation’s donations are to nonideological organizations like museums, churches, and food banks, the foundation has made numerous donations to left-of-center organizations. One of the beneficiaries of the foundation’s giving is Khmer Girls In Action, which is a part of the radical left-wing “Check the Sheriff” coalition seeking to oust the Los Angeles County Sheriff. 3 It has also funded the pro-abortion organization Planned Parenthood Los Angeles and the pro-immigration Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition. 4

Overview

The Josephine S. Gumbiner Foundation is a Long Beach, California-based foundation that provides grants to left-of-center organization. The foundation’s original grantmaking was targeted towards organizations improving the lives of women and children. 5

The foundation was founded by Josephine Gumbiner, a social worker and therapist who moved to Long Beach in 1949 with her husband. She worked as a social worker and a therapist until her retirement in 1981 at the age of 58. Gumbiner founded the Gumbiner Foundation in 1989. Gumbiner passed away on June 11, 1997, and three of her children continue to play a role in guiding the foundation as of 2021. 6

In 2016, the foundation signed the left-of-center National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy’s “Philanthropy’s Promise” manifesto. Beginning in 2017, the foundation committed to making at least 25% of its grants to left-of-center social policy causes, including grants to organizations that engage in political advocacy and community organizing. The organization also pledged to make at least 75% of its donations to organizations supporting economically disadvantaged women and children. 7

In 2019, the foundation began an initiative called Long Beach Gives which unites the city of Long Beach to give money to various nonprofits. The first one set a goal of raising $350,000 for local nonprofits, though it went on to raise around $822,000 for various organizations. In 2020, the campaign set a goal of raising over $1 million for over 150 nonprofit organizations. 8

Leadership

The executive director of the Gumbiner Foundation is Julie Meenan. She started with the foundation as a part-time administrator and worked her way up to executive director, a position she has held for at least 29 years. 9

Alis Gumbiner serves as the president of the foundation. She is the daughter of the foundation’s founder, Josephine Gumbiner. 10

Finances

According to the Gumbiner Foundation’s 2019 tax return, the foundation awarded $545,000 in grants in 2019 and had $756,768 in total expenses. The foundation also reported assets of over $14.7 million. That year, the foundation provided a $15,000 grant to the left-of-center Immigrant Rights Coalition. 11

In 2020, the foundation awarded another $20,000 grant to the Immigrant Rights Coalition. It also awarded a $2,500 grant to Khmer Girls In Action, which is a part of the radical-left “Check the Sheriff” coalition which seeks the removal of the Los Angeles County Sheriff. 12 It awarded a $30,000 grant to the pro-abortion organization Planned Parenthood Los Angeles. 13

In 2021, it awarded a $10,000 grant to the left-of-center identity politics organization California Conference for Equality and Justice. The foundation also awarded $20,000 grants to the left-of-center identity politics organization Californians for Justice. 14

References

  1.         Grants Awarded 2020. 2020. Ebook. Josephine S. Gumbiner Foundation. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/597bba243e00be6b05c3e474/t/5fdc436bcc15f94223389a3c/1608270699565/Grants+Awarded+December+2020+Final.pdf.
  2.          Byerly, Michelle. 2016. “Josephine S. Gumbiner Foundation Joins Philanthropy’S Promise To Target Underserved Communities And Fund Social Justice Work”. The Nonprofit Partnership. https://www.tnpsocal.org/josephine-s-gumbiner-foundation-joins-philanthropys-promise-to-target-underserved-communities-and-fund-social-justice-work/.
  3. “About”. 2021. Check The Sheriff Coalition. Accessed August 9. https://www.checkthesheriff.com/about.
  4. Grants Awarded 2020. 2020. Ebook. Josephine S. Gumbiner Foundation. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/597bba243e00be6b05c3e474/t/5fdc436bcc15f94223389a3c/1608270699565/Grants+Awarded+December+2020+Final.pdf.
  5.     “JSGF”. 2021. JSGF. Accessed August 9. https://www.jsgf.org/.
  6. “Founder”. 2021. JSGF. Accessed August 9. https://www.jsgf.org/founder.
  7. Byerly, Michelle. 2016. “Josephine S. Gumbiner Foundation Joins Philanthropy’S Promise To Target Underserved Communities And Fund Social Justice Work”. The Nonprofit Partnership. https://www.tnpsocal.org/josephine-s-gumbiner-foundation-joins-philanthropys-promise-to-target-underserved-communities-and-fund-social-justice-work/.
  8. “What Gives On Long Beach’S Giving Day?”. 2020. LB Living. https://www.lbhomeliving.com/what-gives-on-long-beachs-giving-day/.
  9. “Leadership”. 2021. JSGF. Accessed August 9. https://www.jsgf.org/what-we-do.
  10.             “Leadership”. 2021. JSGF. Accessed August 9. https://www.jsgf.org/what-we-do.
  11. “Josephine S. Gumbiner Foundation. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, Form 990, 2020.
  12. “About”. 2021. Check The Sheriff Coalition. Accessed August 9. https://www.checkthesheriff.com/about.
  13. Grants Awarded 2020. 2020. Ebook. Josephine S. Gumbiner Foundation. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/597bba243e00be6b05c3e474/t/5fdc436bcc15f94223389a3c/1608270699565/Grants+Awarded+December+2020+Final.pdf
  14. “Grants Awarded In 2021”. 2021. JSGF. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/597bba243e00be6b05c3e474/t/60872d24ad73d93b1691c94b/1619471653782/Grants+Awarded+2021+February+and+April+Final.pdf
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