The Polinger-Cohen Charitable Foundation is a left-of-center grantmaking organization located in California. The foundation has supported a variety of left of center organizations, including the National Immigration Law Center and the Southern Poverty Law Center. The foundation has also funded abortions by funding the Women’s Rights Reproductive Assistance Project. ¹

The Polinger-Cohen Charitable Foundation received tax-exempt status in 1986. ²

Finances

In fiscal year 2019, the Polinger-Cohen Charitable Foundation had $50,581 in revenue, of which $8,194 was derived from interest and dividends on assets, and $42,377 was derived from the sale of assets. The foundation had $35,932 in expenses, of which $6,682 was allocated towards operating and administrative expenses and $29,250 was spent on grants and contributions. The foundation ended the year with $519,667 in assets. ³

Grant Making and Grant Recipients

The Polinger-Cohen Charitable Foundation supports an array of left-of-center organizations with contributions ranging from $500 to $8,000. ⁴

Women’s Rights Reproductive Assistance Project

In 2019 the foundation provided a $3,000 grant to Women’s Rights Reproductive Assistance Project to provide emergency contraception and abortions. ⁵

National Immigration Law Center

In 2019 the foundation provided a $500 general support grant to the National Immigration Law Center with the stated purpose of engaging in policy analyses, litigation, education, and advocacy. ⁶ This left-of-center group supports an expansionist immigration policy, including a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, government-run healthcare, and providing illegal immigrants with driver licenses. The center is also a member of the Check the Sheriff Coalition that opposes Los Angeles County Sherriff Alex Villanueva (D) and demands that he resign and that the California Attorney General investigate the Los Angeles Sherriff’s Department. ^{7 8 9 10 11}

Southern Poverty Law Center

In 2019 the foundation provided a general support grant of $3,000 to the Southern Poverty Law Center, for the goal of fighting “hate and bigotry”. The Southern Poverty Law Center is a left-of-center group that has generated controversy for its policy of labeling conventional non-volent conservative organizations as being violent extremists and for conflating such groups with neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups. ¹²

Other Grant Recipients

The foundation has provided support to a variety of non-political organizations. These include healthcare-oriented organizations such as Westside Family Health ($1,000), Opica-Adult Day Care ($2,000), and Doctors Without Borders ($500). The organization has also supported a range of community organizations and organizations focused on drug and anti-recidivism support. ¹³

Leadership

Thomas Polinger is the president of the Polinger-Cohen Charitable Foundation. ¹⁴ He is a lawyer who practices divorce and family law in the Los Angeles area. ¹⁵ In 2012 he donated $250 to the Environment Voter Action PAC, but has not made other federally reported political contributions. ¹⁶

Sari Polinger is the secretary of the Polinger-Cohen Charitable Foundation. ¹⁷ She is the owner and operator of Sari Polinger Associates, a sales firm that represents textile and lighting manufacturers in the hospitality industry. ¹⁸ She has made contributions to ActBlue, the left-of-center PAC, and the presidential campaigns of Joe Biden and Barack Obama. ¹⁹

1. Polinger-Cohen Charitable Foundation, IRS (Form 990 PF), 2019, Part XV
2. “The Polinger Cohen Charitable Foundation – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica, May 9, 2013. Accessed October 11, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/954057529.
3. Polinger-Cohen Charitable Foundation, IRS (Form 990 PF), 2019, Part I
4. Polinger-Cohen Charitable Foundation, IRS (Form 990 PF), 2019, Part XV
5. Polinger-Cohen Charitable Foundation, IRS (Form 990 PF), 2019, Part XV
6. Polinger-Cohen Charitable Foundation, IRS (Form 990 PF), 2019, Part XV
7. “What We Do.” National Immigration Law Center. Accessed August 01, 2019. https://www.nilc.org/about-us/what_we_do/.
8. “Deferred Action for DREAMers.” National Immigration Law Center. July 15, 2012. Accessed August 01, 2019. https://www.nilc.org/2012/06/15/deferred-action-for-dreamers/.
9. “Medicare for All Act Is a Roadmap to a Better Future.” National Immigration Law Center. February 27, 2019. Accessed August 01, 2019. https://www.nilc.org/2019/02/27/medicare-for-all-act-is-a-roadmap-to-a-better-future/.
10. “Osoria v. Ducey.” NILC. Accessed August 1, 2019. https://www.nilc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Osoria-v-Ducey-complaint-2016-09-12.pdf.
11. “About.” Check the Sheriff Coalition. Accessed August 27, 2021, 2021. https://www.checkthesheriff.com/about.
12. Polinger-Cohen Charitable Foundation, IRS (Form 990 PF), 2019, Part XV
13. Polinger-Cohen Charitable Foundation, IRS (Form 990 PF), 2019, Part XV
14. Polinger-Cohen Charitable Foundation, IRS (Form 990 PF), 2019, Part VIII
15. “Thomas Polinger – Lawyer in Hermosa Beach, CA – Avvo.” Accessed October 11, 2021. https://www.avvo.com/attorneys/90254-ca-thomas-polinger-233373.html.
16. FEC.gov. “Browse Individual Contributions: Thomas Polinger.” Accessed October 11, 2021. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/.
17. Polinger-Cohen Charitable Foundation, IRS (Form 990 PF), 2019, Part VIII
18. SariPolinger.com. “Sari Polinger — Representing the Finest Textile and Lighting Manufacturers in the Hospitality Field.” Accessed October 11, 2021. http://www.saripolinger.com/aboutus.html.
19. FEC.gov. “Browse Individual Contributions: Sari Polinger.” Accessed October 11, 2021. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=sari+polinger&min_date=01%2F01%2F2000&max_date=12%2F31%2F2022.