The Reissa Foundation is a left-of-center grantmaking organization that provides financial support to which promote race-focused activism and social policies. The foundation focuses its grantmaking on pro-gun control organizations, universities, and groups that provide social services for children and the poor. ¹

History

The Reissa Foundation was created in 2016 when the RGK Foundation, led by Democratic-aligned philanthropists George and Ronya Kozmetsky, closed and split into two separate organizations upon the death of Ronya Kozmetsky. ² Kozmetsky’s grandchildren split the organization into the Reissa Foundation and the Kozmetsky Family Foundation. ³ Unlike the Reissa Foundation, the Kozmetsky Family Foundation does not have an online presence.

Finances

In 2018, the Reissa Foundation received $108,702 in contributions, $40,014 in interest and savings, $1,108,635 in dividends from securities, and $1,724,002 in gains from the sale of securities. ⁴ The organization also incurred $3,7744,409 in expenses ⁵ and reported $67,349,671 in net assets. ⁶

Grantmaking

The Reissa Foundation provides funding for left-of-center grantmaking organizations; gun-control organizations; race-focused policy advocacy organizations; and organizations that provide legal services, food, and shelter to children and the poor.

Gun Control

In 2018, the Reissa Foundation contributed $310,000 to Everytown for Gun Safety. ⁷ Everytown for Gun Safety seeks to register voters that will elect politicians that seek to impose strict gun control measures, supports candidates who promise to curtail access to guns, and litigates cases that seek to limit Second Amendment rights. ⁸

Grantmaking Organizations

The Reissa Foundation also supports other left-of-center grantmaking organizations. Organizations funded by the foundation have in turn passed down contributions to programs such as the L.A. Justice Fund, which provides free legal services to illegal immigrants subject to removal proceedings, and organizations such as the Los Angeles LGBT Center. ⁹ Grantmaking organizations supported by the Reissa Foundation include Southern California Grantmakers ($147,500), ¹⁰ the California Community Foundation ($50,000), ¹¹ and the Austin Community Foundation ($14,485). ¹²

Racial Activism

The Reissa Foundation has contributed to organizations that seek to promote race-focused activism. Organizations supported by the foundation have stated that the United States suffers from “systematic racism,” and one of these organizations successfully advocated for Measure J, ¹³ a law passed in Los Angeles which requires 10% of all locally-generated revenue in the city to be spent on projects that tackle “racial injustice.” ¹⁴ These organizations include Liberty Hill Foundation ($100,00) ¹⁵ and Community Initiatives ($30,000). ¹⁶

Services for Children and Low-Income People

The Reissa Foundation supports organizations that provide legal services, food, and shelter to children and low-income people. Many of the organizations supported by the foundation have a focus on supporting homeless children and children in foster care. ¹⁷

The Reissa Foundation has supported a number of California-based organizations supporting low-income people and children, including Casa of Los Angeles ($98,500), California Youth Connection ($80,000), the Children’s Bureau of Southern California ($50,000), and the Children’s Law Center of California ($75,000). The foundation has also funded such organizations in Texas, including the Central Texas Table of Grace ($10,000), Fostering Hope Austin ($30,000), and the Texas Network of Youth Services ($75,000). ¹⁸

Other organizations supported by the Reissa Foundation include Change 1 Mind Change 1 Life ($10,000), Peace 4 Kids ($25,000), Rightway Foundation ($10,000), Settlement Club ($30,000), A Sense of Home ($52,500), the Alliance for Children Rights ($72,500), Children Now ($5,000), Children’s Institute ($120,000), First Place For Youth ($100,000), Fresh Chef’s Society ($15,000), Friends of the Children ($125,000), Helping Hand Home for Children ($30,000), Lutheran Social Services of the South ($150,000), Partnerships for Children ($15,000), the Innocence Project ($305,000), United Friends of the Children ($125,000), and the Youth Law Center ($25,000). ¹⁹

Universities

The Reissa Foundation has contributed to universities in California, Chicago, and Texas. In 2018, the organization contributed to the California State University, Los Angeles Foundation ($5,000); ²⁰ the University of Southern California ($75,000); the University of Chicago ($150,000); ²¹ and the University of Texas Foundation ($25,000). ²²

Leadership

Scott Koch is the executive director of the Reissa Foundation. ²³ Before joining the foundation, he was the senior vice president for domestic investments at Northern Trust, a wealth management practice. ²⁴

1. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Reissa Foundation. Part VX. Attachment 13. 2018.
2. “About” Reissa Foundation. https://reissa.org/about/
3. “Frequently Asked Questions” RGK Foundation. http://www.rgkfoundation.org/faq.html
4. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Reissa Foundation. Part I, lines 1-12. 2018.
5. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Reissa Foundation. Part I, line 26. 2018.
6. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Reissa Foundation. Part II, line 31. 2018.
7. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Reissa Foundation. Part VX. Attachment 13. 2018.
8. “About” Everytown for Gun Safety. https://www.everytown.org/about-everytown/#who-we-are
9. “L.A. Justice Fund” California Community Foundation. https://www.calfund.org/lajusticefund/
10. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Reissa Foundation. Part VX. Attachment 13. 2018.
11. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Reissa Foundation. Part VX. Attachment 13. 2018.
12. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Reissa Foundation. Part VX. Attachment 13. 2018.
13. “Our Racial & Youth Justice Work” Liberty Hill Foundation. https://www.libertyhill.org/what-we-do/our-priorities/racial-justice/
14. “FY 2021-2022 Measure J Spending Plan” Chief Executive Office – County of Los Angeles. https://ceo.lacounty.gov/
15. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Reissa Foundation. Part VX. Attachment 13. 2018.
16.  Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Reissa Foundation. Part VX. Attachment 13. 2018.
17. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Reissa Foundation. Part VX. Attachment 13. 2018.
18. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Reissa Foundation. Part VX. Attachment 13. 2018.
19. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Reissa Foundation. Part VX. Attachment 13. 2018.
20. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Reissa Foundation. Part VX. Attachment 13. 2018.
21. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Reissa Foundation. Part VX. Attachment 13. 2018.
22. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-PF). Reissa Foundation. Part VX. Attachment 13. 2018.
23. “Scott Koch” Linkedin. https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottpkoch/
24. “Scott Koch” Linkedin. https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottpkoch/”