The Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation is a Los Angeles, California-based grantmaking foundation founded in 1969 as the Roy Disney Family Foundation. It was later renamed for its namesake couple, who were part of the Disney World family before their passing. Its invitation-only grant process focuses on environmentalism, community investment, and left-of-center political engagement. ¹²

The foundation mostly funds groups in the Los Angeles area.

Background

Roy Disney was a billionaire and former vice-chairman of Disney who led many of Disney’s animated movies. His father and uncle co-founded Disney World. He and Patricia divorced in 2007, before Roy died in 2009. ³⁴

The Foundation’s structure was informal until 2012, when Patricia Disney’s passing led to its receiving $23.2 million. ⁵⁶ It gained official charitable status in 2016. ⁷

The Foundation has two leadership boards. The first is the Qualified Members Board, which is primarily made up of the descendants of Roy and Patricia Disney. The Board of Directors is made up of individuals are elected by the Members Board. The Members Board oversees grants and strategic direction for the Foundation, while the traditional Board of Directors oversees the day-to-day running of the Foundation. As of 2017, there were 19 Qualified Board members and seven members of the Board of Directors. ⁸

Funding

The Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation took in $97,333,026 in 2017 and had assets totaling $131,214,563 that year. ⁹

The Foundation’s revenues have fluctuated in recent years. Its revenues in 2016 were $3.1 million with expenses of $3.03 million and assets totaling $122,127,046. The Foundation’s 2015 revenues were $40 million, while 2014 saw $54 million in revenues. ¹⁰¹¹

Programs

The Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation has three major funding areas: empowerment and equal opportunity, environmentalism, and vibrant communities. ¹² These programs focus on “equity, justice, and sustainability” to help “vulnerable populations.” ¹³Many of the Foundation’s grants are provided to organizations which are less political, such as the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking and the Innocence Project. ¹⁴ The Coalition received $100,000 in 2016. However, other groups are more political: The Environmental Defense Fund received $200,000 in 2016, Earth University Foundation received $300,000, and Resources Legacy Fund received $150,000. ¹⁵

The ACLU of Southern California has also received funding from the Foundation. ¹⁶

The Foundation’s grant-giving has increased in dollar values and the number of organizations receiving money in recent years. The Foundation gave a total of $210,000 to two groups in 2012, whereas in 2016 it donated nearly $2.5 million to 33 groups. ¹⁷¹⁸

Leadership

Shawn Escoffery has been executive director of the Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation since May 2018. ¹⁹ He previously led the Strong Local Economics program at the billion-dollar Surdna Foundation, another left-of-center advocacy philanthropy. His education and prior work experience focus around urban development and economic opportunity. ²⁰

Escoffery’s predecessor was Sylia Obagi. She earned $137,685 in 2016. ²¹ and $259,183 in 2014. ²²

Obagi left the Foundation to start a left-leaning foundation training organization called the Generative Group. ²³²⁴

1. Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation, Our Investments, Accessed July 4, 2019. https://royandpatriciadisney.squarespace.com/our-investments
2. Confluence Philanthropy, Disney Family Foundation Executive Director, December 15, 2017. Accessed July 4, 2019. https://www.confluencephilanthropy.org/Disney-Family-Foundation
3. Mike Barnes, “Patricia Disney, the former wife of Roy Disney, dies at 77,” February 3, 2012. Accessed July 4, 2019. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/patricia-disney-wife-roy-disney-287005
4. Dawn Chmielewski, James Bates, “Roy Edward Disney dies at 79; nephew of Walt helped revive animation,” December 17, 2009. Accessed July 4, 2019. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-dec-17-la-me-roy-disney17-2009dec17-story.html
5. Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation, 2012 990, Accessed July 4, 2019. http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990pf_pdf_archive/237/237028399/237028399_201310_990PF.pdf
6. Confluence Philanthropy, Disney Family Foundation Executive Director, December 15, 2017. Accessed July 4, 2019. https://www.confluencephilanthropy.org/Disney-Family-Foundation
7. Charity Navigator, Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation, Accessed July 4, 2019. https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.profile&ein=611777495
8. Confluence Philanthropy, Disney Family Foundation Executive Director, December 15, 2017. Accessed July 4, 2019. https://www.confluencephilanthropy.org/Disney-Family-Foundation
9. Charity Navigator, Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation, Accessed July 4, 2019. https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.profile&ein=611777495
10. Cause IQ, Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation, Accessed July 4, 2019. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/roy-and-patricia-disney-family-foundation,237028399/
11. Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation, 2016 990, Accessed July 4, 2019. http://www.foundationsearch.com/990/LATEST/6/ROY%20AND%20PATRICIA%20DISNEY%20FAMILY%20FOUNDATION%202016%20611777495.PDF
12. Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation, Our Investments, Accessed July 4, 2019. https://royandpatriciadisney.squarespace.com/our-investments
13. Confluence Philanthropy, Disney Family Foundation Executive Director, December 15, 2017. Accessed July 4, 2019. https://www.confluencephilanthropy.org/Disney-Family-Foundation
14. Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation, Grantee Partners, Accessed July 4, 2019. https://royandpatriciadisney.squarespace.com/grantees
15. Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation, 2016 990, Accessed July 4, 2019. http://www.foundationsearch.com/990/LATEST/6/ROY%20AND%20PATRICIA%20DISNEY%20FAMILY%20FOUNDATION%202016%20611777495.PDF
16. ACLU Southern California 2018 Annual Report, Accessed July 4, 2019. https://www.aclusocal.org/sites/default/files/aclu_socal_annual_report_2018.pdf
17. Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation, 2016 990, Accessed July 4, 2019. http://www.foundationsearch.com/990/LATEST/6/ROY%20AND%20PATRICIA%20DISNEY%20FAMILY%20FOUNDATION%202016%20611777495.PDF
18. Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation, 2012 990, Accessed July 4, 2019. http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990pf_pdf_archive/237/237028399/237028399_201310_990PF.pdf
19. Nickolas Bagley, “Shawn Escoffery is the new Executive Director of the Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation,” May 8, 2018. Accessed July 4, 2019. https://youthtoday.org/2018/05/shawn-escoffery-exec-director-roy-patricia-disney-family-foundation/
20. Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation, Our People, Accessed July 4, 2019. https://www.rpdff.org/our-people
21. Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation, 2016 990, Accessed July 4, 2019. http://www.foundationsearch.com/990/LATEST/6/ROY%20AND%20PATRICIA%20DISNEY%20FAMILY%20FOUNDATION%202016%20611777495.PDF
22. 2014 tax review, Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation, September 15, 2016. Accessed July 4, 2019. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/589e4dd4f7e0ab079df214d6/t/58bf20b7c534a57a90025cf1/1488936306407/FYE+10.31.15+Roy++Patricia+Disney+Family+Foundation+Tax+Returns+%282%29.pdf
23. Sylia Obagi, LinkedIn Profile, Accessed July 4, 2019. https://www.linkedin.com/in/syliaobagi/
24. The Generative Group, Who We Are, Accessed July 4, 2019. http://thegenerativegroup.com/whoweare/#founder