AEG Community Foundation, the giving arm of the downtown-based sports and entertainment company, awarded $400,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations nationwide. 

The foundation announced that the grants, ranging from $15,000 to $25,000, will be given to 20 organizations – of which more than half are based in the Los Angeles area. The funding will support an assortment of programs including those focused on education, the arts, and health and wellness.

This year marked the 25th for the grants and further highlights AEG’s commitment to the communities that the entertainment conglomerate and its partners operate, said Martha Saucedo, chief external affairs officer at AEG.

“We take great pride in investing in the community,” Saucedo said in an interview. The 20 awarded grants “will support the valuable work these nonprofits do every day to uplift and empower the people they serve.”

Many of those selected were nominated by AEG employees who have either collaborated with or volunteered for in some capacity, Saucedo added.

Among the grantees in the Los Angeles area include the California Science Center Foundation, California Hospital Medical Center Foundation, Little Tokyo Service Center, Heart of Los Angeles, A Place Called Home and the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles.

Norayma Cabot, the chief executive of Historic South Central-based A Place Called Home, shared that the grant will help the organization to expand its music program for youth.

“This means we can continue to provide more exposure, access and support to our youth in south Los Angeles,” Cabot said, adding that the organization will be able to support more than 200 youth from age eight to 22, as well as offer classes throughout the year.

California Hospital Medical Center Foundation has earmarked its  grant for its after-school program.

“This isn’t just funding,” said Susan Shum, the chief philanthropy officer of the downtown-based Foundation. “It’s an investment in our Hope Street (Margolis Family Center) families, supporting their success, creative outlets and healthier futures.”

State of uncertainty

The grants come at a critical juncture for many nonprofits and foundations – particularly those locally located – as a state of uncertainty was heightened following federal legislation and executive orders signed by President Donald Trump seeking cuts in federal funding.

Some organizations have seen federal grants and contracts paused or canceled all together, according to a report from the Urban Institute. 

“AEG’s ongoing support – which they’ve provided for decades – is instrumental in moments like these when federal funding for programs has created a sense of scarcity,” said Tony Brown, chief executive of downtown-based Heart of Los Angeles.

“It’s made the resources tighter … this is when you need those partnerships that have been with you over a long period of time and continue to be part of the community, as we need to be strong in these moments of crisis,” he said.