2026 Grants and Partners
Reflects Giving from May – August 2026
California State University Los Angeles Foundation: Cal State Los Angeles’ LA BioSpace fosters entrepreneurship and innovation in the region’s growing bioscience sector through mentorship, training and connections to the local business community. Its LA BioStart program is an intensive boot camp that equips aspiring bioscience entrepreneurs with business, leadership and industry skills while connecting them with experienced executives and mentors. TBF’s grant will support the next LA BioStart cohort, helping sustain and expand a program that has trained more than 200 diverse bioentrepreneurs since 2023, supported the launch of 110 businesses and helped participants raise more than $94 million in capital. By expanding access to entrepreneurship and professional networks, LA BioStart helps develop local bioscience talent, create jobs and strengthen an inclusive innovation ecosystem in L.A.
California Volunteers Fund: Since 2023, TBF has supported the development and implementation of long-term career pathways for California Climate Action and College Corps Fellows in Los Angeles. As a result, the California Volunteers Fund (CVF) launched Corps to Career, a first-of-its-kind initiative that broadens fellows’ access to professional networks, essential skills and employer collaborations. Over the past three years, Corps to Career has connected nearly 3,000 fellows with career pathways opportunities, engaged over 30 employer partners and placed more than 1,000 fellows in public and private jobs across L.A. The program also secured $5 million from California’s State General Fund to support fellows, solidifying its presence statewide. With renewed support this year, TBF’s grant will help transition the Corps to Career model from CVF to California Volunteers, within the Governor’s Office, with the goal of expanding it statewide through public funding.
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is working with Los Angeles Unified School District, employers, higher education institutions and community partners to design a regional model that expands access to credit-bearing, paid internships for high school students across L.A. With TBF support, Carnegie will develop the partnerships, governance and implementation plan needed to build a sustainable system that connects classroom learning with meaningful work experiences. By strengthening the infrastructure that links education and industry, this effort aims to help more young people graduate with the skills, experiences and professional networks needed to succeed in college and careers.
DIY Girls: DIY Girls provides STEM-centered after-school and summer programs for over 500 low-income girls, grades 5-12, in the San Fernando Valley, focusing on hands-on learning in creative electronics, engineering and coding. DIY Girls has utilized TBF’s investment to expand first to three and soon to six new high school sites, reimagine and strengthen its elementary and middle school programs, and complete a strategic plan refresh.
Expanded Learning Alliance: ExpandLA is an intermediary organization that connects, supports and advocates for school and community-based organizations providing expanded learning opportunities for youth across L.A. County. Seeded by TBF in 2018, ExpandLA is focused on quality and capturing impact for the sector, developing a registered apprenticeship program to strengthen the youth development workforce and expanding advocacy efforts. ExpandLA and the network of 500+ expanded learning providers are driving towards more consistent outcomes for young people while strengthening the capacity of the sector.
National Skills Coalition: National Skills Coalition (NSC) works to strengthen workforce policies that help people gain valuable skills, access good jobs and achieve economic mobility. With the launch of federal Workforce Pell in July 2026, eligible students can use federal financial aid for certain short-term training programs that prepare them for high-skill, high-wage and in-demand careers. TBF’s grant will support NSC, in partnership with the CA EDGE Coalition and other California workforce leaders, to analyze the state’s policy landscape and develop an advocacy plan to connect these new training opportunities with work-based learning, employer partnerships, career navigation and supportive services. By helping California shape how Workforce Pell is implemented, it will expand access to high-quality pathways for Californians who face barriers to traditional education and workforce systems.
Partnership for Los Angeles Schools: Partnership for Los Angeles Schools (PLAS) operates 20 public schools serving 12,200 students in Boyle Heights, South L.A. and Watts. Through its Advancing Adolescent Literacy in Middle School project, PLAS will strengthen reading instruction and support for 2,700 students across four middle schools so they can independently engage with grade-level texts and succeed academically. It will combine professional development for teachers, targeted student interventions and a new Summer Reading Academy for high-need students. PLAS aims to develop a replicable model that can inform literacy instruction in other school districts.
Public Counsel: Public Counsel is the nation’s largest pro bono public interest law firm, providing free legal services to low-income individuals, families, nonprofits, and small businesses across Los Angeles while advancing impact litigation and policy advocacy on issues including education, housing, immigration, civil rights, and economic opportunity. TBF provided Public Counsel with general operating support to sustain its role as a critical piece of Los Angeles’ civic infrastructure and strengthen its ability to advance justice for underserved communities.
The Burning Glass Institute: The Burning Glass Institute (BGI) uses localized workforce data to help communities and institutions make better decisions about investing in learning that unlocks economic opportunity. With this investment, BGI is partnering with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to analyze labor market demand across the district’s four sub-regions and identify high-opportunity careers that offer strong wages, stability and pathways for advancement to more strongly align career pathway programs.