Latino Community Foundation Surpasses $7 Million in Grantmaking This Year with New Investments in Grassroots Power Building

LCF announces $3.4 million in new grants to advance grassroots leadership, economic resilience, and wildfire recovery across California and beyond

The Latino Community Foundation (LCF) has announced $3.4 million in new strategic grants this quarter—bringing its total grantmaking in 2025 to over $7.4 million, the highest in the Foundation’s history. This groundbreaking achievement reflects LCF’s deep and ongoing commitment to building long-term civic and economic power in Latino communities.

LCF’s new grants support Latino-led grassroots organizations tackling the most urgent issues head-on: leading wildfire recovery in Los Angeles, creating pathways to economic mobility, and mobilizing voters—using tools like community outreach and cultural storytelling to shift narratives and inspire civic action ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

“At a time when Latino communities face overlapping crises, the Latino Community Foundation is doubling down on our investment in grassroots leadership,” says Julián Castro, CEO of the Latino Community Foundation. “That includes our ongoing support for wildfire recovery in Los Angeles, where local leaders are working toward a just recovery while protecting our most vulnerable families from overzealous immigration enforcement. We’re proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with leaders who know their communities best and are building a more just, resilient and equitable future.”

LCF is investing $1.3M in economic justice and civic leadership, including $300,000 to support the second cohort of PoderArte, LCF’s strategic initiative to strengthen cultural organizing and civic engagement through the arts. Another $676,000 is directed to organizations building economic power through workforce development, entrepreneurship, and cooperative ownership, ensuring Latino workers and entrepreneurs have a clear pathway to economic mobility.

Through the California Wildfire and Disaster Relief Fund, LCF has awarded over $2 million to eight frontline organizations including the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Inclusive Action for the City, and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), and offers to lead long-term wildfire recovery efforts in Los Angeles. Beyond their recovery work, these organizations have also gained national attention for supporting immigrant communities affected by the LA ICE raids, connecting them to legal aid and other critical resources. With this latest funding, LCF’s total investment in wildfire recovery since January now tops $4.1 million.

In response to escalating threats against immigrant communities, LCF recently mobilized $175,000 in urgent grants to trusted grassroots organizations defending immigrant rights and providing rapid legal aid across California. Since the 2024 election, LCF has awarded over $500,000 to support immigrant rights and legal services, reflecting its unwavering commitment to these communities.

As LCF deepens its investment in Latino communities, it also welcomes new leadership at the helm of its board. The Honorable Lydia Villarreal has been named as its new Board Chair, succeeding longtime board leader Dan Skaff. Villarreal is a retired judge and longtime advocate for farmworker justice with decades of experience serving communities across California. “I am deeply honored to join hands with the Latino Community Foundation at such a critical time, as we advance the mission to build the civic and economic power of the Latino community,” said Villarreal. “Speaking on behalf of the board, we are proud to support the work of our community partners, guided by love, culture, and power.”

About Latino Community Foundation

The Latino Community Foundation (LCF) is on a mission to unleash the civic and economic power of Latinos. LCF has the largest network of Latino philanthropists in the country and has raised over $100 million to build Latino civic and political power. It is the largest Latino-serving foundation in the nation. In 2023, LCF named former U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro as its CEO. For more information, please visit latinocf.org.

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