The Eisner Foundation Inc.

The Eisner Foundation operates as the only U.S. foundation exclusively committed to intergenerational philanthropy — a deliberately narrow mandate that cuts both ways for applicants. It means the foundation brings deep subject-matter expertise and unusually clear selection criteria, but also that generic youth programs or senior services proposals will be declined unless intergenerational connection is structurally embedded in the work, not bolted on as a peripheral feature.

Founded and actively governed by the Eisner family — Jane Eisner serves as President, Michael B. Eisner as Vice President, Eric Eisner as CFO, and Anders Eisner as Secretary — the foundation carries real institutional depth despite its family philanthropy structure. Michael D. Eisner (former CEO of Disney) serves as a Director. Trent Stamp has served as Executive Director for well over a decade, drawing $448,500 in FY2023 compensation, providing programmatic continuity and a consistent public voice on intergenerational strategy. First-time applicants benefit from reading Stamp's public statements; his perspective on age segregation and systemic solutions directly shapes what the foundation funds.

Geographically, the foundation restricts grants to 501(c)(3) organizations based in or serving Los Angeles County or New York City's five boroughs. LA County represents the deeper portfolio (approximately 375 of 676 documented grants), while NYC has become a growing priority — the foundation expanded NYC to year-round rolling applications in June 2025.

The three-stage process — Letter of Inquiry, full proposal, mandatory site visit — is designed to assess organizational fit and genuine partnership potential. Site visits are required even for multi-year returning grantees, signaling that the foundation treats each grant cycle as a deliberate renewal of trust rather than an automatic continuation. The foundation explicitly frames grant approval as 'the beginning of a partnership,' not a transaction.

The depth of existing grantee relationships confirms this: Denison University received 5 grants totaling $2.625M; the Los Angeles Philharmonic received 6 grants totaling $2.416M; OneGeneration, 4 grants totaling $1.612M. Sustained multi-year partnerships dominate the top-50 grantee list. New applicants should plan for a multi-year trajectory and frame their LOI accordingly — not as a one-time project request, but as the opening of a long-term relationship.

The Eisner Foundation's annual giving has grown steadily over the past decade. Total giving rose from $8.1M (FY2014) to $9.8M (FY2015), held in the $10.1M–$10.4M band from FY2019–FY2021, then climbed sharply to $12.6M (FY2022) and $13.4M (FY2023). FY2024 assets stand at $170.3M with $21.7M in total revenue — suggesting FY2024 authorized giving will likely exceed $13M when the 990 is filed. Total assets have grown from $112.6M in FY2015 to $170.3M in FY2024, supported in part by a $15M contribution received in FY2023 (likely from Michael D. Eisner).

Grants paid (cash disbursements) consistently trail total giving by $2–3M annually, reflecting multi-year grant commitments. FY2023: $10.4M paid vs. $13.4M authorized — a gap that is normal and signals the foundation regularly makes multi-year awards.

Grant size profile: The foundation's own filings show a wide distribution — minimum $500, maximum $525,000, median $10,000, average $62,714 — revealing a bimodal portfolio mixing many small Opportunity Grants ($10K–$25K) with larger sustained partnerships in the $100K–$500K+ range. Quarterly 2025 disbursements show per-grantee averages ranging from approximately $126K (June cycle, 9 grantees) to $275K (March cycle, 5 grantees), consistent with a mix of new and renewal awards. The foundation's public guidance cites a typical range of $25,000–$300,000.

Program area distribution (from top-50 grantee analysis): - Education and youth programs (Reading Partners, Center for Early Education, Heart of LA, 826LA, LA Works): approximately 22% of documented giving - Health and aging (Eisner Health, UCLA Geriatrics, Heart Foundation, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center): approximately 15% - Intergenerational-specific organizations (OneGeneration, Generations United, Encore.org/Civic Ventures, DOROT, Sages & Seekers): approximately 18% - Arts and cultural enrichment (LA Philharmonic, Turnaround Arts California, CSUN Foundation): approximately 12% - Legal and social services (Bet Tzedek, Public Counsel, Alliance for Children's Rights): approximately 8% - Family and housing services (El Nido, Casa of LA, Elizabeth House): approximately 7% - Other (Everytown for Gun Safety, LGBTQ+ via SAGE and LA LGBT Center, NYC-based United Neighborhood Houses): approximately 18%

Geographic split: California dominates (375 of 676 documented grants = 55.5%), followed by New York (139 = 20.6%), Colorado (41 = 6.1%), and DC (23 = 3.4%). The Colorado and Vermont grants likely reflect Eisner family personal ties — Keewaydin Camp in Vermont received $433,498 across 5 grants.

The foundations matched to the Eisner Foundation by asset size share a similar $170M asset base but differ fundamentally in focus, geography, and application access. The Eisner Foundation is the only peer with a fully public, open application process and a documented exclusive thematic focus.

The Eisner Foundation is unusual among asset-equivalent peers in maintaining a public, open LOI portal accessible to any qualifying 501(c)(3). Most family foundations of this size operate exclusively by invitation or through pre-existing relationships, making them inaccessible to new applicants. This openness makes Eisner significantly more reachable — but it also means the foundation receives a high volume of LOIs, raising the competitive bar at the initial screen. The foundation's exclusive intergenerational thesis gives it a sharper and more distinctive identity than general-purpose philanthropy peers. For applicants, the implication is clear: fit with the intergenerational mission is non-negotiable and will be assessed rigorously from the first paragraph of the LOI.

The Eisner Foundation maintained an unusually active grantmaking pace through 2025, distributing funds across four quarterly cycles plus an emergency response:

• January 2025: $215,000 in rapid-response grants deployed to eight Los Angeles organizations affected by the January wildfires — outside the normal quarterly schedule, demonstrating the foundation's capacity for emergency deployment.
• March 2025: $1.375 million distributed across five organizations. CEO Trent Stamp emphasized how intergenerational programs 'promote empathy and understanding.'
• June 2025: $1.135 million to nine Los Angeles-area organizations, including three new grantees joining six continuing partners. Simultaneously, the NYC program shifted to year-round rolling submissions.
• July 2025: The third cohort of Eisner Prize Fellows was announced — five leaders each receiving $50,000 total ($10K stipend + $40K project funds). The cohort convened July 28–30 in Los Angeles for a launch gathering.
• September 2025: $2.415 million to seventeen organizations across Los Angeles, New York City, and select national partners — the largest single quarterly disbursement in the past year, explicitly framed as a response to 'the challenging nonprofit funding environment.'
• December 2025: $1.2 million to nine organizations across LA and NYC.

Total disclosed 2025 grantmaking: approximately $6.34M across four quarterly cycles plus fire relief, on track with the foundation's $10M–$13M annual authorized giving pace. FY2024 990 data (not yet filed) will confirm the final FY2024 total.

Lead with structural intergenerational architecture. The single most common reason LOIs fail is framing work as 'youth development' or 'senior services' without demonstrating regular, structural intergenerational connection. The LOI must clearly show how older adults and youth interact in an ongoing, structured way — not through occasional events. If seniors tutor youth weekly, if teenagers staff elder care programs, or if mixed-age cohorts co-create projects, those are the details that matter.

Answer the three LOI questions precisely. The foundation's LOI includes short-answer questions on: (1) structural challenges your organization addresses, (2) how your organization fosters intergenerational connections, and (3) why you would be a good partner for the Eisner Foundation. These are not optional elaborations — they are the core filter. Draft answers to all three before writing anything else.

Quantify both sides of the intergenerational equation. The foundation requires 'measurable patterns of achievement.' Include specific data: number of intergenerational interactions per year, participant counts by age group, and any outcome metrics demonstrating benefit to both older adults and youth. A compelling LOI names the youth outcome (test scores, graduation rates, employment) and the senior outcome (reduced isolation, purpose, health markers) with supporting numbers.

Verify the 75% program expense threshold. The foundation benchmarks administrative overhead against comparable organizations and will notice if your program expense ratio falls below 75%. Pull your most recent 990 before applying and calculate your ratio.

Time your LOI for pre-quarterly-board momentum. Applications are accepted rolling but decisions are made quarterly. Submitting 6–8 weeks before a quarter end gives staff adequate time to evaluate and advance strong candidates. Avoid submitting in the week before a board meeting.

Use the foundation's own language. The foundation uses specific phrasing: 'intergenerational solutions to society's greatest challenges,' 'unite multiple generations,' 'combat age segregation.' Mirror this language. 'Multigenerational' and 'cross-generational' are not the same signal.

Plan for the site visit from day one. If your LOI advances, a mandatory in-person site visit is certain. Prepare program staff — not just the executive director — to speak authentically about daily intergenerational programming. The visit is designed to confirm the work is happening as described.

Opportunity Grants are the right entry point for new or smaller organizations. If your organization is new to intergenerational work, apply for an Opportunity Grant (capped at $25,000) rather than a large general operating grant. Establishing a track record with a smaller award is the proven path to deeper funding relationships with this funder.