The James Irvine Foundation, also known as the Irvine Foundation, established in 1937, is a private, nonprofit organization headquartered in California. Its primary focus is to support innovative solutions to significant issues facing Californians, particularly in the areas of affordable housing and workforce development.
To achieve their goals, the foundation maintains partnerships with:
- employers
- labor unions
- public and private donors
- public officials
The foundation's grants and initiatives aim to foster a more equitable and inclusive society by investing in programs that address systemic challenges and empower underserved individuals and communities.
Initiatives include:
- Better Careers – Aims to prepare and connect low-income workers and job seekers to quality jobs and improve workforce development services, with an emphasis to remove race and gender barriers to economic opportunities and advancement
- Fair Work – Seeks to eliminate wage theft, ensure access to rights and benefits due to workers through the law, and promote civic engagement among low income workers
- Just Prosperity – Supports statewide efforts to develop and implement policies to reflect the priorities of and give voice to underserved and low-income Californian workers
- Priority Communities – Started in 2020, initially focused on the cities of Fresno, Salinas, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Stockton to create and develop sustainable careers and advancement opportunities for low-income workers. Since 2024, approved for additional funding through 2031, added Merced as a sixth city with a complementary focus on community economic development models
The Irvine Foundation also provides grants and invests in projects like the Housing Affordability project, to support statewide and community efforts to find solutions assist low-income renters, preserve existing affordable housing structures, and invest in new affordable housing construction.
Resources:
Better Careers Initiative
Fair Work Initiative
Just Prosperity Initiative
Priority Communities Initiative
Housing Affordability Project
Grant Information
