David Bohnett Foundation

Immediately after selling his internet social-network company GeoCities to Yahoo! in 1999, David Bohnett turned his attention to activism. He created the David Bohnett Foundation, "a nonprofit grant-making organization focused on providing resources for organizations pursuing societal change and social justice through activism", with an initial endowment of $32million. According to the Los Angeles Times Magazine, he "invests where he can actually improve lives, empower individuals and build viable communities in meaningful ways". To serve as the founding executive director and strategist for the foundation, he hired Michael Fleming, a former media leader for the American Civil Liberties Union. Fleming later became president of the foundation, while Paul Moore serves as executive director. In 2000, the foundation's first full year, it donated $2 million to LGBT organizations, AIDS services, gun control programs, and voter registration initiatives. Bohnett's initial grants included large donations to GLAAD, the Family Equality Council, and the Human Rights Campaign. A prime aim for Bohnett is to "create an environment which destigmatizes homosexuality", and to that end he has funded both national gay rights organizations and also local LGBT organizations and centers across the U.S. describing relationship-building, trust, and long-term commitment as central to its approach to social change. ==Organization==

The David Bohnett Foundation provides grants to outside nonprofit organizations and projects supporting several primary funding areas: The Fund for Los Angeles, supporting a broad spectrum of arts, educational and civic programs; LGBTQ-related causes; graduate school leadership programs at the University of Michigan, New York University and Harvard University; voting rights and registration initiatives; supporting research and public policies to reduce the impact of firearm violence; leadership training initiatives for political public service; and animal research and rights. As of 2025, the foundation had donated $138million to nonprofit organizations and initiatives. ==Fund for Los Angeles==

The David Bohnett Foundation Fund for Los Angeles provides support to local organizations that are working to better the civic and cultural lives of people living in Los Angeles. These grants are made under the initiative of either David Bohnett or the David Bohnett Foundation. As of 2025, the foundation had disbursed over $78,000,000 to recipients of funding from the Fund for Los Angeles. Fund for Los Angeles grant recipients Fund for Los Angeles grant recipients include: ==LGBT community==

The David Bohnett Foundation supports organizations and projects using social activism to advance the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ) community. The foundation also assists and promoted philanthropic organizations that foster positive portrayals of lesbians and gay men in the media. As of 2025, the foundation had disbursed over $28,000,000 to groups and organizations that strive to provide equal rights and protections for all LGBT people. LGBT community grant recipients LGBT community grant recipients include: they offer business, educational, research, and recreational opportunities to underserved LGBT communities via computer equipment and access to the Internet. As of 2025, the foundation had disbursed over $5,000,000 to recipients providing CyberCenters. CyberCenter grant recipients CyberCenter grant recipients include: especially its LGBT Leadership Fellows aimed at training LGBT leaders for state and local governments; as of 2020 the Bohnett Leaders Fellowship at the Victory Institute has sent over 150 LGBT leaders to the Harvard Kennedy School's Senior Executives in State and Local Government program since 2002. The David Bohnett LGBTQ Leaders Fellowship alumni include Kyrsten Sinema, the first openly bisexual U.S. congressperson, and Annise Parker, one of the first openly gay mayors of a major U.S. city (Houston). ==Leadership initiatives and voter education==

The Bohnett foundation supports the development of the next generation of municipal leaders, through a variety of initiatives and grants. As of 2025, the foundation had disbursed over $13,723,000 to recipients and programs in its leadership initiatives. Leadership initiatives David Bohnett Foundation leadership programs The foundation supports advances in public policy through David Bohnett Leadership Fellows programs at universities. • Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan • John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University • Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University • UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs In other grants, in Detroit, New York City, and Los Angeles, graduate students receive positions in the mayor's office, and the stipends and tuition of these David Bohnett fellows are paid for by the Bohnett Foundation. These paid student interns have been involved in policy analysis and implementation, assisting speech writing, evaluating department heads, reducing homelessness, and other initiatives. As of 2014, the foundation had disbursed over $4,500,000 exclusively to recipients working on voter education. Voter education grant recipients Voter education grant recipients include: ==Gun violence prevention==

The David Bohnett Foundation works with public policy makers, advocates and activists to reduce gun violence and promote gun violence prevention policies. Funding is provided to groups and institutions that educate and advocate on the effects of guns and solutions to reduce gun violence. As of 2025, the foundation has disbursed over $6,081,000 to recipients working on gun violence prevention. Gun violence prevention grant recipients Gun violence prevention grant recipients include: ==Animal language research==

The David Bohnett Foundation supports animal language research, funding of service animals and eliminating the trade of endangered species. As of 2025, the foundation has disbursed over $2,177,000 to recipients working on animal language research. Animal language research grant recipients Animal language research grant recipients include: ==See also==