News

Additional $100,000 For Los Angeles Wildfire Relief

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif., Jan. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The William, Jeff & Jennifer Gross Family Foundation, the charity founded by renowned investor and philanthropist Bill Gross and his son and daughter, announced that it donated $18 million to 61 non-profits and charities in 2024, including to hurricane relief and recovery efforts in North Carolina and Florida. Recipients included several California organizations in Orange and Riverside counties, as well as national and international charities including Doctors Without Borders, Solar Electric Light Fund, Mercy Ships, and Environmental Advocates NY.

In addition, the Foundation donated $50,000 each to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and to the American Red Cross for wildfire relief to assist those in need as a result of the devastating fires in Los Angeles County.

The $640 million-asset Gross Family Foundation — among the largest private foundations in Orange County — continued the Gross Family’s tradition of donating to organizations that have a direct impact on the communities they serve, whether locally in California or nationally and internationally. Many of the recipients are non-profits that support education, the arts, the environment, poverty, human rights, childhood development, and healthcare. The Foundation also directed one of its largest donations of $1.11 million to the University of Massachusetts for the support of a Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences Workshop on the Ethical Advancement of Artificial Intelligence. Established in 1994 by Pope John Paul II, the Pontifical Academy promotes the study and progress of the social sciences — primarily economics, sociology, law and political science.

“Jennifer, Jeff and I have always tried to seek out mission-driven, non-profit organizations that are as focused on outcomes as intent,” said Mr. Gross, a philanthropist, author and the co-founder of Newport Beach-based, fixed-income asset manager PIMCO. “I am especially appreciative of Jennifer and Jeff’s work in bringing their unique perspectives to finding the non-profits that are aligned with our values.”

The Gross Family Foundation continued Mr. Gross’s longtime support of Doctors Without Borders with a donation of $3 million in 2024. Mr. Gross and the Gross Family Foundation have given almost $50 million to Doctors Without Borders in the past two decades, making them the largest donors to the global medical humanitarian organization. The Foundation also renewed a donation to Mercy Ships, giving $1 million to the hospital ship organization that brings state-of-the-art medical care and surgeries to people in need around the world.

As reported in September by the Orange County Business Journal, “Giving at the Gross foundation to Orange County nonprofits is more than twice as large as the most generous corporation, Pacific Life, which gave $4.9 million in 2023.”

In addition to several repeat recipients, new organizations that received donations from the Gross Family Foundation include:

• Eisenhower Health Foundation, supporting the Eisenhower Health non-profit hospital through fundraising, allowing the hospital to meet the changing healthcare needs of the Coachella Valley community.
• Every Cure, a nonprofit biotech that utilizes AI to unleash the potential of every approved medicine to treat every disease it possibly can. Every Cure believes that repurposing medicines represents the fastest and most efficient way to tackle critical health challenges while optimizing the return on investment in the effort to save lives.
• Desert ARC, a nonprofit human services organization headquartered in Palm Desert serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities living throughout Riverside County and the Morongo Basin of San Bernardino County.
• Solar Electric Light Fund uses the power of the sun to fight poverty and climate change. SELF works with communities around the world to establish solar projects, with a focus on environmental justice, community ownership, and scalable outcomes.
• Desert Community Foundation, supporting nonprofits, donors, and scholarship committees in the Coachella Valley, and empowering desert communities through Donor Advised Funds, Scholarships, and Donor Directed Grants.
• Artist Fund at the Festival of the Arts of Laguna Beach, a non-profit organization created by artists which assists Festival artists who have suffered unforeseen hardship, and also encourages artistic growth through scholarship.

The following non-profits received donations of more than $1 million from the William, Jeff & Jennifer Gross Family Foundation in 2024:

• Doctors Without Borders
• University of Massachusetts Supporting a Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences Workshop on the Ethical Advancement of Artificial Intelligence
• Atrium Health
• Environmental Advocates NY
• Sustainable Development Solutions Network
• Mercy Ships

While at PIMCO Mr. Gross established the PIMCO Foundation, which has since expanded to three global PIMCO Foundations that have granted more than $49 million to support nonprofit organizations worldwide. PIMCO annually awards the “Bill Gross Volunteer Impact Award,” which recognizes the transformative community service of PIMCO employees around the globe. Mr. Gross is a signatory to the Giving Pledge, a global, multi-generational commitment by many of the world’s wealthiest individuals and couples to give a majority of their wealth to philanthropy or charitable causes, either during their lifetimes or in their wills. For additional information about Bill Gross, visit https://williamhgross.com/.

The Gross Family Foundation has given $400K to the Ear Community to support people with missing ears or ear canals. Above, a girl before and after surgery for a new ear

By Kim Stemper | Orange County Business Journal

Due to a lack of funding, Melissa Tumblin in 2022 was considering closing her nonprofit Ear Community that she started after her daughter Ally was born with an illness in her right ear.

Jennifer Gross learned about the financial troubles at the group that helps children and adults with missing ears or ear canals and secured a $200,000 donation from the William, Jeff and Jennifer Gross Family Foundation. The foundation donated another $200,000 last December.

“As a small grassroots nonprofit, Ear Community wouldn’t exist without the generous support from the William, Jeff and Jennifer Gross Family Foundation,” Tumblin told the Business Journal.

“Not only does their funding allow our organization to have the necessary programs in place that help our community thrive, but it also helps us continue changing the lives of children and adults who have missing ears (microtia) and hearing loss (aural atresia) every day.”

The Gross foundation, which began in 2018 with $380 million, has since grown to $550 million. That means Bill Gross’ goal of giving away the minimum 5% annually has increased to $25 million, half of which he wants to donate to Orange County nonprofits.

“The emphasis of the Gross Family Foundation is family,” Bill Gross told the Business Journal. “The experience of working with Jeff and Jennifer (Gross) to support the foundation’s mission has been one of the highlights of my life.”

Bill Gross, a pioneer in fixed income investing, has been a dedicated Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) supporter for almost 20 years and is one of our most generous donors. An equally dedicated stamp collector, Mr. Gross put his stamp collection up for auction in 2007, with all the proceeds, totaling over $7 million, going to MSF. Since his retirement in 2019, he’s overseen The William, Jeff and Jennifer Gross Family Foundation, which provides funding for nonprofit organizations that focus on humanitarian causes, health care, arts, and education.

---

How does MSF’s mission align with your philanthropic goals?

I believe that health care is a human right, not a privilege of those who can most afford it, or who has the best insurance. That’s why my family and I have made some of our largest donations to health care organizations, whether it’s MSF or other organizations

What makes MSF different from other organizations?

MSF is an organization that goes directly to where their help is needed most. My children, Jennifer and Jeff, and I chose to invest in the organization because stricken children and adults are needlessly dying around the world due to futile wars and devastating diseases. MSF’s ability to deliver urgent humanitarian aid to the otherwise forgotten or ignored is unique and unparalleled.

What do you want other potential donors to know about MSF and the work we do?

The public should know that any dollar donated to MSF is a dollar that will go toward the urgent needs of those facing the most catastrophic consequences of war, natural disasters, and other events outside people’s control. MSF should also be considered the world’s eyes and ears on the ground. Their direct and indirect eyewitness accounts of emergencies are often more descriptive and accurate than the mainstream media. While the media mostly describes the conflict, MSF not only tells us about the human consequences, but they also try to address the problems. 

What do you hope to accomplish with your philanthropy?

I would hope to provide a legacy, not for myself, but of lasting improvement in the communities and lives of people most in need of assistance. In some ways, I’d like to think of myself as an intermediary. It is true, I have been blessed with wealth through hard work and good fortune. But what good is that wealth if it can’t be put to a higher purpose and help provide the basic necessities for others? I hope to accomplish some measure of improvement in humanity through my giving, whether locally or internationally. I’ve endeavored to put my money where my mouth is. My giving has been directed less toward building ego monuments, and more for direct action. The bulk of my giving has gone toward organizations that provide health care, humanitarian relief, education, and community support. In other words, groups that have a ground game and provide direct assistance to urgent causes.

How would you convince an everyday person to think bigger in terms of what they can accomplish with their own giving?

Trust me, I don’t do this for the adoration. There is no expectation of gratitude, just the satisfaction that the money goes straight to where it’s most needed and spent responsibly. My advice to future philanthropists would be to find existing institutions like MSF (my favorite) and start writing checks. And forget about semi-permanent nameplates over hospitals and universities (I’m guilty of this in my early years). Donate to organizations that give money and care directly to the people who need it.

Donations Went to All-Time High 67 Recipients

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif., Jan. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The William, Jeff & Jennifer Gross Family Foundation, the charity founded by renowned investor and philanthropist Bill Gross and his son and daughter, announced that it donated more than $18 million to 67 non-profits and charities in 2023, the most recipients ever in a single year for the Gross Family Foundation. Recipients included several Laguna Beach and Orange County organizations, as well Doctors Without Borders; The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert, CA; Atrium Health Foundation of Charlotte, NC; and the Orange County Teachers Of The Year Award Foundation, a longtime beneficiary of the Gross family’s giving.

The $465 million-asset Gross Family Foundation – among the largest private foundations in Orange County — continued its support of five general categories of organizations that directly impact the people and communities in which they serve, whether locally in California, or globally in developing nations: healthcare; education and the arts; global development and humanitarian relief; the environment; and community support.

“Jennifer, Jeff and I are pleased to continue our tradition of giving to organizations that provide immeasurable benefits to the communities they serve,” said Mr. Gross, a philanthropist, author and the co-founder of Newport Beach-based, fixed income asset manager PIMCO. “I am a firm believer that success should be shared, whether it was establishing the PIMCO Foundation and mandating partners contribute 2% of their bonus, or donating the proceeds of the sale of my stamp collection. The larger world is a reflection of what we leave behind to others.”

In additional to several repeat recipients, new organizations that received donations from the Gross Family Foundation include:

Coachella Valley Rescue Mission, serving local people experiencing homelessness, hunger and life challenges through emergency services, recovery programs and community outreach.
Divided Sky Residential Recovery Program of Ludlow, VT, providing a supportive and safe environment that encourages individuals to heal from the past and gain the skills needed for a healthier future. Their campus provides accommodations for guests who are ready to embrace recovery.
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens of Palm Desert, CA, a nonprofit, accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, active in conservation research, habitat protection, breeding programs and education initiatives around the world, as well as in its own community.
Orangewood Foundation of Santa Ana, CA, working with youth in four critical areas: health & wellness, housing, life skills & employment, and education to meet a broad array of needs: from groceries and a hot meal; to transitional housing, to life skills workshops and employment leads; to the innovative Samueli Academy public charter school; and scholarships for college and graduate school.
PAL Kauai, providing homes and sustainable living solutions within reach, restoring hope for the people of Hawai’i. They believe that in order to achieve true affordability it is essential to develop homes that: minimize energy costs, and are cost-effective to construct and maintain over the building’s “life-cycle”.
World Wildlife Foundation – Tigers, a program monitoring tigers and their prey; preserving and connecting tiger habitat; building political will; and eliminating tiger trade.
While at PIMCO Mr. Gross established the PIMCO Foundation, which has since expanded to three global PIMCO Foundations that have granted more than $49 million to support nonprofit organizations worldwide. PIMCO annually awards the “Bill Gross Volunteer Impact Award,” which recognizes the transformative community service of PIMCO employees around the globe. Mr. Gross is a signatory to the Giving Pledge, a global, multi-generational commitment by many of the world’s wealthiest individuals and couples to give a majority of their wealth to philanthropy or charitable causes, either during their lifetimes or in their wills.

The following non-profits received donations of more than $1 million from the William, Jeff & Jennifer Gross Family Foundation in 2023:

• Doctors Without Borders $4,000,000
• The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens $2,000,000
• Orange County Teachers of the Year Award Foundation $1,600,000
• Atrium Health Foundation $1,000,000
• UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network $1,000,000

Other recipients included:

• Action Against Hunger
• Affordable Housing Opportunity Fund
• American Family Housing
• Anaheim Health Fair
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast
• Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach
• Child Creativity Lab
• Coast Film Festival (Laguna Beach)
• Creative Visions Foundation
• Cristo Rey High School
• Doug Pensinger Photography Fund
• Duke University
• Ear Community of Broomfield, CO
• Ecumenical Hunger Program
• Edward Charles Foundation
• Engineers Without Borders USA
• Environmental Advocates NY
• Evans Scholarship Foundation
• Grammy Museum
• Health Wagon
• Hope Builders
• Laguna Art Museum
• Laguna Beach Community Clinic
• Laguna Beach Festival of Arts
• Laguna Beach Historical Society
• Laguna Beach Parade Corp
• Laguna Beach Police & Community Foundation
• Laguna Beach Senior Center
• Laguna Canyon Foundation
• Laguna College of Art and Design
• Laguna Food Pantry
• Laguna Ocean Foundation
• Laguna Outreach for Community Arts (LOCA)
• Lestonnac Free Clinic
• National Catholic Community Foundation
• Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
• Open Roads Academy
• Orange Coast Community Foundation
• Pacific Marine Mammal Center
• Pebble Beach Company Foundation
• Pharia Foundation
• Pollinator Protection Fund
• Pueblo Unido
• Pursuit Leadership Foundation
• Roof Above
• Sally’s Fund
• School On Wheels
• Small Wonders Foundation
• TreePeople
• Tufts University
• University of Hawaii Foundation – Wai’ale’ale Project
• University of Miami
• Unlimited Possibilities
• US Coalition on Sustainability
• The VII Foundation

The William, Jeff & Jennifer Gross Family Foundation, the charity founded by renowned investor and philanthropist Bill Gross and his son and daughter, continued its annual tradition of donating to multiple organizations in Laguna Beach in 2023, including the Laguna Art Museum, the Laguna Beach Festival of Arts and the Laguna Beach Police & Community Foundation. In total, the foundation donated more than $18 million to 67 local and international non-profits and charities in 2023, the most recipients ever in a single year for the Gross Family Foundation.

Laguna Beach represented the largest geographic region by far receiving donations from the Gross Family Foundation.

“If charity begins at home, my adopted hometown of Laguna Beach holds a special place in the heart of myself and my family,” said Bill Gross, who co-founded the Newport Beach-based PIMCO fixed income firm. “We can never begin to repay Laguna Beach enough for all the wonderful years the community has provided. Between the arts, culture and the natural environment, there is no place like Laguna Beach.”

Other Laguna Beach recipients of donations include the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach; Coast Film Festival (Laguna Beach); Laguna Outreach for Community Arts (LOCA); Laguna Beach Community Clinic; Laguna Beach Parade Corp; Laguna Canyon Foundation; Laguna College of Art + Design; Laguna Food Pantry; Laguna Beach Historical Society; Laguna Ocean Foundation; Laguna Beach Senior Center and the Pacific Marine Mammal Center.

Organizations in Laguna Beach and Orange County have traditionally been heavily represented in the Gross family’s annual giving, including $20 million to Hoag Hospital Newport Beach and $10 million for the Emergency Department at Mission Hospital Laguna Beach. The family’s largest-ever donation was $40 million to establish a nursing school at the University of California at Irvine.

With $465 million in assets, the William, Jeff & Jennifer Gross Family Foundation ranks as one of the largest private foundations in Orange County, far surpassing even the PIMCO Foundation, which Gross established as PIMCO’s chief investment officer. He is a signatory to the Giving Pledge, a global, multi-generational commitment by some of the world’s wealthiest individuals and couples to give a majority of their wealth to philanthropy or charitable causes, either during their lifetimes, or in their wills.