Golden Globe Foundation Grantees Gather for Philanthropic Mixer

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 19, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- The event, which showcased the Foundation’s philanthropic work in filmmaking, education, journalism, and press freedom, brought together filmmakers, journalists, educators, and nonprofit leaders for a day of conversation, collaboration, and connection.

The day began with a video highlighting the Foundation’s impact and welcome remarks from Raffi Boghosian, President of the Golden Globe Foundation. Dr. Olga Diaz, Vice President of Student Services at LACC, welcomed attendees and delivered the land acknowledgement. Presentations followed on topics such as the UCLA’s Hollywood Diversity Report, the use of AI to enhance storytelling, and trends in nonprofit funding.

Afternoon breakouts mixed organizations across program areas to tackle responsible AI use and financial resilience. Nathan Witkin, Research Manager at the Center for Nonprofit Management, shared his expertise along with Bianca Nepales and Rigoberto Marquéz.

The Golden Globe Foundation, established in 1981, supports underserved and underrepresented communities in Southern California, as well as film preservation and press freedom initiatives worldwide. Since its inception, the Foundation has contributed more than $70 million to nonprofit organizations and educational institutions, supporting the restoration of over 166 classic films. Today, the Foundation supports 80 organizations and programs spanning the creative arts, education, journalism, and film preservation.

At LACC, Foundation funding supports Student Filmmaker Production Grants and Cinema & Television students facing financial hardship, as well as journalism fellowships and seed-funding provided through the Institute for Nonprofit News. Its broader portfolio includes Film Independent, Film2Future, Women in Film, the UCLA Film & Television Archive, and The Film Foundation, alongside journalism and press-freedom organizations.

Local journalism remains a critical focus of the Foundation’s work. Joel Arquillos, Managing Director of the Golden Globe Foundation, emphasized the importance of local newsrooms in helping communities understand what is happening in their own neighborhoods. The Foundation’s journalism giving includes support for organizations like LAist, which trains the next generation of public media journalists through paid summer internships. Other grantees include KCRW, NPR’s flagship member station in Southern California, and PBS SoCal, which runs Student Reporting Labs and paid internships. The LA Local, with its five neighborhood newsrooms, reaches over one million Angelenos, and Report for America is funding a reporter at Boyle Heights Beat and an LA Public Press internship for a Cal State LA senior.

The Foundation’s work is not just about grants; it is about the people and the stories that get told because of the work its grantees do every day.