News

Dr. Debra Duardo, Director, RMPF Board of Directors February 26, 2026 (Los Angeles, CA) — The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Debra Duardo, M.S.W., Ed.D. to its Board of Directors. A nationally recognized leader in public education, Dr. Duardo exemplifies the Foundation’s deep commitment to improving quality of life and advancing community well-being across Los Angeles County. As the Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Duardo leads one of the largest regional education agencies in the nation, overseeing 80 K-12 school districts serving more than 1.3 million students. Spanning more than three... Read More

The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation continues to respond to the evolving needs of communities affected by the LA fires. Taking a phased disaster recovery approach, the Foundation has committed $1.8 million in grants to date for nonprofits serving impacted residents and neighborhoods, helping stabilize services today while strengthening capacity for the years ahead. Beyond grantmaking, the Foundation is working with public and private sector partners to support convenings, collaboration, and shared learning – creating space for community-driven solutions that inform longer-term recovery and rebuilding efforts. Initial Response & Relief The Foundation’s grants in early 2025 supported relief and recovery efforts.... Read More

Initial Response and Relief Grants While recent fires have profoundly impacted our beloved LA communities, the outpouring of support from our fellow Angelenos serves as a powerful reminder of our shared compassion and resilience. We recognize the road ahead will require a phased and coordinated approach as we respond, recover, and rebuild. Aligned with our mission to advance community well-being, Parsons first phase of fire relief and recovery grants reflects our commitment to helping create a vibrant and inclusive Los Angeles where all people and communities thrive. Fire Relief and Recovery Funds California Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund Getty Foundation... Read More

Stephanie Ivy Sanford (left); Stasia Washington (right) The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation is pleased to welcome two new members to its board of directors: Stephanie Sanford and Stasia Washington. Their appointment comes following an extensive process assisted by retained executive search firm, Berkhemer Clayton, Inc. Paul Haaga, Chair of the board, and Peter Taylor, Chair of the search committee, enthusiastically welcome the two new directors who bring in-depth experience and long careers in business and community involvement here in Los Angeles County. Stephanie Sanford is a partner with Goldman Sachs Asset Management, serving as co-head of the Americas Institutional Client... Read More

In early 2023, we conducted our most recent grantee survey with the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP). Our deepest thanks to the 368 organizations who responded. We appreciate the time you invested to share your thoughts with us and at this time, we wish to share what we heard and our initial reflections. What we learned We identified several themes about our areas of strength and opportunities for growth. The following list is not exhaustive, as we are still analyzing the results and carefully reading your thoughtful comments. Here is what we heard: Our grantee relationships are strong, characterized by... Read More