Nearly 60,000 people subscribe to our newsletter, and our open rate exceeds 50 percent, twice the nonprofit industry average (Mailchimp). We’re humbled by that number. It reflects something simple: the newsletter isn’t just communication. It’s connection. It’s trust.
LA2050, an initiative of the Goldhirsh Foundation, is working to build a better future for Los Angeles through civic participation, information sharing, data-derived goals, and participatory grantmaking. To make that vision real, we need more than funding. We need an ongoing, direct relationship with the people shaping the county. The bi-weekly newsletter is the channel to reach that objective.
The newsletter serves as connective tissue between Angelenos and action: sharing updates on the LA2050 Grants Challenge, inviting residents to shape funding priorities, and offering practical resources like job opportunities, capital pathways, events, and trainings. Since launch, more than 1,000,000 votes have been cast in the Grants Challenge, including 140,000 last year alone. (The Grants Challenge is an open call for ideas to make Los Angeles County the best place to connect, create, learn, live, and play.)
Voters are invited to subscribe, ensuring our audience is comprised of people already invested in their communities. As the list grows, so does civic participation, and funding decisions better reflect real needs.
The newsletter also spotlights initiatives such as the Youth Ambassadors program and free AI workshops for the community. In short, it’s a civic tool that turns informed residents into active participants and participation into measurable impact across Los Angeles.
Many subscribers first join the newsletter after voting in the LA2050 Grants Challenge. They stay because every issue delivers something immediately useful. We close the civic feedback loop.
After the Grants Challenge voting period ends, subscribers see exactly how their participation shaped outcomes, as we announce winners and share stories from funded organizations. Readers don’t just vote and disappear. They see their choices translate into real projects improving their neighborhoods. The newsletter has also become our launchpad for innovation across the foundation.
We use it to spotlight LA2050 Youth Ambassadors, celebrating young leaders ages 14 to 24 and inviting others to get involved. We promote free capacity-building workshops led by our AI Executive-in-Residence, offering nonprofit leaders hands-on training, tools, and one-on-one support. Additionally, we routinely feature nonprofit leaders with our “Fave Five” segment, where they have the opportunity to highlight their favorite places to learn, live, play, create, and connect in Los Angeles. We also showcase original “Visions For LA” short videos from Angelenos, and share original writing and Q&As on topics such as environmental history, women’s history, AI’s impact, and more.
We intentionally design the newsletter to feel less like a broadcast and more like a public service. Twice a month, readers receive curated, community-centered information they can act on right away: social-impact job openings, funding and fellowship opportunities, local events, and resources sourced directly from grantees and partners. Particularly, we include information on free or low-cost community-based events, aiming to support Angelenos and LA institutions throughout the year. Clean, original design and clear calls to action make each issue welcoming and easy to navigate. This value-first strategy builds trust. Instead of asking the audience to give, we focus first on what we can give them.
Past editions have shared similar resources for communications, development, and social media strategy, responding directly to needs identified through surveys. Content decisions are guided by data and community listening. We continuously test subject lines, formats, and sections to understand what resonates. We also share sizzle reels and video recaps of community events, including the LA2050 Grantee Showcase, where elected officials such as the Mayor of Los Angeles are among the speakers. Engagement metrics and reader feedback inform every iteration, ensuring the newsletter evolves alongside our audience. The result is a publication that feels personal, practical, and empowering, rather than promotional.
By combining actionable resources, participatory storytelling, and consistent design, we’ve transformed a traditional nonprofit newsletter into an engine for civic engagement, one that helps Angelenos not only stay informed but actively shape the future of their region.
The newsletter is LA2050’s most effective tool for community engagement and participation. While the nonprofit industry’s average open rate hovers around 23.5 percent (Mailchimp), ours consistently performs at more than double that benchmark. In December 2025, our average open rate reached 50.7 percent. For the past three years, engagement has exceeded 50 percent and continues to rise as we refine content based on audience behavior and feedback.
That engagement translates directly into action. A recent issue highlighting 15 grantees and announcing 2025 applications achieved a 57.2 percent open rate and a 6.5 percent click rate, a 170.8% percent increase. By consistently spotlighting grantees and opportunities, we keep readers connected and inspire new organizations to apply and share their work.
We see this momentum reflected in the annual LA2050 Grants Challenge. Approximately 140,000 votes were cast by the public telling us what issues matter most, and then 1,200 proposals were submitted by nonprofits, nearly a 50 percent increase from two years prior.
Additionally, we welcomed the largest-ever cohort of 330 LA2050 Youth Ambassadors last year. We anticipate exceeding that number by 200 this year, given the substantial increase in applications.
Most importantly, subscribers don’t just read. They vote, apply, volunteer, attend events, and lead. By consistently delivering value and closing the loop between community input and real-world impact, the LA2050 newsletter has evolved from a communications vehicle into a trusted civic platform, helping thousands of Angelenos shape a stronger, more equitable Los Angeles.
