James Irvine Foundation
Giving over time
Cause breakdown
About
The James Irvine Foundation is a private foundation established in 1937 through the estate of James Irvine, whose family had longstanding agricultural and land interests in California. The foundation is dedicated to improving economic opportunity for low-income workers and creating a California where everyone can participate in a vibrant economy, with its work concentrated on helping workers and communities gain greater economic security.
Its grantmaking supports efforts to improve job quality, strengthen worker voice and expand pathways to good jobs that provide better wages and stability. The foundation partners with nonprofits, employers, policymakers and worker-serving organizations to advance changes in industries and labor markets, particularly for workers who have historically faced limited economic opportunity. Its current work is focused primarily on California, reflecting its longstanding commitment to the state.
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Board
Maria Anguiano became Chair of The James Irvine Foundation Board of Directors in January 2026, after previously chairing the board's Program Committee, bringing experience across technology, education, finance, and philanthropy.
Tim Rios is Senior Vice President for Wells Fargo's Social Impact and Sustainability Group, leading the company's Rural and Native American strategy, and served as Irvine's Board Chair from 2022 until early 2026.
Kafi D. Blumenfield is the former founding executive director of Discovery Cube Los Angeles and is now building the leadership development organization Alisyo.
Paulette Brown-Hinds, PhD, is Founder and Publisher of Voice Media Ventures and the first Black president of the California News Publishers Association.
Marc McMorris is Co-CEO and Co-Chair of the Investment Committee at Carrick Capital Partners and serves as a Trustee of the University of Pennsylvania.
Sheri Dunn Berry is a strategist with the Wend Collective who oversees a social impact fund's investments in building the civic capacity of diverse U.S. communities.
Brenna Butler Garcia is Vice President of Community Relations at A.G. Spanos Companies in Stockton and a former CEO of the San Joaquin County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Teresa Matsui is President and CEO of Matsui Nursery, Inc. and leads the Matsui Foundation, which has awarded more than $8 million in scholarships in the Salinas Valley.
Sara Recktenwald serves as a director on The James Irvine Foundation's Board of Directors.
Goodwin Liu is an Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court and the S. William Green Visiting Professor of Public Law at Harvard Law School.
Eliseo Medina is a longtime labor and immigrant-rights leader who served as International Secretary-Treasurer of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
John Frank serves as a director on The James Irvine Foundation's Board of Directors.
Michael Chui is a Partner at the McKinsey Global Institute researching the impact of AI
Susan Masten, a member of the Yurok Tribe of Northern California, is President and CEO of Women Empowering Women for Indian Nations and a Del Norte County Supervisor.
Vivian Velasco Paz is Co-founder and Chief Operations Officer of Paz Dermatology, with offices in Fresno and Visalia, California.