FireAid, the benefit concert that raised an estimated $100 million for those impacted by the Los Angeles fires last month, announced $50 million in grants on Tuesday to dozens of community-based organizations assisting in disaster recovery.
The initial round of grantmaking will support immediate needs like temporary housing, rental assistance, food access, and disaster case management, according to a FireAid statement. Each organization will receive at least $100,000.
Thirty of the world’s most popular bands and musicians, including Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Dr. Dre, No Doubt, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stevie Wonder, Sting, and Earth, Wind & Fire, performed on Jan. 30 to raise money for people impacted by the L.A. fires. Concert organizers expanded the show to two L.A. venues to accommodate all the artists, and more than 50 million viewers across 28 broadcast channels and streaming platforms watched the six-hour live show.
The benefit concert raised millions through text-to-donate, ticket sales and corporate sponsorships. Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and his wife Connie matched every donation collected during the live broadcast, including a $1 million gift from the band U2.
FireAid organizers, including producers Irving and Shelli Azoff, convened an advisory committee and consulted with representatives from past catastrophes like the 2023 Maui fires before deciding how to distribute the money. A first round of funding to support immediate needs will be followed by future funding for longterm recovery like rebuilding. Applications are also open for smaller grants to community organizations of $10,000-$50,000.
The $50 million announced Tuesday will support community-based groups “on the front lines of wildfire relief,” according to the organization. It provides assistance for children and families, displaced workers and small businesses, and students and schools among other categories.
“Our intention is to strike a balance, geographically and organizationally, assisting both large funds and organizations with longstanding experience navigating moments of crisis, and community groups with deep knowledge of impacted neighborhoods,” a spokesperson for FireAid said in an email.
The list includes Project:Camp, an L.A.-based nonprofit that hosts trauma-informed popup camps for children impacted by disasters.
“As a result of everyone who donated to this fund, Project:Camp was able to help provide more than 10,000 hours of free, trauma-informed care to nearly 1,000 children who were affected by the wildfires,” said Henry Meier, Project:Camp director of external affairs.
A FireAid spokesperson said organizations were notified of the grant by email Tuesday morning. However, multiple groups said they did not know of the award until notified by The Associated Press.
The Eaton and Palisades Fires, which ignited on Jan. 7, killed at least 29 people and destroyed almost 17,000 structures, including homes, schools, places of worship and businesses. Rebuilding is estimated to take years. More than 135,000 people have registered for FEMA assistance, according to Los Angeles County.
The FireAid concert can still be viewed on streaming services like Prime Video, Apple TV+ and Hulu and the organization is still accepting donations.
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Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.
Gabriela Aoun Angueira, The Associated Press
