LOS ANGELES -- Theatre groups in Los Angeles have been the recipients of more than $650,000 in grants from the Flintridge Foundation since the philanthropic organization was founded locally 11 years ago by Francis and Louisa Moseley.

Among the groups who have received money are the Actors' Gang, About Productions, Cornerstone Theatre and Los Angeles Women's Shakespeare Company. Flintridge has also supported theatre elsewhere on the West Coast, with donations topping $1.5 million.

"We invest in artists and the artistic process, and not the product," said vice president and fine arts committee chair Alex Moseley, one of the four family children on the foundation's founding board of trustees. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Moseley said that the foundation likes to focus on small collective ensembles where a little funding can make a lot of difference.

"Partly our focus was influenced by our size," Mosely said. "We wanted to be able to give money that was going to have an effect, and it isn't going to have an effect if we give to some huge organization where $15,000 will go to paper supplies. We really wanted to be able to have the enthusiasm of the board involved."

Through investments Flintridge's original $12 million endowment has now grown to $26 million. The foundation will be giving away about $1.5 million in grants in 1998, including approximately $297,000 split between 15 to 20 West Coast theatres with an average grant size of $15,000 to $20,000. --By Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent