Comedy Gives Back is the safety net for the comedy community providing grants to stand-up comedians that cover financial crises, mental health therapy and chemical dependency treatment.

Being alone on stage is the job of the stand-up comedian.

Feeling alone off-stage is unacceptable.

Co-founded by Zoe Friedman, Amber J. Lawson & Jodi Lieberman, Comedy Gives Back is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization that provides grants to stand-up comedians for financial crisis, mental health therapy, and chemical dependency treatment.

Three comedy chicks walked into the Hollywood Improv and asked, “Can we change the world through comedy?”Turns out, the answer was yes.

As veterans of the comedy industry, we saw a glaring gap. Musicians had MusiCares. Actors had the Entertainment Community Fund. But stand-up comedians? They had no safety net. No organization looking out for their mental health, their sobriety, or their ability to survive a financial crisis — even though they’re the ones helping the world laugh through its darkest moments.

In 2010, we founded Comedy Gives Back — the only nonprofit dedicated solely to the financial, emotional, and recovery needs of the stand-up comedy community.

We built Comedy Gives Back around three core pillars:

Financial Crisis Relief – grants to help comedians stay afloat during hard times
Mental Health Support – access to therapy, counseling, and tools for emotional wellness
Chemical Dependency & Recovery – treatment resources for those struggling with substance abuse

We didn’t start as a nonprofit. Our original vision was a bold blend of comedy, charity, and tech — a for-profit B corp using livestreaming to raise money for causes. In 2013, we produced a 24-hour global digital telethon with live stand-up shows from Australia, London, NYC, and LA. It had never been done before.

But over time, our mission became crystal clear: comedians needed more than just a spotlight. They needed real support. So in 2018, we pivoted into a full-fledged nonprofit — and by 2021, we became the go-to institution for helping comedians in crisis.

We’re proud to be the safety net of the comedy community.

Please check Comedy Gives Back in the Variety Comedy Impact Report 2025

Comedy Gives Back is a 501(c)(3) Public Charity based in Venice, CA. (EIN 84-1886550) Contributions are tax-deductible for income, gift, and estate taxes to the fullest extent of the law.

COMEDY GIVES BACK

BEING ALONE ONSTAGE IS PART OF THE JOB… FEELING ALONE OFF STAGE IS UNACCEPTABLE.