our grantmaking process

The Raikes Foundation makes grants in three core program areas: Education, Youth Homelessness, and Impact-Driven Philanthropy. We also make a limited number of community grants and grants for special projects. Proposals are by invitation only. We make the majority of our grants to organizations we have identified. We do not accept unsolicited proposals. 

To be eligible for a grant, applicants must be classified as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and as public charities under section 509(a)(1), (2) or (3) of the Code. Public organizations designated under section 170(c) of the Code are also eligible. The Raikes Foundation does not make grants to individuals or to organizations outside the United States. 

The Raikes Foundation does not fund: individuals; organizations that discriminate on the basis of age, race, national origin or citizenship, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or religious belief; or religious purposes unless grant activities address the needs of the wider community without regard to religious beliefs.

Even if our grants and strategies don’t fully succeed, we only fail if we don’t learn.

– Jeff Raikes

List of Grants

Organization Requests Award Date Amount Program
SD Foundation dba Voting Rights Lab General Operating Support 04/04/24 $150,000.00 RED 1 - National Strategy
The Good Nation Foundation Inc Building for Democracy Education Fund 04/04/24 $100,000.00 RED - IDPI Cross Cut
Public Rights Project General Operating Support 04/04/24 $150,000.00 RED 1 - National Strategy
Mijente Support Committee General Operating Support 04/04/24 $150,000.00 RED 1 - National Strategy
People's Action Institute General Operating Support 04/02/24 $150,000.00 RED 1 - National Strategy
State Voices General Operating Support 04/02/24 $150,000.00 RED 1 - National Strategy
Hopewell Fund Galvanize USA General Operating Support 04/02/24 $150,000.00 RED 1 - National Strategy
Alliance for A Just Society Native Organizers Alliance General Operating Support 04/02/24 $150,000.00 RED 1 - National Strategy
Equal Justice Works Homeless Youth Fellowship 04/02/24 $83,000.00 Youth Homelessness
Equality Federation Institute General Operating Support 04/02/24 $150,000.00 RED 1 - National Strategy
Alliance for Youth Organizing General Operating Support 04/01/24 $150,000.00 RED 1 - National Strategy
New Venture Fund AAPI Civic Engagement Fund General Operating Support 04/01/24 $150,000.00 RED 1 - National Strategy
BVM (Black Voters Matter) Capacity Building Institute General Operating Support 03/27/24 $150,000.00 RED 1 - National Strategy
We Are Down Home Down Home NC General Operating Support 03/25/24 $25,000.00 RED 2 - State-Based Organizing
Take Action Minnesota Education Fund General Operating Support 03/25/24 $25,000.00 RED 2 - State-Based Organizing
482 Forward General Operating Support 03/25/24 $25,000.00 RED 2 - State-Based Organizing
Faith in Florida General Operating Support 03/25/24 $25,000.00 RED 2 - State-Based Organizing
The Bridgespan Group Inc. General Operating Support 03/15/24 $2,000.00 Education 1 - Field Building
Grantmakers For Education 2024 Annual Membership 03/13/24 $6,000.00 Education 1 - Field Building
U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) Youth Homelessness Staffing 03/07/24 $204,000.00 Youth Homelessness
Valencia College Foundation General Operating Support 02/28/24 $10,000.00 Education
American Council on Education General Operating Support 02/26/24 $7,750.00 Education
YouthCare General Operating Support 02/20/24 $15,000.00 Youth Homelessness
Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Grantmakers for Thriving Youth Policy Working Group Collaborative (2024 Core) 02/20/24 $800,000.00 Education
Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Grantmakers for Thriving Youth Policy Working Group - Education Future Fund (2024) 02/20/24 $700,000.00 Education 1 - Field Building
National Public Education Support Fund Grantmakers for Thriving Youth Membership (2024) 02/16/24 $20,000.00 Education 1 - Field Building
Grantmakers For Effective Organizations Annual Membership (2024) 02/16/24 $8,500.00 Community Giving
New Venture Fund Seek Common Ground’s Student Action Network for Equity General Operating Support 02/14/24 $100,000.00 Education 1 - Field Building
Excelencia in Education Membership for Latino Student Success Funders Group (2024) 02/12/24 $40,000.00 Education
Philanthropy Northwest Annual Membership (2024) 02/07/24 $20,000.00 Community Giving
Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy Annual Membership (2024) 02/06/24 $2,500.00 Community Giving
Foster Forward Youth Transition Funders Group Membership (2024) 02/01/24 $20,000.00 Youth Homelessness
Ashland Greenwood Public Schools Foundation Distinguished Teaching Award 02/01/24 $3,000.00 Trustee Directed (Recurring)
National Network for Youth Inc. Summit Sponsorship (2024) 01/31/24 $5,000.00 Youth Homelessness
482 Forward General Operating Support 01/31/24 $1,500.00 RED 1 - National Strategy
National Public Education Support Fund Education Funder Strategy Group Membership (2024) 01/30/24 $25,000.00 Education 1 - Field Building
U-Power Dodge for a Cause Event Team Sponsorship 01/26/24 $1,250.00 Trustee Directed (One Time)
Boy Scouts of America - Chief Seattle Council Mariners Scout Luncheon Sponsorship (2024) 01/23/24 $10,000.00 Trustee Directed (One Time)
NW Children's Foundation 2024 Community Annual Forum Sponsorship - Child Well-Being & the New Science of Trauma 01/17/24 $5,000.00 Youth Homelessness
Southern Education Foundation Brown’s Promise General Operating Support 01/01/24 $150,000.00 Education
Tides Center PERTS: Strategic Scale-Up of Copilot Ascend and Communities of Practice 01/01/24 $1,200,000.00 Education
Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Grantmakers for Thriving Youth Policy Working Group - Education Forward Fund (2023) 12/19/23 $300,000.00 Education 1 - Field Building
Trustees of Indiana University Equitable Giving Lab​ 12/15/23 $30,000.00 Impact Driven Philanthropy
Funders Together To End Homelessness Inc General Operating Support 12/14/23 $170,000.00 Youth Homelessness
Capacity Shop General Operating Support 12/13/23 $30,000.00 RED - IDPI Cross Cut
Women Donors Network General Operating Support 12/12/23 $50,000.00 RED - IDPI Cross Cut
Point Source Youth Inc. National Prevention Learning Collaborative 12/12/23 $330,000.00 Youth Homelessness
SchoolHouse Connection National Learning Collaborative on Youth Homelessness Prevention 12/11/23 $15,000.00 Youth Homelessness
Third Sector New England Inc. A Way Home America: National Learning Collaborative on Youth Homelessness Prevention 12/11/23 $20,000.00 Youth Homelessness
Panorama Global We Are In - Phase II: YYAH Systems Change Landscape and Gap Analysis 12/08/23 $102,375.00 Regional Homelessness