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
Gender Justice General Operating Support 05/01/24 $2,000.00 RED 3 - Research & Learning
Centro De Trabajadores Unidos En La Lucha General Operating Support 05/01/24 $2,000.00 RED 3 - Research & Learning
Inquilinxs Unidxs Por Justicia-United Renters for Justice General Operating Support 05/13/24 $2,000.00 RED 3 - Research & Learning
ISAIAH General Operating Support 05/14/24 $2,000.00 RED 3 - Research & Learning
Land Stewardship Project General Operating Support 05/01/24 $2,000.00 RED 3 - Research & Learning
Minnesota Research Justice Center General Operating Support 07/01/24 $2,000.00 RED 3 - Research & Learning
Minnesota Black Collective Foundation General Operating Support 05/15/24 $2,000.00 RED 3 - Research & Learning
OutFront Minnesota Community Services General Operating Support 05/14/24 $2,000.00 RED 3 - Research & Learning
Navigate General Operating Support 06/05/24 $2,000.00 RED 3 - Research & Learning
Local Progress Policy Institute General Operating Support 05/14/24 $2,000.00 RED 3 - Research & Learning
Neighborhood Funders Group General Operating Support 05/14/24 $2,000.00 RED 3 - Research & Learning
Kona Super Sonics General Operating Support 05/06/24 $500.00 Trustee Directed (One Time)
Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation General Operating Support 06/13/24 $2,500.00 Employee Anniversary Gifts
Whatcom Humane Society General Operating Support 06/13/24 $2,500.00 Employee Anniversary Gifts
Connection2Culture General Operating Support 06/13/24 $2,500.00 Employee Anniversary Gifts
Learning Policy Institute General Operating Support 06/14/24 $2,500.00 Youth Homelessness
Democracy Forward Foundation General Operating Support 06/26/24 $2,500.00 Community Giving
Third Sector New England Inc. General Operating Support 06/24/24 $2,500.00 Community Giving
Pacific Islander Community Association General Operating Support 08/22/24 $1,500.00 Employee Anniversary Gifts
OneAmerica General Operating Support 09/25/24 $2,500.00 RED 3 - Research & Learning
Grassroots Power Project General Operating Support 09/18/24 $2,500.00 RED 3 - Research & Learning
Learning Policy Institute General Operating Support 08/01/24 $6,000.00 Youth Homelessness
SchoolHouse Connection General Operating Support 08/20/24 $6,000.00 Youth Homelessness
National Conference of State Legislatures General Operating Support 08/01/24 $8,000.00 Youth Homelessness
Building Changes General Operating Support 08/01/24 $2,000.00 Youth Homelessness
Washington Low Income Housing Alliance General Operating Support 08/23/24 $3,500.00 Employee Anniversary Gifts
InnovateEDU General Operating Support 09/18/24 $100,000.00 Education 1 - Field Building
Way To Rise General Operating Support 09/26/24 $500.00 Employee Anniversary Gifts
Carleton College General Operating Support 10/09/24 $500.00 Employee Anniversary Gifts
Cornerstone Youth Collective General Operating Support 10/24/24 $20,000.00 Youth Homelessness
ROOTS Young Adult Shelter General Operating Support 10/22/24 $15,000.00 Youth Homelessness
Dignity for Divas General Operating Support 10/24/24 $15,000.00 Youth Homelessness
African Young Dreamers Empowerment Program Intl General Operating Support 10/24/24 $10,000.00 Youth Homelessness
Mentoring Urban Students & Teens General Operating Support 11/04/24 $5,000.00 Youth Homelessness
AmPowering General Operating Support 11/04/24 $10,000.00 Youth Homelessness
Organization for Prostitution Survivors General Operating Support 11/04/24 $5,000.00 Youth Homelessness
Gilda's Club Middle Tennessee General Operating Support (in honor of Peter Tang) 01/13/25 $1,000.00 Education 1 - K-12 Field Building
Philanthropic Ventures Foundation Giving Gap: General Operating Support 02/15/23 $15,000.00 Impact Driven Philanthropy
North Star Fund Inc. Giving Project Network: General Operating Support 05/06/22 $300,000.00 Impact Driven Philanthropy
The Board Of Trustees Of The Leland Stanford Junior University Graduate School of Education's Dean Fund 12/01/22 $10,000.00 Community Giving
The Board Of Trustees Of The Leland Stanford Junior University Graduate School of Education's Dean Fund 11/22/23 $10,000.00 Trustee Directed (Recurring)
The Board Of Trustees Of The Leland Stanford Junior University Graduate School of Education's Dean Fund 09/18/24 $10,000.00 Trustee Directed (Recurring)
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Inc. Grantmakers for Girls of Color: Black Girl Freedom Fund 12/07/22 $50,000.00 RED 1 - National Strategy
National Public Education Support Fund Grantmakers for Thriving Youth Membership (2023) 03/06/23 $20,000.00 Education 1 - Field Building
National Public Education Support Fund Grantmakers for Thriving Youth Membership (2024) 02/16/24 $20,000.00 Education 1 - K-12 Field Building
National Public Education Support Fund Grantmakers for Thriving Youth Membership (2025) 01/16/25 $20,000.00 Education 1 - K-12 Field Building
Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Grantmakers for Thriving Youth Policy Working Group - Education Forward Fund (2023) 06/23/23 $500,000.00 Education 1 - Field Building
Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Grantmakers for Thriving Youth Policy Working Group - Education Forward Fund (2023) 07/31/23 $250,000.00 RED 1 - National Strategy
Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Grantmakers for Thriving Youth Policy Working Group - Education Forward Fund (2023) 12/19/23 $300,000.00 Education 1 - Field Building
Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Grantmakers for Thriving Youth Policy Working Group - Education Forward Fund (2023) 11/16/23 $25,000.00 Education 1 - Field Building