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
Third Sector New England Inc. A Way Home America: National Learning Collaborative on Youth Homelessness Prevention 12/11/23 $20,000.00 Youth Homelessness
Neighborhood Funders Group NFG National Convening (2023) 02/06/23 $20,000.00 Community Giving
Seattle University Center for Community Engagement Endowed Fund 06/16/21 $20,000.00 Community Giving
National Public Education Support Fund Grantmakers for Thriving Youth Membership (2024) 02/16/24 $20,000.00 Education 1 - Field Building
Fostering Media Connections Washington State Youth Homelessness Coverage 04/08/21 $21,000.00 Youth Homelessness
YMCA of Greater Seattle Y Social Impact Center's Housing Stability for Youth in Courts (H-SYNC) Program 10/27/21 $24,000.00 Youth Homelessness
Treehouse Project Education Impact Implementation 10/20/22 $25,000.00 Youth Homelessness
Faith in Florida General Operating Support 03/25/24 $25,000.00 RED 2 - State-Based Organizing
Neighborhood Funders Group Amplify Fund Core Operations 11/01/23 $25,000.00 RED Base
Bowie State University Foundation, Inc. BSU Philanthropy Initiative-Managing Philanthropy and Non-Profit Programs 04/27/23 $25,000.00 Executive Director Discretionary
Donors of Color Network Inc. Annual Membership (2021) 08/27/21 $25,000.00 Impact Driven Philanthropy
The Board Of Trustees Of The Leland Stanford Junior University President's Fund at Stanford Fund for Undergraduate Education 12/01/22 $25,000.00 Community Giving
482 Forward General Operating Support 03/25/24 $25,000.00 RED 2 - State-Based Organizing
National Public Education Support Fund Education Funders Strategy Group Membership (2021) 04/26/21 $25,000.00 Education
The Board Of Trustees Of The Leland Stanford Junior University President's Fund at Stanford Fund for Undergraduate Education 11/03/21 $25,000.00 Community Giving
Political Research Associates General Operating Support 11/02/23 $25,000.00 RED Base
Borealis Philanthropy Funders for Organizing: General Operating Support 12/04/23 $25,000.00 Executive Director Discretionary
The Seattle Foundation The Seattle Times: Solutions Oriented Journalism Project on Homelessness 10/27/22 $25,000.00 Youth Homelessness
Grantmakers For Education Annual Conference Sponsorship (2023) 05/03/23 $25,000.00 Community Giving
New Venture Fund Seek Common Ground: Student Action Network for Equity 07/07/22 $25,000.00 Education
Windward Fund Heartland Fund: Rural Democracy Initiative General Operating Support 10/24/23 $25,000.00 RED Base
Ryther Northstar Advocates: Education of Stakeholders and Policymakers 03/16/22 $25,000.00 Youth Homelessness
Equality Federation Institute General Operating Support 10/18/23 $25,000.00 RED Base
Treehouse Ending Foster Care to Prison Pipeline 08/03/22 $25,000.00 Youth Homelessness
Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice Funder's Collaborative on Youth Organizing: General Operating Support 11/06/23 $25,000.00 RED Base
State Power Fund General Operating Support 11/16/23 $25,000.00 RED 1 - National Strategy
National Public Education Support Fund Education Funders Strategy Group Membership (2022) 05/04/22 $25,000.00 Education
Proteus Fund Inc. Reframe: General Operating Support 11/06/23 $25,000.00 RED Base
Donors of Color Network Inc. Annual Membership (2022) 11/15/22 $25,000.00 Impact Driven Philanthropy
NEO Philanthropy Funders' Committee for Civic Participation: General Operating Support 11/10/23 $25,000.00 RED Base
OneAmerica Executive Director Transition Fund Core Operating Support 07/27/21 $25,000.00 Special Initiatives
Race Forward General Operating Support 10/24/23 $25,000.00 RED 1 - National Strategy
National Public Education Support Fund Education Funder Strategy Group Membership (2023) 03/06/23 $25,000.00 Education 1 - Field Building
Tides Center 22nd Century Initiative: General Operating Support 11/02/23 $25,000.00 RED Base
Proteus Fund Inc. Piper Fund Collaborative Fund 10/18/23 $25,000.00 RED 1 - National Strategy
Johns Hopkins University P3 Research Lab General Operating Support 12/20/21 $25,000.00 Special Initiatives
New Profit Inc General Operating Support 11/25/22 $25,000.00 Impact Driven Philanthropy
Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Grantmakers for Thriving Youth Policy Working Group - Education Forward Fund (2023) 11/16/23 $25,000.00 Education
Possibility Labs General Operating Support 11/09/21 $25,000.00 Special Initiatives
Faith in Action Network General Operating Support 10/17/23 $25,000.00 RED 1 - National Strategy
The Board Of Trustees Of The Leland Stanford Junior University President's Fund at Stanford Fund for Undergraduate Education 11/22/23 $25,000.00 Trustee Directed (Recurring)
Alliance for A Just Society Native Organizers Alliance: General Operating Support 10/18/23 $25,000.00 RED 1 - National Strategy
YMCA of Greater Seattle General Operating Support 01/20/23 $25,000.00 Executive Director Discretionary
National Public Education Support Fund Education Funder Strategy Group Membership (2024) 01/30/24 $25,000.00 Education 1 - Field Building
Local Progress Policy Institute General Operating Support 10/25/23 $25,000.00 RED Base
Take Action Minnesota Education Fund General Operating Support 03/25/24 $25,000.00 RED 2 - State-Based Organizing
People's Action Institute General Operating Support 10/18/23 $25,000.00 RED Base
Central Washington Justice For Our Neighbors General Operating Support 02/13/23 $25,000.00 Executive Director Discretionary
We Are Down Home Down Home NC General Operating Support 03/25/24 $25,000.00 RED 2 - State-Based Organizing
Panorama Global We Are In: King County Homeless Youth Advocacy Education and Communications Capacity Building 12/08/23 $25,000.00 Youth Homelessness