The Wallace Foundation - Grant Information & Application Details

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $61.4 million (2023)
Success Rate: N/A (invitation-only)
Decision Time: Several months (interdisciplinary review process)
Grant Range: $1,000 - $1,900,000
Average Grant: $400,000 over 2.8 years
Geographic Focus: National (United States)

Contact Details

Website: www.wallacefoundation.org Email: info@wallacefoundation.org Phone: 212-251-9700 Address: 140 Broadway, 49th Floor, New York, NY 10005

For current opportunities, check: wallacefoundation.org/requests-proposals

Overview

The Wallace Foundation is a national philanthropy founded in 2003 through the merger of two foundations established by DeWitt and Lila Acheson Wallace, founders of Reader's Digest magazine. With over $1.4 billion in assets, the foundation distributes approximately $61 million annually in grants. Wallace's mission is to "help all communities build a more vibrant and just future by fostering advances in the arts, education leadership, and youth development." The foundation takes a distinctive research-oriented approach, partnering with organizations to develop, test, and share knowledge about effective practices. Under President Will Miller's 14-year tenure (ending 2025), Wallace has emphasized equity-centered initiatives, particularly supporting organizations rooted in communities of color. Jean S. Desravines, currently CEO of New Leaders and co-author of "Breakthrough Principals," will assume the presidency in September 2025.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

School Leadership Initiatives

$50,000 - $1,900,000+ (multi-year partnerships)
The Equity-Centered Pipeline Initiative supports eight large school districts in building principal pipelines that advance educational equity
Focus on leadership standards, pre-service training, selective hiring, and on-the-job evaluation and support
Average partnership duration: 2.8 years

Summer Learning & Afterschool Programs

$25,000 - $500,000 (typical range for community partners)
Programs combining academics with enrichment activities
Recent example: $1,000,000 grant for randomized controlled trial of social-emotional learning practices in Nebraska afterschool programs
National Summer Learning Project developed evidence-based toolkit with 50+ resources

Arts Initiatives

$250,000 - $1,900,000 (multi-year partnerships)
"Advancing Well-Being in the Arts" (2021-2026): Five-year, $107 million initiative partnering with arts organizations founded by, for, and with communities of color
Over $13 million committed to research studies within this initiative
Recent grants: Nearly $3 million to 11 arts and culture organizations rooted in communities of color
Focus areas: Arts education, audience development, cultural sustainability

Research Grants

$100,000 - $500,000 (typical range)
Partnerships with academic researchers and research organizations
Social Sciences Research Council: Grant supporting fellowships for 18 early career scholars producing ethnographies in partnership with arts organizations of color

Application method: Invitation-only with occasional open Requests for Proposals (RFPs) posted on website

Priority Areas

Education & Youth Development:

Principal leadership training and pipeline development
Equity-centered school leadership
Afterschool programming (citywide systems development)
Summer learning programs (academic + enrichment combination)
Social and emotional learning in schools and afterschool settings

Arts & Culture:

Arts education access for young people during and beyond school day
Audience development for performing arts organizations
Support for arts organizations rooted in communities of color
Cultural sustainability and organizational well-being
Market research-driven audience building strategies

Cross-Cutting Themes:

Advancing educational equity
Serving disadvantaged children
Research and knowledge generation
Policy and practice influence
Supporting organizations led by and serving communities of color

What They Don't Fund

Unsolicited grant applications (the foundation identifies and invites prospective grantees)
Individual scholarships or financial aid
Single-year program support (grants average 2.8 years)
Projects without research or evaluation components
Work outside their three core areas (education leadership, youth development, arts)

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

Mary Beth West - Board Chair (since June 2021) Retired corporate executive who joined the board in 2014. West led the search committee for the new president and oversees the foundation's strategic direction.

Executive Leadership

Will Miller - President (2011-2025) Former chairman of Irwin Management Co., Miller has led Wallace through significant strategic evolution, emphasizing equity and supporting organizations rooted in communities of color. He has served on the boards of the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Yale University, and Public Radio International. Miller announced his retirement in June 2024 after nearly 14 years of leadership.

Jean S. Desravines - Incoming President (effective September 1, 2025) Currently CEO of New Leaders, a national nonprofit developing transformational school leaders. Under his 14-year leadership, New Leaders expanded to support district and teacher leaders and launched partnerships with Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University, and Bank Street Graduate School of Education. Desravines holds a BA in history from St. Francis College and an MPA from New York University. He is co-author of "Breakthrough Principals" and "The School Leadership Playbook."

Board Chair Mary Beth West said of Desravines: "Jean stood out among a broad range of exceptional candidates for his strategic vision, transformational leadership, and deep alignment with Wallace's mission and values."

Organizational Structure

The foundation operates with three integrated units:

Program teams - Manage grantee relationships and initiatives
Research teams - Design and oversee evaluation studies
Communications teams - Disseminate findings and amplify impact

Decision-making is interdisciplinary, with high-level decisions centralized at the board level while programmatic decisions progress through teams representing all three units for final board approval.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Primary Method: Invitation-Only The Wallace Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications. Instead, they:

Identify nonprofits or governmental bodies that could help carry out their strategic efforts
Invite selected organizations to submit proposals through targeted outreach
Choose grantees based on thorough assessment of proposals

Occasional Open Calls: The foundation periodically issues open Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for:

Organizations working on the ground in communities
Academic researchers and research organizations
Specific initiatives or research questions

All open RFPs are posted at: wallacefoundation.org/requests-proposals

Current Status: No active RFPs as of recent check (applicants should monitor website or sign up for newsletter)

Decision Timeline

Multi-Stage Process:

Proposals undergo interdisciplinary review involving program, research, and communications staff
High-level decisions require board approval
Timeline described as "quite long compared to grantmaking by more autonomous program teams"
Typical timeframe: Several months from invitation to final decision

Grant Duration:

Average grant period: 2.8 years
Range: Single year to 6+ years for major initiatives
Multi-year grants are standard, not exceptional

Success Rates

Success rate data is not publicly available and not particularly applicable given the invitation-only model. The foundation's approach focuses on strategic partnerships rather than competitive application pools.

Funding Selectivity:

Grants range from $1,000 to approximately $1.9 million
Majority of grants fall in the $25,000 to $250,000 range
Average grant: $400,000 over 2.8 years (substantially larger and longer than peer foundations averaging $150,000 and 2.3 years)

Reapplication Policy

Given the invitation-only model, traditional reapplication policies don't apply. However:

Wallace maintains ongoing relationships with grantees and may invite continued partnership
Organizations can express interest in alignment with foundation priorities
The foundation values learning from all partnerships, successful or challenging
No formal restrictions on being considered for future invitations

Application Success Factors

The Wallace Approach: What Makes a Strong Partner

Research Orientation is Essential: Wallace describes itself as a "research foundation" and expects grantees to participate in formal evaluation. The foundation stated: "Wallace's grantmaking prioritizes projects with a research component; the foundation is actively involved in data collection and the dissemination of findings."

Collaboration and Communication: The foundation places "a particularly high premium on regular communication and candid assessment of ongoing work." Successful grantees should expect:

Regular data and progress reports throughout the grant period
Participation in professional learning communities with other grantees
Honest dialogue about challenges and course corrections
Engagement with consultants on measurement and evaluation

Institutional Capacity Requirements: Wallace notes that their work "typically requires detailed planning, cooperation among many institutions, and time to unfold and be properly assessed." Strong candidates demonstrate:

Ability to manage complex, multi-year initiatives
Willingness to collaborate with multiple stakeholders
Capacity for data collection and reporting
Openness to external evaluation

Recent Funded Projects (Examples)

Arts & Cultural Sustainability:

Arab American National Museum (Michigan) - Research on cultural sustainability
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico - Organizational well-being study
Self Help Graphics & Art (East Los Angeles) - Community impact research
EastSide Arts Alliance & Cultural Center (Oakland, California) - Collaborative endowment building model

School Leadership:

Eight large urban school districts in Equity-Centered Pipeline Initiative
Multiple districts in previous Principal Pipeline Initiative (Boston, Dallas, Denver, Gwinnett County GA, Hillsborough County FL, New York City, Pittsburgh, Prince George's County MD)

Youth Development:

Nebraska afterschool programs: $1,000,000 for randomized controlled trial of social-emotional learning
Five urban districts in National Summer Learning Project (Boston, Dallas, Duval County FL, Pittsburgh, Rochester NY)

Language and Terminology Wallace Uses

Key Phrases in Their Materials:

"Learning and enrichment for disadvantaged children"
"Equity-centered leadership"
"Organizations founded by, for, and with communities of color"
"Knowledge generation and dissemination"
"Evidence-based practices"
"Systemic change" (not just individual program sustainability)
"Professional learning communities"
"Organizational well-being"

Their Focus is on:

Building pipelines, not one-time interventions
Capturing and sharing lessons for broad impact
Dual learning goals: helping grantees learn AND sharing knowledge with the field
Long-term policy and practice changes

What to Emphasize

Alignment with Strategic Priorities: Given the invitation-only model, organizations most likely to receive invitations demonstrate:

Strong track record in Wallace's focus areas
Capacity to contribute to knowledge generation
Willingness to be transparent about both successes and challenges
Ability to scale or influence beyond their immediate work
Connection to equity and serving disadvantaged communities

Current Strategic Emphases (based on recent grants and initiatives):

Equity in education leadership
Supporting organizations rooted in communities of color
Social-emotional learning
Arts access and cultural sustainability
Research on effective practices

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Invitation-only model means relationship-building is key: While you can't submit unsolicited applications, you can build the foundation's awareness of your work through conferences, publications, and sector leadership. Monitor their website for occasional open RFPs in your area.
Research partnership, not just funding: Wallace grants come with significant expectations for data collection, evaluation participation, and knowledge sharing. Only pursue if your organization has capacity for rigorous assessment and is comfortable with external evaluation.
Think multi-year and systems-level: Single-year program grants are not Wallace's model. They seek partners working on systemic change, policy influence, or replicable models—not just maintaining individual programs after funding ends.
Equity focus is central: Recent initiatives heavily emphasize supporting organizations led by and serving communities of color and advancing equity in education. Applications should clearly articulate equity commitments and outcomes.
Expect substantial engagement: Grants average $400,000 over 2.8 years, substantially larger than most foundations, but come with expectations for regular communication, participation in learning communities, and collaboration with foundation staff and researchers.
The investment includes more than money: Grantees receive guidance from consultants, access to professional learning communities, communications support for disseminating findings, and active partnership with foundation staff.
Leadership transition presents opportunity: With Jean Desravines (a leader in principal development) taking over in September 2025, the foundation may strengthen its focus on school leadership and equity-centered practices given his background and expertise.

References

The Wallace Foundation official website - www.wallacefoundation.org (Accessed January 2025)
"Funding Guidelines | Our Grant Process" - Wallace Foundation, https://wallacefoundation.org/our-grant-process (Accessed January 2025)
"The Wallace Foundation Announces Jean S. Desravines as New President" - Wallace Foundation, April 24, 2025, https://wallacefoundation.org/wallace-foundation-announces-jean-s-desravines-new-president (Accessed January 2025)
"Wallace Foundation President Will Miller to Step Down Next Year" - Wallace Foundation, https://wallacefoundation.org/wallace-foundation-president-will-miller-step-down-next-year (Accessed January 2025)
"Our History" - Wallace Foundation, https://wallacefoundation.org/our-history (Accessed January 2025)
"The Emergence of The Wallace Foundation" - Wallace Foundation, https://wallacefoundation.org/resource/articles/emergence-wallace-foundation (Accessed January 2025)
The Wallace Foundation Form 990-PF (2023) - Filed November 14, 2024, https://wallacefoundation.org/sites/default/files/2024-11/wallace-990pf-2023.pdf (Accessed January 2025)
"Financials" - Wallace Foundation, https://wallacefoundation.org/financials (Accessed January 2025)
The Wallace Foundation - Nonprofit Explorer, ProPublica, https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/136183757 (Accessed January 2025)
"The Wallace Foundation Awards 8 New Research Grants to Arts and Culture Organizations" - Wallace Foundation, https://wallacefoundation.org/wallace-foundation-awards-8-new-research-grants-arts-and-culture-organizations-and-social-science (Accessed January 2025)
"Wallace Foundation" - Inside Philanthropy, https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant/grants-w/wallace-foundation (Accessed January 2025)
"Philanthropy Framework Profile: The Wallace Foundation" - Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, https://www.rockpa.org/profile-the-wallace-foundation-2/ (Accessed January 2025)
"School Leadership" - Wallace Foundation, https://wallacefoundation.org/topics/school-leadership (Accessed January 2025)
"Summer Learning" - Wallace Foundation, https://wallacefoundation.org/topics/summer-learning (Accessed January 2025)
"Arts" - Wallace Foundation, https://wallacefoundation.org/focus-areas-and-initiatives/arts (Accessed January 2025)
"Board of Directors" - Wallace Foundation, https://wallacefoundation.org/board-of-directors (Accessed January 2025)
"People | Our Team" - Wallace Foundation, https://wallacefoundation.org/our-team (Accessed January 2025)
Wallace Foundation - Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_Foundation (Accessed January 2025)
Wallace Foundation - InfluenceWatch, https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/wallace-foundation/ (Accessed January 2025)