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Spanx By Sara Blakely Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$0.6M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.3M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $591,700 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation-only grantmaking)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (no public application process)
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $250,000+ (varies by program)
  • Geographic Focus: National (with strong Atlanta, GA emphasis)

Contact Details

Website: www.spanxfoundation.com

Address: 3035 Peachtree Rd NE, Ste 200, Atlanta, GA 30305

EIN: 20-5088833

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications or funding requests.

Overview

Founded in 2006 by Sara Blakely, the first self-made female billionaire to sign the Giving Pledge, the Spanx By Sara Blakely Foundation operates with a clear mission to "support women and help them SOAR through education, entrepreneurship and the arts." The foundation has donated millions to charities worldwide since its inception, focusing exclusively on organizations that empower underserved women and girls. In 2013, Blakely signed the Giving Pledge, committing to invest in women because she believes "it offers one of the greatest returns on investment." The foundation operates primarily through invitation-only grantmaking, selecting preapproved charitable organizations aligned with its mission. Notable recent initiatives include the $5+ million Red Backpack Fund supporting female entrepreneurs during COVID-19, and ongoing partnerships with organizations like the Center for Civic Innovation and Grameen America.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Red Backpack Fund (Closed 2020)

  • $5,000 grants to female entrepreneurs
  • Partnered with GlobalGiving
  • 1,080 grants totaling $5+ million distributed
  • Recipients also received a red backpack and MasterClass all-access pass including Sara Blakely's entrepreneurship class

Center for Civic Innovation Partnership

  • $5,000 Red Backpack Grants to Atlanta-based female social entrepreneurs
  • Additional pitch opportunities for larger funding
  • Initial cohort received $250,000 total across 10 entrepreneurs
  • Multi-year program with wraparound services including leadership training and mentorship

Civic Impact Loan Fund

  • Zero-interest loans ranging from $25,000-$75,000
  • Partnership with Atlanta Emerging Markets Inc.
  • Total of $200,000+ awarded to four Atlanta social ventures
  • Includes coaching and business development support

Grameen America Social Business Fund

  • Anchor sponsorship supporting microloan portfolio
  • Aims to raise up to $25 million in loan capital
  • Goal to empower 100,000+ low-income women entrepreneurs
  • Provides microloans, credit, and asset-building services

10th Anniversary Grants

  • $10,000 grants to 10 Atlanta organizations supporting women
  • Recipients included Cool Girls, Drake House, Dress for Success, Edge Connection, Our House, Quality Care for Children, Atlanta Day Shelter for Women and Children, Partnership for Community Action, Atlanta Children's Shelter, and All Grown Up

Hell on the Hill Event (2023)

  • Physical endurance competition where participants compete for charitable organizations
  • Supported 60+ organizations through direct grants
  • 6 awards made in 2023

Priority Areas

  • Women's Entrepreneurship: Supporting female-led businesses and social enterprises at all stages
  • Education: Funding entrepreneurial programs in girls' schools, college scholarships, and leadership academies
  • Economic Empowerment: Microloans, business training, and asset-building for low-income women
  • Arts and Culture: Supporting creative expression and development for women and girls
  • Social Innovation: Investing in civic entrepreneurs solving community problems

What They Don't Fund

The foundation's Form 990 indicates they only make contributions to preselected charitable organizations. Based on their documented giving patterns, they do not fund:

  • Organizations outside their core mission of supporting women and girls
  • General operating expenses for organizations not aligned with education, entrepreneurship, or arts
  • Individual applicants (except through specific programs like the Red Backpack Fund)
  • Organizations without a clear focus on empowering underserved women and girls

Governance and Leadership

Founder and Key Leadership: Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx and the first self-made female billionaire to sign the Giving Pledge

Philanthropic Philosophy: In her Giving Pledge letter, Blakely stated: "I am committed to the belief that we would all be in a much better place if half the human race (women) were empowered to prosper, invent, be educated, start their own businesses, run for office—essentially be given the chance to soar!" She views women as "one of the world's natural resources waiting to be unleashed."

Integrated Approach: Blakely has integrated philanthropy into Spanx company culture, creating a rotating employee philanthropy board that allocates company profits and establishing the "Leg-UP" program that features female entrepreneurs' products in Spanx catalogs.

Foundation Representative: Emily Luke is listed as a contact on foundation filings.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation has explicitly indicated it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are awarded through:

  • Invitation-only basis: The foundation identifies and selects organizations aligned with its mission
  • Structured programs: Specific initiatives like partnerships with the Center for Civic Innovation where participants are selected through partner organizations
  • Event-based giving: Programs like Hell on the Hill where participants compete on behalf of charities
  • Strategic partnerships: Long-term relationships with intermediary organizations like GlobalGiving and Grameen America

Getting on Their Radar

Center for Civic Innovation Partnership: Organizations working in Atlanta's civic and social innovation space should connect with the Center for Civic Innovation, which has a multi-year partnership with the foundation to support female-led social enterprises. This partnership has resulted in over $300,000 of investment across 18 Atlanta-based female civic entrepreneurs.

Spanx Company Integration: The foundation works closely with Spanx, including through the Leg-UP program. Female entrepreneurs whose products could be featured in Spanx catalogs or align with Spanx's customer base may find opportunities through this connection.

Hell on the Hill Event: The foundation has hosted physical endurance events where participants compete in honor of charitable organizations. In 2023, this event supported over 60 organizations through direct grants. Monitoring for announcements about future events may provide an entry point.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis without a standard application review timeline.

Success Rates

  • 2023: 6 grants awarded totaling $591,700
  • 2022: 3 grants awarded
  • Not applicable for unsolicited applications as the foundation does not accept them

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications or reapplications.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, organizations that have received funding share these characteristics:

Alignment with Sara Blakely's Core Values:

  • Focus on empowering women and girls through education, entrepreneurship, or arts
  • Blakely has stated she believes investing in women offers "one of the greatest returns on investment"
  • Organizations serving underserved women and girls are prioritized

Geographic and Programmatic Patterns:

  • Strong preference for Atlanta-based organizations (10th anniversary grants, Center for Civic Innovation partnership)
  • Female-led organizations and social enterprises (all Center for Civic Innovation recipients were female-led)
  • Organizations providing entrepreneurship education and training
  • Programs that build economic self-sufficiency

Types of Organizations Funded:

  • Women's shelters and transitional housing (Atlanta Day Shelter for Women and Children, Rainbow Village, Drake House)
  • Career development organizations (Dress for Success)
  • Education programs (Atlanta Girls School, Malala Fund, Let Girls Learn)
  • Youth development for girls (Cool Girls, Atlanta Children's Shelter)
  • Microfinance and economic empowerment (Grameen America)
  • Social enterprises and civic innovation (Center for Civic Innovation grantees)
  • Direct service to women facing poverty or crisis

Partnership Approach: The foundation frequently works through intermediary organizations (GlobalGiving, Center for Civic Innovation, Grameen America) rather than making direct grants to end beneficiaries. Organizations that could serve as program partners or grantmaking intermediaries may have opportunities.

Entrepreneurship Connection: Given Blakely's entrepreneurial background and the foundation's emphasis on entrepreneurship, organizations that teach business skills, support women-owned businesses, or promote economic self-sufficiency align well with funding priorities.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No unsolicited applications accepted: This foundation operates exclusively through invitation-only grantmaking and preselected organizations. Traditional grant applications are not accepted.

  • Mission is laser-focused: Every documented grant supports women and girls through education, entrepreneurship, or arts. Organizations outside this focus area will not be considered.

  • Atlanta connection matters: While the foundation supports national and international initiatives, there is a strong preference for Atlanta-based organizations, particularly through multi-year partnerships.

  • Intermediary partnerships are key: The foundation frequently works through partner organizations (Center for Civic Innovation, GlobalGiving, Grameen America) to distribute grants. Building relationships with these intermediaries may be more effective than direct outreach.

  • Female leadership valued: Documented grants to entrepreneurship programs consistently support female-led organizations and social enterprises.

  • Economic empowerment focus: Beyond traditional charity, the foundation emphasizes programs that build long-term economic self-sufficiency through business skills, microloans, and entrepreneurship training.

  • Scale and innovation preferred: The foundation supports programs with potential for significant impact, including partnerships aiming to reach 100,000+ entrepreneurs (Grameen America) and innovative models like social enterprises.

References

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