The Manaaki Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The filing says the foundation gives only to organisations it has preselected and does not accept unsolicited requests, so you should not send it a cold application unless you have an invitation or an existing relationship.
- If you are invited or already known to it, its grant record covers reproductive health and justice, public media, environmental protection, education and arts and culture, so judge your fit against those areas.
- Typical grants run from $10,000 to $100,000 with a median of $30,000, and its largest grant was $165,000, so a request in that band is the most usual size; the band is not a ceiling.
- Repeat giving is strong: in its latest filing, 83% of grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, so a first approach is unlikely to be the route in.
- Most grants in the filings went to Illinois, California, New York and the District of Columbia, but no geographic focus is stated, so do not treat those places as a condition of applying.
Overview
The Manaaki Foundation is a US private foundation based in Chicago, IL.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The grant record shows support for organisations working in reproductive health and justice, public media and journalism, environmental protection and regenerative agriculture, education, and arts and culture. It also includes organisations providing services for people experiencing homelessness and organisations working on humanitarian and human-rights issues. Grants include general operating support alongside targeted support for journalism, film, climate work and contraceptive access. Recipients span several US states and include organisations outside the United States; Illinois accounts for the largest share of recorded grant dollars, with substantial giving also recorded in California, New York and the District of Columbia. The filing says contributions are made only to preselected charitable organisations, rather than through unsolicited requests.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Illinois, California, New York and District of Columbia.
How to apply
The filing indicates that contributions go only to preselected charitable organisations and that unsolicited requests are not accepted; it gives no further application steps.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 83% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 108 grants to organisations were $30,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
5 other states: 5%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 4%
- The largest single recipient received 9% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 83% of grant dollars went to organisations The Manaaki Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- 4% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (New Zealand, Australia).
- 9% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 34 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $30,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Planned Parenthood of Illinois · Support of general operations$155,0002024 tax year
- Chicago Public Media · Support of general operations$129,0452024 tax year
- Mother Jones · Support of the merger of the center for investigative reporting and mother jones, support of general operations$125,0002024 tax year
- Art-in-Nature Arboretum Trust · Support of general operations of the waitakaruru arboretrum sculpture garden$100,0002024 tax year
- Womens Global Education Project · Support of ndajee and to assist in the hire of a new deputy executive director$100,0002024 tax year
- Forefront · Support of fresh taste for the ii regen/midwest regenerative agriculture fund$75,0002024 tax year
- University of Southern California · Support for the new center for climate journalism$75,0002024 tax year
- Carter Center · Support of general operations$75,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Krystyna Wietzema — Administrator
- Ourania Tavoularis — Director
- William A Gee IV — Director, President
- Susan Crothers Gee — Director, President Of The Board
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $1,940,946 | $1,527,800 | $37,002,497 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $2,014,766 | $1,505,300 | $41,781,981 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $2,231,581 | $1,594,045 | $48,661,065 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to The Manaaki Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Chicago, IL
Applying to The Manaaki Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Chicago, IL