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Roots & Wings Foundation

Annual Giving
$52.7M
Grant Range
$20K - $0.6M
Decision Time
1w

Roots & Wings Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $52.7 million (2023)
  • Number of Grants: 451 awards (2023)
  • Average Grant Size: ~$117,000
  • Grant Range: $20,000 - $555,000+ (based on known examples)
  • Decision Time: Often decided after a single call
  • Geographic Focus: Wisconsin (especially Dane County), Washington (especially King County), Oregon (expanding), and select national organizations
  • Application Method: Invitation only - no unsolicited proposals accepted

Contact Details

Address: 7107 Greenwood Ave N Ste A, Seattle, WA 98103-5071

Website: https://www.rootswings.org

Introduce Your Organization: https://rootswings.org/grantmaking/introduce-yourself/

Contact Form: https://rootswings.org/contact/

Note: The foundation has a small staff and cannot respond to all inquiries. Organizations aligned with their priorities are encouraged to submit an introduction through their website.

Overview

Roots & Wings Foundation was established in 2019 by Judy Faulkner (founder and CEO of Epic Systems) and her husband Gordon Faulkner, following their signing of the Giving Pledge. The foundation launched active grantmaking in 2020 with an initial $100 million endowment. Led by Shana Dall'Osto (Judy's daughter) as Executive Director, the foundation has grown rapidly from awarding $15 million to 120 organizations in 2020 to distributing $52.7 million across 451 grants in 2023. The foundation is expected to soon grant around $100 million annually to hundreds of nonprofits. Roots & Wings is a pioneering trust-based philanthropy that supports low-income children and families through prevention, early intervention, and in-depth programming across four core areas: basic needs, early learning, health, and safety & justice. The foundation's name reflects their philosophy: "Two of the greatest gifts you can give a child are roots to grow and wings to fly."

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Roots & Wings provides multi-year, unrestricted grants whenever possible to allow nonprofits maximum flexibility in using funds where they're most needed. Grants typically range from $20,000 to $555,000+, with an average of approximately $117,000 per award.

Grant Examples:

  • Project Babies: Two-year grant starting at $20,000/year, later increased to $30,000/year (total $60,000)
  • Three Rivers Hospital: Annual grants of $30,000-$35,000
  • Cooper Foundation: $555,000 for prenatal and early childhood healthcare
  • Access Community Health Centers: Multi-year support for integrated healthcare services

Priority Areas

The foundation focuses on four program areas, all aimed at helping children be "healthy, safe, loved and learning":

1. Health

  • Safety-net healthcare organizations (free and charitable clinics, community health centers, small hospitals)
  • Primary care and family planning
  • Maternal and perinatal healthcare
  • Healthy brain and early childhood development
  • Mental health services
  • Abuse prevention and suicide prevention

2. Early Learning

  • Affordable, quality childcare and preschool
  • Early literacy and access to books
  • Home visiting programs
  • Parent education
  • Focus on children birth through age three

3. Basic Needs

  • Food access
  • Clothing and shelter
  • Housing stability and eviction prevention
  • Legal aid

4. Safety & Justice

  • Gun violence prevention
  • Criminal justice reform
  • Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

The foundation supports both direct service organizations and advocacy groups working to create systemic change. They prioritize organizations that address Social Drivers of Health and focus on prevention and early intervention strategies.

Geographic Priorities

  • Wisconsin: Primary focus, especially Dane County and statewide initiatives
  • Washington: King County and statewide organizations
  • Oregon: Recently expanding, starting with Portland/Multnomah County
  • National: Select organizations with national scope

What They Don't Fund

Based on their introduce yourself form, the foundation does not fund:

  • Organizations without 501(c)(3) nonprofit status
  • National organizations without a presence in Wisconsin, Washington, or Oregon
  • Single-county Wisconsin organizations (outside Dane County)
  • Fundraising events or organizations that fundraise for others
  • Sectors outside their four program areas (e.g., agriculture, arts and culture, higher education - unless directly related to their priorities)

Governance and Leadership

Founders

  • Judy Faulkner: Founder and CEO of Epic Systems Corp., self-made billionaire who signed the Giving Pledge committing to donate 99% of her assets to philanthropy
  • Gordon Faulkner: Co-founder of the foundation

Executive Team

  • Shana Dall'Osto, Executive Director: Oversees all aspects of the foundation. Background in nonprofit work, Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, and early literacy programs. Previously ran the Magic Pebble Foundation. Quote: "Our goal is to help kids have a strong start... so they can reach their full potential."

Staff Team

  • Courtney Jiles, Program Manager: Early Learning and Safety & Justice Programs. Background in nonprofit sector and state government.
  • David Brotherton, Communications/Gun Violence Prevention: Communications advisor and gun violence prevention program manager. Founder of Brotherton Strategies.
  • Jamie Carroll, Grants & Impact/Basic Needs Program: Quote: "Humanity should be at the heart of every decision."
  • Nicole Smith, Health Program: 20-year CDC veteran with expertise in public health policy.
  • Yvette Gerrans, Hospital Program: Pediatric nurse and global health strategist focusing on children prenatal to age three.
  • Sophia Lopez, Program Associate: Supports Programs team with focus on equity and community impact.
  • Janelle Lavin, Operations: Nonprofit and restaurant management background, social justice advocate.
  • Tammy Helgeson, Finance Consultant: 20+ years working with foundations, former PricewaterhouseCoopers experience.

Quotes from Leadership

Shana Dall'Osto on their grantmaking philosophy:

  • "Be true to your work and your mission because you know it best. Don't try to change your programming to fit a funder's interests. It's like a relationship—you want someone who likes you for who you are."
  • "Trust changes everything."
  • "We didn't want to be too set in our mission or evaluation metrics."
  • "We try not to waste nonprofits' time."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Important: This funder does not accept unsolicited proposals.

Roots & Wings uses an invitation-only grantmaking process. Organizations cannot submit traditional grant applications unless specifically invited. However, the foundation welcomes introductions from aligned organizations.

Five-Step Process:

  1. Discover: Foundation learns about nonprofits through research, community outreach, and introductions via their website
  2. Learn: Conducts due diligence on potential nonprofit partners
  3. Prepare: Discusses potential grantees with board to ensure alignment
  4. Connect: Reaches out to nonprofits that align with foundation goals
  5. Partner: Invites selected nonprofits to apply and provides ongoing support

How to Get on Their Radar:

Organizations aligned with the foundation's priorities can submit a basic introduction through their website at https://rootswings.org/grantmaking/introduce-yourself/

The introduction form requests:

  • Organization name, website, and EIN
  • Contact person information
  • Program area alignment (Basic Needs, Early Learning, Health, or Safety & Justice)
  • Geographic location
  • Organization mission
  • Key programs

The foundation states they will contact organizations with potential alignment, or keep them in mind for future funding opportunities. However, due to their small staff, they cannot respond to all introductions.

Getting on Their Radar

Foundation-Specific Strategies:

  1. Submit an introduction via their website: This is the only path for organizations to initiate contact. The foundation actively reviews these introductions as part of their discovery process.

  2. Network through current grantees: The foundation states they learn about new partners through "their growing network of grantees." Building relationships with organizations they currently fund may lead to introductions.

  3. Community visibility in target geographies: The foundation conducts "ongoing research" and "community outreach" in Wisconsin (especially Dane County), Washington (especially King County), and Oregon (Portland/Multnomah County). Being visible and well-regarded in these specific communities increases the likelihood of discovery.

  4. Early Childhood Funders Collaborative: Roots & Wings is a member of the Early Childhood Funders Collaborative, suggesting they engage with other funders in this space.

  5. Demonstrate community-centered values: The foundation specifically looks for organizations that "respond creatively to community needs," "involve community in decision-making," "are valued by the community," and "have staff with lived experience."

Decision Timeline

Roots & Wings has one of the fastest decision timelines in philanthropy:

  • Often funding is offered after a single call with potential grantees
  • Board gives preliminary approval before reaching out to nonprofits, so initial contact indicates strong likelihood of funding
  • Once invited to apply, the application is pre-populated by foundation staff with information from conversations and research
  • Applications take less than one hour on average for nonprofits to finalize
  • Multi-year grants are standard, typically two years with potential for increases during the grant period

Success Rates

Specific success rate data is not publicly available. However, the foundation's approach suggests high success rates for organizations that are formally invited to apply, since they obtain board pre-approval before reaching out.

Growth trajectory:

  • 2020: 116 awards
  • 2021: 186 awards (60% increase)
  • 2022: 339 awards (82% increase)
  • 2023: 451 awards (33% increase)

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is documented. Given the invitation-only model, traditional reapplication doesn't apply. Organizations that submit introductions but aren't contacted may be "kept in mind for future funding opportunities," suggesting ongoing consideration rather than a formal reapplication cycle.

Application Success Factors

What Roots & Wings Looks For

Based on their documented selection criteria, the foundation prioritizes nonprofits that:

  1. Involve the community: Organizations that "involve community in decision-making" and "are valued by the community"

  2. Have lived experience: Staff with lived experience of the challenges being addressed

  3. Respond creatively to community needs: Innovative approaches to entrenched problems

  4. Focus on prevention and early intervention: Rather than crisis response

  5. Serve children birth through age three: Particular emphasis on this age range

  6. Operate in target geographies: Strong preference for organizations in Dane County WI, King County WA, or Portland/Multnomah County OR (plus statewide organizations in WI and WA)

Foundation-Specific Advice

Direct guidance from Shana Dall'Osto:

  • "Be true to your work and your mission because you know it best."
  • Don't try to change programming to fit funder interests
  • Authenticity is valued over mission drift

Trust-based approach benefits:

  • Foundation does extensive research before contacting you
  • They pre-fill applications with information already gathered
  • They use existing materials (annual reports, etc.) rather than requesting custom reports
  • Minimal reporting requirements after grant award
  • Focus on unrestricted, multi-year support

Example partnerships that align:

  • Access Community Health Centers (integrated approach to medical, mental, and behavioral health)
  • Organizations providing affordable childcare and preschool in Wisconsin
  • Safety-net healthcare organizations (free clinics, community health centers, small hospitals)
  • Organizations addressing gun violence prevention and criminal justice reform

Common Success Patterns

Organizations successfully funded by Roots & Wings typically:

  • Provide "in-depth programming that changes lives" rather than one-time services
  • Address root causes and systems change, not just symptoms
  • Work with low-income children and families in their priority geographies
  • Demonstrate community trust and involvement
  • Focus on one or more of their four program areas

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Don't apply unless invited - This is strictly invitation-only. Submit an introduction via their website if aligned, but understand you cannot submit an unsolicited proposal.

  2. Geographic alignment is critical - Focus is highly concentrated in Dane County WI, King County WA, and increasingly Portland OR. Statewide Wisconsin and Washington organizations also considered.

  3. Birth to age three is the sweet spot - While they fund across childhood, they repeatedly emphasize children birth through age three and early intervention.

  4. Authenticity over mission drift - Don't reshape your mission to fit their priorities. They want organizations that genuinely align, not those adapting to secure funding.

  5. Multi-year, unrestricted support is the norm - Expect 2+ year grants with minimal restrictions and reporting requirements if funded.

  6. Community involvement matters - Demonstrate that your community values your work, involves community members in decisions, and includes staff with lived experience.

  7. Trust-based means low burden - If invited, expect a streamlined process with pre-filled applications, minimal paperwork, and quick decisions.

  8. Network effects are real - Being known to their existing grantees or visible in their target communities increases likelihood of discovery.

References

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