Eugene & Agnes E. Meyer Foundation

Eugene & Agnes E. Meyer Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: ~$11 million (177 grants in 2023) / ~$19.3 million charitable disbursements (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: ~30 days for Interest Form review; quarterly grant cycles
• Grant Range: $10,000 - $333,000+ (core grants); Rapid Response: $10,000, $20,000, or $50,000
• Geographic Focus: Greater Washington DC metro area

Contact Details

• Website: meyerfoundation.org
• Grants Email: grants@meyerfdn.org
• Capacity Building Email: capacity@meyerfdn.org
• Phone: (202) 483-8294
• Address: 601 13th St NW, Floor 12, Washington, DC 20005

Overview

Founded in 1944 by Eugene Meyer (then-publisher of The Washington Post) and Agnes E. Meyer (author and civil rights advocate), the Meyer Foundation is one of the Washington area's largest and oldest locally focused philanthropies. With approximately $230.7 million in assets and $19.3 million in charitable disbursements (2024), the foundation pursues solutions that build an equitable Greater Washington community where economically disadvantaged people thrive.

The foundation's vision is a just, connected, and inclusive Greater Washington community where systemic racism no longer exists. Its grantmaking focuses on systems change—challenging the culture, policies, practices, and priorities that perpetuate racial and economic inequities. In 2025, Janice Thomas became President and CEO, the first Black woman to lead the foundation in its 80-year history.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Core Grantmaking (General Operating Support): Multi-year and one-year grants, median ~$60,000, up to $333,000+
• Core Grantmaking (Project Grants): For specific projects when overall organizational work doesn't align
• Rapid Response Grants: $10,000, $20,000, or $50,000 for urgent organizing and advocacy (monthly application windows)
• Fund for Black-led Change: $20 million five-year commitment to Black-led organizations
• Organizational Development Grants: For current grantee partners' capacity building needs
• Restoration Fund: One-time grants supporting staff wellbeing and rest

Priority Areas

• Community organizing and base building by communities affected by racial/economic inequity
• Advocacy and policy change toward racial and economic justice
• Coalition building and multi-stakeholder campaigns
• Narrative change and movement building
• Power building in Greater Washington communities
• Black-led organizations combating systemic anti-Blackness

What They Don't Fund

• Direct service organizations as primary model
• Capital construction projects
• Scholarships or individual grants
• Religious programs promotion
• Organizations without 501(c)(3) status or fiscal sponsor
• Work outside Greater Washington region

Governance and Leadership

President & CEO: Janice Thomas (appointed June 2025) - formerly COO, first Black woman to lead the foundation. She stated: "I am honored to lead the Foundation with humility, imagination, and a profound belief in the collective power that has always existed in our region."

Board Leadership:

• Ryan Young - Chair
• Winell Belfonte - Vice Chair
• Angie Reese-Hawkins - Treasurer
• Karen Wawrzaszek - Secretary

Key Staff: Includes Vice President of Community Partnerships & Strategy, Directors for DC/MD/VA partnerships, and Senior Directors for Strategic Initiatives and Capacity Building.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

IMPORTANT 2026 UPDATE: The foundation is NOT accepting applications from new organizations. Only current core grantee partners (those who received grants since January 1, 2024) will be invited to renew.

Standard process (when open):

1. Submit Interest Form online (30 minutes)
2. Staff review within 30 days
3. If invited, submit full proposal
4. Grants awarded quarterly

Applications accepted on rolling basis. One application per organization per year for core grantmaking.

Decision Timeline

• Interest Form review: ~30 days
• Grant award cycles: April, May/June, August, November
• Rapid Response: First week following application month

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed. In 2023: 177 grants totaling ~$11 million, median grant ~$60,000.

Reapplication Policy

• If declined: must wait until following calendar year
• Rapid Response: up to two grants per organization per year

Application Success Factors

• Systems change focus: Must articulate how work challenges policies/culture/institutions perpetuating inequity, not just service delivery
• Power-building language: Demonstrate building leadership of those closest to issues
• Specific tactics: Explicitly name organizing, advocacy, coalition building, narrative change tactics
• Movement building framing: Situate work within broader racial/economic justice landscape
• Racial equity centrality: Make racial equity primary driver, not secondary lens
• General operating support preferred: Don't default to project-specific unless needed
• Right-sized requests: Ask for what organization needs; no penalty for request size
• Accessible applications: 30-minute Interest Form; accepts proposals written for other funders

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• 2026 closed to new applicants - Monitor website for policy changes
• Systems change is non-negotiable - Direct service organizations unlikely to align
• Power-building is the lens - Frame all work through building community leadership
• Keep Interest Form concise - Designed for 30 minutes completion
• General operating support is norm - Don't default to project funding
• Racial equity must be explicit - Name systemic racism and structural causes
• Build for long term - Foundation invests deeply in organizations over time

References

1. Meyer Foundation Official Website - Core Grantmaking: https://meyerfoundation.org/our-grantmaking/ (accessed February 2026)
2. Meyer Foundation Official Website - Rapid Response: https://meyerfoundation.org/rapid-response/ (accessed February 2026)
3. Meyer Foundation Official Website - Our Vision: https://meyerfoundation.org/our-vision/ (accessed February 2026)
4. Meyer Foundation Official Website - Our People: https://meyerfoundation.org/our-people/ (accessed February 2026)
5. Meyer Foundation Official Website - Fund for Black-led Change: https://meyerfoundation.org/fblc-partners/ (accessed February 2026)
6. Meyer Foundation Official Website - Organizational Development Grants: https://meyerfoundation.org/capacity-building/organizational-development-grants/ (accessed February 2026)
7. Meyer Foundation Official Website - FAQs: https://meyerfoundation.org/faqs/ (accessed February 2026)
8. Meyer Foundation Official Website - 2024 Strategic Refresh: https://meyerfoundation.org/news/2024-strategic-refresh/ (accessed February 2026)
9. Meyer Foundation Official Website - Janice Thomas Appointment: https://meyerfoundation.org/news/meyer-foundation-board-appoints-janice-thomas-as-president-and-ceo/ (accessed February 2026)
10. Meyer Foundation Official Website - Aligning Practice with Values: https://meyerfoundation.org/news/aligning-practice-with-values-introducing-meyers-new-grants-process/ (accessed February 2026)
11. Meyer Foundation Official Website - $740,000 Project Grants: https://meyerfoundation.org/news/meyer-awards-740000-in-project-grants-to-19-organizations/ (accessed February 2026)
12. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Eugene & Agnes E Meyer Foundation: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/530241716 (accessed February 2026)
13. CauseIQ Profile: https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/eugene-and-agnes-e-meyer-foundation,530241716/ (accessed February 2026)
14. Inside Philanthropy - Meyer Foundation: https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant-places/washington-dc-grants/meyer-foundation (accessed February 2026)