Silver Family Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- If your organisation runs a long-term programme for at-risk school-age young people in Oregon, Washington or Idaho, the foundation's stated priorities fit closely, but it does not fund organisations outside those three states, individuals, one-time or short annual events, or most capital campaigns.
- Half of its grants to organisations were $35,000 or less, and its stated range is $15,000 to $50,000, though one award in the filing exceeded that maximum, so a request in the lower part of that range is a sensible starting point.
- Start with a Letter of Inquiry through the grant portal before the deadline for the Spring or Fall cycle, since full applications are due approximately March 31 or September 30 and are invited only after review.
- The process is competitive, and 90% of grant dollars to organisations went to groups the foundation had already funded, so building a relationship early is worth the effort, and you should be ready to show clear goals, measurable outcomes and an established evaluation method.
- Programmes without established measurement tools or processes should not apply.
Overview
Silver Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Darien, CT.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Silver Family Foundation funds non-profit organisations in Oregon, Washington and Idaho that work with at-risk youth, particularly underserved school-age young people. It supports transformative youth development through in-depth, long-term programmes rather than one-time events. Its priorities include structured, ongoing mentoring; academic intervention, including support towards reading benchmarks; helping students succeed in school and beyond; addressing academic needs alongside social and emotional health; and preparing young people for college and careers, including retention efforts. It looks for organisations with clear goals and measurable outcomes. General operating requests are accepted, and multi-year grants are considered for programmes demonstrating sustained impact. Its competitive process begins with a Letter of Inquiry, with full applications by invitation after review.
Themes
- Youth mentoring
- Academic intervention
- School achievement
- Social and emotional health
- College and career preparation
Geographic Focus
Oregon; Washington; Idaho.
What They Don't Fund
- Grants to individuals
- One-time events or short annual events (such as conferences)
- Most capital campaigns
- Organizations outside Oregon, Washington, and Idaho
- Programs without established measurement tools or processes
How to apply
Organisations submit a Letter of Inquiry through the grant portal by the deadline for the Spring or Fall cycle. The foundation reviews LOIs and invites organisations whose requests align with its priorities to submit a full Grant Application.
Deadlines: Full applications are due approximately March 31 or September 30 each year.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 90% 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 145 grants to organisations were $35,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The foundation favours clear alignment with its funding priorities.
- It looks for transformative impact for at-risk school-aged youth.
- It expects measurable outcomes and established evaluation methods.
- It values long-term sustainability plans beyond the grant period.
- It looks for organisational capacity to implement and track programme success.
- It values evidence-based approaches or proven programme models.
- A site visit is required before a grant award.
- Grantees must provide annual reports.
- Grantees must provide programme outcomes.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
2 other states: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 17% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 90% of grant dollars went to organisations Silver Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- <1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 50 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $37,500 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Younglife · Introducing adolescents to jesus christ and helping them grow in their faith$500,0002024 tax year
- Friends of the Children Seattle · Mentoring program for children$250,0002024 tax year
- Portland Art Museum · Youth enrichment through art education$250,0002024 tax year
- Friends of the Children of Klamath Falls · Mentoring program for children$225,0002024 tax year
- Friends of the Children Portland · Mentoring program for children$165,0002024 tax year
- De La Salle North Catholic High School · College prep education$125,0002024 tax year
- College Possible · Mentoring low income students to get into collegementoring low income students to get into college$110,0002024 tax year
- Far and Wise · Educational support$100,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Philip Tyler Silver — Trustee
- Peter Milo Silver — Trustee
- Philip And Barbara Silver — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $7,117,955 | $6,701,997 | $36,089,030 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $2,886,802 | $2,451,877 | $37,278,387 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $3,822,414 | $3,182,693 | $155,598,817 | 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to Silver Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (999) 999-9999
- sara@silverfoundation.org
- Darien, CT
- silverfoundation.org
Applying to Silver Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (999) 999-9999
- sara@silverfoundation.org
- Darien, CT
- silverfoundation.org