Akin Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $149,000 (recent year)
• Success Rate: N/A (invitation only)
• Decision Time: N/A (trustee discretion)
• Grant Range: $500 - $480,000
• Median Grant: $10,000
• Total Assets: $13.4 million
• Geographic Focus: Primarily California, with some grants in Colorado, Minnesota, Arizona, and Oregon

Contact Details

Address: 1951 Alpine Ave, Boulder, CO 80304
Phone: 415-332-3760
Website: None publicly available
Email: None publicly available

Important: This foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Overview

The Akin Family Foundation is a private family foundation established in Boulder, Colorado, and granted tax-exempt status in March 2018. With total assets of approximately $13.4 million, the foundation focuses primarily on supporting educational initiatives and youth programs. The foundation operates as a classic family foundation with all leadership positions held by Akin family members who serve without compensation. The foundation makes grants ranging from $500 to $480,000, with a median grant size of $10,000. Over the past several years, the foundation has made 52 grants total, with grant-making activity varying annually (1 award in 2024, 15 awards in 2023, 2 awards in 2022, and 11 awards in 2021). The foundation's giving is concentrated in California, with additional support for organizations in Colorado, Minnesota, Arizona, and Oregon.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with published guidelines. All grants are made at the discretion of the trustees to preselected organizations.

Priority Areas

Based on historical grant-making patterns, the foundation supports:

• Higher Education: Universities and university-related funds, particularly UC Santa Cruz-affiliated organizations
• Educational Institutions: Museums and science education centers (e.g., Exploratorium, Bay Area Discovery Museum)
• Youth Programs: Organizations serving young people, including Special Olympics
• Libraries: Educational library programs
• Community Education: Educational outreach and public learning initiatives

Notable Recent Grants (2023):

• $480,000 to John Pearse Fund - UCSC (largest grant)
• $100,000 each to Seymour Center, Exploratorium, Bay Area Discovery Museum, and Success Foundation
• Multiple smaller grants ranging from $500 to tens of thousands

What They Don't Fund

While explicit exclusions are not publicly stated, grant history shows a narrow focus on:

• Organizations outside the education and youth development sectors are unlikely to receive funding
• The foundation appears to fund organizations with which family members have existing connections
• No evidence of support for arts, healthcare, environmental, or social service organizations

Governance and Leadership

President: Thomas B. Akin (no compensation)
Vice President: Karen H. Akin (no compensation)
Executive Director: Kyle P. Akin (no compensation)
Director: Blair S. Akin (no compensation)

The foundation operates as a family-controlled entity with all governance positions held by Akin family members. All officers and directors serve without compensation, indicating a traditional family foundation structure where decision-making is kept within the family unit.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. According to their official filings and public statements, the Akin Family Foundation "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

All grants are made at the discretion of the trustees, who identify and select organizations for funding based on their own research, relationships, and philanthropic priorities. Organizations cannot submit applications or proposals to this foundation.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are awarded through trustee discretion rather than application cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications from the general public.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept applications, there are no application success factors in the traditional sense. Organizations that have received funding appear to share the following characteristics:

• Geographic Connection: Strong presence in California, particularly the Bay Area and Santa Cruz regions, or Colorado
• Educational Mission: Clear focus on education, learning, and youth development
• Established Reputation: Grants go to well-known, established institutions (Exploratorium, UC Santa Cruz Foundation, Bay Area Discovery Museum)
• Existing Relationships: Pattern suggests trustees fund organizations they know personally or have connections to
• Multi-Year Support: Evidence of repeat funding to the same organizations (e.g., UC Santa Cruz-related entities)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No Public Application Process: This foundation cannot be approached through traditional grant applications - they identify and select grantees independently
• Strong California Focus: The vast majority of grants support California-based organizations, particularly in the Bay Area and Santa Cruz regions
• Education is Central: Nearly all grants support educational institutions, museums, or youth development programs
• Wide Grant Range: While median grants are $10,000, the foundation has awarded grants as large as $480,000, suggesting flexibility based on the project and relationship
• Family Connections Matter: As a family foundation with no paid staff and invitation-only giving, personal connections to the Akin family appear to be the primary pathway to funding
• Variable Grant Activity: The number of grants varies significantly year to year (1-15 grants annually), suggesting opportunistic rather than programmatic giving
• Unrestricted to Major Projects: Grant sizes ranging from $500 to $480,000 indicate the foundation funds both small initiatives and major projects

References

• Cause IQ - The Akin Family Foundation Profile. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/the-akin-family-foundation,814714847/ (Accessed January 2026)
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Akin Family Foundation. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/814714847 (Accessed January 2026)
• Grantmakers.io - Akin Family Foundation Profile. https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/814714847-akin-family-foundation/ (Accessed January 2026)
• Charity Navigator - Akin Family Foundation. https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/814714847 (Accessed January 2026)
• Instrumentl - The Akin Family Foundation 990 Report. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/akin-family-foundation (Accessed January 2026)
• IRS Form 990-PF filings for tax years 2020-2023