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Konzen Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$4.6M
Grant Range
$10K - $0.7M

Konzen Family Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $4,600,000 (2024)
  • Success Rate: N/A (invitation-only)
  • Decision Time: N/A (no public application process)
  • Grant Range: $9,600 - $650,000
  • Median Grant: $50,000
  • Total Assets: $97.1 million
  • Geographic Focus: Pacific Northwest (primarily Washington state), with some national grants

Contact Details

Address: 2155 112th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004-2912

Note: The foundation does not provide public contact information for grant inquiries and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Overview

The Konzen Family Foundation is a private foundation established in 2021 and based in Bellevue, Washington. With total assets of approximately $97.1 million and annual grantmaking of $4.6 million, the foundation supports charitable organizations primarily in the Pacific Northwest. Led by Director Neil Konzen, the foundation has steadily increased its grantmaking activity from 8 awards in its first year (2021) to 49 awards in 2024, distributing a total of 132 documented grants. The foundation operates as a traditional private family foundation, making contributions exclusively to preselected charitable organizations through trustee discretion rather than a public application process.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal named grant programs. All grants are awarded at the discretion of the foundation's leadership to preselected organizations.

  • Grant Range: $9,600 to $650,000
  • Median Grant Size: $50,000
  • Total Annual Grants: Approximately 49 awards totaling $4.6 million (2024)

Priority Areas

Based on documented grant recipients, the foundation supports:

  • Homelessness and Social Services: Major support to organizations like Seattle Union Gospel Mission ($650,000)
  • International Humanitarian Work: Funding to organizations such as LaHai Health ($630,241), Agros International ($300,000), and Doctors Without Borders
  • Environmental Conservation: Support for The Nature Conservancy and American Forests
  • Wildlife Protection: Grants to conservation-focused organizations
  • Food Security: Organizations addressing hunger and food access

Geographic Focus: While the majority of grants (approximately 45% in 2024) support Washington state organizations, the foundation also funds national and international organizations based in California, Washington D.C., New York, Georgia, and Texas.

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented. However, the foundation's stated policy indicates they only fund preselected organizations, effectively excluding all unsolicited applications.

Governance and Leadership

Director: Neil Konzen (reported compensation: $0)

The foundation maintains a lean governance structure typical of private family foundations. Additional trustee or officer information is not publicly available.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process.

The Konzen Family Foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." All grants are awarded through trustee discretion based on the foundation's internal selection process.

Organizations cannot submit applications, letters of inquiry, or proposals to this foundation. Grant decisions are made internally by the foundation's leadership without input from external applicants.

Decision Timeline

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

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Application Success Factors

For organizations already receiving support: The foundation has demonstrated patterns of repeat funding to select organizations, suggesting that once an organization is in the foundation's portfolio, continued support may be possible. The foundation has grown its number of annual grants from 8 in 2021 to 49 in 2024, indicating expanding philanthropic activity.

Common recipient profiles based on documented grants:

  • Established organizations with clear track records in homelessness services, international humanitarian aid, and environmental conservation
  • Organizations operating both locally in the Pacific Northwest and nationally/internationally
  • Both faith-based organizations (Seattle Union Gospel Mission) and secular nonprofits
  • Mix of large, well-known organizations (The Nature Conservancy, Doctors Without Borders) and smaller specialized groups

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation cannot be approached through traditional grant application methods
  • Invitation-Only Grantmaking: All grants are awarded to preselected organizations chosen by the foundation's leadership
  • Diverse Portfolio: Despite being invitation-only, the foundation supports a range of causes from homelessness to environmental conservation
  • Growing Activity: The foundation has rapidly expanded from 8 grants in 2021 to 49 in 2024, suggesting increasing philanthropic engagement
  • Pacific Northwest Focus: Nearly half of all grants support Washington state organizations, though national and international grants are also made
  • Significant Range: Grants range from under $10,000 to over $650,000, with a median of $50,000
  • Private Family Foundation: As a relatively new foundation (est. 2021) led by the Konzen family, grantmaking decisions are made privately without public guidelines or application processes

References

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