Casey Family Programs

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $7,614,409 (2023)
Total Assets: $2.6 billion
Grant Range: $50 - $650,000
Geographic Focus: National (all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and tribal nations)
Foundation Type: Operating foundation (provides direct services and makes strategic grants)

Contact Details

Headquarters: Casey Family Programs 2001 Eighth Avenue, Suite 2700 Seattle, WA 98121 Phone: 206.282.7300 Website: https://www.casey.org Media inquiries: media@casey.org

Seattle Field Office: 1123 23rd Avenue Seattle, WA 98122-4821 Phone: 206.322.6711 Toll-Free: 800.496.2230

Overview

Founded in 1966 by United Parcel Service founder James E. Casey, Casey Family Programs is the nation's largest operating foundation focused on safely reducing the need for foster care in the United States. With assets of approximately $2.6 billion, the organization operates primarily as an operating foundation providing direct services to approximately 1,100 children and families, while also making strategic grants totaling over $7.6 million annually. The foundation's revenue comes through investment returns on Jim Casey's original endowment. Casey Family Programs works in all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and with tribal nations across North America to influence long-lasting improvements to the well-being of children, families, and communities. Since 2006, under the leadership of Dr. William C. Bell, the foundation has been driven by a vision called "2020: Building Communities of Hope," working toward safely reducing the need for foster care by 50 percent.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Casey Family Programs makes strategic grants ranging from $50 to approximately $650,000. Large national organizations typically receive the largest sums. In addition to monetary grants, partner organizations receive technical assistance, strategic support, and collaborate on research and data analysis.

Grantees include:

National organizations focused on child welfare
Community service providers
Cities and towns
Tribal nations
Educational programs and agencies
Foster care and kinship care support organizations

Priority Areas

Core Focus: Foster care prevention and child welfare system improvement

Specific Priority Areas:

Prevention services: Strengthening families to keep children safely in their own homes and communities
Kin-first culture: Promoting kinship care approaches for better outcomes
Child welfare system reform: Supporting states and tribes in developing and implementing programs like Family First plans
Economic supports: Providing flexible funding strategies to support families and prevent child welfare involvement
Community engagement: Working with communities to engage with lived experience, address systemic issues, and invest in families
Tribal child welfare: Supporting implementation of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA)
Policy development: Contributing nonpartisan information, data, and resources to policymakers

Notable Grantee Examples

National Partners:

Child Welfare League of America
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation
Tides Center
National Foster Youth Institute

Washington State:

Foster Club
YMCA of Greater Seattle
Washington Court Appointed Special Advocate Association

Other Regions:

Oglala Sioux Tribe (South Dakota)
City of Buffalo (New York)
Arizona Women Legal and Youth Services

What They Don't Fund

Information about explicit exclusions is not publicly available. The foundation's focus is specifically on foster care prevention and child welfare system improvement, suggesting that projects outside these areas are unlikely to be funded.

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

Chair: Walter Howard Smith, Jr. (joined September 2018, became chair June 2021)

Board Members:

Dr. Benjamin Danielson (joined November 2022)
Karen Jones (joined November 2022)
America Bracho (joined January 2008)
Dr. Sharon L. McDaniel (appointed 2005)

Executive Leadership

President and CEO: William C. Bell, Ph.D. (since January 2006)

Dr. Bell has over 40 years of experience in child welfare. Prior to joining Casey Family Programs, he served as commissioner of the New York City Administration for Children's Services (ACS). He is ultimately responsible for the vision, mission, strategies, and objectives of the foundation.

Key Quote from Dr. Bell: "You can only give what you have, but know that what you have is mighty, and what you have is powerful, and what you have when blended with what others have, can move mountains."

Other Executive Team Members:

Roxanna Nowparast - Executive Vice President (joined 2004, became EVP 2016)
David Sanders (joined July 2006)
Melissa Shields (joined 2010, became EVP 2025)

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

Casey Family Programs does not accept unsolicited proposals or provide information about how it selects its grantee partners. The foundation is not transparent about its grantmaking criteria or selection process. Grants are awarded through trustee discretion and strategic partnerships identified by the foundation.

However, organizations interested in working with Casey Family Programs may reach out using the online contact form on their website at https://www.casey.org/contact/.

Getting on Their Radar

Casey Family Programs identifies partners strategically based on alignment with their mission to safely reduce foster care. While they don't accept unsolicited proposals, organizations working in child welfare and foster care prevention may:

Contact them directly: Use their online contact form to introduce your organization and express interest in collaboration
Focus on aligned work: Organizations doing innovative work in foster care prevention, kinship care, child welfare system reform, or tribal child welfare may be of interest
Demonstrate impact: The foundation values data analysis and research collaboration, so organizations with strong evaluation capabilities and demonstrated outcomes may attract attention
Regional presence: The foundation operates field offices in multiple locations and may be more aware of organizations doing strong work in those regions

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, so there are no standard application cycles or decision periods.

Success Rates

Success rate data is not available, as the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as the foundation does not have a public application process.

Application Success Factors

Since Casey Family Programs operates through strategic partnerships rather than open applications, success in working with this funder depends on:

Alignment with Mission: Organizations must be clearly focused on foster care prevention, child welfare system improvement, or supporting children and families involved in or at risk of child welfare involvement.

Collaborative Approach: Casey Family Programs emphasizes that grantees typically receive more than just funding - they collaborate on research, data analysis, and strategic consultation. Organizations must be willing to engage in deeper partnerships.

Evidence and Data: The foundation values research and evaluation. Organizations with strong data capabilities and evidence-based approaches are more likely to be considered.

Geographic and Population Fit: The foundation works nationally but has specific interest in:

Tribal nations and ICWA implementation
State and local government child welfare agencies
Community-based organizations serving vulnerable children and families
National organizations with broad reach in child welfare

Systems-Change Focus: As reflected in Dr. Bell's leadership and the foundation's mission, there is emphasis on systemic change rather than just individual services. Organizations working on policy, practice improvement, and large-scale prevention efforts align well.

Relationship Building: Since the foundation doesn't accept unsolicited proposals, connections through existing partners, field office staff, or the foundation's consulting work may lead to partnership opportunities.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

No public application process exists - this is an invitation-only funder that identifies partners strategically
Operating foundation model - Casey Family Programs is unique in that it primarily operates its own programs and services, with grants being a secondary activity to support strategic partnerships
Beyond just money - grantee partners typically receive technical assistance, strategic consultation, and research collaboration in addition to funding
Large asset base - with $2.6 billion in assets but only $7.6 million in annual grants, this foundation is highly selective
Mission-critical alignment required - only organizations working directly on foster care prevention, child welfare system improvement, or supporting children/families in the child welfare system should consider outreach
Contact form is your entry point - while they don't accept proposals, reaching out through their website contact form to introduce your organization and express interest in collaboration is the appropriate first step
Focus on prevention and systems change - the foundation's 2020 strategy aimed to reduce foster care by 50%; they prioritize preventive approaches and systemic reforms over traditional foster care services

References

Casey Family Programs Official Website - About Us. https://www.casey.org/who-we-are/about/. Accessed December 22, 2025.
Casey Family Programs Foundation Profile, Foundation Directory (Candid). https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?collection=grantmakers&key=CASE003. Accessed December 22, 2025.
Inside Philanthropy - Casey Family Programs Profile. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant-places/washington-grants/casey-family-programs. Accessed December 22, 2025.
Cause IQ - Casey Family Programs Organization Profile. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/casey-family-programs,910793881/. Accessed December 22, 2025.
Casey Family Programs - Executive Team. https://www.casey.org/who-we-are/executive-team/. Accessed December 22, 2025.
Casey Family Programs - Board of Trustees. https://www.casey.org/who-we-are/board/. Accessed December 22, 2025.
Casey Family Programs - William C. Bell, Ph.D., President and CEO. https://www.casey.org/who-we-are/executive-team/president-ceo/. Accessed December 22, 2025.
Casey Family Programs - Prevention Collaboration. https://www.casey.org/prevention-collab-overview/. Accessed December 22, 2025.
Casey Family Programs - Contact Page. https://www.casey.org/contact/. Accessed December 22, 2025.
Casey Family Programs - Our Locations. https://www.casey.org/who-we-are/locations/. Accessed December 22, 2025.
ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Casey Family Programs. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/910793881. Accessed December 22, 2025.
Wikipedia - Casey Family Programs. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey_Family_Programs. Accessed December 22, 2025.
Casey Family Programs - Many Minds Move Mountains (Dr. Bell quote). https://www.casey.org/many-minds-move-mountains/. Accessed December 22, 2025.
Instrumentl - Casey Family Programs 990 Report. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/casey-family-programs. Accessed December 22, 2025.