Schultz Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $13,860,000 (2023)
• Total Assets: $375,000,000
• Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation-only)
• Decision Time: Not publicly available
• Grant Range: $5,000 - $1,000,000 (median $100,000)
• Geographic Focus: National (USA), with emphasis on Washington State

Contact Details

Website: www.schultzfamilyfoundation.org

Email: info@schultzfamilyfoundation.org (general inquiries only)

Phone: (206) 466-1743 or (206) 492-5420

Address: 516 Yale Ave N Unit 400, Seattle, WA 98109

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications

Overview

The Schultz Family Foundation was established in 1996 by Howard D. Schultz, former CEO and chairman emeritus of Starbucks, and his wife Sheri Schultz. With assets of $375 million, the foundation awarded approximately $13.9 million in grants in 2023 to 78 organizations. The foundation's mission is to create greater opportunity accessible to all, partnering with nonprofits, businesses, and governments to develop and invest in entrepreneurial, cross-sector solutions designed to build more equitable systems and create life-changing opportunities for people and communities who have historically been at the margins. Their work is rooted in the belief that "talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not." Under the leadership of President Tyra Mariani (appointed in 2020), the foundation has deepened its focus on youth opportunity, racial equity, and veteran support.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Young Adults Program

• Grant Range: $5,000 - $1,000,000
• Focus: Ages 16-24, emphasizing BIPOC and historically marginalized communities
• Key Initiatives: 100,000 Opportunities Initiative, Youth Mental Health Corps, Catalyze Challenge, National Service Challenge

Veterans Program

• Grant Range: $500,000 - $1,000,000 (multi-year)
• Focus: Young and post-9/11 veterans
• Key Initiative: Onward to Opportunity (O2O) - trained nearly 20,000 participants

Entrepreneurs Equity Fund

• Commitment: $100 million allocation
• Structure: Direct equity investments, revenue-based financing, loans, plus grants

Priority Areas

• Youth transition to adulthood (ages 16-24)
• Basic needs support enabling educational/professional focus
• Navigation support connecting youth to opportunities
• Social capital building for young people
• Veteran employment and transition support
• Economic development and racial equity
• Career-connected learning and employer partnerships
• National service as pathway to opportunity
• Mental health support for youth
• BIPOC and historically marginalized communities

What They Don't Fund

The foundation maintains a tight strategic focus:

• Only funds within their three core impact areas
• Does not accept unsolicited proposals
• Primarily funds organizations working with ages 16-24 or veterans
• Focuses on systemic solutions rather than direct service alone

Governance and Leadership

Co-Founders and Board Leadership:

• Howard D. Schultz: Co-founder, former CEO of Starbucks
• Sheri Schultz: Co-founder and Chair; states: "National service has the potential to change the lives of those who serve while they change communities through their service"

Executive Leadership:

• Tyra Mariani: President (appointed 2020); former Chief of Staff to U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education
• Vivek Varma: Vice Chair and CEO of the Emes Project LLC

Staff: 14 employees based in Seattle, WA

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process.

The Schultz Family Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited grant proposals. Organizations cannot submit applications unless they receive a direct invitation from the foundation.

For General Inquiries Only: info@schultzfamilyfoundation.org (not an application pathway)

Getting on Their Radar

1. Network with Current Grantees

• Foundation has noted networking with existing grantees may provide opportunities
• Recent major grantees include: Brothers for Life ($1.0M), Syracuse University IVMF ($750K), Burning Glass Institute ($625K)

2. Participate in Foundation-Led Initiatives

• AmeriCorps State Service Commissions (7 states with $3.5M investment)
• Catalyze Challenge for career-connected learning
• Youth Mental Health Corps (11 states)

3. Align with Strategic Partnerships

• Syracuse University's IVMF, Serve Washington, National Governors Association
• America's Service Commissions, Pinterest, Stand Together Foundation

4. Focus on Washington State

• Maintains strong local commitments
• Organizations working with Serve Washington may have greater visibility

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available - decisions made at foundation leadership discretion

Success Rates

Not publicly available - 78 grants totaling $13.86 million in 2023

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable due to invitation-only structure

Application Success Factors

Since this is an invitation-only funder, understanding what the foundation values helps organizations position themselves strategically:

Core Alignment: Foundation's belief that "talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not"

Age Focus: Programs serving 16-24 year-olds during critical transitions

Racial Equity Integration: Centering BIPOC and historically marginalized communities across all work

Proven Scale: Major investments show preference for programs reaching thousands (O2O: 100,000 participants)

Cross-Sector Collaboration: Partnerships bringing together nonprofits, businesses, education, and government

Multi-Year Commitment: Long-term partnerships preferred (IVMF partnership since 2015)

Innovation and Evaluation: Willing to test new models with learning components

National Service Strategy: America's Service Commissions recognized foundation as "true champion of national service"

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Invitation-only funder: Cannot submit unsolicited applications - focus on network building
• Three clear lanes: Young Adults (16-24), Veterans, or diverse entrepreneurship only
• Racial equity is non-negotiable: Must be integrated across all work
• Think big and scalable: Median grant $100K but recent grants include $1M+ for scalable solutions
• Cross-sector is the model: Pure service delivery less interesting than multi-sector partnerships
• National service is a preferred vehicle: AmeriCorps organizations have clear access points
• Network strategically: Build authentic relationships with current grantees in their portfolio

References

1. Schultz Family Foundation official website - www.schultzfamilyfoundation.org - Accessed February 24, 2026
2. Inside Philanthropy - Schultz Family Foundation profile - Accessed February 24, 2026
3. Foundation Directory Online (Candid) - Accessed February 24, 2026
4. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Form 990-PF filings - Accessed February 24, 2026
5. Syracuse University IVMF - Partnership documentation - Accessed February 24, 2026
6. PR Newswire - Foundation announcements and leadership appointments - Accessed February 24, 2026
7. America's Service Commissions - National service partnership documentation - Accessed February 24, 2026
8. Catalyze Challenge - Grant program documentation - Accessed February 24, 2026
9. Youth Mental Health Corps - Program expansion announcements - Accessed February 24, 2026