Raikes Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 91-2173492 · since 2002raikesfoundation.org·California, District of Columbia, Illinois, Washington·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$11.3M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$330 to $205k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$10,000

Typical grant (median)

260 grants in the latest filing

Invitation only

Unsolicited applications are not accepted

This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.

Key takeaways

The foundation accepts applications by invitation only and does not take unsolicited requests, so a small charity should not send a cold proposal and should instead look for an existing connection that could lead to an invitation.
Its stated focus is education, youth housing stability, racial equity and democracy, and impact-driven philanthropy, with interest in work that dismantles the root causes of inequity and builds power for communities without an equal voice.
Most of its grants are modest: half of its grants to organisations were $10,000 or less, and about 8 in 10 fall between $330 and $205,000, so a request near the lower end fits its typical pattern, though larger grants are made.
In the filing, 81% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, which suggests that relationships matter a great deal.
No geographic focus is stated; the filing shows grants mainly in Washington, District of Columbia, California and Illinois, but that is not a rule about who may apply.

Overview

Raikes Foundation is a US private foundation based in Seattle, WA.

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 foundation funds work in four core areas: education, housing stability for youth, racial equity and democracy, and impact-driven philanthropy. In education, it supports youth, educators and policymakers to redesign public education so all young people can thrive, with attention to historically underserved students. Its youth-housing work centres prevention and collaborates with young people, coalitions and policymakers in Washington State and across the United States. Its democracy work builds capacity for organising by communities excluded from power, while its philanthropy initiative works with organisations to redirect more resources, with fewer restrictions, to those addressing inequity. Across these areas, it backs systems-level change, collaboration and community leadership.

Themes

Education
Youth housing stability
Racial equity and democracy
Impact-driven philanthropy

Geographic Focus

No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Washington, District of Columbia, California and Illinois.

How to apply

The grant application process is invitation-only.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 81% 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 778 grants to organisations were $10,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

It looks for innovative investments in communities redesigning education and housing systems in partnership with young people.
It supports organisations working to dismantle the root causes of inequity and transform the systems that created them.
Its democracy portfolio invests in organising that builds power for communities that have not had an equal voice in institutions.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Washington30%

District of Columbia28%

California19%

Illinois6%

Massachusetts5%

New York5%

6 other states: 6%

Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 2%

The largest single recipient received 10% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 81% of grant dollars went to organisations Raikes Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
37% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

260 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $10,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 260 grants in tax year 2024 by size

Under $1k15%

$1k–$2.5k11%

$2.5k–$5k12%

$5k–$10k9%

$10k–$25k15%

$25k–$50k17%

$50k–$100k8%

$100k–$250k6%

$250k–$500k5%

$500k–$1M1%

Median $10,000 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Amalgamated Charitable Foundation · Grantmakers for thriving youth policy working group
$800,0002024 tax year
National Equity Project · District network & field catalyst strategy development
$750,0002024 tax year
Amalgamated Charitable Foundation · Grantmakers for thriving youth policy working group education forward fund
$700,0002024 tax year
Tides Center · Perts: strategic scale-up of copilot ascend and communities of practice
$400,0002024 tax year
University of Texas System · University of texas system student experience project
$300,0002024 tax year
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities · General operating support
$300,0002024 tax year
Learning Policy Institute · General operating support
$300,0002024 tax year
Education Trust · Alliance for resource equity core operating support
$300,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Dennis Quirin — Executive Director
Gwen Sherman — Secretary
Patricia M Raikes — Trustee, Co-President, And Treasurer
Jeffrey S Raikes — Trustee And Co-President

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$26,202,024	$18,576,767	$96,195,604	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$30,266,373	$21,145,678	$90,404,225	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$17,626,936	$11,304,371	$97,721,642	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.