OVERVIEW: The Weyerhaeuser Family Foundation supports youth mental health and sustainable forest communities in the U.S. It also runs an international initiative for education, health and economic opportunity focusing on women and girls in developing nations.
IP TAKE: The Weyerhaeuser Family Foundation is an approachable funder with clear grantmaking goals and application guidelines. The foundation ‘s grants are somewhat modest, topping off at $50,000, but it has supported some newer and smaller organizations, where small amounts can have a strong impact. Start the application process by submitting an LOI. Due dates vary by program, so be sure to read through the How to Apply page before submitting.
As approachable as Weyerhaeuser can be, access is competitive. WFF says each initiative awards approximately five new grants annually. Yet in 2025 it received 246 Youth LOIs, 168 International LOIs and 35 Sustainable Forests LOIs. For 2026, WFF capped submissions at the first 150 Youth LOIs and first 100 International LOIs.
Multi-year support is possible with annual review. Grant seekers should study all eligibility rules closely before applying. WFF generally does not fund ongoing programs, general operations or startup costs for new organizations—otherwise, this is a good prospect for any nonprofit aligned with the foundation’s areas of interest. Act quickly once cycles open.
PROFILE: Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, the Weyerhaeuser Family Foundation—not affiliated with the Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation—was created in 1950 by members of the Weyerhaeuser family. It seeks to promote “the welfare of human and natural resources.” The foundation awards both domestic and international grants through its Youth, International, and Sustainable Forest and Communities initiatives.
Grants for Youth, Mental Health and Violence Prevention
Weyerhaeuser’s Youth Initiative prioritizes support for children youth (ages 14 to 21) who have been subjected to adverse experiences through programs that “promote resilience, stability, and psycho-social health.”
- The Youth Initiative now requires applicants to have annual operating budgets under $25 million.
- WFF also requires the proposed work to be a new program or a new component of an existing program, either in development or within its first year of implementation.
- Recent grants included $30,000 each to ArtWell Collaborative, CALM, HOLLA, Jewish Family Services of Western New York, New Friends New Life, Ophelia’s Place and Saving Innocence.
Grants for Global Development and Women and Girls
The foundation’s International Initiative targets economic opportunity, education and heath for women and girls in developing countries.
- The overarching goal of this program is to help women “reach their full potential.”
- Africa is a main geographic priority for this giving area, with grants also supporting work in Central America and the Caribbean.
- International applicants must have been U.S. 501c3 public charities for at least seven years.
- Proposals must concern new programs, programs within their first year, or replication of an existing program in a new region or country; WFF favors initiatives that are community-informed, women-led, address systemic or psychological barriers, and contribute to environmental sustainability.
- Grantees include Carolina for Kibera, Flying Kites, Health Equity International, Himalayan Healthcare, Kakenya’s Dream, Mali Health, Project Zawadi, SEED Programs and We Care Solar, among others.
Grants for Environment and Community Development
The foundation’s Sustainable Forest and Communities Initiative supports economic, social and environmental sustainability in “forested regions of the United States.”
- The program grew out of the disruption caused by timber-market changes and reductions in federal timber harvestin.
- Alongside forest conservation, grants address related economic concerns and the building of public consensus related to forest and environmental health.
- Past grantees include New England Forestry Foundation, Nisqually River Foundation, Redwood Forest Foundation, Washington’s Whatcom Land Trust, the Redwood Forest Foundation, the Nature Conservancies of Minnesota and Oregon and the Kaniksu Land Trust in Idaho.
Important Grant Details:
Grants range from about $14,000 to $50,000. In a recent year, this funder gave $977,869 in total grants.
- This funder appears to base its grantmaking decisions on the ability of organizations to have meaningful impact on the communities they serve.
- All three grantmaking areas accept fiscal sponsorship given certain conditions. Read individual program pages for clear guidelines.
- The foundation accepts letters of inquiry, but due dates vary by program. Find complete guidelines at the How to Apply page and submit questions about the application process to foundation staff via email at wff@fidcouns.com. LOIs and applications must be submitted through the foundation’s application portal.
- For information about past grantees, see the foundation’s Past and Current Grants page.
- Submit questions Jon Kleist, Charitable Services Coordinator via email at wff@fidcouns.com; or call Larry Dressler, Program Consultant, at (303) 506-3127.
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