Meyer Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Meyer Foundation supports racial equity, housing, education, employment, and asset building in the D.C. metro area.
IP TAKE: This funder is all about equity in the D.C. region, so ask for general operating support that will affect structural racism and inequity.
PROFILE: Established in 1944, the Meyer Foundation is a private foundation based in Washington, D.C. Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer created this foundation to serve their home region. Eugene Meyer was an owner and publisher of The Washington Post, an investment banker, and a public servant for seven U.S. presidents. Agnes Meyer was a journalist, author, lecturer, and activist. The Meyer Foundation “pursues and invests in solutions that build an equitable Greater Washington community in which economically disadvantaged people thrive.” It funds local efforts for racial equity, housing, education, employment, and asset building.
Grants for Racial Justice and Indigenous Rights, Housing and Homelessness, Education, and Work and Economic Opportunity
The Meyer Foundation’s grantmaking approach is centered on equity and fighting systemic racism. It’s priority giving areas are interconnected, so accordingly, the funder invests in cultural, institutional policy, and power balance change. Recently, the foundation has been particularly interested in programs that engage youth leaders of color. Meyer most frequently provides general operating support to give organizations the most flexibility possible. However, Meyer does not often provide funding for capital or start-up costs. The foundation also created the Fund for Black-led Change, which bolsters Black-led organizations in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region.
Past local grantees include Access Youth, the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center, Calvary Women's Services, and City First Enterprises. Learn more about this funder’s local giving on the Grants Database page of the funder’s website.
Important Grant Details
Grants range between about $10,000 and $50,000. Grantmaking focuses on the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. In addition to the city of Washington, D.C., Meyer supports Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland, as well as the Virginia cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Manassas, Manassas Park and the Virginia counties of Arlington, Fairfax, and Prince William.
This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits. It has two grantmaking round per year with deadlines in January and July. The application process is all online. Direct general questions to the staff at 202-483-8294 or via online form.
PEOPLE:
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