Roger I. and Ruth B. MacFarlane Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The MacFarlane Foundation does not name specific areas of interest, but it has funded criminal justice reform, health, education, conservation and housing.
IP TAKE: This is not a fully accessible funder, but it is approachable. MacFarlane accepts letters of inquiry via its contact page and reviews inquiries “early in the year.” Full proposals are accepted on an invitation-only basis. Given that the foundation does not have any defined focus areas, it’s possible to pitch them with work from a variety of fields so long as the work aligns with the foundation’s goals.
The MacFarlane Foundation is not transparent and only maintains a sparse website. It restricts information about its funding strategies. MacFarlane’s grantees tend to be small, lesser-known organizations and schools, and California appears to be a geographic priority.
PROFILE: The Los Angeles-based Roger I. and Ruth B. MacFarlane Foundation was established in 2009 by businessman Roger MacFarlane. Its broad mission is to “increase the opportunities and improve the quality of life of individuals and communities” and to act as a “catalyst for organizations and their programs to enhance their impact and expand their reach.” The MacFarlane Foundation maintains a simple website and does not share specific information about its grantmaking goals and practices. The state of California appears to be a geographic priority.
Grants for Criminal Justice Reform
Tax filings suggest that the MacFarlane Foundation maintains an interest in criminal justice reform. One past grantee, the Resilience Advocacy Project, aims to “empower New York City’s most marginalized youth to lead the fight for social, racial and economic justice.” It has also supported Nashville’s Dismas House, which aims to “facilitate the reconciliation of former inmates to society, and society to former inmates,” and New York’s Teachers Unite, which works to “create a movement of educator-leaders who collaborate with parents and students to abolish mass incarceration.”
Grants for Health
While it is unclear whether the foundation has a dedicated health grantmaking program, recent tax filing suggests that health has been a broad funding priority in recent years. Past grantees include in-patient care programs at We Care Solar and the Pediatric Therapy Network.
Grants for K-12 Education
The foundation consistently makes grants to support both primary and secondary education, with many of its education grantees receiving ongoing support. Past grantees include the Our Lady of Hungary School in South Bend, Indiana; New York’s Posse Foundation; and QuestBridge, a California nonprofit that connects exceptional low-income students with college opportunities.
Grants for Environmental Conservation
Recent tax filings suggest that MacFarlane broadly supports environmental and conservation issues. Previous grantees include Sustainable Harvest International, Habitat for Paws and the Eastern Sierra Land Trust.
Grants for Housing, Homelessness and Community Development
Tax filings reveal that some of MacFarlane’s past grants have gone to organizations involved in affordable housing and homelessness. One grantee, Dwell with Dignity, helps vulnerable families renovate their homes for safety and health. The foundation has also given to Habitat for Humanity in Saint Joseph County, Indiana and the Family Independence Initiative of El Sobrante, California.
Important Grant Details:
The MacFarlane Foundation makes between $500,000 and $1 million in grants each year. Grants generally range from $10,000 to $150,000 and tend to go to small, lesser-known organizations. For additional information about past grantmaking, see the foundation’s recent tax filings.
The MacFarlane Foundation accepts proposals by invitation only, but prospective grantees may submit letters of inquiry via the foundation’s contact page. Inquiries are reviewed “early in the year.” Proposals for grants ranging from $10,000 to $75,000 are due in April, and proposals for grants ranging from $100,000 to $150,000 are due in August. General inquiries may also be sent to the foundation via the contact page.
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