Stolte Family Foundation
/OVERVIEW: This funder prioritizes organizations servicing or based in King County, Washington. Its efforts fund organizations working to close the education gap. Other interests include climate change and global issues for women and girls.
IP TAKE: This is a relatively new foundation, but one that has been taking some big stands on progressive issues. Grants are by invitation only. The foundation lacks transparency and does not provide any grant application forms online, guidelines for applying, or deadlines for open grant cycles. Its grantmaking prioritizes King County, Washington.
PROFILE: Established in 2015, the Stolte Family Foundation is based in Seattle, Washington, and was established in 2015. It seeks to create “a sustainable future where everyone has the opportunity to reach their potential.” Heidi Stolte and Christopher Stolte founded the foundation and both actively serve on its board. They also partnered with Social Venture Partners Seattle. The foundation conducts grants through three programs: Education and Early Learning, Climate Change, and Advocacy and Engagement.
In a recent year, SFF focused on early learning and summer learning loss. It is also interested in getting parents and families more engaged in children’s education and strengthening the entire King County education system. This big push for education funding is driven by a belief that education gaps are a root cause of poverty. The Stolte couple is most interested in helping local students reach their potential and achieve post-secondary success.
Important Grant Details:
Grants have been around $50,000, with some in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The foundation’s assets have exceeded $67 million in recent years. Past grantees include the Parent Child Home Program, Zeno, Team Read, Neighborhood House, and Thrive Washington. Other support has gone to the Seattle Foundation to help build its Resilience Fund, which protects vulnerable populations in King County, such as immigrants and refugees. The bulk of SFF’s support stays in Seattle; grants have gone to Southwest Youth and Family Services, the Denise Louis Education Center, the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, Open Arms Perinatal Services, and the Vietnamese Friendship Association for Greater Seattle. The main geographic focus is King County, Washington. Improving education in the county is the foundation’s largest current focus.
SFF has a very simple website with minimal information for grant seekers. General questions may be directed to info@stoltefamilyfoundation.org. Applicants may contact the foundation at 4616 25th Ave #193, Seattle, WA 98105 or by phone, (206) 453-0444. It does not accept unsolicited applications or LOIs.
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