Laird Norton Family Foundation Grant

From Laird Norton Family Foundation

The Laird Norton Family Foundation (LNFF) seeks to honor and reflect the family’s shared values through its philanthropic giving, aiming to engage the family in philanthropy as a means to strengthen family connections.

Type of Support

Overview

The grant program of the Laird Norton Family Foundation is focused on several key areas, each with its broad goals and specific causes they support. These areas include:

Arts in Education: Aiming to enhance pre-K through grade 12 students' educational outcomes through the arts, by encouraging arts integration within curricula over mere enrichment or instruction, advocating systemic change to foster arts in education, and using arts as a tool to bridge the educational achievement gap.
Climate Change: Addressing the global threat of climate change by investing in regenerative biological systems to influence the carbon cycle and reducing dependency on fossil fuels, with a particular focus on efforts that hasten the end of coal and other fossil fuels usage and work to increase carbon sequestration in the Pacific Northwest.
Human Services: Supporting unaccompanied youth and young adults (age 12-24) in crisis, trauma, or aging out of the foster care system, with an emphasis on preventing unsafe living situations and providing long-term stability services, particularly for those affected by homelessness or foster care.
Watershed Stewardship: Creating conditions for the long-term health and resilience of watersheds of importance to the Laird Norton Family, with a geographic focus on Minnesota, Wisconsin, and key areas in the Western United States.
Sapling Fund: Engaging young family members (ages 14–20) in grantmaking, the nonprofit sector, and family philanthropy, promoting intellectual growth, business experience, and a philanthropic focus to prepare the next generation for leadership roles.

Eligibility

Organization's Location

USA

Program Location

Preferred locations: CA, OR, WA, All eligible locations: USA

Organization Type

Organizations qualified under IRS 501(c)(3) as public charities under Section 509(a)

K-12 public schools or pre-K programs that receive public funding

Other

Located within the United States
Arts programs must already be established with policies supporting arts education, principals desiring more robust arts programs, and support from PTAs
Programs must positively impact students' learning and focus on students actively creating art
Programs should offer comprehensive, sequential arts instruction across various disciplines including performing, music, visual, theater, literary, folk, media, and emerging art fields
Programs must demonstrate cultural competency relevant to their student demographic
Human service programs should have leaders/staff representative of the community served, possibly including experiences such as homelessness, foster care, or personal struggles with mental health, trauma, or addiction
Organizations should foster connections to community resources, offer job/skills training, provide case management, or partner with community organizations for comprehensive support

Ineligibility

Religious institutions for religious purposes

Individuals (for grants, scholarships, endowments)

For-profit organizations

Unincorporated associations or groups

Projects focused on publications, documentary films, television productions

Initiatives under the previously concluded Global Fundamentals program (2007–2016) focusing on clean water, sanitation, technology, and policy in developing countries

Individual artists or artists’ work in the Arts in Education Program

One-time events or art performances without ongoing, hands-on opportunities in Arts in Education

Organizations focusing only on short-term rehabilitation for mental health, addiction, and homelessness in the Human Services Program

Event sponsorships in Human Services

Capital campaigns in Human Services.

not specified

Application deadline

Rolling

Submission

Review Criteria

Funding Preferences Summary

Arts in Education We prioritize funding for:

Initiatives that offer professional growth for educators and artists in the domain of arts education.
Projects encouraging new collaborations to meet objectives alongside community groups, artists, families, governmental bodies, foundations, and educational institutions wherever feasible.
Sustainable, enduring programs with the potential for replication, aiming to make a broad impact on the arts education sector.

Climate Change We focus on supporting:

Initiatives located in Washington and Oregon, with occasional consideration given to projects outside this region based on family discretion, without actively seeking them.
Efforts that involve a wide range of parties, forming robust strategic alliances, particularly with groups not traditionally aligned.
Projects capable of amplifying our contribution into significant outcomes via policy shifts, market dynamics, or other strategies.
Work that clearly benefits from our support, can efficiently leverage our funds, and yields measurable, impactful results.
Established, scientifically-supported programs and ideas.

Human Services Our interest is in backing organizations and programs that:

Foster a supportive community for young participants, with potential paths like family reunification or counseling services, and promote mutual success within the community.
Offer a secure, nurturing environment with ongoing peer and community support aimed at overcoming homelessness permanently.
Utilize an asset-based strategy, acknowledging and enhancing the individual strengths of young people.
Recognize and address the multifaceted needs of participants, especially those exiting foster care or those recently aged out.
Offer comprehensive support for individuals recovering from trauma, mental health issues, or addiction, with a focus on sustainable recovery.
Express a commitment to addressing systemic racial and social injustices affecting marginalized communities.

Watershed Stewardship We give priority to:

Projects in key watersheds for the Laird Norton family that are science-based, employ adaptive management, and demonstrate ongoing monitoring and community involvement, as these elements significantly contribute to achieving ecological objectives.
Initiatives that are underway (or have demonstrated interest) in coordinating actions across watersheds with a variety of stakeholders to ensure strategic and holistic management.